Looked at a boat today...several.

[Ronnie]

My friend bought a Rinker siesta vee 28, years ago. His main criteria was a full head and a bed. It was 6500 lbs dry so I'd guess conservatively closer to 8000 with trailer loaded. He towed it the first year but didn't want to buy a new truck so he put it in dry stacked storage for 5 years after that. This had its pros but some cons as well. It was nice in that he would call it in, we'd drive there in a passenger car and the boat would be on the water ready to go, actually they would drop it next to the pump since most in his situation chose to buy their gas on the water for a premium instead of haul the boat out to a road station. With something that big he knew he would never tow it far and plus with the 1000s of miles of sloughs in the nearby delta he never felt the need to boat elsewhere.

It was nice but the cost to mod it back then, 10 years+ now, was just outrageous. The swim platform was around 4k, the windlass anchor was another 1.5k, full canopy, generator, etc.
In the end he didn't use it as much as he thought he would and took a big loss on it rather than continue to pay monthly storage/valet fees.

I used it when I had my boat stolen it definitely and different way to boat and drive a boat, we were always very aware of our depth and we had to plan further ahead for turns and get off the throttle sooner to slow down compared to my sport jet boats, it was like moving from car to a big SUV. Staying below was not really an option if you wanted to see the water because it didn't have any portholes other than the one in head and the over head hatch. It was not quick out of the hole at all but once once it got going it was like a train, we got it to the low 50s on the dreamometer many times but back then Gas was like $2 something per gallon. Pumping out the septic tank was not something anybody volunteered to do either.

Your results may vary but I thought that boat really locked my friend down to boating in the same body of water which he didn't seem to mind but I did.

 

[DoubleThrust]

This thread makes me think I'd be very very unhappy with a Cruiser, at least under a $400k annual personal income LOL. Not hating, just sharing my view on the testimony here.

 

[txav8r]

I think many would like to see me back in a Yamaha, including me. Hut we also aspire to enjoy a more relaxed and comfortable pace, be it artificial or attainable. Getting momma back on board is the objective. We remember all too well what the cost of ownership was in our 36' Trojan tri-cabin. A more reasonable sized boat in the 24-28' range might be less costly. But I appreciate the insight from all viewpoints. We tended to only venture away from our home lake once...except for gatherings!!! So being lake locked isn't too big a problem. A good compromise might be a searay 240...not a great cost and can still trailer if desired. But that boat on the trailer won't for inside...and you guys know how important that is to me. Anyway, my wife broke her phone, so I have been all last evening and today backing up and restoring as I just upgraded both to the 5s. Thanks for the input!

 

[DawgDaze]

Well congradulations on half of that battle! Willing to look is a step in the right direction
I hope it works out in your favor!

 

[JetBoatPilot]

The comment about 8'6" is correct. Anything over that requires a permit and can't be towed after dark.

 

[BigN8]

I want a 340 soooo bad! I get on the marinemax website all the time and look at the used sundancer boats. The problem is the slip. There are non available at my marina and if there were they are hard on the wallet!

 

[biglar155]

Getting the Mrs. to go "look" is probably more than half the battle! I'd say you're probably 3/4 of the way to being back on the water!

Good luck and enjoy the hunt. I find boat-shopping one of the more fun things to do in life. (Fantasizing is free, it's the COMMITMENT that costs ya.)

 

[octavio3311]

This is my PowerBall boat!

 

[Boat Crazy]

The Answer: A Boat

The Question: What will Mel have before the year is out?

 

[MikeyL]

Mel: Before I git on this B-I-G floating hotel for atime, this a.m. .... I thought I'ld share 1 thought that keeps racing thru my mind ever since I first read this thread: And this does come as a former owner. On tons of websites .... and from owners & mechanics alike .... you will hear these words ... "SeaRays AIN'T all they are cracked up (and PRICED !) to be !"
Now I know if ya ain't got nuttin' positive to say, ya oughta keep yer trap shut. However, in this case, I'm hoping these words might possibly resonate with you as well.

As others have already spoken, Mel, I also agree it's SUPER you are lookin' at getting back into being an owner once again ... I personally hope it's just with a different brand. Suggestions: Monterrey, and Regal.
See y'all in a couple weeks, and we'll all git back into seein' summer come in quickly as Springtime disappears. Where we're @ this am, it's already 80 + !!! LOL ! Sorry y'all up noth.
Upon returning, I got tons of new mods to perform on the Yamaha, as soon as I git back, my Emerald Zoysia lawn is apoppin', and I got a bunch of IMPROVED kewl new BBQ tricks to try as soon as we git back ! Oh and my SeaDoo IBRs have been screaming at me take em out this year ! Ahhhhhhhhhhh . Ain't Life GRAND ? !!!!!
Oh ! And my BELOVED Atlanta Braves are killin' the baseball scene as well !
So ........ Good Luck, Mel, whatever direction you go. And to everyone else, Thank our Good Lord that a bunch of Good Fellas felt led to assemble this kewl watterin' hole <jetboaters.net> where we could all gather together and tell boating lies and big FISH stories !
And if anyone cares, y'all kin ask about me and the "Suicide Bass" on Lake Oconee ! In the meantime, y'all play nicely !
Mikey Lulejian - left Lake Oconee, GA

 

[txav8r]

I tend to agree that Sea Ray does not build as good a line of boats as others out there. However, if I am buying a boat, knowing what has good resale in your market is important. Sea Ray is a well know, well advertised name, and in the pre-owned market, it is apples to apples in terms of competitive brands. Now you have a very valid point in purchasing new Mike, if money is no object...and it is. I would love to have a new one. But paying for it and suffering the expected depreciation and loss of value is just not a game I am going to play at that level! Buying a new Yamaha is one thing, but getting into a $150,000 to $200,000 boat and watching it lose 50% in the next 10 years...no thank you. If I were looking at a true live aboard, I wouldn't even consider a Sea Ray. I would be looking at as much Nordic Tug as I could afford. The economics just make more sense going that way longer term. But it is not a boat in this market, nor would a Hinckley be a boat in this market...but they are certainly better live aboards. No, I am interested in a cruiser to have on an inland lake here, and a small lake at that, in my backyard so to speak. So a smaller, depreciated, but with plenty of service life left in her, that is recognizable and desirable when I am ready to move to something else.

Well, the iphone issues toasted my boat shopping this weekend combined with the rain. Well, drizzle more than rain.

 

[Magic]

What more could you ask for Mel? Economical to operate, depreciated by anyone's schedule, A/C full kitchen, swim deck, and great views off the Lido deck! It even has space for your Green Egg!

 

[DawgDaze]

WOW!!!!!! Do ya think they will take an SX230HO in trade??? WADDA BARGAIN!!!!!

 

[Magic]

Of course if you were looking for more of a "Cabin Cruiser"..........

 

[Magic]

Of course if I was looking for a cruiser, I would seriously have to consider this one too.....

 

[txav8r]

That is a nice boat Kelly, too bad it is no longer in their inventory.

 

[Lspeedss]

I don't know Mel.. magic has found you some real nice cruisers.. they look to be shallow draft boats as well. Perfect..

 

[Magic]

That is a nice boat Kelly, too bad it is no longer in their inventory.

Dang it..... There will always be another!

 

[DawgDaze]

That IS a nice boat...

 

[Speedling]

I think it all depends on where you are at in life. Are you retired and just want to relax on cruises? Did you want to start up wakeboarding? What's your financials look like?