Quick background - new-ish boater, it's been in the family and friends to the point of loading/unloading and piloting a friend's pontoon pretty often, renting pontoons and Sea Doos, but not owning and never piloted a small Cuddy-sized cruiser. I've worked on my own vehicles and motorcycles since I was a kid, including some extension modifications making a couple of cars track-worthy. Time is sometimes short, so I'd expect I'd be doing most but not all work on the boat.
In part due to time, we'd have the boat at a marina in a slip of a large freshwater lake. No expectation to bring a cuddy/pocket cruiser to the ocean.
Usage: Mostly my wife and I, + 1 couple on occasion. Has a much better chance of success if it's 'wife-comfy,' which considering the summer humidity here = shower, toilet w/tank are strong bonuses. She's completely into the *idea* of heading there Friday night after work, sleeping onboard, then going out for the day to play on the lake, so considering the summer humidity here, having shore AC/heat would be a winner, although not entirely opposed to adding if it's feasible. Being able to stand or not crouch too much in the cabin (I'm 6'0, wife's 5'7") would be a bonus as well.
In general, most usage would be lake cruising or camping at the pier or one of the lake 'beaches' but sleeping on the boat. Pulling a tube, but not likely to be skiing or wakeboarding.
Have read and researched until my eyes are ready to bleed. I started out with 'get the smallest boat that meets the need,' considering relative $ and in the event we sell in a few years (if we use it less than expected), but then have been climbing upwards, probably unsurprisingly to most of you, based on trying to get some of the options for our use.
Budget is $15-$25K, used obviously, will pay in cash. I *could* go higher, but generally just don't want to as it's a luxury purchase and one I need to see us using regularly in reality before wanting to go higher (in the future). I'm open to waiting until winter if I need to in order to find the right deal.
Right now am considering along the lines of the following after reading up on brands, models, and also looking at layouts - I like the searay/chap/crownline port-side lounge opposite the pilot's chair, so don't think I was able to find a Montery model with that layout, and some boats I'm ignoring based on collective wisdom/comments of lower quality.
Crownline 250CR or 260CR
Chapparal 240 or 260 Signature
SeaRay 24-26 Sundancer
Rinker 250 Fiesta Vee
Four Winns 248 Vista, 242EC or similar
Some of the models may have similar other models I'm unaware of, but also considering e.g. Crownline 260 CR, while of course budget moves the needle to different years based on the boat in those ranges, but generally I'm seeing options in the 1998-early 2000s range. As has been repeated on the forum, upkeep at this age of boat may indeed be more important than brand, but am also looking for the feature set and layout that fits us. I also do not want to go larger as I'll be learning to pilot it vs 22-26' pontoons at the same time as well as budgetary reasons.
I have a very low idea on what specifically to look for or look out for at this point. Compression/leakdown check, look for soft spots anywhere, etc. and will likely have a survey done, although I have no idea how much to expect to pay for one…can usually tell if a boat's been run in salt water by the outboard itself. I have come across a few interesting boats with seemingly low hours, i.e. a 2002 Chap Signature with <300 hours, but I don't know (yet) the main service intervals for I/Os other than it seems impellers should be changed often(have done this on outboards, not I/Os before). (Any suggestions for a good maintenance book covering this range of pocket cruisers would be very welcome).
The lake doesn't freeze, so the assumption is the boat would mainly live in the slip, other than having to pull it for required maintenance, which as mentioned I'm trying to get a handle on. Seems like outboard service (gear oil), hull cleaning and wax are the main times the boat needs to come out of the water, while I'm expecting in advance to be replacing cockpit covers as needed, and doing most of the 'inside the boat' maintenance myself.
Engine-wise, have seen the comments on 5.0 being somewhat underpowered, while it seems the 5.7 or even the 7.1 don't have significantly worse fuel consumption unless WOT. I'm not under the illusion of this being a speedboat, but I expect to at least get up to 35MPH or so, higher being better but not a significant buying factor. No experience as to why, but going to take the wisdom of dual props being more maneuverable so that's on the bonus list.
I have no clear idea on the differences between Volvo and Mercruiser. I understand for the most part Mercruisers are Chevy engines, sometimes modified, with marine-ized electric and fuel systems. Considering the boat will mostly be in a freshwater slip, I don't know if one is beneficial over the other in any way, outside of the inevitable brand loyalties?
I'm widening my search range and am *considering* if I'm willing to buy remotely (with a survey and much discussion). Unsure if this is a 'good' idea or not, but am considering it if the right deal comes along. Has anyone paid to have a boat transported for them, with a trailer part of the sale or not, and have any ideas on costs, and thoughts in general?
Long rambling post, but if anyone has any thoughts on models, years, engines to consider or to avoid, things to look for/look out for/consider, or a pointer to getting better equipped on the maintenance side of things, all comments welcome, as I'm about in analysis paralysis so need some external thoughts before I just go ahead here and work it out as I go.
Thanks in advance!
In part due to time, we'd have the boat at a marina in a slip of a large freshwater lake. No expectation to bring a cuddy/pocket cruiser to the ocean.
Usage: Mostly my wife and I, + 1 couple on occasion. Has a much better chance of success if it's 'wife-comfy,' which considering the summer humidity here = shower, toilet w/tank are strong bonuses. She's completely into the *idea* of heading there Friday night after work, sleeping onboard, then going out for the day to play on the lake, so considering the summer humidity here, having shore AC/heat would be a winner, although not entirely opposed to adding if it's feasible. Being able to stand or not crouch too much in the cabin (I'm 6'0, wife's 5'7") would be a bonus as well.
In general, most usage would be lake cruising or camping at the pier or one of the lake 'beaches' but sleeping on the boat. Pulling a tube, but not likely to be skiing or wakeboarding.
Have read and researched until my eyes are ready to bleed. I started out with 'get the smallest boat that meets the need,' considering relative $ and in the event we sell in a few years (if we use it less than expected), but then have been climbing upwards, probably unsurprisingly to most of you, based on trying to get some of the options for our use.
Budget is $15-$25K, used obviously, will pay in cash. I *could* go higher, but generally just don't want to as it's a luxury purchase and one I need to see us using regularly in reality before wanting to go higher (in the future). I'm open to waiting until winter if I need to in order to find the right deal.
Right now am considering along the lines of the following after reading up on brands, models, and also looking at layouts - I like the searay/chap/crownline port-side lounge opposite the pilot's chair, so don't think I was able to find a Montery model with that layout, and some boats I'm ignoring based on collective wisdom/comments of lower quality.
Crownline 250CR or 260CR
Chapparal 240 or 260 Signature
SeaRay 24-26 Sundancer
Rinker 250 Fiesta Vee
Four Winns 248 Vista, 242EC or similar
Some of the models may have similar other models I'm unaware of, but also considering e.g. Crownline 260 CR, while of course budget moves the needle to different years based on the boat in those ranges, but generally I'm seeing options in the 1998-early 2000s range. As has been repeated on the forum, upkeep at this age of boat may indeed be more important than brand, but am also looking for the feature set and layout that fits us. I also do not want to go larger as I'll be learning to pilot it vs 22-26' pontoons at the same time as well as budgetary reasons.
I have a very low idea on what specifically to look for or look out for at this point. Compression/leakdown check, look for soft spots anywhere, etc. and will likely have a survey done, although I have no idea how much to expect to pay for one…can usually tell if a boat's been run in salt water by the outboard itself. I have come across a few interesting boats with seemingly low hours, i.e. a 2002 Chap Signature with <300 hours, but I don't know (yet) the main service intervals for I/Os other than it seems impellers should be changed often(have done this on outboards, not I/Os before). (Any suggestions for a good maintenance book covering this range of pocket cruisers would be very welcome).
The lake doesn't freeze, so the assumption is the boat would mainly live in the slip, other than having to pull it for required maintenance, which as mentioned I'm trying to get a handle on. Seems like outboard service (gear oil), hull cleaning and wax are the main times the boat needs to come out of the water, while I'm expecting in advance to be replacing cockpit covers as needed, and doing most of the 'inside the boat' maintenance myself.
Engine-wise, have seen the comments on 5.0 being somewhat underpowered, while it seems the 5.7 or even the 7.1 don't have significantly worse fuel consumption unless WOT. I'm not under the illusion of this being a speedboat, but I expect to at least get up to 35MPH or so, higher being better but not a significant buying factor. No experience as to why, but going to take the wisdom of dual props being more maneuverable so that's on the bonus list.
I have no clear idea on the differences between Volvo and Mercruiser. I understand for the most part Mercruisers are Chevy engines, sometimes modified, with marine-ized electric and fuel systems. Considering the boat will mostly be in a freshwater slip, I don't know if one is beneficial over the other in any way, outside of the inevitable brand loyalties?
I'm widening my search range and am *considering* if I'm willing to buy remotely (with a survey and much discussion). Unsure if this is a 'good' idea or not, but am considering it if the right deal comes along. Has anyone paid to have a boat transported for them, with a trailer part of the sale or not, and have any ideas on costs, and thoughts in general?
Long rambling post, but if anyone has any thoughts on models, years, engines to consider or to avoid, things to look for/look out for/consider, or a pointer to getting better equipped on the maintenance side of things, all comments welcome, as I'm about in analysis paralysis so need some external thoughts before I just go ahead here and work it out as I go.
Thanks in advance!
