Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

[IQRaceworks]

I?m looking for a nice used Crownline bowrider?something around 21?-23? with v8 power. I was something that will handle rough lake chop, hold 6-8 people comfortably, and still have enough power to pull a skier or wakeboarder out of the water when the boat is full of people and gear. I?m an outboard guy?.I don?t have much experience with inboard/outboard boats. What models should I be looking at? I don?t want to go any older than a 2003. Can I get away with a small v8 like a 5.0, or should I look for a 5.7 as minimum? Also, what about outdrives?.should I look for a Bravo 1 or Bravo 3, or will the Alpha 1 be ok? What kind of hours are OK on a used boat, and at what point should I start shying away from a boat based on it?s hours?

Just trying to educate myself.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

I'd say 5.7 with bravo3 . . . More in the 23' range or even a tad larger, based on the people count.

50 hours per year of age is typical and OK. Too few hours may indicate a lack of interest/use and perhaps neglect. Too many would be over use and perhaps less longevity to a refurbishment.

 

[jkust]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

As to the comment of engine hours, of course that is regional and we don't know which region you are in. My 2003 sig boat has somewhere around 130 hours on the engine but we use it a lot here in MN where the season for pleasure boating is 3 months at most. Of course most of the time is spent floating with the engine off and actual boat usage hours are much higher than that. I will qualify the hours as well to say that the boat is maintained well.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

I’m looking for a nice used Crownline bowrider…something around 21’-23’ with v8 power. I was something that will handle rough lake chop, hold 6-8 people comfortably, and still have enough power to pull a skier or wakeboarder out of the water when the boat is full of people and gear. I’m an outboard guy….I don’t have much experience with inboard/outboard boats. What models should I be looking at? I don’t want to go any older than a 2003. Can I get away with a small v8 like a 5.0, or should I look for a 5.7 as minimum? Also, what about outdrives….should I look for a Bravo 1 or Bravo 3, or will the Alpha 1 be ok? What kind of hours are OK on a used boat, and at what point should I start shying away from a boat based on it’s hours?

Just trying to educate myself.

A 5.7 has more than enough power to do what you want. You could even pull up two skiers if you wanted. I agree with tpenfield that you probably want to stay in the 23' range for the number of people you want to have on board. The Bravo 3 is a real heavy duty drive with 2 counter rotating props and would pull up your skiers faster. If you have the extra money go for it. An Alpha is a real good drive too and would meet your needs as well but for less money.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

like I said in your other post your looking at a 225 but I wouldn't limit your search to 2003 and newer, if you are serious about a Crownline you can go to 2000 very easily 5.7 or a 350 MAG are very popular in this boat.

Your location would certainly be helpful

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

2002 Crownline 225BR 4189782 Louisville for Sale - iboats.com 1293739
1999 - Crownline Boats - 225 BR for Sale - iboats.com 1281175
2001 225 Crownline 57 lt Alpha Tandem Prestige Trailer for Sale - iboats.com 1291016
These are the ones just on iboats, this is easily one of Crownlines most popular sized boat, Crownline has always been one of those boats that just looks fast and it performs very good for a High end boat, heavier then most boats helps it handle waves better then most and gives the owner a very nice ride meanwhile it still is a pretty fast hull for a bowrider.

As with any boat you need to find someones baby, someone that took care of the boat.

Here is one on another site, 350 MAG can be had with your budget, has Captains Call exhaust...
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2003/Crownline-225-BR-2538956/Louisville/KY/United-States

 

[IQRaceworks]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

2002 Crownline 225BR 4189782 Louisville for Sale - iboats.com 1293739
1999 - Crownline Boats - 225 BR for Sale - iboats.com 1281175
2001 225 Crownline 57 lt Alpha Tandem Prestige Trailer for Sale - iboats.com 1291016
These are the ones just on iboats, this is easily one of Crownlines most popular sized boat, Crownline has always been one of those boats that just looks fast and it performs very good for a High end boat, heavier then most boats helps it handle waves better then most and gives the owner a very nice ride meanwhile it still is a pretty fast hull for a bowrider.

As with any boat you need to find someones baby, someone that took care of the boat.

Here is one on another site, 350 MAG can be had with your budget, has Captains Call exhaust...
2003 Crownline 225 BR Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Thanks! I will have to take a look at those.

What about fuel usage on something that size (5.7 in a 21-23ft boat)? How much fuel do they go through just cruising around? 40 gal per day? More or less?

Thanks again!

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

Fuel usage depends on you, as you get older I think you go through less we still go to the lake but we do less and less water sports and more tie ups and relaxing, again where you are would tell us a lot you may have bigger lakes then I do in fact I am willing to bet on it since I have a few puddles to play in here in Colorado meanwhile if your in the south lakes are HUGE by comparison, but for me I typically go through 40 gallons in a couple weekends but my boating has become more of a social event instead of trying to kill my kids on watersports, when my kids come home from school and we have a bunch of college kids on the boat we may go through 40 gallons in a weekend, also I have three daughters and one son, so if the girls bring their girlfriends rather then boys its more of a social event and laying out in the sun, if we have a bunch of boys its who can get the biggest air on the wakeboard or who is best on three tube war, so you can see how the variables determine how much fuel you go through. I have a 248 BR with a 7.4L motor and I thought I would go through much more gas then I do but its one of those things.

Bigger motor does not equal more fuel, this is one of those strange areas where conventional wisdom doesn't equal actuality, boats are gas hogs so the most important factor to saving gas is how you drive, a bigger motor doesn't have to work as hard as a smaller motor, but if your a speed demon like I am then you are going to burn up the gas!!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

What about fuel usage on something that size (5.7 in a 21-23ft boat)? How much fuel do they go through just cruising around? 40 gal per day? More or less?

Thanks again!

The bigger engines do not use much additional fuel . . . maybe 5-10% more . . . quite a few years ago, I recall reading in one of the prominent boating magazines did some testing of 'big' engine versus 'smaller' engine on the same brand/model boats, and the fuel consumption was not dramatically more for the big engine in most of the operating range. The only situation where the big engines used a lot more fuel, was at full throttle. . . and the boat went a quite a bit faster too.

You can check out some of the older boattest.com reviews of the various crownlines, and it should give you an idea of the fuel usage (gph and mpg)

Cruising, you might see 8-10 gph . . . water sports will probably be double that.

 

[jkust]

Re: Looking for nice used 21'-23 Crownline bowrider...what do I need to know?'

I tend to see the fuel consumption discussions on more entrly level engines such as the 3.0 vs the 4.3 where some folks haven't come to realize that the larger engine can best the smaller engine. My body on frame suv's have the same situation where the superior v8 option gets the same mileage as the weaker and cheaper 6 cylinder. Since the used marked tends to equalize the pricing between the two, all the sudden the v8 is far more attractive.