I have 2 footitus- I have too much boat!

I went out last night and gave Old Skool a fresh chrome buffing around the windshield and side glass. It took 45 minutes but then I was done. Every night I can do a little on her because I want to and she is in my drive.

I would love a big boat but I would need to live on it to get the statisfaction I am getting out of Old Skool. Since thats not possible I'll keep her for awhile and envy over the wide beam.

When fun turns to work it's time to find new fun...:thumbsup:
 
cruisers are more like homes than toys as far as work goes. I spend as much time cleaning and repairing and maintaining my boat as someone does with a home and yards. But I would rather be washing my boat than cutting grass. Moving up to a "big" boat is less work in some respects, and a lot more in other. If you don't use a cruiser like a cruiser, then I can see moving down.
 
Very good read on this thread, and thanks for sharing your experience.

I always want MORE! I am new to boating (again) this year and I found myself already wanting MORE boat! :grin: After your read though, I now know that the upkeep and maintenance costs (fuel, etc.) for the boat I have are about all I can handle. We live 6 minutes from the marina, so overnighting would be an expensive luxury.

I have a deeper and better appreciation, and feel lucky to have what I have.

Thanks again.

:thumbsup:
 
I know how you feel. I went from a 22" to this 330 and boy is it a lot of work. It takes me almost an hour to clean up the bugs and dirt each time I go to the marina and there are so many mechanical things on the 330 that can go wrong. That being said I still enjoy the 330 and treat it like a hobby to help lower the pain level of all the work.
 
I've had this 260DA since Dec '07. Immediately I had FWC added to the engine and had it dialed in and running perfectly,(knocking on wood) and the O/D replaced by previous owner(PO). I added heat, a GPS, compounded, polished and waxed to my standards of shine, cleaned carpets, vinyl and had the clear eisenglass replaced. This season is the first that I have not had to do a bunch of projects to enjoy it.
Next season new snap in carpet and canvas are on the to do list and a close inspection of risers and manifolds are due.

The PO never did much to this boat but take it out of his slip and go in circles in Lake Union in Seattle, with a bottle of wine. She sat for long periods of time. When he sold it to me he just said it was more work than he wanted and simply didn't use it as much.

The point I guess is that once you get everything up to snuff, ship shape and up to date on it's maintenance it is much easier. It doesn't become overwhelming to consider a trip out on the boat. Yes it's a lot of work to get there, especially in the older boats, but all boats need more attention than most things, but there is nothing better than being able to head out on a Friday night for a 2 hour cruise, stay a couple of nights and head back Sunday afternoon late and feel like you've been on vacation.

I wish you the best in your decision.
 
I hear you on the maintenance aspect. Fortunately, I enjoy maintaining electrical and mechanical stuff. Guess it all goes back to my childhood playing with Erector sets.

The key to it is to do a little at every opportunity like OldSkool said. Polish the rails one day, vacuum the cabin the next day, etc.. Unfortunately, the ducks, the spiders, the dust, the kids, and the salt force you to at least hose it down and wipe it dry with towels just about every time you use it. With a decent wax job, this is an easy task. I use wax to clean black streaks when they appear. They wipe right off.
 
I moved up to my 1996 27' Dancer 2 years ago from a neat 18' Edgewater Bow Rider with a 115 Yamaha 4 stroke. That bow rider was the easiest boat to run, clean and maintain. I have a dock in my back yard here in Ft. Lauderdale. I loved the bow rider, only one big problem, I could hardly take the boat out of the local canal without getting totally knocked around in rough water or some big wake. Once my fiancé' (now my wife) hurt her back being bounced around, I moved up to the 27 footer with the 8'6 beam. It is a lot more work and money to maintain, but I can go out on most days and be comfortable, so I use it a lot more than I did my bow rider. As soon as the economy (National and personal) picks up, I'll probably look to move up to a 30' with twin screws
.
 
I will agree first hand with your comments on getting twin screws! I went this year from a 21.5' Larson Cuddy to a 30' Weekender with twin 350 inboards. Because of this move, I will NEVER be able to even consider going backwards!! Th stability, balance and control of a twin inboard wide beam boat is so superior and has me so spoiled, I could never let it go!! I dock stern in and used to get soooo nervous every time I had to try and dock with my prior single I/O. Now I look forward to docking!!! Everyone is different, and I hope your downsize makes you happy, but there's definitely a difference you can't let go of when you go to inboards!
 
Slippery When Wet said:
Or 2 boats. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Hey that's me!!

1986 Sea Ray 300DB
1993 Wooldridge (Wooly) with a Evinrude 250 with a jet pump attached.


The Admiral loves it as we will be able to stay at sea for longer with the Sea Ray and run "skinny water" for moose hunting and king salmon.......

Best of both worlds.

Draw back: Maintaining both boats. $$$$$$$$
 
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Oh....but those hours of enjoyment are well worth the weeks of preparartion, usually.

I was completely overwhelmed when we purchased our 300DA back in 2007. I had never owned a boat previously and the hours spent researching the systems, operation and maintenance had me questioning what the hell I was thinking. The first seasons work to enjoyment ratio was probably about 5-1 and not my vision of boat ownership. Slowly though, things started to come together and this site was a great help to a novice. I have since set up a maintenance schedule and figured out what work I should take on myself. It is still a lot of work but once you get things squared away and up to your standards, the upkeep is not so bad.

I'm stumped when folks say "why would we overnight on the boat when the marina is only a few miles from home?". I guess for some the only option is to overnight at the slip?
 
The one on the right gets more hours put on it per year, but we can't go out on our lake after 9 am on summer weekends without the one on the left. I do not spend as much time cleaning as a lot of you.

DSC_0103.jpg
 
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I agree with all the work and money is it all worth it????

But, when I see my kids having soo much fun and talking about it all winter long.
Like: remember on Block Island when....daddy "ate it" off that big wave boogie boarding with us".....yea, I thought he was dead....hee,hee.

Darn kids,
Its all worth it...for now.
 
I appreciate all of your stories. One of you mentioned that now you know the way people with big boats view people who own small boats. I find that most peolpe who own boats love and appreciate all boats.

Here is another thing I found, people who purchase big boats aren't always lifetime boaters who started in a skiff and went to the maritime academy! Alot are first time boat owners who have no boating experience and pay others to maintain their boats for them. in some cases they don't even know how to drive their own boats!

Something to think about when you see a 45 footer that does not back off the throttles as he passes an old couple fishing the channel marker in a 14 foot aluminum boat.

Thanks to all for a great conversation!
 
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Sorry, didn't know that was you fishing in the channel.
 
sean257 said:
I do not spend as much time cleaning as a lot of you.
Click to expand...

Ditto.

Lucky for me, I didn't (and don't) have a quarter mil or more to buy a "newer" boat- so I don't feel guilty about a little dirt or oxidized gelcoat on my '85...

There's so much other maintenance- beyond cosmetics- on larger cruisers; and I refuse to be a slave to an orbital polisher. Too little time for boating as it is, I'd rather spend it- well, boating...

Most of those who move "up", eventually move back "down". No point in having more boat than you need/use.
 
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