Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

[cobra1476]

Hi there! I am a new poster that has been checking this great site often.

Now, I have a question....more of a recommendation.

At the current time I have a 2004 Larson 180 bowrider hat had been a great ride. Have never ever had any problems at all.

Now I am looking to upgrade since it seems like every summer the passenger count keeps on getting higher.

Deck boats have been catching my eye for a while.

Since there are too many manufacturers out there and a ton of material to sell you the boat, I would rather here from actual owner.

I am looking for a 20-23' deck, inboard or out even a jet drive is fine.

Again, seeing what you guys like and don't like.

Thanks!

 

[sharps45]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

Love my 2000 ChrisCraft Sportdeck 23 footer. It's a little heavy, but very sturdy and well-built. The company is now under new ownership, so I can't really speak for their new stuff. If I had to do it over again, I'd go with another deck boat, but would want duo props for faster on plane times, forgo the porta-potty (mine is plumbed into the boat, but it's never been used the space is so small, would rather have it for just storage), and probably go with a 21 footer to save on the weight without really sacrificing seating. I'd consider an outboard for ease of maintenance and winterizing, as getting to my engine takes an acrobat. Find one with full windshield, as those with just the drivers side screen leave the passengers in the wind full-time, which some may not enjoy. If you beach your boat, a front ladder is very handy. In my state, having a fresh water system with sink and tap qualifies it for a second home income tax interest deduction!

I've never been in a Larson, but the Chaparral and Mariahs are very nice boats. The newer Tahoes look good too.

Hope that helps.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

LOVE our LARSON 204 Escape !!!!! (20')

 

[cobra1476]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

Thanks for the responses!!! Keep em coming.

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

Love my Hurricane 202 FDGS! I can have 6 on board, and with all the storage, nothing is cluttering the boat... It's a boat version of an SUV... It does most everything well...

 

[security6]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

I've got a Larson Escape 234 and love it. It is rated for 14 people, so I can bring a lot of friends. I enjoy having the space because we always have a lot of kids out with us, and it is nice that the kids can move around without being on top of everyone. Also, we have tons of storage space for toys and gear. My boat has a 5.7 on it, and I have found it plenty powerful for slalom skiing, wakeboarding, and tubing. Top speed with a light load is 49 mph, but I rarely go that fast.

My only complaint is I wish we had a swim platform, but we'll probably put one on next year.

 

[Don0669]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

We have a 2002 chaparral Sunesta 243 with 5.0 volvo i/o and just love it....perfect boat....

 

[asm_]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

While we got the deck boat owners here, I would also threw my question in the hat. How does deck boat handle rough water compare to the traditional v-hull?

 

[dvan1901]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

I own a Splendor Platinum 240 (http://www.splendorboats.com/). These are awesome boats. Our friends have an 18' Sea Ray and when we are riding on the lake, they have to stop and slow down for wake and I just plow right through no problems. I have had 8 adults and 2 kids on mine, with gear, and was able to pull skier, tube and wakeboarders no problem; plenty of power. There is a ton of room on these boats and the catamaran style hull makes for a smooth, and efficient, ride. I would say it is a smoother ride than most other deck boats because they tend to have a flatter hull, less of a V so they can be a bit rougher ride. Plus, the Splendor is probably 1/3 less then what you would pay for the others. Check them out...

Fixed link...

 

[hostage]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

I own a Splendor Platinum 240 (www.splendor.com). These are awesome boats. Our friends have an 18' Sea Ray and when we are riding on the lake, they have to stop and slow down for wake and I just plow right through no problems. I have had 8 adults and 2 kids on mine, with gear, and was able to pull skier, tube and wakeboarders no problem; plenty of power. There is a ton of room on these boats and the catamaran style hull makes for a smooth, and efficient, ride. I would say it is a smoother ride than most other deck boats because they tend to have a flatter hull, less of a V so they can be a bit rougher ride. Plus, the Splendor is probably 1/3 less then what you would pay for the others. Check them out...

The link you mentioned is for Splendor Lighting.

 

[dvan1901]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

Fixed it...

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

+1 on the Hurricane. Yes, the less V to the hull, the little more rough a ride from a traditional V hull, but I still enjoy the ride with no major issues.

Here's mine, a little smaller, but rated for 10 persons.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=399004

Also, so picks of other Hurricane Deck Boat models

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=399672

 

[jokaj]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

have a 2006 tahoe 228. Love it and works great. Somethings to consider would be how deep the v is and the size of the motor. I boat on the larger lakes like Mead and Powell and it gets quite nasty there when the wind picks up. Deep the v nicer the ride. I would also try to get the largest size engine you can afford. I have a 5.0 MPI and i had 10 peeps on my boat going to Rainbow bridge from Wahweap in Powell. Had a hard time planing due to the engine/prop combo for that altitude. Can't have too much power!

 

[kenny26]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

I've got a 20 foot 2010 Tahoe 195 i/o with 4.3 mercruiser alpha1. I was looking at bowriders and then compared them to deckboats. There was no comparison, from a room/creature comforts perspective. My boat has a deep-V 20 degree deadrise just like a bowrider and it rides great. I had 6 large 200-250lb people on it last weekend and the boat didn't break a sweat, and felt like we could have added several more to the party.

So in my opinion buy a deckboat and you won't be sorry.

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Deck Boat Owners- Come in!

I have a 2002 Four Winns 214 deck boat with a 270 H.P. Volvo Penta 5.0 GXiB with duo prop drive.

Strong points: Carries a load. I can put 10 people on it and still be comfortable. I've had 12 on it, but five were smallish teen girls. I've routinely had eight on it this summer. You're not going to carry 12 220 pound men. Max capacity is 13 or 1800 pounds. Has a small head with a porta potti than comes in handy at times. Has a huge swim platform that we just love. Powerplant and outdrive have been fantastic.

Weak points: If you're going to routinely carry big loads or do lots of water sports with a lot of people on board, 5.0 is a little anemic. Go for the 5.7 or greater. The deck boat hull design at speed does not handle as smartly as a straight V-hull and at low speeds near the dock it can sometimes be a challenge to handle precisely, especially in reverse. At least with my particular boat. And I also have an older 21' V-Hull cuddy so I can make a direct comparison of the two hull styles.