Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

I don't want to buy used since this is our familys first boat and we really don't know what to look for. It's important to have that warranty and peace of mind if something goes wrong. If it were a car, I would buy used cause I know lots about them. But a boat, well I don't know that much about, so I wouldn't really know what I was buying. Plus the whole warranty thing, etc.<br /><br />Looking more at these boats, I am starting to like the Stringray's 220DR more and more. It seems to offer all the same features of the SeaRay which is WAY MORE money. It also has more seating because it eliminates the walk-thru aft.. which I really don't know how good of a thing that is anyhow?<br /><br />Plus the performance is great. That boat will do 52mph with the 260HP MPI Mercruiser with the Alpha 1 drive. Pretty much faster and better performance than the other boats I have seen in this price range. I can go up to 35K but no more. So with that price range in mind, there really isn't too many choices from what I am seeing. I would LIKE to go with a 22' boat over a 20' one. And in the 22' range, I don't see much new for 35K or under.<br /><br />When you say that Stingray is a "VALUE" boat, what exactly do you mean? Will it break and fall apart on you faster than a Sea Ray, Chapparel, etc.? I just can't see that huge a difference in them. Like you said KCook earlier in this thread, that in deckboats the price differences are harder to reason because ALL of the deckboats are very similar in performance, features, quality, etc.<br /><br />Let me ask this, since you guys are the boating experts, the StingRay 220DR, is that just as deep a hull as the Sea Ray SunDeck 22' or some of the other models? Could I take the StingRay 220DR in the ocean and on rough bays without a problem? How do the hulls compare? and also what materials are the hulls made out of? what is the best?

 

[KCook]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

The prices the Sea Ray dealer first gives you may be MSRP. Which are always sky high. Especially for Sea Ray. When he sees that you are a serious shopper this same dealer may start discovering "specials" to lower the price. Or maybe not, just have to try and see.<br /><br />I have liked the Stingrays I have been able to see. But I have not yet had a chance to see the 220DR. It is a fairly new model for Stingray. If I were in your shoes I would be taking this boat very seriously. Good dealer would make a difference too.<br /><br />Here is another thread on Stingray - Opinions on Stingray Boats <br /><br />Another strategy for getting into boating would be to start out with a smaller boat, 185 - 200 class, just for the lake. Get experience with this first before buying the big expensive boat for the ocean and big bays. Kind of like buying houses, start small and work up.<br /><br />Kelly

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

without getting into a long story, a value boat is just that- a value. it is less expensive because the builder finds ways to cut costs. that is not to say it is a badly built boat. for example, the stingray may have plastic thru-hulls as opposed to searay's bronze. stingray's hoses may only have one hose clamp instead of two. wiring may be a bit more rough, without good labeling or heat shrinked connections. all these little things are what makes expensive boats expensive. are some more important than others? yes. but that's where you need to do your homework. you can easily put those extra hose clamps on yourself. you can check those plastic thru-hulls each year and replace when needed. you can clean up the wiring. and like i said before, if you take of the boat and perform all required preventative maintenance on your engine, the boat will last as long as you want it to.<br /><br />i'm not saying stingray is the only way to go. just another option. do as much research as you can before you buy. try to avoid always asking people what boats are good. instead, learn what makes a good boat and what things are most important- then decide which boat fits you.<br /><br />good luck-

 

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

yes true.. but how important would you say it is to buy a boat where you have a dealer of that boat on the lake you keep the boat?

 

[KCook]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

Originally posted by newtoboatsman:<br />yes true.. but how important would you say it is to buy a boat where you have a dealer of that boat on the lake you keep the boat?

Depends mainly on your motor vehicle situation. If you have a truck/SUV big enough to tow the boat, then any dealer in your area will work. A new boat should not have to go back to the dealer on a frequent basis. Maybe 2 or 3 times the first year, less frequently in later years.<br /><br />Kelly

 

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

okay well I will check them out at the boat show...<br /><br />question.. what are strikes? I have read in another post that the Stringrays have wood strikes encased in fiberglass? is this good or bad, etc?

 

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

does anybody know of a good diagram that explains the different specs of a boat..<br /><br />For instance looking at the specs.. I see..<br />Max Draft (Drive Down)<br />Max Draft D<br />Transom Angle<br />Deadrise Angle<br /><br />Well my newbie lack of knowledge has no idea what these are or mean. I also don't know what they relate to on the boat.<br /><br />Plus, I asked earlier how to tell if the hull is deap or not.. and you said to look for the Deadrise.. but I only see Deadrise Angle.. not depth.. is this the same thing..?<br /><br />The the hull for all of these boats are always fiberglass right?

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

you're asking a lot of questions.... a good thing. spend some time on this site using the search feature. you will get all of your answers and more.<br /><br />as for deadrise, it is the angle of the bottom of the hull. higher angle equals deeper v. higher angle also usually means a better ride in choppy water. make sure you are comparing deadrise at the transom (stern of the boat), as it changes along the length of the boat. but there is a tradeoff. a deeper v boat usually has less stability while at rest. so you have to determine what works better for you. i will say this- don't expect any deck boat to run great in heavy seas. they are just not made for that. they are constructed to provide maximum deck space, stability, and enough juice for watersports. if you want something to slice chop, look at fishing boats or deep v cruisers and bowriders.<br /><br />max draft is how deep in the water the boat will sit. tells you how deep of water you need before grounding. max draft with engine down will be less, since the outdrive will hit bottom first. good numbers to know, but not usually important when buying unless you are looking for a flats boat to fish real shallow waters.<br /><br />as for the dealer being close, i would say it is important that you can at least get the boat to him if needed. don't think of a warranty on a boat to be the same as a car. not as many moving parts on a boat, so not as many things should go wrong (especially a new boat). but on the flip side, don't expect warranty to cover every little thing that goes wrong with the boat. boats take an awful lot of wear and tear, which is common.<br /><br />for the engine, you don't need to haul the boat back to the dealer. if you buy a stingray with a merc i/o and have problems, you should be able to bring the boat to any authorized merc service center and receive warranty work. obviously a question to ask before buying anything.

 

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

okay check out these specs here on this boat:<br /><br /> http://www.stingrayboats.com/products/models04/models.php?model=220DR&action=4 <br /><br />Look at the bottom specs.. the ones that read..<br />Transom Angle 15 <br />Deadrise Angle 16 <br /><br />Now is the Transom Angle STILL a deadrise angle.. only the measurement is taken at the back of the bottom of the boat?<br /><br />And how about the other deadrise angle.. where is that angle taken?<br /><br />Are these angles suitable for oceans and bays? what would be a SHALLOW deadrise and what is a DEEP deadrise number?

 

[KCook]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

deadrise and transom angle are different measurements. It happens that both are taken in the area of the transom, so this can be confusing. <br /><br />Deadrise is how steep the V in the keel is, just as Mattttt25 already described. That 16 deg figure is fairly typical for deckboats. Would be considered shallow for a bowrider. Different styles of boats with different requirements. If you really wanted a bowrider, then get a bowrider.<br /><br />Transom angle is the angle of the face of the transom (not the keel) with vertical. This is where the sterndrive is mounted. So this angle determines the maximum amount that the drive can be trimmed "in". Most boats can be expected to have an appropriate transom angle. So this is of no interest to most boaters. It is what it is.<br /><br />I still prefer the draft (drive UP) for characterizing hulls to deadrise.<br /><br />Kelly

 

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

Well this boats has the following.. how would you say this is..<br /><br />Max Draft (Drive Down) - 34 in <br />Max Draft D - 17 in <br /><br />The Draft (with the drive UP) is the second number of: 17 right?<br /><br />Damn, I really need a picture of a boat labelled with all the parts and what they are called. The transom angle I am still not sure I understand, then the keel, etc... argg.. too many terms for a newbie.. lol<br />Just don't want to sound like an idiot when I go shopping for a boat... ya know

 

[KCook]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

I'm sure that the "Max Draft D" label was a misprint by Stingray. They meant that to be Draft (drive UP).<br /><br />Some basic research is essential. A lot of folks like to make the research for their first boat an enormous effort. To the point of information overload, and paralysis. I don't recommend that. Instead I suggest going into your first boat purchase on the assumption that it will be your "trainer". To be traded in on the boat you really want in 2 or 3 years. So it really doesn't have to be the "perfect" boat.<br /><br />Kelly

 

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

well when you are going to drop 30K on a boat, you better want what you get..

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

be prepared. like i said before, use the search feature and spend a lot of time reading.

 

[sandijk]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

Buy a new Bayliner. The are from the largest mfg of boats in the world,reliable,strong and the best buy for the money.

 

[sandijk]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

Buy a new Bayliner. The are from the largest mfg of boats in the world,reliable,strong and the best buy for the money.

 

[J230SX454MAG]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

Consider Stringers to be the skeleton of the hull. Now then on to my soap box as this has struck a chord today. <br />I've recently been to the Stingray plant and can tell you that they put them together much like the rest of the crowd. I'm also on my second Stingray like many others on the Stingray forum, and some are even on their third Sting. There are - reasons for that.<br />I've taken the liberty of posting some pics over at another board of the tour and more are to come.<br />Plant Tour <br /><br />

I keep hearing to stay away from Stringray because they are built cheaply and also don't have a good warranty?<br />any input on this?

Now if Stingray had anything to hide or felt inferior to the competition in any way do you think they'd have allowed my up close and personal photos knowing I'd publish them on the web? As far as backing their boats goes I've seen them go above and beyond and after sitting and B.S'n with Al Fink (Owner of Stingray Boat Company) for some time after the tour and at dinner I have no doubt how commited the man is to build a quality REASONABLE (and I stress reasonable) priced boats along with a commitment to taking care of his boats Owners. He's a man driven to be out front of his competition in more ways then one. <br /><br />Granted, does Stingray use fancy Chrome logos on the side of their boats? No. Will the interior be as frilly as some costing 10K more? No. You determine if a few extra thrills is worth the amount of money some of these builders are asking for their boats. Do they use multiple layers of Woven Roven or bi directional glass with skin coats of Chopped Mat like most everyone and resin encapsulate all the Marine grade wood like most everyone else? Yup. Do they use S/S over bronze thru hulls like most everyone? Yup. Do they use S/S screws into wood backing plates on the hull to deck shoebox fit like most everyone and also the windsheild? Yup <br />Do they use S/S staples to fasten upholstry to panels etc like most other builders? Yup. Will they hold up as well as other Builders boats? Yup. I can go on and on about the simularities between Stingray and the competition but my soapbox fingers are not in shape. A couple things I do wish they would do more of is heat shrink all electrical connections rather then just the ones they feel important enough to need the connection. (I've done that to much of mine on my own) I'd also like to see them hinge the ski locker and cooler lids. (again, done that myself) <br />In my opinion far too many builders sell at inflated costs for areas like frills and plush rather then build boats that are that much better built with superior materials then the so called value lines. I must be in the mnority in that thinking! <br />Go to the Guest Login at the bottom of the Stingray home page and login and ask hundreds of other Stingrays Owners about their boats. Just don't be supprised to see others as enthusiastic as me about Stingray Boats. The 220DR is a tremendous value but take a look and see for yourself.

 

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

but can you tell me...<br /><br />Are the Stringers actually wood, that are encased in fiberglass on the 2004 220DR?<br /><br />I heard wood is a back thing and that you should get all fiberglass. I believe the Searays, Chapparels, etc. use all fiberglass. Can you tell me what you know about this?

 

[J230SX454MAG]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

They use both fiberglass and wood stringers on the 220 hulls... The 220DR I'm 99% sure uses the marine grade wood/fiberglass encapsulated stringers while the LX CS and SX use the all fiberglass stringers.<br />Wood has it's pro's and cons. Typically wood stringers deaden sound better. Fiberglass will never rot. Personally I like the fiberglass stringers BUT they've been using non-treated wood in most hulls prior to the mid 90's and there are many old boats still around without issues. I wouldn't let the wood stringer issue keep me from buying a boat I wanted as long as I knew it was marine grade.

 

[squale]

Re: Looking for a NEW deck boat?? any suggestions?

Well I just got home from the New Jersey boat show. I will share with you guys what I thought about the different boats I saw..<br /><br />Chaparral = Nice boats, good room, LOTS of money. So I ruled them out.<br /><br />Crownline = Nice boats again, but not as much room I thought. Plus they didn't look as deep as some of the others. Lots of money. Ruled them out too.<br /><br />Sea Ray (200 & 220 Sundeck) = Very nice boats, lots of features, but their prices are sorta steep. I can get the same quality and features in the Four Winns for less money.<br /><br />StingRay (220DR) = Well lots of features, but the interior was very "cheap" looking and when you open up the doors, etc... you can see the quality isn't on par with SeaRay, Four Winns, etc. Yes you get a lot of boat for what you pay for, but again, just didn't seem to be nearly as well built as the others. So I think they are ruled out too. Plus their warranty is only 5 years on hull compared to lifetime warranty on Sea Ray, Four Winns.<br /><br />Four Winns (214 Funship) = Well for the price, quality, features, I thought this was the best boat for me. The 214 Funship is still less than the SeaRays 220 Sundeck and you get all the same features, quality, etc. in my opinion. The Four Winns boat seems to be built very very well, and the salesman was telling me something about Four Winns using a different type of hull material that will NEVER fade, etc. It's called "Armorcote". He said that most all other boating manufacturers including SeaRay use this one type of material that can get faded over time. Something like a "buff back" gel coat" He kept stressing to us when we asked him to compare the Four Winns against the SeaRay.<br /><br />One thing I DID not like about SeaRay was that they seemed like they didn't have to "Sell" you the boat. They had an attitude like "We are the best" and that really turned me off. Maybe it was the salesman, I don't know, but just my experience today. All in all, I think the SeaRay and the FourWinns are the two nicest boats. I am going to have to sit down and do the numbers and see what I can afford. The SeaRay 220 Sundeck is nice, but it's 44K.. much more than I wanted to spend. The SeaRay 200 I can get for just around 30K but it's a smaller boat, it doesn't have on-board fresh water, doesn't have a head so going to the bathroom on the water is out of the question).<br /><br />The FourWinns 214 seemed to have EVERYTHING plus maybe a couple more little features than the SeaRay 220 SunDeck did. The quality of construction on the two seemed very similar. The warranty's are both lifetime on the deck and hulls. So I have to give it more thought. The only crappy thing is that the nearest FourWins dealer is 1.5 hours away from me and where my boat will be. So I am not sure if this is a problem.. what do you think?<br /><br />Anyhow, for the 214 Funship, with the Mercruiser 5.0 MPI 260HP Alpha 1 drive in it, the boat will come to around 36K the dealer said. Then you have to add a couple more grand for a trailer. So it still seems to me like the better deal over the SeaRay.. what are your thoughts?<br /><br />If you had to compare the performance of both of these boats what would you say would be the better performer with the same engine?