Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

[tpenfield]

Hi Folks:

In my search for the 'next' boat, I have been looking at Formula 280 Sun Sport boats in the 1996-2001 model year range. There are a few Formula 280 Bowriders available, and I had not really considered a bowrider for the waters that I frequent, but I am wondering about the possibilities.

What do you all think about a big bowrider in the ocean? (28 feet)

Waters = Buzzards Bay (choppy) and Vineyard Sound (Cape Cod)

Although I would prefer a "Sun Sport" model (large Cuddy), a bowrider might have some possibilies in that size range. I am wondering if anyone has some real wold experiences with the larger bowriders in ocean/bay waters. I am wondering if they are really much different than the Dual Console or Center Console boats, once you get up into that size range?

I am going to look at a couple of 'F-280 Sun Sports' this weekend and also could look at an 'F-280 bowrider' that is nearby.

TIA for any advise/experiences that you may have.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

I guess it would depend on what you intend to do with the boat, and how far out you intend to be in the ocean. I probably wouldn't worry about it much if staying near shore (2-3miles or less), but if you start getting far enough out that beating pop up storms becomes an issue, the bow rider is going to be a bigger problem when you stuff the bow. I suppose it would be do-able if you kept the canvas bow cover with you in order to block a large portion of the water when you stuff the bow.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

I am usually in sight of land the whole time . . . but there are times when you get 20-25 mph winds in the afternoon that whip things up pretty well on the bay. I figure that if things were rough, then I would button up the bow section and keep the weight to the stern.

The problem that I see with the smaller bowriders is that there is not much freeboard, so the chances of stuffing it into a wave are greater.

Anyone have a big bowrider or know someone who does?

 

[emoney]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

I'm not familiar with that particular boat, but I know plenty folks take smaller boats out that far and further. I think what's more important than length is how high are the sides?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

I guess it would depend on what you intend to do with the boat, and how far out you intend to be in the ocean. I probably wouldn't worry about it much if staying near shore (2-3miles or less), but if you start getting far enough out that beating pop up storms becomes an issue,

How far you are from land is irrelevant. It's how far you are protected waters.

You just can't beach the boat as you can on a lake or river. Getting inside the surf zone is very dangerous territory for any boat. Storm fronts are not an issue if you do your homework. Pop up storms are easily dealt by simply getting out of their path or battening down the hatches until they pass. If your boat or seamanship isn't capable of handling a passing pop up storm, you probably shouldn't be out there in the first place.

Grady builds a dual console boats from 18-35 ft. on the same hulls as the rest of their boats so unseaworthiness shouldn’t be a big concern. My question would be why? Your going to get pounded and wet riding in the front of the boat on all but the calmest of days so you don't really gain in seating capacity, only seating options once you anchor or drift.

I'm not familiar with your waters but if they are anything like the waters I run conditions can go from good to bad in a matter of minutes. A bow cover would just be one more thing t worry about when things go down hill. If you run inlets on a regular basis a bow cover would be a pain

 

[louiefl]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

Center consoles tend to be self bailing while bowriders usually aren't. Taking a little water over the bow isn't the end of the world if your bilge pump isn't fighting to keep up, though there are limits to overflow scupper capacity. My little 15'6" bow rider had about 6" of freeboard and would take huge gulps over the bow in the river when we encountered boats plowing and not on plane. My current 17'5" center console has about 18" of freeboard and I've yet to stuff the bow, but haven't been in anything over 3'. Height of the sides as mentioned above will have a lot to do with keeping dry.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

How far you are from land is irrelevant. It's how far you are protected waters.

You just can't beach the boat as you can on a lake or river. Getting inside the surf zone is very dangerous territory for any boat. Storm fronts are not an issue if you do your homework. Pop up storms are easily dealt by simply getting out of their path or battening down the hatches until they pass. If your boat or seamanship isn't capable of handling a passing pop up storm, you probably shouldn't be out there in the first place.

My reference to the distance was mainly to be close enough to land (or protected waters) to outrun the storm, not necessarily to beach the boat. Obviously beaching the boat would be a bad idea. I wouldn't want to be riding out a storm in a bow rider as it involves getting soaked when there's nowhere to take shelter. I figured you'd have 10 minutes or less when a storm pops up, which might allow you to get to protected waters if you were 2-3 miles away. I'll leave weathering the storms for those with cuddies or cabins.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

I figured you'd have 10 minutes or less when a storm pops up, which might allow you to get to protected waters if you were 2-3 miles away.

The problem most inland boaters have with coastal waters is the scale of things. Running 2-3 miles on a river or lake might seem like a pretty good distance but 2-3 miles from safe haven on the open waters leaves you within sight of the ramp. Just barely gets your prop wet let alone have any fun

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

Lol, I could see that being the case Dingbat.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

Yup, distance is a consideration, as often an outing might be 15 miles away. I still would be interested to hear any real life experiences of folks with big bowriders (27+ feet) as to how they handled the rough stuff.

Normally, you would not head out in such stuff, but often that is what you are coming back in as the afternoon breeze kicks up, etc. a 2 foot seas quickly becomes a 5 foot sea, but you gotta get back home . . .

 

[muskyfins]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

Lots of guys run Lake Michigan in boats that size and I've been in them in up to 6 footers. Your bow passengers will be wet and your boat will take a beating. Four footers much less so. (obviously)

It's not uncommon for guys out of Chicago to run across to Michigan side and that's 90 miles. I wouldn't think it's impossible for you to run on the big big pond. If you're running down shore 100 miles but within 5 miles of land I would think that's less of a problem. Actually, around here bowriders in that size range are preferred by the party crowd. But "those guys" rarely more than a few miles off shore anyway.

 

[hawkrdr]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

I currently have a Monterey 248 (25.5 foot) very deep boat and heavy, handles 4-5 foot swells ok. Not great, but ok. Was just stuck on the Gulf of Mexico last week in a storm trying to get back to the inlet we headed out of and the waves were occasionally over the 5 foot mark.. Wife said we need a bigger boat now. . I didn't put the bow cover on, probably should have to make a little drier ride.... Never stuffed the bow though thankfully.
one thing to keep in mind with the bigger bowrider, they run a pretty deep draft. For waters like the gulf, that can mayor need to run a bit out to get into navigable waters...

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Sanity Check: Big Bowrider (28 feet) for the Ocean???

Well, I looked at a Formula 28 foot bowrider yesterday . . . although there were lots of storage spaces, there did not seem to be enough lockable storage space for my needs. So, I think that I will focus on the cabin versions rather than the bowrider versions.

I will say, that in the bow area you do have a good 3 feet of freeboard, if not more. So, it could probably handle some rougher conditions without stuffing the bow, etc.