PennStateZ
Cadet
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 16
Hi everyone. I have been reading topics here for a few days and I think I have some very basic knowledge that will allow me to ask a decent question.
The question: What type of boat would you recommend for my needs?
Background:
- I live in Hampton Roads (Virginia) between the James and York rivers on the mouth of the Chesapeake bay. At some point I will probably be moving from the peninsula to the Virginia Beach area.
- I'm most likely going to be towing with a '96 Dodge Ram 1500, 2wd, 360cid V8, extended cab, long bed, low mileage. This is not set in stone.
- I don't currently have a place to store the boat outside or a garage, so I'll either be renting storage and towing or renting a slip. If the costs are not far greater for a slip as opposed to towing and storage all summer, I'd prefer not to deal with towing all the time. Looking for some suggestions on this as I don't own a home and I'm not sure what my arrangement will be when I am ready to purchase.
- I'd like to have about $15,000 cash to go shopping with. I'll most likely start seriously looking next season.
The boat must:
1. Hold at least myself and three other passengers. The more the merrier though. 6-8 would be preferable.
2. Be able to handle rough waters on the rivers and in the bay. I'd like the option of going in the open ocean on good days, but this is not necessary.
3. Be as reliable as can be reasonably expected. Routine maintenance is understood, but outrageous costs for parts or service (I'm a mechanical engineer, but the lack of my own storage could limit my ability to perform complicated work) need to be avoided if possible.
4. Stand up to at least brackish water usage.
5. Be powerful enough to pull a tube/skier etc, and cruise at a moderate pace with a normal load.
In an ideal world, I'd find something that could handle rough water, hold about 6 people, run consistently well without being a constant headache, and not put me to sleep when I get on the throttle. Looks are a consideration, but come after the rest.
I keep coming back to bowriders (18-22ft. range) but the open bow in rough water and the lack of a cabin to accommodate the inevitably small female bladder are big negatives. Aside from those concerns, I'd be looking into Four Winns or similar BR's.
I thought about walkarounds, center consoles, and other fishing oriented boats, but I'm not much of a fisherman and a place to lie down and relax along with a swim platform aren't really options.
An enclosed bow cruiser/performance mix would probably do the trick, but these seem to get expensive quickly. Fuel usage scares me too.
And of course, all of this is going out the window if I find a nice Baja near my price range. I'd do whatever it took to afford gas. I don't plan on cruising much. Most of my activities will involve towing a tube or racing at WOT for a few minutes, or drifting and relaxing with friends, so this wouldn't necessarily be a horrible option in my noob opinion. I drive a twin turbo 300ZX that's very thirsty and very impractical, so performance boats are the first to catch my eye.
Sorry for the length, but I wanted to give as much information as I could in hopes that someone can turn on a light for me. Thanks in advance for any input. I've read the beginner sticky here, but other helpful links are appreciated as I've got plenty of time to research before I buy.
-Matt
The question: What type of boat would you recommend for my needs?
Background:
- I live in Hampton Roads (Virginia) between the James and York rivers on the mouth of the Chesapeake bay. At some point I will probably be moving from the peninsula to the Virginia Beach area.
- I'm most likely going to be towing with a '96 Dodge Ram 1500, 2wd, 360cid V8, extended cab, long bed, low mileage. This is not set in stone.
- I don't currently have a place to store the boat outside or a garage, so I'll either be renting storage and towing or renting a slip. If the costs are not far greater for a slip as opposed to towing and storage all summer, I'd prefer not to deal with towing all the time. Looking for some suggestions on this as I don't own a home and I'm not sure what my arrangement will be when I am ready to purchase.
- I'd like to have about $15,000 cash to go shopping with. I'll most likely start seriously looking next season.
The boat must:
1. Hold at least myself and three other passengers. The more the merrier though. 6-8 would be preferable.
2. Be able to handle rough waters on the rivers and in the bay. I'd like the option of going in the open ocean on good days, but this is not necessary.
3. Be as reliable as can be reasonably expected. Routine maintenance is understood, but outrageous costs for parts or service (I'm a mechanical engineer, but the lack of my own storage could limit my ability to perform complicated work) need to be avoided if possible.
4. Stand up to at least brackish water usage.
5. Be powerful enough to pull a tube/skier etc, and cruise at a moderate pace with a normal load.
In an ideal world, I'd find something that could handle rough water, hold about 6 people, run consistently well without being a constant headache, and not put me to sleep when I get on the throttle. Looks are a consideration, but come after the rest.
I keep coming back to bowriders (18-22ft. range) but the open bow in rough water and the lack of a cabin to accommodate the inevitably small female bladder are big negatives. Aside from those concerns, I'd be looking into Four Winns or similar BR's.
I thought about walkarounds, center consoles, and other fishing oriented boats, but I'm not much of a fisherman and a place to lie down and relax along with a swim platform aren't really options.
An enclosed bow cruiser/performance mix would probably do the trick, but these seem to get expensive quickly. Fuel usage scares me too.
And of course, all of this is going out the window if I find a nice Baja near my price range. I'd do whatever it took to afford gas. I don't plan on cruising much. Most of my activities will involve towing a tube or racing at WOT for a few minutes, or drifting and relaxing with friends, so this wouldn't necessarily be a horrible option in my noob opinion. I drive a twin turbo 300ZX that's very thirsty and very impractical, so performance boats are the first to catch my eye.
Sorry for the length, but I wanted to give as much information as I could in hopes that someone can turn on a light for me. Thanks in advance for any input. I've read the beginner sticky here, but other helpful links are appreciated as I've got plenty of time to research before I buy.
-Matt
