Sunsation questions.
 

I'm thinking about getting a 2004 or newer 32' Sunsation but I'm worried that the cockpit and cuddy will be smaller than what I have now. I currently have a 2004 302 Baja with HO's. We love the cockpit and cuddy room in this boat and don't really want to give up the space. I have looked at a lot of 32's online and it looks like they actually have less room than my 302. Thoughts? Is the 32' a true 32'? It also seems that there are at least a couple of versions of the 32.....what's the difference? Thanks ahead of time for your help.

I'm not an expert but here' s few points that I discovered when purchasing my 2007 32SS. The hull on the 32SS is larger (higher) than on the 32 dominator but I'm not sure which year the change was made. I found the cuddy size to be quite similar between the 30OL and 32SS although the finishing was quite a bit better on the Sunsation. I can't comment on the 302 but perhaps you can relate. The Sunsation length includes the swim platform and I believe the OL doesn't so I guess you end up with about the same size. The 32SS also comes with an open bow and small mid cabin....believe they call it the mcob. Hope this gets you started and I'm sure you'll get the exact comparisons by the "experts". By the way.....love my boat and was a Baja owner before.

Dun,

Thanks for the information. Since posting, I called a dealer and the guy pretty much filled me in. The 32SS is the boat I would want, but without question, I would give up space. I wish they had a 35'. Thanks again.

I had heard the factory was planning on building a 36', which would be based on the F-4. However, I do not know how far off this project is!

If a scaled down F-4 is built it will be more in the 38' - 39' range.

Nope not necessarily. Most of what you hear is thinking from a couple of years ago. New thoughts and activity are on the horizon.

302 unquestionably has more room that the previous Dominator model. It was more of a sports car version with no concern for being the family wagon with little rug rats onboard. The new SS thanks to the Innovator experiment, became the perfect match for upgrade in terms of deck/hull. Not only did it allow for more amenities/space, but it also more importantly, provided a little more performance. It's definitely not typical in the industry to increase space AND gain performance numbers. Usually it's the other way around.

With that said, there are rumblings of a "couple" of possible model offerings being scratched out on paper besides the old thought of one 37/38 downscaled F4 offering. It could pop in the next 12-18 month, so stay tuned...nothing remains the same with the Algonac posse..:ernaehrung004:

My information is not based on years old hearsay. I've seen the drawings. But knowing Joe and Wayne, things can quickly change.

All the talk as of the last few months seems to be the 38' range still. I'm guessing any new model is at least 24 months away though.

You will defintely give up some cockpit space, but either keep or gain some cabin space. The SS is a more practical boat for those with families due the height difference, and the Dominator is for those of us that love the sleek looks :) Length, cockpit size and cabin size are identical though on both.

I see on Sunny's site that JT is whining about driving his truck. I told him it does not surprise me that he buys a nice, new ride and lets it sit in the garage. It's no different than that F-4 that just sits on the lift all the time! :Whatever:

I agree... I think it's old age that does that to people :p

I bet I've put more hours on the Dominator just driving to his dock, than he has put on the F-4 all year :D

This ought to strike up some good conversation :ernaehrung004:

Okay, I thought I had it figured out, but I guess I don't. The dealer told me that there is a BIG difference in the Dominator and the 32SS. He said that the SS is much deeper than the Dominator and that the cuddy would be as big or bigger than my 302. He also said that the cockpit in the SS is the exact same size as in the 28. ??????

Yes the depth is 6" more, so the cabin feels much bigger in the SS than in the Dominator. Overall seating and bed space is the same, however you do get a enclosed head in the SS due to the extra height. The cockpit throughout the 288, Dominator, and SS are identical in size.

I haven't been in a 302 in awhile, but Baja's typically have a huge cockpit and smaller cabin. I would say the cabin in the 32 is going to be larger than your 302, but your going to take a hit in cockpit space. I too was concerned about cockpit space intially, but quickly got over that after driving the boat and feeling how great it drives/rides compared to others.

The 32SS is a SHARP boat. It has a really aggressive stance on the water. Ca$hed Out here on OSO just got one this year, and having spent some time on his, its really sweet.

My advice is don't sell yourself short on just one brand. There are a LOT of boats out there in this mid-30-foot range. Beam and especially length vary GREATLY on how these boats measure up, for instance is the swim platform counted in the overall length of the boat? As an example, the 35' Nordic and the 33' Active Thunder are very similar in size, but a 33' Scarab is smaller.

I have looked at other brands, but will take your advice and look at some more. At the end of the day, what I want is a boat that goes fast (when the kids are not aboard) and some creature comforts for not only the kids but the wife as well.
I also want turnkey power/speed......are there other boats that go low to mid 80's with HO's that have the length and creature comforts that the 32SS has?

Yes.

Shoot me an email.

Make sure you check into Active Thunder's dealer network and see how many are produced each year. They are nice boats but Brian might not be there for you when you go to sell your boat. Sunsation has a decent dealer network and are producing 80-100 boats a year so you might not have to do a 10 page dissertation on the history of the brand when you go to sell it. Wayne and Joe (Sunsation owners) are top notch and you can call the factory at 6am and get one of them on the phone 5 days a week. They also keep a file on every Sunsation ever made so they can talk to you about any boat you may come across. They routinely give out their cell#'s and will put you through to their chief engineer Barry if you have a tech question 7 days a week. Just make the call and you will be stunned by the customer service even if you haven't bought a Sunsation.

Good luck to you in your search.

Exactly right.

What Truck:cool-smiley-011:

Come by tomorrow early afternoon - I have refreshments for you, and all you have to do is sit in the chair with your sun glasses on and watch me wax on/wax off.

You have more hours - I have way more miles!:cool-smiley-027:

I agree with everything posted here, except the part where K4M is drilling on me:ernaehrung004:. I think both Sun and AT make great boats. There are differences and trade offs. Obviously I end up leaning towards the Sunsation side. But I have been out on a test drive in a 37AT (Jassman's Radio Active Boat) in 5-6 foot seas and AT makes a great boat.

I think you will get a great boat with either AT or Sunsation. You just need to figure out which one meets your needs best.

Do miles while on the trailer count?? :D

Wow, I hope we don't have anything heated develop. I think its clear that a few folks don't know me well. I have helped quite a few people into boats for quite some time; including Donzis, Sonics, Bajas, Sunsations, and Active Thunders. To date, only one netted me a few greenbacks, and it wasn't an AT. On the whole, I have spent more money doing so than the one that paid. Its my pleasure to help folks/friends figure out which boat is right for them; be it production, custom, or somewhere in between.

(BTW, I have had a few great conversations with the folks at Sunsation; past and present.)

No it is all good Brian................:ernaehrung004:

Absolutely - isn't that where we set our GPS recall?:cool-smiley-011:

Anyone know when the site will be updated! I love the "Just eft the factory section" Mitch & the guys at sunsation do some amazing work...

UPDATE IT!!

I was chatting with them today and they are definitely working on the changes.

32' Sunsation
 

I have a 32' Sunsation for sale if you are still looking. Let me know where to email pics if you're interested. Email me at [email protected]

Great thread. Any additional comparisons that can be made would be awsome. I currently have a 33 Outlaw but due to circumstances will be looking for another boat in the 30-33ft range with twins of some kind to replace it. I love the cockpit of the 33 OL and realize it'll be smaller with the Sunsation but curious about ride quality, etc.

I've stayed in my boat exactly 1x so thinking that maybe the MCOB would be a good move for me as well, but the wife likes the closed cabin for some reason.

Also any thoughts on the 32s with the 6.2MX motors? Will it still get up and go? Opinions on an older boat with bigger motors or a newer boat with the 6.2s?

-mike

I am really impressed with the 32 w/6.2's. Acceleration is great and still tops out around 70mph. Obviously if money wasn't of concern I would always go with larger motors, but $$ was a concern for me and I'm extremely happy with the 6.2 package.

Wow 70mph with 6.2s? Is that on GPS? The most I ever got out of my 33 Outlaw with twin 502s was 69mph on GPS funny thing was that was with 6 people and a full tank of gas. Never was able to get up past 65 since then. So 70 with the 6.2s would not be bad at all. As you said $ is a concern, I'm one of those folks on the border of being able to afford this hobby. Thanks for your input.

-mike

70 is on GPS, I think my best was just over 71, and my GPS recall read 68.5 at the rally last year with 5 people and full fuel so they run pretty good. Fuel efficiency is also pretty good compared to the big blocks if thats a concern for you?? For most people it's not though.

Yeah I wouldn't mind a less thirsty boat :)

In the grand scheme of things, nah the gas isn't an issue but 65mph is plenty fast for me and like you said the fuel can be an issue, especially since I will likely be tanking up on the water this year as well.

-mike

The 32SS with 6.2's is pretty amazing! I was surprised. I ordered a 32 with 6.2's a yr ago for a customer and the first time in the boat it blew my mind! The boat gets out of the hole quicker than with ho's and runs a good high 60's to 70. I have seen 74 on GPS on this boat. We have now taken the boat back in on trade and have it available for sale on the classifieds. The customer stepped up to a 43 F4. The boat now has 50hrs on it, smells like new, and is priced to move.With the price of fuel and insurance the 32SS with 6.2s is a great option. Wish you luck on your search!

That's 'cause your Outlaw is a whale.:evilb:

Sorry 'bout that last post--I couldn't pass it up.

To me the ride quality of my Dominator compared to the OL is better and feels more stable at the same speeds. Sunsations just look like a hot rod sitting still--That's why I bought mine.

As for the cabin, I haven't stayed but about 4-5 times overnight in mine, but like you said, the gf likes it when it rains or she's feelin' frisky!!!

No worries! :) Love the good natured banter among brands :)

Usually it's too humid and hot to overnight in the boat, so we hotel it on the water. That's why I was thinking the MCOB route especially cause I bring out the family and friends a lot.

I really liked the rigging and the solid-feel of the boat at the show. Now it's a matter of seeing how the insurance will work out on the 33 OL to see how much I can afford on the replacement.

Question, when did Sunsation go to woodless in the hulls? (I'm assuming they are woodless now?) Just want to make sure I look for one after that year.

-mike

All Sunsations are not woodless. There is a big misconception in the marketplace that wood in boats is bad. That is not true. With the inception of the F-4, Sunsation went to composite materials in the stringers in search of reduced weight. The first F-4 still has a wood transom. I believe all subsequent F-4's have composite transoms as well but that would need to be verified by the factory. All the 288's and 32's continue to use wood in the stringers and transom. If done properly, wood in these areas will last the lifetime of the boat. And from what I've seen personally at the factory, Sunsation most definitely uses wood in the proper manner.

Still use balsa for the layup also to keep the weight down and it makes them stronger.

You are correct, Sir!