How important is a genset?

magstang1

magstang1

Active Member
May 30, 2010
1,338
Lake St.Clair
Boat Info
1998 31 Sedan Bridge
Engines
Twin 350 Marine Power
In my search for my next boat I keep coming back to the question of how important is a generator.

I located a boat locally and had it surveyed that had a generator. The owner made the purchase more difficult than I anticipated so I moved on to another boat.

I located a boat that has more preferable power plants and updated electronics but no generator.

I have begun negotiating the second boat but have not signed anything nor invested any money.

The first owner has now had a change of heart and wants to sell. I have already surveyed and sea trialed the boat.

So, cleaner boat with bigger engines and newer electronics, or boat with generator that I already have time and money into but has smaller engines?
 
It depends on how you want to use the boat...

If you want to stay out on the hook and have amenities then a genny. Is a must.

If you spend your time cruising port to port where they always have modern hookups then it doesn't matter.

I do not have a genny and certain occasions I wish I did. It will also help your resale price on the boat. On the other hand it is another maintenance item that must be looked after. Again it completely depends on how you plan to use your boat!
 
If you want to add it later it is a BIG expense, so big it is financially impractical. A previous owner spent $11k to put one in my 270. You really need to decide if YOU need it. Resale will be better but no one will pay the cost of install if you pay to add it. MM
 
Pyrojodge said:
It depends on how you want to use the boat...

If you want to stay out on the hook and have amenities then a genny. Is a must.

If you spend your time cruising port to port where they always have modern hookups then it doesn't matter.

I do not have a genny and certain occasions I wish I did. It will also help your resale price on the boat. On the other hand it is another maintenance item that must be looked after. Again it completely depends on how you plan to use your boat!
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I completely agree with Jason. In fact, I wrote almost the same thing but ie locked up and I had to restart. I used our 268 for years without a gen, but did use a portable on the bow. Sorry MonocoMike! I did use a good CO detector :grin:
 
I'm mostly a day boater but my wife and I are intending to spend as many weekends on the boat as possible.

I imagine that we will mainly spend evenings in marinas, but the option to stay on the hook is quite appealing.

My other consideration is A/C during the day for my young son's nap time and some relief from the heat for my pregnant wife.

Again, these are amenities we have done without in past years so there is no reason we can't live without them in the future.

Im really torn on this one. More horse power, or power on the hook.

The boat with the bigger engines does have a really nice gps and radar, but that's something I could add to the the other boat if I chose to do so in the future. The radar is really not important to me though.
 
I hang out at my marina quite a bit, sort of the party boat on the dock. When I go away, whether for the weekend or a week, always enjoy the quite and privacy of a mooring. Also $100 a night for slip, compared to $40 night for mooring. Personally I would'nt buy a boat without a genny. Like others have said, depends how you use it.
 
Have had trailer boats for years, last year upgraded to a 330 Sundancer with a 5kva Koehler

The generator just makes a day or overnight so pleasant. Electric jug, microwave, nespresso coffee machine, tv, etc etc.

I also use an electric BBQ, no having to worry about a gas bottle, or the wind blowing the flame out.

I know you can run most things off a good sized invertor, but the generator is just convenient.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
There is no way we would boat without the generator. The heat this summer was ridiculous. When it's 100 degrees out with a dewpoint above 70 AC is a must.
 
I think boats with gennys get more use. We use our boat in inclement weather more because we are able to run heat and A/C. It gives us flexibility.
 
This is our first year with our new to us boat. I had no idea what we would want and wouldnt want. It has a generator and A.C., we have no regreats and are very happy to have these. The extended swim platform is another thing we really like.
 
Like everyone said depends on you and your use of the boat. I feel its a must have item on boats 30ft +. I personally love having the ability to run everything on my boat while on the hook. The biggest convenience is running the battery charger. Fridge runs constantly and is a huge drain on the battery. After about 8hrs on the hook my batteries on that bank are toast. The genny gives you more piece of mind. I don't run mine much but when I do its great. Like others said that is a huge resale point. You can usually add a few (up to 5 depending on size of the boat and genny) thousand dollars to resale with the presence of a genny. As mentioned before the cost of installing one post production is astronomical.

We just purchased our boat this year. During my search I wouldn't even consider a boat without a genny. With a pregnant wife and small child I would certainly get a genny. Cause if mama aint happy, you know the rest.
 
magstang1 said:
I'm mostly a day boater but my wife and I are intending to spend as many weekends on the boat as possible.

I imagine that we will mainly spend evenings in marinas, but the option to stay on the hook is quite appealing.

My other consideration is A/C during the day for my young son's nap time and some relief from the heat for my pregnant wife.

Again, these are amenities we have done without in past years so there is no reason we can't live without them in the future.

Im really torn on this one. More horse power, or power on the hook.

The boat with the bigger engines does have a really nice gps and radar, but that's something I could add to the the other boat if I chose to do so in the future. The radar is really not important to me though.
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I'm not sure why your stressing. Find a boat with both! There are so many boats to choose from right now, surely you can find a boat with everything you want on it. Unless you are trying to stay inside a price point.
If it is price point, then there is nothing more miserable than running an underpowered boat.......well unless you didn't have a generator to cool the boat down so you can stress about how underpowered the boat is. haha
 
For me my generator is a liability. I spent over $2K rebuilding the orig genny, and $10k replacing it... I hardly ever use it... I wish my boat had not come with a genny. We don't run the AC on the hook and don't spent many nights on the boat on the hook... I would consider putting an inverter on the boat without a genny. One less engine to winterize, and more space in the engine room...
 
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magstang1 said:
I'm mostly a day boater but my wife and I are intending to spend as many weekends on the boat as possible.

I imagine that we will mainly spend evenings in marinas, but the option to stay on the hook is quite appealing.

My other consideration is A/C during the day for my young son's nap time and some relief from the heat for my pregnant wife.

Again, these are amenities we have done without in past years so there is no reason we can't live without them in the future.....
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You didn't provide much details on either boat, however, based on your statement above it's no brainer to me. Genset with build-in A/C and Heat is on the "must have" list.


This is your key argument
magstang1 said:
I'm mostly a day boater but my wife and I are intending to spend as many weekends on the boat as possible....
Click to expand...

Without having climate controlled salon it will be very difficult to achieve your goal. On the nice weekend and some hot temps you'll be forced to head to a dock just b/c you need to plug in to have A/C running. That's a bummer. And if you think you'll save thousands for getting a boat without genny, think again. With what marinas charge for transient slips your genny will pay off in a season (providing you're going places). I know that I save thousands just for having the genset. I rather put that money in the fuel tank.
 
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If the boat your looking at doesn't have Air Conditioning, then generator is an uneeded "luxury" in my opinion.

That being said, I would not own a boat without AC..and any boat with AC really should have a generator
 
Hey Mustang – you’ll have to share the experience you’re going through with the other Sea Ray when the dust settles, sounds like some drama coming from the current owners is taking place.

If you plan on using the boat primarily on Lake St. Clair, I am not really sure how much I would use the genny or AC for that matter. That being said, in my mind it should really help with the resale. It will make the boat more attractive to potential future buyers who boat more on Lake Erie and Lake Huron. In my mind the thought of closing the cabin door to go into the AC zone is not that appealing.
 
Good point on location, but being on the northern side of the country you'll be able to extend your season by running heat (instead of A/C) during spring and fall months. That adds a lot of value to the boat, IMO.
 
Am I allowed to hijack my own thread?

Long story short; the owner made some offers he couldn't own up to. The price kept creeping up. The survey uncoverd a few more issues that were not disclosed further increasing the price. All in all it's probably still a good deal. I'm just having a hard time swallowing the price increase.

The boat is a 290DA. And yes, it does have A/C and heat built in.
 
Hello mustang
I had a 300da with no genni not thinking I needed it,but the first 90+ day I was regretting the decision also not able to use microwave for cooking on the hook was a bummer. You really need to think about the power plant smaller engines means less fuel and will still get you to where you are going. Bigger engines more weight more fuel it will get you there with less amenities that could ruin a day if it's too hot or weather changes. We have had weather move in we start genni watch a movie then when it cleared out went back to enjoying the day. So I have done it with both and would not go without a genni again that's just my opinion you have to do what's best for you.
 
Personally, I will never own another boat that does not have a genny. We have some days on the lake that get above 100 and could not have made it without the ability to fire up the genny and get the AC running. Even when the temps are in the high 80s or 90s, we use the genny and AC while out. If you get one with a genny you will not regret it...
 
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