Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

[Bayliner2252]

Folks,
I recently moved to FL. from MN. where I have a Bayliner 2252 Cuddy. GREAT boat, love it, but top speed with just a driver is 35 and I'd like to move up to a used cabin cruiser that will do at least 45, and is a little bigger for comfort for my wife and I to use for overnighters. I'd consider single or double engines and, in general, 23-27 feet. My price limit is around 25k max. I've been looking at some Regals as they seem to have the power I want but any advice is really appreciated.

Thanks much.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Hi, and welcome to iboats.

I'd first ask where in FL? What kind of water? If it's coastal/ocean, your quest for more speed will be greatly hampered by the fact that you can't use it without pounding the boat and passengers to pieces.

The boat in my sig tops out in the high 30's with a couple of people aboard, 75 gals of fuel and 30 gals. of water. It's academic. I don't have a prayer of hitting that speed unless I go out at 6:00 am, when the water is sometimes calm enough to do it. Otherwise, on a typical day wiith a foot or 2 of chop, 28 mph is about my limit.

Finally, 23-27 feet is a big range power-wise. My 24' express with a single 5.7, F.I. duo-prop topped 40 mph. If you want that in a 27' you're talking twin 5.7's.

My .02

 

[agallant80]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Have you considered fuel burn? You will be burning a huge amount of fuel with twin 5.7 something close to about 30/gallons an hour. If fuel is $4/gal than you are going to burn $120/hour driving like that.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Ditto to what agallant80 said, the fuel at those speeds will take you to the poor house. Why not consider a boat for it's pleasure and not speed, at 40 plus mph those waves will knock out your teeth. Also gas is more likely $5.00 a gallon, $4.00 is at the pump.

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?


1984 Wellcraft 26 aft cabin 1996 7.4 Mercruiser with BravoIII = 45mph WOT about 1MPG on a good day .
95 gal tank.
I no longer own the boat but something simular with a big block single sounds like what you are looking for.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

my 28'er with twin 260's will run 48 mph but the above estimate for fuel burn is WAY low if topped out more like 50+ gal/hour.... that's $200/hr or more at under 1 mpg and at cruise it'll get about 1.5 mpg running 30 mph

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

A Regal 2760 with twin 4.3s will top out between 45 and 51 MPH depending on choice of drive and fuel delivery options. Fuel injected boats with either Alpha or Bravo 3 drives will be the fastest. It should get around 2 MPG at cruise and 1.4 MPG at WOT.

 

[Bayliner2252]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Thanks very much to those of you who responded to the question I posed. You gave me some good info. To the others who responded but without answering the question, what's up with that? I didn't ask about mpg did I?

 

[Pony]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Thanks very much to those of you who responded to the question I posed. You gave me some good info. To the others who responded but without answering the question, what's up with that? I didn't ask about mpg did I?

You may have just lost all hope of getting any decent help if you are going to respond to it that way. Its called HELP. They all have experience with that type of boat and were just giving you some food for thought. But hey it would have been a blast to buy a boat without knowing it was going to cost you a house payment just to run it.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Thanks very much to those of you who responded to the question I posed. You gave me some good info. To the others who responded but without answering the question, what's up with that? I didn't ask about mpg did I?

Just to enlighten you a little. Speed on a boat boils down to mpg or(gph).If you have to ask, you can't afford it, especially on a $25000 budget

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Stingray 240CS; will top 47mph with a 5.0 merc/alpha one. Radar graphs here:

http://www.stingrayboats.com/boat_performance/radar_gun/selectgraphs.php?boat=240C&motor=&testtype=

You should be able to find one easily in your price range. A newer 250CS is also an option, and would meet your performance goals with a 5.7, but might be hard to find under 25k.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Just to enlighten you a little. Speed on a boat boils down to mpg or(gph).If you have to ask, you can't afford it, especially on a $25000 budget

The OP never asked about fuel economy.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Thanks very much to those of you who responded to the question I posed. You gave me some good info. To the others who responded but without answering the question, what's up with that? I didn't ask about mpg did I?

Most people bring up those other things because they have lived through it. If you want to burn $120 an hour and get knocked around so hard your teeth come out then more power to you. We will be waiting for your next post about your wife not wanting to go out on the boat or about what you broke when you tried to use a cruiser like a ski boat.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Folks,
I recently moved to FL. from MN. where I have a Bayliner 2252 Cuddy. GREAT boat, love it, but top speed with just a driver is 35 and I'd like to move up to a used cabin cruiser that will do at least 45, and is a little bigger for comfort for my wife and I to use for overnighters. I'd consider single or double engines and, in general, 23-27 feet. My price limit is around 25k max. I've been looking at some Regals as they seem to have the power I want but any advice is really appreciated.

Thanks much.

When you said ( any advice is really appreciated ) what did you expect?

 

[Pouryakamkar]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Searay makes very good quality boats travelling up to 50. You can request a free brochure off their website

 

[Bayliner2252]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Stingray 240CS; will top 47mph with a 5.0 merc/alpha one. Radar graphs here:

http://www.stingrayboats.com/boat_performance/radar_gun/selectgraphs.php?boat=240C&motor=&testtype=

You should be able to find one easily in your price range. A newer 250CS is also an option, and would meet your performance goals with a 5.7, but might be hard to find under 25k.

Thanks much -- I looked at some Stingrays and liked what I saw.

 

[Bayliner2252]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

The OP never asked about fuel economy.

Thanks for the assist. I already know about fuel economy (or more aptly the lack thereof). I guess I'll have to be much more specif if I post again in the future. I did get some good tips though on brands and engine sizes. Cheers!

 

[Bayliner2252]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

Searay makes very good quality boats travelling up to 50. You can request a free brochure off their website

Thanks -- I surfed them on boats.com this a.m. There's quite a lot of them in my ideal length of 25' in my area, and the prices for an older one with a rebuilt engine aren't bad. Cheers!

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

The OP never asked about fuel economy.

but any advice is really appreciated.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Looking to upgrade to a faster cabin cruiser -- advice on brands and models?

but any advice is really appreciated.

You wrote: "if you have to ask, you can't afford it". I was pointing out that no one asked.