anyone here jump to a big boat??

[rthomas]

this weekend some buddies sandbagged me into calling the phone# on the side of a 1968 42' chris craft commander, i talked to the guy for a while and crawled around the boat for a bit, very nice! twin 427 fords low hrs on reblds, wish it was diesel but i would guess because of parts gas power might be more economical. how much work is it to take care of a boat like this? its an all glass boat- not even the stringers are wood
95% chance im not going to call the guy back but i cant stop thinking about it, ive always admired those older CC's

 

[erikgreen]

Re: anyone here jump to a big boat??

I think the only right thing to do is post some pictures and the seller's phone number here so the rest of us can uh.....have a look and tell you whether it seems like a good move or not

Seriously, getting a big boat is a big responsibility... everything costs more, from getting it out of the water to fuel to cleaning. You have to pay for a slip to keep it in, pay to haul it out in the fall and put it in come springtime, pay to pump out the head, pay marina gas prices to fuel it, it's hard to handle by yourself (usually need a crew person) and it usually drafts more so you can't use it in small waters very easily.

But, it's big enough to take loooong trips on. How much is being able to cruise around for a couple weeks at a time worth to you? Or to have a party on board with a half dozen friends staying over?

What I'm finding with my 21 footer is that I want a bigger boat that I'll keep in a slip and use for long trips, and a smaller one that I can easily launch by myself and use for day tripping and such. The 21 is a compromise, and it's not the best for either job.

Erik

 

[backwater dawg]

Re: anyone here jump to a big boat??

It's a HUGE jump to go to a boat that large---not only just simple maintainance and upkeep--but slips-in and out charges-not to even think about 5$ gas---I would go with your gut reaction and keep looking---a boat that large is a huge money and time commitment--good luck Steve

 

[rthomas]

Re: anyone here jump to a big boat??

i guess for me the biggest deterent is where to moor it, all the marinas within an hours drive of home have waiting lists years long and cost more than dry land, its too big for the dry moorage place. if it wasnt for that i think id get serious about it, the guy is asking 50k for it and its been for sale for a while so i think he'd be open to resonable offers

 

[PhatboyC]

Re: anyone here jump to a big boat??

I say have it inspected then go for it. If you don't like it after a year just sell it. No harm done. My guess is you'll wonder how you did without.

 

[arks]

Re: anyone here jump to a big boat??

4 years ago I jumped from a 23' single I/O cuddy to my Silverton 34C. Before owning it I'd never operated a twin engine flybridge boat.
I was very nervous about handling such a large vessel. It was a smart move to hire a captain to assist me in bringing her to my homeport; I learned more about running the boat in 2 long days than I would've in 2 seasons by myself. BTW- the view from a flybridge is outstanding. I'll never have an express boat.
As far as costs, yes it's expensive, but I've found the normal maintenance is do-able by myself- including the shaft packings, transmission service, etc. Compared to the I/O I owned the engine room is spacious, and I never have to spend big bucks on outdrive service (which was a big reason for me to get an inboard).
One thing about a big boat- you have to spend money every year, even if the boat doesn't get wet. Slips and land storage are not cheap. I tell people that I spend $5K/ year even if I don't start the engines. We spend weekends aboard, someimes without leaving the slip. It's so comfortable (A/C and generator) I consider it an inexpensive waterfront cottage. The past 2 seasons we've stayed fairly close to home, with the longest trips only about 20-30 miles. It's still enjoyable and relatively cost-effective.
One thing I really missed from the I/O was speed. I bought a SeaDoo to use and it's satisfied that need. I can even tow it behind the Silverton.

The bottom line- as a vacation "property", a big boat is still a great bargain and tough to beat. If you want to travel longer distances with your boat and are not too concerned about comfort, it might make more sense to have a smaller boat with a single engine. Just my opinion.

 

[rndn]

Re: anyone here jump to a big boat??

I say have it inspected then go for it. If you don't like it after a year just sell it. No harm done. My guess is you'll wonder how you did without.

Just realize that selling a large boat has a very limited buyer base as the current seller is finding out.