Am I getting a good deal

[hdrockerc]

So I went to the dealer and spotted a brand New Sea Ray 280 for just 100k with generator installed.
This boat on the sea ray site with same features is marked at over 150k.

Now here is the downer, I looked at progressive for an insurance quote and they want 350+ a month. I live in Miami though (hurricanes)

This would be my first boat
Is it good to start with this or should I test the waters with a sundancer 240?

Gus

 

[JoLin]

Re: Am I getting a good deal

Well, a 28 is a lot of boat. If CaptnCamille chimes in he can probably give you some good insight. He's a new boater as of last year and his 27' Maxxum is also his first boat.

I'd suggest that with either boat, you hire an expert to give you a few hours of hands-on lessons in handling it. The length doesn't necessarily make things as difficult as the weight of the thing does. Remember that you have no brakes, and a bounce off the dock in an 8000 lb boat can cause some damage.

I started with the 21' Pro-Line outboard in my sig, and I'm in the process of moving up to a 24' cruiser. I banged the Pro-Line pretty hard a few times and it has the scars to prove it. If I'd done the same in the 24 I might have cracked the fiberglass.

I'm not trying to scare you off either boat- just want you to be aware of some factors you might not have considered. Best of luck!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Am I getting a good deal

I hope to someday get a small cruiser and I personally can't imagine starting out with a 28'. I have spent some time looking around online at used 24' (just dreaming) and was pleasantly surprised to see how much boat you can get for small $ in this category. There are some real nice ones with aft cabins and everything. I would start out with a 24' with a single V8 motor. But that's just me. Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[CaptNCamille]

Re: Am I getting a good deal

Ok so here I am chiming in. We got a 27' Maxum as our first boat primarily because Camille had to have something with a decent head. Being new boaters we didn't realize what we were getting ourselves into. It is a lot of boat to handle if you have never done it before. Close quarters maneuvering and stern to docking can give you a lot of white knuckle moments when learning how to handle the boat.

But if you really love the boat and are getting it for a good price, which I assume you are, the market being what it is these days, then I would go for it IF as JoLin suggested you get someone experienced to go out with you and give you some basic lessons on boat handling, especially in close quarters. Additionally, classroom training is also a very good idea. Check out USPS.org for a course near you. It might also be a good place for you to connect with someone who could give you some hands on training. Otherwise, go for something smaller and work your way up.

Best of luck to ya!

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Am I getting a good deal

You could buy a little beater for one to two thousand to learn the ropes first. You?re not going to feel good putting all the new guy scars on a vessel that nice. If you went with the 28 footer right off the back I definitely recommend you hire a pro to teach you how to safely operate it. Remember the safety of others is just as important as yours.
I started out on a 17' boat and the first few times I had to maneuver it between other boats I felt overwhelmed. Many hours of practice has now made me more confident.
Good luck.