I was talking with Dave Hare of Sunsation boats at the Detroit Boat Show. I asked him how sales of the open bow 28's and 32's stack up to the closed bow, and I was surprised that the open models outsell the closed by a significant margin (don't remember exactly what he said the numbers were).

In retrospect, it does make a fair amount of sense; if you're looking for weekending comfort it's doubtful you'd be looking for a performance boat. I'd guess that most performance boats are used almost exclusively as day boats, in which case having more room for people is a good thing.

So, how often do you spend a planned night or weekend on the boat?

Every weekend during the summer and vacation probbably 50 nights a year just not on the formula on the carver

We stay at least 15-20 nights a summer, could be more after you factor in a weeks vacation on the boat which is 7 days plus our annual trip to Port Stanley Canada over the July 4th holiday, which totals 10.

Each year it's more and more.

I'd never stay on board.

Open bow models afford more passenger room, but you wouldn't catch me sitting up there at 60mph+!

In my peak years of boating (like say 6-8 years ago) I'd stay on my boat almost every weekend. Probably 20-30 nights a year. Lately (the last two years don't count... boat has been down) probably closer to 10-15 nights a season.

We haven't yet, but this summer we'll definitely spend a couple of nights on the lake in a quiet secluded cove somewhere...

gene and air.. i'd think about it.. but then again i don't let anyone use the head...

Planned?? Its never planned. And does passed out count as sleep? Its usually post partying at the local dockside bar and someone else drives the boat home (friends who are experienced boaters, not girls we met that night), or we just stay there. But rarely do I make it to the cabin. I usually just wake up on the bench seat covered in dew sometime in the AM...half serious, but I'm sure a few of you have been there

We usually overnight for poker runs (don't want to miss any of the dock parties!) and a few other outings each year, so its a total for about 10 times.

The boat is pretty convenient after a long day with some boozers incorporated(not that I do that). I would say that 15-20 nights a summer is pretty realistic. It would be more if I could get the time and Michigan summers were'nt so short.