Power Boat Education

[City]

So I've had a great deal of experience with sailing and sailboats. But not much with power boats, which may be one reason why I'm not yet broke.

Anyway, now that my daughter is older and becoming interesting in boating I'm considering a power boat. Been to several boat shows together and IF I ever do this (I'm probably just 50/50 but enjoying the dream) I'd be interested only in a used "speed boat" for day trips that had some cuddy type interior with a head. The market right now appears to be ridiculously good for a buyer. Most appealing is a Fountain Lightening 35'. Fast as heck (even though I'd likely drive it with crazy care FAR beneath it's capabilities) and a small interior with the most basic necessities if we were forced to spend a night.

If anyone has any comments about powerboat ownership and the like (other than the typical "it's just a money pit"), I'd love to hear about it. Or if I'm completely kidding myself here and potentially embarking on folly, I guess I'd like to hear that too. :D

[v10enomous]

I spoke to someone over the weekend... (member here) he joined sort of a boat time share thing on lake Hopatcong to see if he really wanted to own one. Sounded like a nice ski boat in the mid 20 foot range. I'm sure there are opportunities like that elsewhere with various types of watercraft.

[Uncle Paul]

A boating club/time share is a great way to experience a lot of different boats in a short period of time. You will also get to spend time with other boaters, and better be able to narrow down what makes sense for you.

I used to run a pretty fast Donzi. It was great when up to speed, but it wallowed like a pig when running slow. Was always correcting it's course when running in the no wake zones. Consider this when getting a super fast, that you might be spending more of your time just cruising than throttles up.

A boat that has differed maintenance is worth about 1/2 the price of one that is Bristol fashion. You want to spend all your time out on the water, and not have it in the shop all the time catching up on the maintenance.

Great deals out there, but gotta have the boat looked over by someone who is familiar. Bigger boats need a full survey before being bought. Boats that have been sitting are often the worst.

[Mbccenter]

I have a 38 Donzi ZX. It drives great with stand up room in the cuddy. Still goes over 80mph :). I have been thinking of selling just because I don't have time for it anymore. Never left the garage this year :(

My father has a 33' Eliminator tunnel boat with a pair of 740hp big blocks. Boat runs mid 80's and is in very good condition. He would sell it in the mid 40's. He just settled into more of a cruiser at the age of 70.

[VoodooRob]

Lightning 35s are great boats, there are generations of them just like the Viper and price adjusts accordingly. The ultimate Fountain 35s are the last couple years 08-09 I believe. Staggered 525 Merc race engines in those years will do 98-100mph, the con is very little cockpit space. So, do your homework and get a boat that does what your looking for. We looked at 35 Fountains and ended up going with a Formula 353. Has all the amenities like A/C, fridge, Bimini top, water tank, etc and we still get 85 MPH compared to a non staggered 35 Fountain that would be right at 90MPH. Nothing like twin big block race engines at 5,300 RPM on the wide open water.

[Mbccenter]

Lightning 35s are great boats, there are generations of them just like the Viper and price adjusts accordingly. The ultimate Fountain 35s are the last couple years 08-09 I believe. Staggered 525 Merc race engines in those years will do 98-100mph, the con is very little cockpit space. So, do your homework and get a boat that does what your looking for. We looked at 35 Fountains and ended up going with a Formula 353. Has all the amenities like A/C, fridge, Bimini top, water tank, etc and we still get 85 MPH compared to a non staggered 35 Fountain that would be right at 90MPH. Nothing like twin big block race engines at 5,300 RPM on the wide open water.

Good advice. I started looking at 35 Fountains and ended up with my 38' Donzi with everything including the kitchen sink :)

[plumcrazy]

city, i wanna ride when you get it !

[VoodooRob]

Good advice. I started looking at 35 Fountains and ended up with my 38' Donzi with everything including the kitchen sink :)

Donzi ZX and ZR are great boats. ZX being more user friendly w/ wider beam and nice cabin space, ZR is tight like the Fountain Lightnings. My co-pilots criteria was a windshield, no "bug deflector", so my choices ended up Formula Fastech or Fountain Lightning.

[Hostile]

I am on fresh water lakes so the boats are smaller but still fun

I support a 21' Cole SS V-drive 540 blown big block Chevrolet

With a 3 speed trans. Still a hole in the water you pour $$ into.

If you get into anything that has any speed do a driving school !!!

Skeeter

[Fatboy 18]

This any Good?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLA1_3HKKEc

[shine]

I have a 22' Four Winns F224 runabout that I bought new when Four Winns was on the verge of bankruptcy in 2009.

300 HP Volvo V-8 engine, will do 60 MPH.

Absolutely love it, rated to hold 13 people which, like a hot tub, means you can get about 8 or 9 comfortably. With kids, we're out almost every weekend during the season.

It was the smallest boat we could get with a head. Also has a sink and two shower/sprayers.

I'm sure it's not in the class you're looking at (30'+) but for a weekender that you can get new for about $50k or used for half that, it's a helluva boat.

http://media.channelblade.com/boat_graphics/electronic_brochure/company46949/199442_p_t_640x480_image03.jpg

[City]

Really appreciate the comments and info. I'm checking into all the suggestions. Almost bought a new Donzi that was a 2 year leftover where the buyer walked and the deal was going to give me credit for the deposit. But that was 15 years ago when business was great and my daughter wasn't yet born. Now I'm only looking at used to drop the outlay and also the depreciation after 2-3 years when I want to sell and find some other "fix". Just like with my Viper, I'm more of a "pozer" than a high speed user, so although I'd like to be able to take a 150 mile there and back day cruise (out east in the Long Island Sound), I'd likely never attempt the speed capabilities of these boat. Yeah, I know and admit the lameness.

As mentioned, I have been looking at several Lightning 35's (mostly 2008), but I'm sort of surprised at the price variation. It's all over the place. Obviously has to do with boat and engine quality, but there are some listings with $60G ask and others with $20G's ask. The $60G difference would allow for pretty much any kind of engine repair, boat transport and then some. Anyway, if I need a recomendation for a mechanic somewhere, I'll check here first!

[Mbccenter]

Condition is everything in a powerboat. There are some people who just do not take car of there boats. My fathers is a 1994 and looks better than most peoples 2004. Everything looks good in pictures. Mine is a 1999 but has only 150 hours on it. I would be looking for a low hour, no saltwater use, and stored inside boat. Also the upgrade in the engines is huge money in these. The blue motors are big $$ over the 496's and most people don't want the 496's when it comes to resale.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1612/7979903/23412016/408169764.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1612/7979903/23412016/408169762.jpg

Now I wish I could have used mine this year :(

[City]

Gorgeous boat, but the numbers are beyond my reach these days. I'd be fine with the 496's 900 HP and a 50 MPH cruise speed. :D

[Mbccenter]

Here is my father boat... He is 70 and drives around with a pair of 720hp engines. LOL No wonder I have no hope.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/boa/4632073099.html

496's are good motors and easy to maintain but as you see in your shopping they don't have the resale. Fountains are good solid boats and you can't go wrong with a good condition one. Keep you mind open to all brands as there are many good boats out there.

[City]

Here is my father boat... He is 70 and drives around with a pair of 720hp engines. LOL No wonder I have no hope.

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/boa/4632073099.html

496's are good motors and easy to maintain but as you see in your shopping they don't have the resale. Fountains are good solid boats and you can't go wrong with a good condition one. Keep you mind open to all brands as there are many good boats out there.

Well, that price in in my wheelhouse, but that's not a boat, that's a missile.

[VoodooRob]

If your not looking to set the world on fire with speed, a 33 or 36 Outlaw will have a huge cockpit and cabin compared to a Fountain. Most are 496 HO and won't break the bank. OR a 353 Fastech, I'm biased on that one though. 99-00 Have a low X dimension so they are a little slower but can be had for less $. Formula build quality is at the top of all the manufacturers.

[Mbccenter]

Well, that price in in my wheelhouse, but that's not a boat, that's a missile.

My father who is 70 has had this boat for over 15 years. It cruises really nice and rides very smooth. Most of the time he never went faster than cruise for a weekend but one in a while he would open it up. It is heavy by today's standard so that is why it only goes 85mph but rides so smooth. Remember Fountain counts there swim platform so a 35' is really a 33'. Post some links of the ones you are looking at.

[City]

So what is the general maintenance schedule for a 500 EFI Mercruiser, i.e., after how many hours (say not at redline) would they need work and what kind of work? These are questions that anyone considering a boat should know, yet I don't!

Example of the folly I'm considering.

6909

[VoodooRob]

500 EFI should have heads removed possibly rebuilt at 300-350 hrs this is due to the head gaskets usually let go on these engines not valve spring failure like the 525 EFI. The factory exhaust on 500 EFI were not the CMI mess found on the 525 EFI so you would be good there. Full engine rebuild at 500 hrs, many people run them to 600 but on borrowed time. The 500 EFI is a solid engine and was measured 500 hp at crankshaft & 470HP at the propshaft, the 525 EFI is 550-560 hp at crankshaft & 525 hp at the propshaft (Mercury consistently underrated hp on the 525 for some reason, the numbers in the name are misleading).

[VoodooRob]

Also depending on year of the boat check the drives and gimbal bearings for slop. Some 500 EFIs had standard Bravo 1 drives behind them which are not strong enough for the torque. Better scenario some had the XZ drive or the X drive. The X drive would be the better of the 2, although not bullet proof they will live longer just not forever. If the boat your looking at has extension boxes that's the best set-up on Formula 353 or 382.

[Late Apex]

The {Reggie} Fountain boats are top of the line for quality and very popular around here with the TOPPS, Texas off shore power performance club. You get what you pay for and they are a bit pricey. Look at the Cigarette boat forums too for a lot of info.

[VoodooRob]

Did you pull the trigger on a purchase?

[City]

Nope. Had several to choose from (using a lot of advice here), some at what I found to be at excellent prices, but had a 30 day business cash call that sort of took the air out of the sails. Got the funds back, but now it's so damned cold that I don't have the energy to run around with all the boats out of the water.

I'll wait till the spring when the prices jump up 25% <rolleyes>.

Some things aren't meant to be ... at least not yet.

[Vprbite]

I have never owned one myself. To smart for that. Just kidding guys. I never owned one myself because I had friends that did and could just go with them and pitch in for gas and such when I hung out with them. One thing I learned quickly though was that 80mph in a car is nothing compared to 80mph on water. My friends dad had a 34 foot magic that did 95 with the top up and holy shenanigans was that fast. Also, while a cool boat, you couldn't ski behind it.

My partner had a 24 foot Excalibur and that boat was more usable. It held about the same amount if people comfortably. And it was better for slow speed cruising and still did a respectable 50 mph with a 454 in it. Now I know things change a bit when talking about offshore boats but my thought would be, definitely decide what your needs are. Cruising with the family might be more fun at slower speeds towing a tuber or skier than drilling 90mph across the water. Also, those big boats can cost a lot to operate and you may find a smaller one gets more use.

[commandomatt]

I have never owned one myself. To smart for that. Just kidding guys. I never owned one myself because I had friends that did and could just go with them and pitch in for gas and such when I hung out with them. One thing I learned quickly though was that 80mph in a car is nothing compared to 80mph on water. My friends dad had a 34 foot magic that did 95 with the top up and holy shenanigans was that fast. Also, while a cool boat, you couldn't ski behind it.

My partner had a 24 foot Excalibur and that boat was more usable. It held about the same amount if people comfortably. And it was better for slow speed cruising and still did a respectable 50 mph with a 454 in it. Now I know things change a bit when talking about offshore boats but my thought would be, definitely decide what your needs are. Cruising with the family might be more fun at slower speeds towing a tuber or skier than drilling 90mph across the water. Also, those big boats can cost a lot to operate and you may find a smaller one gets more use.

This advice is like someone telling you to consider a more practical car rather than going with a Viper. A 4 door sedan may be more comfortable and better suited for the family....and you really don't need Viper speed to have fun in the car....right ??

Just giving you a hard time....don't take it personally. Fact is that many families would rather spend time in a bigger boat being comfortable at speed than run around in circles towing people. Also, don't care how nice a 24 foot boat is, when you get into choppy water there is nothing more uncomfortable (and often unsafe) than being in a small boat getting thrown around. You dont have to go full speed to enjoy a bigger boat. Cruising at 40-60 is awesome with that weight underneath you

A friend of mine recently sold his 32ft DCB with Merc 700's and bought a top of the line tow boat. Sure, his kids are happy but he spends more in fuel costs on a weekend and he is miserable when we take off down the lake and he cant hang for more than a few minutes. Its not often you hear of boaters trading down in size......its usually the other way around and this for good reasons.