Hi, I have been looking to move up from my 85 scarab 1 to a boat with more cabin space and a 24 degree hull. With the scarab I get pretty beat up on the lake in anything over 1 footers, since it has a pad bottom. I was looking to spend between 15 and 18k and I don't mind having an older boat, most I have looked at have been in the late 80s- early 90s range. Though speed is important to me, rough water handling is more important. I would also prefer bolster seats. Here are some boats I have been looking at:

checkmate 251s
formula 242s (although no bolsters)
baja 25 sport
sunsation 24

I am currently leaning toward the checkmates. Any suggestions on other models, or which of these would be best for me, would be much appreciated.

All good candidates but if a little more cabin area is a leading criteria I'd go with a Check or the Baja. I believe the Formula's have pedestal seats lagged into the floor and more of a family cruiser. The Sunsation is a 24 7 boat like my Pantera where cockpit and cabin space is minimal. I would most definitely have a survey done to any older boat to check for wet wood or rot and also a sea trial in the conditions you will be running is a must. Some older Checks have an awful tendency to porpoise due to developing a hook in the hull due to wet wood and being on roller bunk trailers. A 24 Baja Outlaw, although smaller cabin, is also a great boat in the price range. Good luck.

You'll be very happy with the Checkmate vs your current Scarab in the rough, that would be my first choice - I also know of a 25 Baja sport that can be bought for well under 10k and is overall a nice boat in need of some detail stuff if youre interested.

A nice 251 in your area:

http://toledo.craigslist.org/boa/4649048150.html

Jake,

Don't forget to look around for a nice Scarab Excel 28, and you can stay in the Scarab "Family".ha,ha.

I know you asked for a 24-27, but in reality the 28 is the infamous Larry Smith 26 Hull with a swim platform.



Cheers,

Dave

Stay away from Baja sport models they have less dead rise go for the outlaw models 24'&25' outlaws run great in rough water,Checkmate 25' is good and a little bigger cabin than Baja

Sorry to be "that guy", but I ran back from PIB Sunday and it was no water for any performance boat under 30 feet at any speed. Western Lake Erie is a mean piece of water that can change on a dime and it's not an issue of getting beat up - it's an issue of foundering, stuffing, or worse. Unless you are always going to stay by the dock or are willing to take Miller's with your truck and trailer to fetch you boat, I would encourage you save your money and wait until you can get something with some real seakeeping ability in the 30-38 range.

MHO

^^ Party Pooper ^^....Ha, Ha, J/K

Maybe this Ultima 53 footer with quad 502s I saw on Tampa Craigslist would be better suited for that area.......





Cheers,

Dave

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Crazy man!!! I wouldn't touch tripples for anything (unless they were tripple diesels in that giant Fountain sport cruiser that used to hold the Key West to Coz run)!!

Would you consider a Scarab III that is in that price range? My old 88 is for sale and is priced right around there, i did new transom/stringers and put in a very low hour pair of Gen 5 Mags and also raised the X dim. Boat was fun as heck and pretty well laid out, not gonna be the fastest thing but theres room to grow lol. Tell ya one thing growing up on this body of water i threw in the towel long ago on speed and opted for comfort. I recently went from a 38 Donzi ZX to a straight bottom 38 Scarab Thunder because of how poor a variable deadrise hull takes the crap we get out there. I made the trip back and fourth in that 34 without issue from our end of the pond to the Bay countless times so you know it knows its way .