Glastron............Who !

[Howzit]

After visiting a local boatshow this weekend I finally decided it was time to buy.<br /><br />I liked the Sea-Ray bowriders a lot and the Bayliner fish & ski boats. The Hurrican deckboats looked good but were expensive and the Tahoes were a nice priced option too.<br /><br />But wait, in the far corner were a couple of fairly plain looking boats called Glastron so I took a broshure and went home. Confident that the next day I'd return and purchase the Searay 185 Bowrider.<br /><br />Reading the Glastron broshure enlightened me to a couple of things. This brand has been around since the 50's. They use a manufacturing process called VEC, (a 2001 Popular Mechanics design winner), and they come with a lifetime waranty on the hull. Also, all boats reviews I could find have been extremely positive.<br /><br />The more I learn the more I like them.<br /><br />Do we have any Glastron owners out there who can vouch for the brand ? What do you think of the Volvo Penta engine ? Is a ski and fish boat practical ? Is the 3L base model engine powerfull enough for enjoyable skiing ?<br /><br />Starting at $10999.00 they seem reasonably priced too.

 

[ajp]

Re: Glastron............Who !

I own 2 and am very pleased. I have a 1969 V180 Fundeck, and a 1999 SX-195. For runabouts these have been one of the industry best since 1953. For resale and collectability, none are better. They also have great hull designs that are designed to reduce the wake and make for a smoother ride. <br /><br />For a following of the history of the boat maker, and all the classics Glastrons, and the owners association, check out the website below. It is pretty cool. People are proud of their Glastrons.<br /> http://www.classicglastron.com/ <br /><br />My SX-195(19' boat) has the 4.3 Mercruiser litre V-6. I think the best for deep water slalom skiing. Better gas mileage than the V-8 and great pull. The Smaller engine will do good with tubing, wakeboarding, two skis, and empty boats(7 riders will hurt the pull) <br />I have never seen a 4 cyl that will pull well enough to get a big man on one ski out of the water. I also gave up the fish ski idea, for me I don't fish with my ski boat. Too much trouble. <br /><br />Of course there are alot of nice boats out there. I just think the Glastron reputation has more resale value for freshwater lake runabout boats. <br /><br />Just my opinion.<br /><br />P.S. Bayliners are cheaply made. Try to find one that is used for a few of years and see if you would buy it as a used boat. They fall apart because they are made with cheap components. <br /><br />Arlan

 

[DJ]

Re: Glastron............Who !

You'll need more than the 3.0L for a good ski pull. The 4.3L is plenty in a 18'to 19' boat.

 

[12Footer]

Re: Glastron............Who !

I do not, but my brother inlaw has a 1976 model 19" bass boat with a same-vintage merc 1150 on the back.This boat is now showing it's age,has spider cracks in the glass, and is heavier then heck...But again, it's a 1976 hull. It is like a floating dock. This boat sees extensive use, and has been very trouble-free thru out it long life, with the occasional breakdowns due to poor mainaintance, and it's old age combined. But she is on the water allmost every weekend.<br />In short, I have nothing bad to say about them.<br />Good luck with your purchase, and welcome to iboats

 

[Howzit]

Re: Glastron............Who !

Thanks for the info. My innitial choice, the Searay is fading fast. According to Popular Mechanics, Searay and Bayliner are made by the same company and Bayliner seems to take a pounding on this forum. <br /><br />As the ultimate newbie I have no idea what is the best buy and any help is appreciated. I'm looking for a runabout that can tow a skier/tube/board and double as a fishing boat when the need arises - I'm not a huge fisherman but like to make the occasional cast.<br /><br />Reading some of the forms about trim, propelers, motors, etc., I know I have a lot to learn. It is quite intimidating - Where do I sign up for the MSF course ?<br /><br />Glastron seems a great make and their engineering looks superb. Thier parent company Genmar, www.genmar.com , also make some other fine boats.<br /><br />Who else uses the Volvo Penta and should a 2 stroke O/B even be considered ? <br /><br />The Glastron SX 175 S/F seems like a great starter boat. See www.glastron.com

 

[SkippersMinnow]

Re: Glastron............Who !

Hi Howzit, I had the exact problem you have, but I went the other way. I bought the SeaRay 180 B/R with the 3.0 engine. I had a downpayment on the SeaRay and was waiting for delivery, and there was a boat sale in the area, so I checked it out. I found a 2001 Glastron 175 that looked very nice, so I asked alot of questions and got a price out of the guy. Its on sale because its the end of the season...blah, blah. So I was this close to buying it before I did one quick check on the NADA guides. It gave me the simple answer that SeaRay held its re-sale much better than the Glastron, so I paid a little more for the SeaRay, but felt a bit better seeing the difference in re-sale prices. The SeaRay had the custom covers, a folding tongue trailer, carpet...things that were all going to be an extra cost with the Glastron anyway. I believe that Genmar just recently bought a few lines of boats, so I didn't give that too much thought. So there she sits in my garage, just waitng to be dipped in the water for the first time this spring. As far as the engine size, I would have liked the V6 but seemed too much more cash for me right now. I only have to worry about pulling the small kids on a tube, and they just put 25 mph speed limits on our local lakes on weekends anyway. Good luck with your purchase, I agree that it is a nice looking boat.

 

[Raghauler]

Re: Glastron............Who !

Just because a parent company makes both Bayliner and Sea-Ray, don't believe for a second that they are remotely similar in quality. Bayliners are fine for certain uses, and for the money, they are probably a good value to many owners you may speak to. But a Sea-Ray costs much more, thus reinforcing the old addage: you get what you pay for. Sea-Rays have always been an exceptionally well built boat. The fit, finish and quality of components have always been about as good as you get on a production boat. A Sea-Ray hull is significantly heavier (thus more material and strength) than a Bayliner. Remember that fiberglass is like many commodoties: is is sold by the pound.<br /><br />None of this is to suggest that Glastron is not a well built boat. Heck, the Batboat was a Glastron! I agree with Arlan.. look at older models by these manufacturers and decide which one you would buy. While many might be cared for very differently than the next, on average, you'll get a good idea which will hold their value. One more point: There are so many good manufacturers out there, you shouldn't limit yourself to only these three. My $0.02, only. Good Luck!

 

[Howzit]

Re: Glastron............Who !

Thanks for the feedback, SkippersMinnow and Raghauler.<br /><br />I like the Searay a lot. The fit and finish is superb, components are of high quality and the boat does look great. What drew me to the Glastron was it's "VEC" manufactured hull which comes with a lifetime warranty compared to the Searay's 5 and the fact that they manufacture a ski & fishing boat. <br /><br />On looks alone the Searay wins hands down but I'm still undecided on the fake wood console. I like the Kevlar looking one on the Glastron a bit more. Compared to the Searay the Glastron does look plain.<br /><br />As to NADA, who knows. The VEC manufactured boats are a year old so only time will tell if they hold their resale better than the older models. However, as I do not use NADA, Consumer Reports, etc. for car, bike or boat purchases, it really does not matter what the resale value is - I prefer to buy what I like.<br /><br />Raghauler, for another 2c, what other manufacturers do you recommend. I have looked at Moomba, Ranger, Tahoe and Hurricane, yet I still return to "VEC". After seeing on Glastron's website that the "VEC" process was a 2001 Popular Mechanics 2001 Design & Engineering award winner, http://www.glastron.com/pages/VEC_Technology.html , I checked out my own mags and sure enough the award is there and the review is very good. The only other manufacturer using this technology is Genmar's Larson brand.<br /><br />Also, what other manufacturer gives a lifetime warranty on it's hull ?

 

[SkippersMinnow]

Re: Glastron............Who !

Howzit, I was told to read the fine print in the Glastron hull warranty, they said it does not cover the most common defect in fiberglass hull........stress fractures. I am not positve about this, but it would not hurt to ask someone. Of course the two sales people for both SeaRay and glastron had their winning points. Also, I agree you should buy what you like, after all, you will own it for a long time..BUT, if you should decide to sell it, the NADA guide is what everyone uses to place a fair value on your boat, and if the Glastron does not hold that value as well, you won't get the most return back on your sale. Now, if you are like me, I plan on keeping this boat until my kids have kids...or at least a very long time, so the re-sale probably won't matter to me either. I really liked the look of the glastron boats though. CUL8R

 

[Howzit]

Re: Glastron............Who !

I've lined up test rides with SeaRay and Glastron and will soon be able to make a direct comparison. I intend to test both the 3L and 4.3L motors. <br /><br />I'm doing a thorough research on a bunch of boats as can be seen above. Stingrays look nice, www.stingrayboats.com , and Tahoe boats, from Tracker Marine http://www.trackermarine.com/tahoe/index.cfm, <br />are reasonably priced and they look good too. I like the Hurricane deckboats too, http://www.godfreymarine.com/hurricane.htm as wll as Moomba ski boats www.moomba.com .<br /><br />As most of the deals out there last until Feb 28 I intend to take my time making up my mind.<br /><br />And when I do, like you Minnow, I intend to keep the boat for the next ten years, at least.<br /><br />Thanks for all the feedback so far. Any additional input is still appreciated.

 

[chesire]

Re: Glastron............Who !

I have a 1986 19' glastron cuddy. This is my first boat and I love it. I have a 140 io M/C. since you are buying new take your time I have a 4 and 6 year old witch is why i like the cabin (puts the wife at ease) I do alot of hydro-slideing wake boarding and tubing. it does not have alot of room for fishing but is still a great boat. The only problem with the boat thai I have had was a soft spot on the wooden floor. (the previous owner drilled some holes and didn't seal them) I like the glastron reputation and not only the bat boat but also one of the bond boats was a glastron. good luck by the way if the expense isn't to great consider the bigger engine. You don't have to use the e-xtra power but you cant if you dont have it. have fun and good luck

 

[KCook]

Re: Glastron............Who !

My last bowrider had a Volvo-Penta 5L /w SX drive. Sweet setup, except there are not nearly as many props available for Volvo as for MerCruiser. Also fewer shops that will work on Volvo. Next time I will try to get a Merc.<br /><br />Fish-n-Ski models are better for fishing than the standard bowrider. Besides Glastron/Larson there are also nice Fish-n-Ski models by Caravelle, Ebbtide, Four Winns, Javelin, Sea Pro, & Triton. Some of these will have outboard motors, which are even better for fishing than an I/O. There is no one "best buy" for everybody. All of these boats are decent values. It's a good idea to take your local dealer into account too. Some can be stinkers, no matter how fancy the brand. A good dealer makes living with your boat that much easier.<br /><br />The smallest Glastron/Larson models are so light that the 3L will probably work. For most other bowriders you will be better off with the 4.3L for skiing.<br /><br />The Glastron SX series is Genmar's lowest price bowrider. Direct competition with Bayliner and Tahoe. IMHO, you get no more than you paid for.<br /><br />The reputations of various boat brands vary a LOT from one region to another. A boat that is revered in the Mid-West may be just another cheap boat on the Pacific Coast. And vice versa. Check the listings for used boats in your particular area to determine what is easiest to buy and sell.<br /><br />Any given boat builder can change a lot over the years. I don't think looking at boats more than 10 years old will tell you much about how that same boat is built today. If you are buying a new boat, examine new boats.<br /><br />The engineering effort that went into the VEC program is impressive. But remember that this was done as much to control costs and emissions as anything. Actual benefits to the boat owner are not so clear.<br /><br />A 2 stroke OB can work great on a small boat. Again, take your dealer into consideration. If he sells lots of boats with OB and has plenty of experience working on them, fine. But if 90% of his sales are I/O, then forget the OB.<br /><br />Unfortunately, warrenties on boats are not as simple as on cars. There can be a lot of exclusions that you never dreamed would be there. For the most part, warranties are a sales tool, not necessarily an indication of the quality of the boat.<br /><br />Sea Ray should cost quite a bit more than Glastron. If you are going to look at such expensive boats as Sea Ray then do yourself a favor and include Chaparral.<br /><br />Bowriders like these are also discussed a lot over at www.trailerboats.com <br /><br />Kelly Cook

 

[jdcullen]

Re: Glastron............Who !

I spent the entire day at the boat show today looking at every 18ft. bowrider with a 4.3L on the floor. I narrowed my choices down to 3 boats. Sea Ray 182BR, Glastron GX185, and Four Winns Horizon LX 180. After some negotiating, all 3 boats came in around the same price, $17,000 + tax.<br /><br />In my own personal opinion, the Glastron appeared to have the lowest build quality of the 3. It wasn't necessarily bad, it just didn't seem as solid as the other 2. I plan to use the boat on the river which is very rough, and I'm concerned about rattling. Don't get me wrong though, my boss has a 2000 Glastron GX185, and is very happy with it.<br /><br />I liked the build quality of the Sea Ray the best. The vinyl and cushions are clearly higher quality. All the components like the engine hatch, the ski locker cover, glove box, gauges are clearly top notch. However, the Sea Ray BR182 was lacking a few key options I wanted, that the Glastron and Four Winns had. To get those options on a Sea Ray, I had to move up to the BR185 which was $2000 more, but included some other nice options like custom covers and bimony top.<br /><br />I test drove both the Sea Ray BR180 (3.0L) and BR185 (4.3L) on the river this summer. The 4.3L is a must, if you can swing the cost. Much smoother, with less cavitation.<br /><br />There is some convincing data in favor of Sea Ray I found on the web. See www.boattest.com and www.jdpower.com for impressive ratings and reviews.<br /><br />In the end, I ended up purchasing the Sea Ray BR185 for $19,495. That included a coast guard package, custom covers, bimony top, Lowrance in-dash depth finder, and 2-tone gel coat. I spent more that I wanted, but I know I got the boat that won't leave me saying, I should have gotten the other one.<br /><br />One last thing, my second choice would still be the Sea Ray BR182 for $17,000 plus $400 for an in-dash depth finder and sliding drivers seat. 3rd choice would be the Four Winns, 4th Glastron.

 

[Howzit]

Re: Glastron............Who !

Okay, okay<br /><br />The SeaRay 185 vs the Glastron 185 GX is a close call. The SeaRay is a beauty no doubt about it and the Glastron an engineering marvel. It will boil down to personal choice on this one.<br /><br />However, lets discuss the entry level offer from Glastron the SX 175 @ $10 999.00 with VEC. As a first time boater this deal makes sense to me. Yes, I'll probably fall in love with boating and want to upgrade to something bigger and faster.<br /><br />I remember skiing with my mates when I was 18, seventeen years ago, and the boat we had was pretty small with a 70hp 2 stroke engine and boy did we have a blast. A 17' bowrider with a 125hp I/O motor at that time would have been pure heaven.<br /><br />...what do you guys think of this entry level funboat at less than $11K ?<br /><br />...this discussion is also open at the following links: http://www.trailerboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000035 http://www.goboatingamerica.com/cgi-bin/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000834.html

 

[ajp]

Re: Glastron............Who !

For the first timer, if you are not trying to pull up 200 lb men on one ski, I'd go cheap. You will have plenty of power. You can always trade up later. You will, probably, lose money on the trade. I personally would try to buy used first, especially if you don't have a shed for the boat. Of course I looked at used boats and was appalled. People just leave them sit outside and they fall apart. I ended up buying a new 1999 Glastron SX-195. <br /><br />Most people use their boats and campers about 3 or 4 times a year at the most. Then they leave them outside for the sun and weather to eat them up. <br /><br />I use my ski boat about 20 times a summer. I wouldn't have less than the V6 motor, but we do a lot of deep water slalom skiing. I use my fishing boat many times in the fall and winter. I have both boats shedded and weather protected.<br /><br />Have fun, and good boating.<br /><br />Definition of a boat - "A hole in the water that you pour money into".<br /><br />Arlan

 

[Howzit]

Re: Glastron............Who !

I may just go for the bigger boat. My dealer has a demo boat, a Glastron GX185, for $14 999.00.<br /><br />...$10 999 for a new SX175 or a 2001 demo GX 185 with a 4.3L V6 motor.<br /><br />I presume the boat should be in good nick but what should I look for in a demo boat ?

 

[TxRiverRat]

Re: Glastron............Who !

Personally, I think it dpeneds on your purpose and budget. If he is looking for a ski boat, he can find a competition stlye inboard for under 20k, and there is no comparison - a matstercraft, malibu, or nautique will ski better than a searay, glasstron, or bayliner ever will. <br /><br />I also will never buy a boat with an outdrive again - eventually no matter what, one day it will leak... <br /><br />my 2 cents<br /><br />PS - definitely Ginger....