Is Bigger Really Better?

Bigger is better, AND a LOT more work. by a lot, I mean A LOT.
 
Bigger is better..........up to a point, but that point varies by your use and area.

For us, empty nesters, but kids and grandkids around 2-3 weeks during vacations, a 45 ft Dancer is perfect. I moved up thru many steps to a gas 390EC on the coast about 20 years ago. I find that when you move up you need to do it with a lower overall maintenance boat. I am spending far less...like a fraction..... maintaining and operating a pair of diesels than the 7.4L Mercs I had before. As far as wash, wax, bottom paint, etc. either do the work or write a check, its the trade-off for the fun and enjoyment of owning a real boat.

As far as maneuverability goes, I don't have a bow thruster and my twin diesels with the torque and size props they swing make the 450DA easier to handle than a gas 320DA or 340DA (I've run them both). My only constraints are water under 4ft deep and whether or not the boat will fit in the available space. If you have to ask is the cove big enough, then the real decision isn't what size boat to own, but where do you anchor the boat that fits you so you can to run into that little-bitty cove with your dinghy.

The one thing I would caution is that there is a size where things begin to get unwieldly. I regularly run 2 convertibles for their owners and both are a handfull to single hand, partially because of the bridge controls and partially because you can't see everything once you leave the bridge and use the cockpit controls. I have also found that my wife's ease and comfort level with lines and deck duties gets compromised when you start talking about 3/4"- 7/8" dock lines and a 50A-240V power cable.

We are fortunate to have a boat that fits us perfectly. Even though we could get by with less boat or a newer, smaller model, we don't know of anything that would suit us as well as the 450DA.
 
Lots of good posts with good info. I think it still comes down to what you and the admiral want. I had/have a 270DA 1988. Love the boat but I wanted a few more options. Like generator, big fridge, windlass and bigger boat. We love the 400EC and we know that we will be going bigger in a few more years. To what well time and money will dictate that but for now, I am glad we made the jump. Handling is a lot easier than the 270 and when we are gone for two or three days or more there it's awesome.
Still comes down to what you want and want it for. Good luck with your decision but whatever your decision is it will be the right one for you.
Joe
 
There's never been a spot that was so tight that I would have felt far more comfortable going into it with my 30 than my 42. The draft differences are negligible. More than likely you'll have a dingy and that'll become a mute point.

Our last jump was only 2' from a 400 to a 420. The biggest thing I wanted was to lower maintenance of a newer boat. It also didn't hurt that I had fallen in love with the looks and features of the 420 . :grin: Seriously though, maintenance would be highest on my criteria. I'd definitely forego length for year and condition.We only use our boat occasionally on a lake so our requirements are far different than yours.

If I ever get a boat on the coast (my dream) and have the opportunity to spend weeks/months on it, then I'd get a flybridge/sedan so that the living area isn't so claustrophobic as it would become in the dancer. But it would be hard to leave the dancer world.In summary, that's my long winded way of saying 'DO IT'
 
I was told that once I leave my own trailer.....I would have to figure $10,000 a year in my boating budget by going to a 350 or larger boat. I would have to go to bigger water (90 miles) and a Marina/Larger Slip vs. my house and the Boat Club (in town), Mike.
 
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Yeah, but taking a trailer boat for a ride is a big job involving hours or time and effort. For me, it is turn on the key, fire up the engines and I'm gone............less than 5 minutes. But you are right, larger boats cost more for slip rent, insurance, hired maintenance you are not equipped to do, etc. It becomes a question of boating the way you want to do that still fits within your budget.
 
I would like a bigger craft but......
for most of the lakes in my area my 240 is plenty big if not a bit too big
I guess if you got a big pond ...get a big boat

so....yes bigger is better if you can launch it
 
I do not miss the hassel of trailering a boat any more. Was fun to go to a few different places I admit, but now when I walk up to the boat, I unsnap the cover, throw my stuff on it, unplug, and go. Priceless. Of course I do drive a couple hours each way but worth it for a weekend on the water.
 
fwebster said:
Yeah, but taking a trailer boat for a ride is a big job involving hours or time and effort. For me, it is turn on the key, fire up the engines and I'm gone............less than 5 minutes. But you are right, larger boats cost more for slip rent, insurance, hired maintenance you are not equipped to do, etc. It becomes a question of boating the way you want to do that still fits within your budget.
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My boat is in a slip locally with shore power all summer but yes bigger water is 90 miles away and a 2 hour trip (NY Finger Lakes), Mike.
 
I used to keep my boat on the lake where our house is. The marina was 3.5 miles from my door. Very convenient but a marginal lake. Slept on it 3 times in the last 3 years it was there.

3 years ago I moved it 90 miles away to a lake 5 times the size and 100% prettier and don't regret it in the slightest. Now it feels like I'm really getting away when we go up there. Sleep on it 2-3 nights in a row all the time now.
 
Moved up from a 270 to a 350 at the same yacht club we have always belonged to. Now we are one of the biggest boats on the river, but only 42 miles (by water) from Lake Winnipeg (11th largest freshwater lake in the world).
Bigger is SO WAY better.
AND I have a trailer if I want to move it as an oversize load to Lake of the Woods 3 hours away by road.
 
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CV-23 said:
I was told that once I leave my own trailer.....I would have to figure $10,000 a year in my boating budget by going to a 350 or larger boat. I would have to go to bigger water (90 miles) and a Marina/Larger Slip vs. my house and the Boat Club (in town), Mike.
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We're in the same boat. Sooner or later we will upgrade and keep it in the water...but it is QUITE a bit more expenses in a bigger slipped boat, than out 28' that we trailer.
 
Size should be determined by what you can handle and dock by you self, with out a crew. I don't necessarily want my wife on the bow, trying to tie lines to a pylon, running up and down the gunnels with a boat hook etc. Thats just me, but I simply don't want to rely on anyone to run the boat. I chose a 30ft, wide beam boat for this. I can dock pretty much anywhere solo, and run 6-8 trolling rods with out assistance. It sure is nice to go out solo as well as when you have a crew on board simply ask everyone to be seated when I am docking. If I needed a first mate every time I launched, my boating/fishing time would be cut in half.
 
We go to Alaska in our 38 footer. If it was not for the aft cabin the boat would be too small. The boat has a 13'11" beam. It makes the boat more stable in rough water. If you are going to go to Alaska in my opinion you need a boat that has lots of power and speed to get out of the way of storms and the ability to sit and wait for a week or so in comfort for bad weather to pass. Our boat with dinghy and two 18 foot fiberglass sea kayaks on the front has an over all length of 46 feet. We have never had any problem finding moorage. If you detail your boat as you get older this is as big a boat I would want to look after. Diesel would be very nice in a boat our size but we could not find any when we were looking for a boat this size. PM me and I will send you some internal and external pictures.
 
AK - I went from never having a boat to a 270DA. Knowing what I know today I would have bought a 340DA instead. Now we have the 400EC - we love it. Easier handling, more room, more gas, more fun and I can now stay out on the water for days until I need supplies. Just like Same Lady II - we are in the same marina and yes we are the biggest boat, except for that 44ft sailboat, overall we are bigger and wider. My next boat in a few years will be a 55 to 65 ft. I want to live on it.
So good luck and keep us posted. Joe
 
We to went from no boat to a 420 AC last spring, do not regret it one bit. Can stay out fro days ata time and the admiral has all the space she needs. She does most of the docking with out any issues, handling lines just wasn't her ballywig. I have to say we had a close friend with a 36' trawler that taught us a lot for 10 years prior to owning ours. Bigger is better.

Tony
 
We went from the 320 to the 480 sedan bridge, what a difference and no more cave boatin..we love the views we see from he salon and the views from the bridge are unbelievable. As for docking, it's so much easier then the 320, with bow and stern thruster... there's nothing you can't handle..and as for not having your wife on the bow.. well if you find a boat with the Yacht controller Remote control like OURS...you can be on the bow docking it yourself and just throw someone the lines....it's just that simple. As for how big, ours is 48 feet, and it's plenty for me and the wife, and kids when they want to come...I'd get a bridge boat, and where your at, My dream is to get there for like a month.. or Two. and just cruise...
 
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