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I'm down to 3 boats -- which one would you purchase!
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Random Quote: there aint no bad beer just some are better than others
after reading your other posts, I would get the Key West with the 150 4 stroke. Its a great boat and will be the best bet for you and your family. If you can afford it. If you need to sell it the Key West will sell fast.
Thanks again for everyone's comments -- really appreciated.
Couple things:
-Sea Hunt 196 -- Just talked to a Sea Hunt dealer (a VERY respected one -- not one of the "discount" ones.) I asked them about the Yammie 115 HP on the 196 -- and they said it was perfect for it, not underpowered. He said the hull was designed around that engine, and Yamaha is what all Sea Hunts come rigged on. He suggested a top end speed of 45 mph (one passenger)... if this is true, I'm not worried about it being under-powered, particularly for the kind of boating I'll be doing. Is he exaggerating?
-KW -- is 1,400 miles away from me. At least a $2-$3k shipping or I take a week to get it myself and drive it back (which I might be able to do...) Worth it?
-Pioneer -- is the 2005 Yamaha v4 a "smoky-gas-smelling" engine? I was under the impression that even though it's two stroke, it's not like the old 2 stroke outboards? Lots of fans of that engine here, I thought. Will it "smoke" my family out?
If it's the boat you want, make an offer on the Sea Hunt pending a sea trial. You'll know right away if that boat is underpowered with a 115. I wouldn't take a dealer's word for anything. (No offense.)
__________________
'99 Boston Whaler 18 Ventura
135 OptiMax
Just talked to a Sea Hunt dealer (a VERY respected one -- not one of the "discount" ones.) I asked them about the Yammie 115 HP on the 196 -- and they said it was perfect for it, not underpowered. He said the hull was designed around that engine,
Said the SALESMAN
Quote:
He suggested a top end speed of 45 mph (one passenger)...
The V4 is a great little engine. Thats what we have on our Pro Line 19 Sport. I don't find it to be smokey at all once its warmed up. No louder than the IO V8 we had in the Maxum at cruising speeds.
I spend a fair amount of time on Salem Sound, and it gets choppy fast...particularly on weekends with all the wake from other boaters. I would go with the Sea Hunt. I have a AquaSport 175 and often won't want to go beyond the islands, as it can be too rough. I also have a 21' SeaCraft with a Zuke 175...the world said it would be way underpowered, but after trying 6 props, settled on a big 4 blade that creates more lift and pushes me along just fine...definitely give up speed at WOT, but I am not racing anyone...get the Sea Hunt, but find the right prop.
I'd take the Key West. It's more expensive but you get a much bigger boat than the 17' Pioneer and better balanced package than the Sea Hunt. The Key West 18 handles a chop pretty well and has a good layout for fishing and crusing around.
I have the same comments as above. Kw first, SH, second, but I really dislike the yamaha F115. I'm a big Yamaha fan, but the F115 is heavy and slow. Of course I had one (Merc F115) on an underpowered 19 foot boat and it was a pig.
I'd get a boat with a low hour F150, which is what I just did. 19 foot boat with an F150 is a good match.
with a 150 you would be looking at close to 55 MPH.
How fast do you need to go?
Not that fast. Honestly, with my Pursuit, I could go mid to upper 40's at highest RPM. I found myself mostly cruising at 3000 RPM -- about 25 mph, and being quite happy. I'm not racing anywhere...
One thing, in a perfect world, sure -- I'd take the KW (or SH with a 150). The problem is the reality of the economics. The SH with a 150 is out of my budget. The KW is 1,4000 miles away.
Getting a 30 hour boat for $12k out--of-pocket -- ironically, that's better quality/fit and finish than the others -- is very appealing to me. The Pioneer is the best-looking boat of the bunch, too, if you notice design/aesthetic. Sure, it won't handle the surf the way the others do. But the others are twice as expensive. Reality. $$$ is a factor, as I suggested earlier. I paid more money than I care to admit, owning a $75,000 25' Pursuit for 6 years. Many of you would be surprised how much I laid out each year . I want to own a boat outright -- and control the hell out of it.
Another thing, I do much of my boating on weekdays. I can't stand weekend boat traffic. So, "wakeville" in the Salem sound will be avoided for the most part. Also, I never venture outside the islands. I'm not fishing. Just buzzing to places to swim, hang, eat, drink, chill, etc.
Still on board with the Pioneer, with everything considered.
Not that fast. Honestly, with my Pursuit, I could go mid to upper 40's at highest RPM. I found myself mostly cruising at 3000 RPM -- about 25 mph, and being quite happy. I'm not racing anywhere...
One thing, in a perfect world, sure -- I'd take the KW (or SH with a 150). The problem is the reality of the economics. The SH with a 150 is out of my budget. The KW is 1,4000 miles away.
Getting a 30 hour boat for $12k out--of-pocket -- ironically, that's better quality/fit and finish than the others -- is very appealing to me. The Pioneer is the best-looking boat of the bunch, too, if you notice design/aesthetic. Sure, it won't handle the surf the way the others do. But the others are twice as expensive. Reality. $$$ is a factor, as I suggested earlier. I paid more money than I care to admit, owning a $75,000 25' Pursuit for 6 years. Many of you would be surprised how much I laid out each year . I want to own a boat outright -- and control the hell out of it.
Another thing, I do much of my boating on weekdays. I can't stand weekend boat traffic. So, "wakeville" in the Salem sound will be avoided for the most part. Also, I never venture outside the islands. I'm not fishing. Just buzzing to places to swim, hang, eat, drink, chill, etc.
Still on board with the Pioneer, with everything considered.
RSM
Makes sense, nothing like a small simple boat. You going to trailer it or slip?
Makes sense, nothing like a small simple boat. You going to trailer it or slip?
Mooring -- that's the option where I live. Land of yacht clubs and launch boats. You see multi-million dollar power boats hanging out on moorings. Sort of cool -- makes for a sick-looking harbour -- but I'd obviously prefer a marina and slip...
I'm searching hard and leaning towards the SH 210 ultra........have you considered the SH 186 with the 115 instead. Nearly the same boat but several hundred lbs lighter.....and according the to local dealer about $1.5-2K less.
I would get one of the pioneer's. the 2 stroke sounds like a great deal to me. I would not take a sea hunt if it was free. IMO- it is not even in the same tier as the others.
. I want to own a boat outright -- and control the hell out of it.
Sort of cool -- makes for a sick-looking harbour -- but I'd obviously prefer a marina and slip... 
