Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

[BoatingCop]

Well ever since the untimely demise of my last boats, I've been thinking of what I want now. I'm not really into the whole wakeboarding thing but I've really sparked an intrest in old supra's. I also like the v-drives due to the engine not in the middle of the boat.

The reason I'm looking at true inboards and v drives is because I've had outboards, I/O's, jets, but never a true inboard. I also like the fact that there is no lower unit, no gimbal bearings, tilt/trim to go out. It also seems that inboards don't have a very high rate of trans failure either. I don't boat in shallow watter so thats not an issue. This will be a family boat and not looking for anything under 21'.

The wife has one stipulation though, it must have a sun pad on the back like our Sea Ray did. Obviously a direct drive won't have as big of a pad on the back, but on the boats with a rear ski storage, is it large enough for someone to lay out on? I remember my brother had a Ski Nautique that had a rear storage with a sun pad on it but don't remember if it was large enough to lay on. This is why I'd like to find a v-drive, but older v-drives don't seem to be easy to find. I have a $10,000 +/- budget. When did v-drive ski boats start to become main stream? Anyways, sorry for the long post. Thoughs?

 

[QC]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

What kind of water do you boat in? My complaint about these V-drive wakers is that if there are shallows you can;t get the prop up, and most of them ride poorly in rough water. If relatively flat water, and you don't have the shallows issues, then they coudl be really good considering what you are looking for.

 

[Tahorover]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

Find a Century Arabian or Coronado Cardel. Big block v-drive. Arabians started in fiberglass in 1968 and came with Chrysler,Ford or Chebby power. The v-drive Coronados were only built 1982 to 1993.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7gNOz3U29E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdOe_XE1Ths&feature=related

 

[BoatingCop]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

Wow those two boats are amazing! I thought the only option I had for a v-drive would be wake boats unfortunately or some of the race boats which are not exactly comfortable even for a family of 3. Any other brand recommendations? Also are any of these boats redily availible due to age? I know Cambell made one but I'm having to stay in my $10,000 budget. Also a bow rider and big block woulld be really nice too. Thanks for the help

 

[Tahorover]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

Wow those two boats are amazing! I thought the only option I had for a v-drive would be wake boats unfortunately or some of the race boats which are not exactly comfortable even for a family of 3. Any other brand recommendations? Also are any of these boats redily availible due to age? I know Cambell made one but I'm having to stay in my $10,000 budget. Also a bow rider and big block woulld be really nice too. Thanks for the help

a complete OEM interior is available and it's a very good buy:
http://austin.craigslist.org/boa/2698316431.html

My family has a 73 Coronado with a 440, my 74 Arabian has a 440 and my B-I-L has a 63 Coronado with a 426. Chrysler inboards last and are no parts issues.

Here is our 73 Coronado stretching it's legs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp97JLo0KIA&context=C2273aADOEgsToPDskLbzdC12xxnFbfxNsxdG6Qb

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

$ 10,000 is not much for + 21' of inboard of 400 CI or more. Keep $ 2,000 in reserve for a engine, if you love a rear engine setup.

Shaft drives are sold like all others. When they need repairs.

Older boats used to ALL have full width seat & sun decks. My 2002 Chaparral 186 I/O was a last year of 8' wide all white padded sun decks. About then everybody went to walk thru sun decks.
I lay down on that 8' x 5' pad & ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[BoatingCop]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

a complete OEM interior is available and it's a very good buy:
http://austin.craigslist.org/boa/2698316431.html

My family has a 73 Coronado with a 440, my 74 Arabian has a 440 and my B-I-L has a 63 Coronado with a 426. Chrysler inboards last and are no parts issues.

Here is our 73 Coronado stretching it's legs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp97JLo0KIA&context=C2273aADOEgsToPDskLbzdC12xxnFbfxNsxdG6Qb

Wow that a good deal and only about 15 minutes from me! Thanks for the search, I hadn't even got around to it yet. I like that boat. The outside looks good. Even if I spend 2k on an interior I'm still coming out on top...plus I can re-do the interior how I want. Thanks again!

 

[86 century]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

Just a few things about direct or v drives.
The tranys shift like butter so smooth no clunking or grinding.
The pull is out of this world
dont have all the parts that I/O's do.
Next to no bow rise
The parts are not that bad(a reman pcm40 transmision I have is 1700) close to the same as I/O.
Easy to service you can change the impeller on the water or pull the belt to start the eng if need be
Great for water sports after all thats what most are made for.


The not so good
They tend to not handle so well in reverce
all the girls love them
For the most part beaching is not possible
Most have lower freeboard so big water is not a good idea.


Our 90 supra bravura has big unough sun deck for one to lay on.

All of the supras after 92 are full composite no wood to rot.
Moomba is made by the same company nice boats just less frills.


Good luck finding a bb vdrive under 10k I looked all over didnt find any that didnt need complete rebuild.

Good luck

 

[Tahorover]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

Just a few things about direct or v drives.
The tranys shift like butter so smooth no clunking or grinding.
The pull is out of this world
dont have all the parts that I/O's do.
Next to no bow rise
The parts are not that bad(a reman pcm40 transmision I have is 1700) close to the same as I/O.
Easy to service you can change the impeller on the water or pull the belt to start the eng if need be
Great for water sports after all thats what most are made for.


The not so good
They tend to not handle so well in reverce
all the girls love them
For the most part beaching is not possible
Most have lower freeboard so big water is not a good idea.


Our 90 supra bravura has big unough sun deck for one to lay on.

All of the supras after 92 are full composite no wood to rot.
Moomba is made by the same company nice boats just less frills.


Good luck finding a bb vdrive under 10k I looked all over didnt find any that didnt need complete rebuild.

Good luck

We paid 6k our Coronado. It only had 240 hrs and just needed a interior. It's only ~$400 for a Velvet Drive re-build kit and only takes about a weekend to R&R and rebuild it.

So this needs a complete re-build?:
http://knoxville.craigslist.org/boa/2749270012.html

 

[BoatingCop]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

Yeah I've found several for under 10k. Its just a matter of finding the perfect one, which doesn't nessecarily mean it won't need work. I just get fed up with seeing these new wake barges going for 70k just because it makes big waves. Even early 2000 or late 90's models are going for 20k, and I can't think of why. They are the same inside as every other boat, but they are just labeled as a "wakeboard boat" so I guess tht makes it cool and jacks up the price. I could give a damn about wakeboarding, I just want a direct or v-drive. Thanks Tahorover for opening my eyes to the Centurys, I like them more and more everytime I look at them, plus I love the ways they sound and look!

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

I just get fed up with seeing these new wake barges going for 70k just because it makes big waves. They are the same inside as every other boat, but they are just labeled as a "wakeboard boat" so I guess tht makes it cool and jacks up the price.

Couldn't be more wrong... No, they are far from the same...

There are LOTS of differences, but a wake specific boat has all kinds of things that aren't commonly found in other (or older) ski boats.

*Hull design, with hulls that are specifically designed for wake shape.
*Not many ski boats have ballast systems.
*Perfect Pass is common in both types, but not in older boats. (and it is $$$$ to retrofit)
*Wake boats are often rated extremely high in capacity, and have much higher freeboard than a typical ski-boat. (again, back to the ballast.)
*Wakeboats are also geared lower, as well as having lower pitch props.
*Wake boats also have very specific trim tabs and wedges that aren't found on most ski boats.
*Wakeboats are also starting to come with underwater exhaust outlets, to make wake surfing safe.

There are other things I'm probably forgetting, but suffice to say, wake specific boats are far more than a marketing gimmick. But like you mentioned, you don't care about water sports...

 

[BoatingCop]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

Couldn't be more wrong... No, they are far from the same...

There are LOTS of differences, but a wake specific boat has all kinds of things that aren't commonly found in other (or older) ski boats.

*Hull design, with hulls that are specifically designed for wake shape.
*Not many ski boats have ballast systems.
*Perfect Pass is common in both types, but not in older boats. (and it is $$$$ to retrofit)
*Wake boats are often rated extremely high in capacity, and have much higher freeboard than a typical ski-boat. (again, back to the ballast.)
*Wakeboats are also geared lower, as well as having lower pitch props.
*Wake boats also have very specific trim tabs and wedges that aren't found on most ski boats.
*Wakeboats are also starting to come with underwater exhaust outlets, to make wake surfing safe.

There are other things I'm probably forgetting, but suffice to say, wake specific boats are far more than a marketing gimmick. But like you mentioned, you don't care about water sports...

I guess thats true in some sense. I'm into water sports, just not wakeboarding, maybe thats why I don't get the big money being spent on the boats. I had a '03 Glastron I/O 18' that my bro used to wakeboard behind before he got his boat. We'd just throw the heaviest people in the back and it made a nice wake, but the wake probably wasn't as nice as some of these new boats. To each their own though and those new expensive boats do look comfortable

 

[Tahorover]

Re: Looking for a new boat...true inboard (direct drive/v-drive)?

Yeah I've found several for under 10k. Its just a matter of finding the perfect one, which doesn't nessecarily mean it won't need work. I just get fed up with seeing these new wake barges going for 70k just because it makes big waves. Even early 2000 or late 90's models are going for 20k, and I can't think of why. They are the same inside as every other boat, but they are just labeled as a "wakeboard boat" so I guess tht makes it cool and jacks up the price. I could give a damn about wakeboarding, I just want a direct or v-drive. Thanks Tahorover for opening my eyes to the Centurys, I like them more and more everytime I look at them, plus I love the ways they sound and look!

Have you looked at this:?
http://austin.craigslist.org/boa/2688542045.html

If you want a new inboard sport boat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY5Us0utRl4&feature=player_embedded#!