Wellcraft 88 23XL vs 85 Nova II 26’
03-20-2018 | 07:36 PM
#1
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Wellcraft 88 23XL vs 85 Nova II 26’
The 88 23XL is a single 454/bravo and the 85 is a twin 260HP SBC/Alphas.
Both are in the same price range ~8K and have come with a trailer. Both are lake ready and in overall good condition.
also an 88 Spyder 26’ with a single full roller 454/bravo is in the mix as well.
what are the thoughts?
Both are in the same price range ~8K and have come with a trailer. Both are lake ready and in overall good condition.
also an 88 Spyder 26’ with a single full roller 454/bravo is in the mix as well.
what are the thoughts?
03-20-2018 | 09:36 PM
#3
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From: naples,florida
The 23 is the same exact hull as the 26 but with 3 feet chopped off it. Back n the day wellcraft made a 21 out of the same 25 hull that brownie sold wellcraft, same hull , just 4 feet chopped off it.
all of the ones I am talking of are the same hull and design that Brownie designed.
The 25 nova grew to a 26 with the change of measurement laws and the addition of a swim platform.
Get a Survey, all those old boats could be half rotten
all of the ones I am talking of are the same hull and design that Brownie designed.
The 25 nova grew to a 26 with the change of measurement laws and the addition of a swim platform.
Get a Survey, all those old boats could be half rotten
03-21-2018 | 06:06 AM
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From: naples,florida
I Stand corrected Ole Wise One.
I guess I never looked at the 23 that closely because the old 21 s turned me off soo much that I just assumed that 23 was part of the same miscarriage.
Still have your 25 Phragle ?
03-22-2018 | 07:33 PM
#6
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From: Minnesota
I worked for a Wellcraft dealer during those years.
By 88 the 23 Nova had really slowed down compared to the earlier ones, it needed the big block to have decent performance.
The Nova II was one of my favorite hulls, very responsive to trim and tab inputs. Whenever one came in needing a motor or drive, I was always pushing owners to upgrade to a counter rotating drive or more horsepower. Never made the sale, they were happy with what they had. Cleaver props helped that hull a lot.
Agree to have either of these boats checked over real good. During those years Wellcraft had some pretty good boats, but they also had some real poor ones.
By 88 the 23 Nova had really slowed down compared to the earlier ones, it needed the big block to have decent performance.
The Nova II was one of my favorite hulls, very responsive to trim and tab inputs. Whenever one came in needing a motor or drive, I was always pushing owners to upgrade to a counter rotating drive or more horsepower. Never made the sale, they were happy with what they had. Cleaver props helped that hull a lot.
Agree to have either of these boats checked over real good. During those years Wellcraft had some pretty good boats, but they also had some real poor ones.
03-22-2018 | 07:36 PM
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I worked for a Wellcraft dealer during those years.
By 88 the 23 Nova had really slowed down compared to the earlier ones, it needed the big block to have decent performance.
The Nova II was one of my favorite hulls, very responsive to trim and tab inputs. Whenever one came in needing a motor or drive, I was always pushing owners to upgrade to a counter rotating drive or more horsepower. Never made the sale, they were happy with what they had. Cleaver props helped that hull a lot.
Agree to have either of these boats checked over real good. During those years Wellcraft had some pretty good boats, but they also had some real poor ones.
By 88 the 23 Nova had really slowed down compared to the earlier ones, it needed the big block to have decent performance.
The Nova II was one of my favorite hulls, very responsive to trim and tab inputs. Whenever one came in needing a motor or drive, I was always pushing owners to upgrade to a counter rotating drive or more horsepower. Never made the sale, they were happy with what they had. Cleaver props helped that hull a lot.
Agree to have either of these boats checked over real good. During those years Wellcraft had some pretty good boats, but they also had some real poor ones.
thanks for the info, but I’ve found another one that I really like and is super clean. It’s an 88 Nova Spyder with a 454/Bravo. Guy has had it 7 years and a friend of his had it for 11 before they. Says it’s very solid and in great shape.
03-22-2018 | 08:37 PM
#8
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From: Toledo Oh
Sold it a few years ago. In some ways I wish I still had it instead of my go kart.
03-23-2018 | 06:41 AM
#9
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From: Chicago, IL; Onekama, MI
If you are not familiar with boats get a surveyor to check the boat out, or at a bare minimum have a friend that knows how to inspect a boat. Personally I would skip the friend, everyone is an expert, until you find out they didn't know what they were talking about. While $8,000 isn't a ton of money, spending $500 to avoid an $8000 mistake is money well spent.
Good luck in your search!
