Momma wants a DA!!!!

[Firerooster]

Well been traveling and enjoying, overnighting on my 240 overnighter for years. But the last week my wife stated she wanted to get a trailer/towable cruiser for our weekend trips to Powell, Havasu, and Mohave. Keep my current boat as we have put a lot into it to really personalize it and it will still serve as a great day boat. Plus it's paid off.

So I asked what she was thinking about.... And we r on the same page. Pay cash, 25-29 foot range, AC, generator, etc.

Well I may have found just what we are looking for. Single owner 1985 270DA. Twin 350/Alpha drives, generator, A/C, full camper package, trailer, new bottom paint ( currently slipped) and reasonably priced. Now I just need to find a surveyor to take a look at it and give us the ok.

Not as new as I woulda liked was hoping for mid 90's boat but I really do not wanna finance anything. Cash or nada!

Any thoughts or ideas? Always like to get others input or exp

 

[Big Island Lifer]

What's the beam on that boat? I thought it was 10'- not trailerable?

Sounds like a nice boat but it could force you to reconsider where and how you use it.

 

[rcknecht]

It maybe in good shape, but it is very old... I would try to find a boat about the same age or newer of you current '96 boat. It will be very hard to find parts for 35 year old genny. I would look for a mid ot late '90's 270, there are a lot of them around. They are trailerable (8' 6" for the SE model). You can find a inexpensive one if you increase you distance on your search...

 

[garryowen]

we did same thing you want to; this spring

we looked at and had deposits on two boats, and looked and tried to deal on 4 others before getting tired of dealing with dealers.

we were looking for 270, the model that had the galley table and front birth both separate, and 290's-----1998 to 2002

we ende up with the 310 and to be honest we are very happy we got the wider beam.
true you need over width permits but they were easy to get online. i move the 310 from mead to powell by myself, no problem.

any thing over 8'6" is over width and needs a permit. any thing over 12' needs pilot cars.
our 310 is 11'4".

also with the wind and waves you can get on mohave and powell i think you are wise to go with twins and personally i wouldnt go less that the 350's your looking at.

as far as parts. i haven't had any more trouble finding part for our "88" 230 than the "00" 310. will say i don't have genset or air on the "88"

 

[Dick Whetstone]

Do what mama wants. If mama ain't happy, nobody will be happy. When mama ain't happy, it only gets much worse when the two of you are confined inside a 29 foot boat.

 

[Firerooster]

Yeah I agree the age and parts thing has me a little cautious. But again the problem lies with finding the right balance of cost/wants..... I have worked my tail off the last few years to pay off all of my debt, my wife has done the same. Currently, no credit cards, no house payment. My truck is paid off, she owes on her car, and that's it. And we have agreed to not financing anything or getting into debt again. That means bigging a big cushion of liquid cash. And leaving it alone. Unfortunately that means right now I really only have about 15k that I have free to spend on the boat. I could wait longer and build up more cash to get into a mid 90's like we want. But the price differences in the boats almost doubles in that ten years for the same amenities. So cost/wants kinda kills it. Especially when it's a second boat that won't be used as much as the first boat.

Yeah the ten foot beam is easy to get permits online for and thus is trailerable. Which is the whole reason for getting the DA for us. We frequent a number of lakes in az. And once in a while in Utah and such. We usually stay on our boat and don't get hotels etc. The DA with genny and A/C would allow for longer trips rather then just overnight or weekend..... The current boost will still be our day, and sport boat.

 

[Firerooster]

Keep the ideas coming tho..... I like hearing the other pros and cons we didn't think of etc

 

[garryowen]

personaly l like the lines of that era. gerry wanted something newer.



i kept the 230 for a couple of reasons. the first is if i blow a drive on the 310, i have a new spare every thing hanging on the 230 and good motor. not sure how interchangeable the 88 motor would be with the 00. i know i can use all the drive and T A stuff

the 230 is great and quick to travel with and in fact just called cotton wood cove on mohave looking for a winter slip last week.

looks like the boat your looking at will still be trailerable with your pick up.that makes a big difference. also does it come with a trailer?

we had to buy a new trailer for ours

 

[Havana Shamrock]

we had a 98 250 dancer pulled it with a ford expedition , NEVER AGAIN thats all i have to say about towing a boat, what a pain in the , you know launching and getting it back on the trailer wasnt worth the ride. good luck in your hunt.

 

[Sundancer]

Lots of big boats towed down there! I'd probably try to go with one boat if possible, but if you are sure you want to care and maintain two, then by all means go for it! I think at some point you will miss all the amenities on the larger boat and will just start taking it more and more. We tow our 300 DA every weekend! I'd HATE being stuck in the same place every weekend! I like going to different lakes, states, rivers and to the San Juans.

 

[duckmnn]

We just got are first cruiser this year 96 270DA .I wanted a 290 wife didn. Se wanted to trailer it anywhere we wanted to go.It took 5 months to find are deal.I had to drive 9 hours 3 states away,but we are very happy.The trailer is a tri axle aluminum trailer and only 3 years old.The other couple bought it when they bought the boat.As it worked out so far the river system has been so flooded we've trailered it a bunch to a large corp lake about an hour away.I wouldn't recommend newbie's pulling or launching and loading all the time,but if you take your tme its easy.With this trailer being so big I see a 290 in a couple years:grin:

 

[Firerooster]

Yeah, I trailer my boat now. I agree. Being stuck in body of water can sure be a bore in my opinion. Course if I lived closer to lake powell or the great lakes that might make things a little different. But where I live I have 6 different lakes to choose from and all are awesome and within 12 minutes- 2 hours from me. Powell is 5 hours, and San Diego is 5.5. No way I would want to restrict myself. Not worried about towing. ( not saying I am a know it all here). I have towed Excessive Green to all of the above said locations with ease. And I also have a 35 foot fifth wheel that I have towed all over the western states. Don't know everything and always learn something new. I am not afraid to tow and I think with time and patience I can handle the 270 pretty well. Much bigger then that and I would agree the stress of towing might not be worth the ride.

There are a lot of people out here in AZ that tow some pretty big cruisers around and it's not uncommon. Probably due to the same reasons I feel... Too many good places near proximity to boat.

As for maintaining two boats..... I am kinda hesitant on that issue..... I know that is a lot of work. And like probably most all members here. I am pretty anal about getting the maint done and done right.

Forgot who asked.... Yes the boat we r looking at has a trailer newer tires, and just repacked and serviced axles this spring. I will knowing me probably put kodiak disc hydraulic brakes on it just like I did with current trailer. Makes a world of difference over the drum brakes.

 

[tobnpr]

Just playing devil's advocate here...
As someone who was once a two-boat owner, I'd advise you to reconsider that issue.

Before I bought my 390 (now sold) I had dumped a ton of money into restoring my old Chris-Craft. I loved that boat, and couldn't bear the thought of parting with it. But after two years of non-use, I realized the only sensible thing to do was sell her. For most of us, there's barely enough time to use- and maintain- one boat.

I could see owning two if they served different purposes- like if it were a ski or wakeboard boat, and then a cruiser. But two cabin boats? I'd sell the smaller one and put that cash towards her replacement. Just my $.02... Good luck!

 

[Firerooster]

That's just it. I built the overnighter into a wake board boat and that's what we do with it. I mean the cuddy has been great to stay in. And when my kids were smaller it was good for them to get out of sun and nap etc. Even now the wife and I will turn on the swampy cooler and take snooze in there, not waking up burned to a crisp on one side..... Luckily for us, we both work odd schedules and have time to go out 2-3 times a week, and we usually do. Only about three months out of the year does it get so hectic we miss a few weeks or so. Oct- jan is pretty dang busy around here for us. But again that's where having the boat we have is nice as a day boat. Momma wants the cruiser for extended stays. Who am I to argue if she wants to stay all weekend long rather then just one night. Haha. Love her!

And truth is...... The 270 DA is only going to be a temporary boat.... Yes we will eventually retire and plan on a much bigger sedan bridge, for the much larger pacific.... We will still wanna hang on to Excessive Green for the inland waters

And believe me no harm in being devils advocate. Haha that's kinda what I am asking for. Getting advice from you all out there that have different experiences then I have etc.