New to thread which boat

[strokersquid]

I am looking for a first boat. I'm thinking of a 17 foot cuddy as a family boat. I live in the SF bay area. I would be in the SF delta ( more calm ) as well as the SF bay and occaisiona
ly trips out under the Golden Gate near the Pacific ocean shore. Thats why I want a cudy. I want a 17 foot so I can handle it easily and not need a full size truck to tow it. My friend has a 19 foot Striper cuddy that is great but a bit big for me. I don't (yet) fish, and my 11 year old does not yet tube or ski.
Not many companies make a 17 foot cuddy. I'm about to look at a 1993 Arima Sea Ranger with an old 100 hp 2 stroke. Owner wants 10.5 k as it has a hard top. I know these boat don't lose value, and this is about where they sell in Seattle ( where they are more common ). Any comments ? Any other 17 foot cudddys to consider ?

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

Certainly somebody has an opinion. All replies welcome. I don't bite (much).

 

[oops!]

Re: New to thread which boat

hi welcome to i boats bud....

i was kinda hoping some of the other guys would jump in on this first.

im not really a big fan of 17 cuddys.....in my opinion they are just wasted space in a boat that small.....the cuddy just turns out to be life jacket storage....and that is one place you don't want a life jacket when you need it.

i did a search for the boat you mentioned yesterday.....as i am not familiar with them.

the guys in the boston whaler forums say they are ok....

but if your heart is set on a cuddy.....at minimum i would be looking at a 19-22 foot for usable space.

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

thanks. I'm concerned about mobility and tow wt so 17 ' seems the size

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: New to thread which boat

Hate to say it, but I agree. Cuddy cabins are useless I think even below 24 ft. I guess if you show a picture of the boat in question we could give you better opinions. It depends alot on the layout. But in my experience, a small cuddy is just wasted space. I know you guys get alot of weather there so it may be needed. But if this is going to be your first boat, I would look for a center console with a front dodger and maybe a t-top.

Once you have handled a 17 ft boat even in the bay areas, you may decide you want something bigger. You said not to many manufactureres make 17 ft cuddies, there is a reason for that. Good luck.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

The real reason for a Cuddy cabin on a small boat is ONLY to have a HOT SWEATY sit down toilet for some people.
That said. A 5 gallon white pail with those molded seats on top are acceptable. You just pull over to a quite spot and each person does their thing.

Or you make sure everybody can do a 2 hour trip after 2 or 5 cups of Caffine.
4 people in a 17' are about it. With a cooler of drinks & a smaller one with snacks / lunch.

17' should be a size you can rent 2 times to see how big it feels for several hours with clothes & coolers on board. Your personal boat WILL COLLECT MANY THINGS in the second year that are NOT on the rental.

Think about what I am trying to tell you to consider.

There are lightweight flip up Aluminum tube & canvas bow hoods to give a more comfortable restroom & then it folds down to the front of the bow. Giving you most of the space back.

Short trips are pratical with short boats. Plan trips that have park restrooms or town dock restrooms to do away with the on board Potty.

Edit..... I keep a 5 gallon pail on my 16' fishing boat with a roll of toilet paper in a freezer zip lock bag in case someone has a need RIGHT NOW !!
Normally bait is in the bucket.

 

[Stachi]

Re: New to thread which boat

As the present owner of a 20' cuddy, I would say you would need to have a VERY SMALL family if you are dead stuck on owning a 17 footer for family boating excursions. I consider four people a crowd on my present boat. I had a 16' closed bow boat prior to my present boat, and the front locker (cuddy) was STUFFED with boat gear, safety gear, and PFDs and (the sizes not needed for the present outing). Personal gear for myself and guests, was always on the deck,taking up precious space.

After owning that boat and always feeling 'cramped' while boating, I found the boat I presently have. The cuddy is not very large , but it offers a place for coolers and personal carry-on gear for all aboard to be stowed someplace other than the main deck area. This feature makes a TREMENDOUS difference! There is also room for a port-a-head and privacy. Two maybe three souls could find shelter, albeit , very 'cuddly' shelter ( ) ,from a sudden squall within the 'cabin'.
I just don't see the point of a 17' cuddy,... you and your family will very soon tire of the ride and cramped quarters.

I pull the boat in my signature with a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT 4.7 Liter engine. It is not all that big , but it does have a V8 engine in it. The Durango is my daily driver as well. I don't put many miles on it so the fuel bill is not so bad. I commute maybe 8 miles round-trip a day for work. When it is play time , she handles towing the boat with ease. I paid $1500.00 for the Durango.

My point is , a decent designated tow vehicle for your boat , may not be as expensive as you may think to own, allowing you to have a more comfortable and pleasureable boating experience with your family on a larger than 17' boat . Once you own a designated tow vehicle, you really only need to register and insure it during boating season....that is an option. I know plenty of guy's who own snow-plow rigged trucks that sit without tags and ins. until the season comes around.

I would also think that the deals available on a 20' cuddy would be more to your liking , as there are MANY more 20' cuddy boats for sale than there are 17' cuddy boats. There just weren't many 17' cuddy type boats built. There must have been a reason for that .
Welcome to iBoats , and good luck in your search.
Stachi

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

I have just the wife and an 11 yr old, maybe one of his friends to tote. In my friend's 19 cuddy, they like to go inside when its cold ( here that means in the 50-60s ) Out in the delta there are only waves on the wide points of the rivers, so you can go out there in an open bow and stop if you get wet. In the winter this would be no fun at all. On the bay and under the Golden Gate waves can vary up to 4-5 feet ( square waves, not swells ). It would be good to have a larger boat but my experience is that costs really go up past 17' both in price and maintainance. You can't keep anything larger in the garage. Out here the neighborhood nazis won't let you keep a boat in the driveway. The Arima has a 6 foot cabin, so my son and his friend going below is possible.

 

[Shamfarlango]

Re: New to thread which boat

a 17 foot cuddy is pointless really. You arent going to get a comfortable sit down place for people in a 17 footer. Also, inside is the absolute worse place to be when underway. The best of them get ill being below deck while under way.

Maybe a 17 footer with a camper canvas. Shelter from the wind and waves.

 

[Stachi]

Re: New to thread which boat

What exactly won't fit ? The boat or the trailer ?
I ask because there may be an alternative if the tongue of the trailer is in the way of the garage door closing...

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=36616

I have just the wife and an 11 yr old, maybe one of his friends to tote. In my friend's 19 cuddy, they like to go inside when its cold ( here that means in the 50-60s ) Out in the delta there are only waves on the wide points of the rivers, so you can go out there in an open bow and stop if you get wet. In the winter this would be no fun at all. On the bay and under the Golden Gate waves can vary up to 4-5 feet ( square waves, not swells ). It would be good to have a larger boat but my experience is that costs really go up past 17' both in price and maintainance. You can't keep anything larger in the garage. Out here the neighborhood nazis won't let you keep a boat in the driveway. The Arima has a 6 foot cabin, so my son and his friend going below is possible.

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

height and length

 

[ondarvr]

Re: New to thread which boat

Arimas are good boats and feel big for their size, they are very popular for fishing in the NW. Like I said, they are very good for fishing, but the relatively shallow V hull makes for a rather rough ride if the wind comes up. Check the overall height of the boat on the trailer, I don't think it will fit in your garage if it's a hard top.

If you don't fish I'm not sure it would be a good option, mainly because of the shallow V , It isn't designed as a family fun boat, it's a purpose built fishing boat and you will be pounding through the waves. Most wives and kids don't like cruising around in cold weather, they like warm sunny days and warm water, so don't expect them to go out with you when you really need the hard top.

I would buy one in a minute for fishing, but if I was really buying it for the family I would look at something different.

 

[FastFission]

Re: New to thread which boat

I'm new to powerboating, but I did a fair bit of sailing in the bay when I lived there (about 20 years ago now...). I think you're on the right track, but if it were me I'd go to the 19 footer (assuming you can tow it). As cold and wet as the bay is even in summer, I think the cuddy would be nice. It would also break the wind and spray a bit, and might shed water a bit better. I've had green water over the bow of a 20ft sailboat pretty frequently, especially near the Golden Gate, and I suspect a full length cockpit would be a really wet ride.

I would stick to a boat that's designed for ocean use, with self-bailing cockpit and such. I like the looks of both the Striper and Arima, but I don't know ocean powerboats enough to say more than that.

Just my 2 cents.

Carl

1993 Bayliner 1952 Cuddy Classic,
Previously,
1972 Venture 222
1965? Columbia 22

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: New to thread which boat

What the OP (and other beginners) desperately need to understand, is that pleasure boating is; 1. Not a poor mans hobby. 2. A series of compromises. 3. An expensive learning curve. If one cannot afford an appropriate tow vehicle, safety gear, registration, permits, maintenance and storage fees and the inevitable operating expenses ...he has chosen the wrong hobby. If one cannot afford multiple boats, one must ALWAYS compromise on something...be it size, power, amenities, name brand, condition, practicality for the intended use, etc. Every choice one makes in an effort to pursue this hobby requires money. Mistakes cost more money. Stupidity can cost an extremity or your life. Please give the opinions you've received here their due merit. It may save you an immeasurable amount of grief.

 

[strokersquid]

Re: New to thread which boat

a 17 foot cuddy is pointless really. You arent going to get a comfortable sit down place for people in a 17 footer. Also, inside is the absolute worse place to be when underway. The best of them get ill being below deck while under way.

Maybe a 17 footer with a camper canvas. Shelter from the wind and waves.

My experience is with my friend's 19 ft Seaswirl Striper cuddy. My son and his like to go below a lot and they actually like the big waves and some pounding. I'm basing my search for a cuddy on my son primarily, since he would be with me and maybe one of his friends.During the summer I have two jet skis to use and the boat would be to use for occasional use on the Bay. Its real use would be in fall and winter in temperatures 50-70 degrees, mostly in the delta sloughs where waves are not such a big deal. We would be out all day ( not on a lake where you go out and back a couple of times in a day ), though probably a couple of hours between stops. I DO NOT WANT A CUDDY FOR THE PORTA-POTTY.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

Oh me. Oh my.

Your boating son & friend / friends, are at the age when they become young men. Have had a couple of families LOSE their boating sons & daughters. The reason is a very valid one. They are maturing into young adults & do not need parents all day or on weekends.

How quickly they are ready to leave our nests.

Buy a boat .....YOU....& OTHER ADULTS enjoy.
More honestly. I have a 16' Lowe Aluminum fishing boat with a 9.9 hp electric start. Also a plastic Chaparral 186 SSI. It is 19' LOA x 8' wide with a 5 L V8 in it.
Go shallow 9.9 hp. Take 6 people home in 4' to 5' head on waves in UNEXPECTEDLY high winds. The Chap trimmed bow high had all 6 of us dry for a 30 minute return ride.


Face it. Start with the ....1.... boatsize & type YOU...YOU personally alone in it really want when your 11 year old says.
" I am going with my friends to somewhere you & mom ARE NOT INVITED ALONG "
............That should be the reality of your next boat.

At 73 I can honestly say that SHOULD happen to you. My neighbor bought 2 EXPENSIVE brand new boats for his young son to go out with. Past summer they sat there collecting green slime. Son stayed in the city with friends. Same age group as yours.

Be honest to YOURSELF.

 

[Shamfarlango]

Re: New to thread which boat

Good words cyclops

I bought our boat for me first. I knew what i wanted from a boat and that cruising and sleeping were important to me. The wife had her list too. We named the boat "the compromise" ironically....and we never let the kids forget that its our (wife and I) boat and they are guests LOL

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

Dumb luck is far more important than ALL THE TRAINING, SKILL or knowledge you can acquire.
Why would I say a stupid remark like that ? Because NO ONE can ever be better than a person who is lucky.

My example of it is my wife PICKING our last boat at a big boatshow. Only requirement was it could not be longer than 19'. Boat slip rule.
She wanted white with ONLY black trim color. She liked a Cobalt leftover. It was sold & no more available. BOO HOO.
Luck at the winter show had a new 2002 Chaparral 186 SSI in the right colors. I opted for the 5 L V8 to carry a full load of 6 people at 40 + mph.

Tuned out to be a fantastic 6 pack seniors boat. 19' LOA x 8' wide, full rear bench, 2 flip up captains seats, great bow seats, V 8 does 50 / 2 people.

Dumb stupid LUCK by us. So much for skill.

 

[oops!]

Re: New to thread which boat

hey stroker.......

one of the points that grabbed me ......was the fact that you mentioned that "they like to go inside when its cold"

got something for you to think about.....might be an option.

i live up in kelowna (north of spokane in canada) ....it gets really cool at night during early spring (feb-march) and late fall......

i put a heater in the boat......it is fantastic !!!! ill never own a boat with out one !

even on a cold day.....and no canvas on the boat......just the heater blowing on our feet and arms is all we need ! we can boat in very cool temps and be "just right"
even after a evening waterski....cold....wet....just sit by the heater vent and all is well !

now......if i had a big tent like canvas on a boat with a heater in it.......wow.....no worries...who needs a cuddy?

just some food for thought !

cheers
oops

 

[cyclops2]

Re: New to thread which boat

oops

What was the size & power system on your boat ? Was it a water heater with exhaust water or block water ?