Hi All,
I am hoping to get some advice on what would meet some requirement for a Searay sport yacht. I am 45, live in Tampa, and last summer was about to pull the trigger on a 2005 360. I have personally only previously owned tournament ski boats, with the exception of a single Baja I/O back in the 90s. Due to some personal life changes (i.e. separation), I decided to hold off on the 360. Since then, my older sister and her husband now have now entered the boating craze. They spent the last few weekends in east coast Florida on a friend's 38' Tiara, and now want to buy a boat. And they also want to buy a condo in Florida to keep the boat at (they live in Louisville, KY, and are both pilots). So the Florida condo, and the boating, would be for long weekends and a week or two at a time. I am 4 hours away by car, but have a very flexible work schedule. We would be partnering 3-ways, and are thinking in the 200K-250K ballpark. We could go more. We could also go less ...Sorry for the long background, but I am hoping it will help get me some good advice...
Here are some of the requirements:
1) Seaworthiness - they love the Tiara because of the weight, wider beams and just pure reputation. While the Tiara is awesome, it is really decked out for topside activities (live bait boxes, huge open fishing area, etc). I am more about the comfort below.
2) Hard Top (for brother-in-law it is a must)
2) Comfortably sleep 4, hopefully more. 2 separate cabins preferable (vs curtains, etc)
3) Diesels (I am assuming). But which ones (if optional)
4) While intercoastal cruising is great, we would like to run to Bahamas, Bimini, the keys, etc for extended trips.
5) Sundancer or Sedan Bridge?
6) Maintenance concerns? I am pretty mechanical (i.e. replacing things like alternators, routine engine maintenance, electrical systems (I am an Electrical Engineer by education), but have ZERO experience with diesel. What needs to be done annually? Monthly? every other year? (i.e. zincs, bottom paint, etc)
7) It would be nice to be able to store a few SCUBA tanks someplace
8) Some casual fishing
9) Is there anything we should stay away from? (aka known engine water ingestion issues on certain years, known leaks into cabins, etc)
10) Fuel efficiency (stop laughing...) Something that gets 1.1 miles to the gallon would be preferable to something that gets .7 MPG.
I am initially thinking something like a 2006 420 Sundancer?? But then I see things like the 420 Sedan Bridge.
We are trying to balance that we want to buy the biggest and best, but this is only a part time activity...
Any advice, and I mean ANY, would be appreciated.
Thanks!
I am hoping to get some advice on what would meet some requirement for a Searay sport yacht. I am 45, live in Tampa, and last summer was about to pull the trigger on a 2005 360. I have personally only previously owned tournament ski boats, with the exception of a single Baja I/O back in the 90s. Due to some personal life changes (i.e. separation), I decided to hold off on the 360. Since then, my older sister and her husband now have now entered the boating craze. They spent the last few weekends in east coast Florida on a friend's 38' Tiara, and now want to buy a boat. And they also want to buy a condo in Florida to keep the boat at (they live in Louisville, KY, and are both pilots). So the Florida condo, and the boating, would be for long weekends and a week or two at a time. I am 4 hours away by car, but have a very flexible work schedule. We would be partnering 3-ways, and are thinking in the 200K-250K ballpark. We could go more. We could also go less ...Sorry for the long background, but I am hoping it will help get me some good advice...
Here are some of the requirements:
1) Seaworthiness - they love the Tiara because of the weight, wider beams and just pure reputation. While the Tiara is awesome, it is really decked out for topside activities (live bait boxes, huge open fishing area, etc). I am more about the comfort below.
2) Hard Top (for brother-in-law it is a must)
2) Comfortably sleep 4, hopefully more. 2 separate cabins preferable (vs curtains, etc)
3) Diesels (I am assuming). But which ones (if optional)
4) While intercoastal cruising is great, we would like to run to Bahamas, Bimini, the keys, etc for extended trips.
5) Sundancer or Sedan Bridge?
6) Maintenance concerns? I am pretty mechanical (i.e. replacing things like alternators, routine engine maintenance, electrical systems (I am an Electrical Engineer by education), but have ZERO experience with diesel. What needs to be done annually? Monthly? every other year? (i.e. zincs, bottom paint, etc)
7) It would be nice to be able to store a few SCUBA tanks someplace
8) Some casual fishing
9) Is there anything we should stay away from? (aka known engine water ingestion issues on certain years, known leaks into cabins, etc)
10) Fuel efficiency (stop laughing...) Something that gets 1.1 miles to the gallon would be preferable to something that gets .7 MPG.
I am initially thinking something like a 2006 420 Sundancer?? But then I see things like the 420 Sedan Bridge.
We are trying to balance that we want to buy the biggest and best, but this is only a part time activity...
Any advice, and I mean ANY, would be appreciated.
Thanks!