Boat reviews - David Pascoe

[Presentation]

I have read many boat reviews online and in various boat magazines. Most read like they were written in such a way as to make sure they will not offend a potential advertiser.

Then there is David Pascoe. Wow, what a difference. He finds flaws and issues with every boat. The issue I have is the reviews seem to stop several years back. No new reviews. I don’t know what happened.

He also writes some articles about other boating related topics. He does not hold back on his opinions.

I enjoyed reading his articles and reviews.

Does anyone know if there are more current articles or reviews by him at some other site then yachtsurvey or know of another author that has a similar ‘brutally honest and very opinionated’ style?

 

[VTSeaRay]

I have read many boat reviews online and in various boat magazines. Most read like they were written in such a way as to make sure they will not offend a potential advertiser.

Then there is David Pascoe. Wow, what a difference. He finds flaws and issues with every boat. The issue I have is the reviews seem to stop several years back. No new reviews. I don’t know what happened.

He also writes some articles about other boating related topics. He does not hold back on his opinions.

I enjoyed reading his articles and reviews.

Does anyone know if there are more current articles or reviews by him at some other site then yachtsurvey or know of another author that has a similar ‘brutally honest and very opinionated’ style?

Maybe he offended a potential advertiser? :grin::smt043

I know what you mean, they make the reviews useless in my mind. If they aren't straight with you about the good and the bad, it's just another sales brochure from the vendor. Most of the time when I find one like this, I just toss the magazine, since at that point it's useless to me.

I don't know this writer, but he sounds refreshing.

 

[First Born]

I don't know this writer, but he sounds refreshing.

I am not sure refreshing is the word that comes to mind :smt009, you can check out his personal web page http://www.davidpascoe.com
that should be about as up to date as you can get.

Wesley

 

[VTSeaRay]

I am not sure refreshing is the word that comes to mind :smt009, you can check out his personal web page http://www.davidpascoe.com
that should be about as up to date as you can get.

Wesley

Ah, I meant in the sense, that it sounded like he writes without worrying about offending the potential advertisers.

-G

 

[Big Al]

Looking at his web page it looks like he is the advertiser....of his own products

 

[Carver370]

I think hes an idiot. He looks at every boat as if it were made to go offshore which just isn't true.

 

[fwebster]

One must be careful in relying on what Pascoe writes. His publishing business supports his surveying business and what you read ends up recommending his services. As long as you understand that he has a vested interest in finding fault with everything that floats, then knock yourself out.......he'll be glad to sell you all the stuff (a more politically correct term than the one I normally use when describing his work) you can read.

 

[Presentation]

I think hes an idiot. He looks at every boat as if it were made to go offshore which just isn't true.

I am not saying his reviews and opinions are correct or not. Simply they are different then what I am use to.

I went overboard on various boat magazine subscriptions. My daughter needed so many sign-ups for some goal for some school related thing so I checked all the boat magazines.

The reviews are so positive they are useless. Even the negatives are positives like “your going to have a hard time finding stuff to fill up all these storage compartments.”

Almost every magazine boat review includes a line similar to this; this boat is equipped like a boat of a much larger size. Give me a break, they can’t all be equipped higher then average. Then the average is no longer average.

My boat knowledge is not high enough that I can refute his gripes. I’m just saying it’s refreshing to read reviews that are critical. And oh boy, are his reviews critical.

 

[msd58]

He would have found problems with Noah's Ark. I can't say I have read everything he wrote about boats on his website but I have read all his boat reviews. He is perticularly hard on Sea Rays. One thing to keep in mind that thousands of people who never read one of his reviews about boats he slams have enjoyed countless hours of enjoyment and relativly trouble free boating for decades. If you read his reviews you too much your would boat up for sale tomorrow.

 

[geriksen]

I like Pascoe and have purchased and read a few of his books. He is certainly opinionated but at least he is not afraid to say what he thinks. His book on marine investigations was very good. He truly understands the boating business.

Where else can you get real reviews? Certainly not from boating magazines. Their reviews are nothing more than thinly veiled advertisments. Just pick one and read it..... Pure fluff.

There was once a reader supported magazine that did actual tests on boats and equipment but after a few years they could not afford to continue.

Forums like this one can be helpful. But even here, I have noticed that saying anything negative about Sea Ray is sort of frowned upon. We unloaded one of those hideous 350 sundancers yesterday and I took a pic of it but I am not going to bother commenting further on it. If people like it, they will buy it.

So many people buy expensive boats without really knowing much about them or really knowing what they are getting into. I remember seeing a post from a 340 owner who was shocked that a full service on his boat was going to be $1,200.00. Any reputable surveyor will tell you to budget a percentage of the value of the boat for repairs and maintainance. This should not be a surprise. It is a shame there are so few experienced people who are willing to share their knowledge and opinions. The boating industry is in a serious decline. Every year, I see a new batch of boats at the boat shows that to me is less, and less inspiring. They are uglier, built cheaper, and loaded with gadgets. Style and a sense of proportion are things of the past.
Rumble seats, random windows in the hull, joysticks, and four foot high windshields are what we have now.

Pascoe is pretty hard on Sea Ray in particular. He feels they are overrated. He wrote a pretty unfavorable review of the 90's 500DA. I read his review and bought one anyway. But I felt that I was an informed buyer.

I have noticed that Sea Ray has stepped up to the plate and covered some of those core rot issues that they had. I have a feeling Mr. Pascoe had more than a little to do with that.

 

[sbw1]

I don't think he makes things up. Most of his findings are supported by pictures etc. I do suspect he may be getting up there in age as there is not much about newer boats on his site. Since problems tend to show up after a few years, you would expect to see lots of 2002 boats if he was doing lots of survey work. Maybe his career is at an end and he is just selling his books now.

 

[SEEG]

I bought his book on Mid-Sized power boats. Well worth reading. As far as his reviews are concerned I found them informative although somewhat dated. If you read his reviews of Searays he does give them points for making changes. Even though dated, his reviews were much more comphrensive than the pap found in boating mags.

 

[Zoutwaterhapper]

I think hes an idiot. He looks at every boat as if it were made to go offshore which just isn't true.

I think it would be a great loss, when David didn't publish any more. I think he make good remarks. I boat for 28 years at Sea. (the netherlands) I have seen a lot of boats who doesn't belong there. My Weekender 225 is doing right and is sturdy build, but a Pursuit or Tiara would be better, but this good boats are not cheap. When buying the good stuf you have to pay for it! As already said, David don't dislike Sea Rays, he thinks Sea Rays could be better at little more cost. It would be nice David Pascoe would be a writer for Powerboat or Trailer-boats!!

 

[J Levine]

His book on Surveying is an interesting read.