New boat, comments?

Arminius

Arminius

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2019
1,068
Seattle
Boat Info
Bowrider 200 Select, 2003
Engines
5.0L MPI, 260 hp w/Alpha 1 Drive
This Starcraft seems attractive on first blush. It has the Merc 4.5, a loud stereo, depth finder, and a big swim platform. The asking price is 70 K with 50 hours but cash usually talks. 23' (hope that is overstated) and alleged to be a deckboat. I should check Searay. I did rent a couple 3 day stays this summer at a cabin with a slip so I am trying to get out. 2022 SVX230.


1708705508343.png
 
Arminius said:
This Starcraft seems attractive on first blush. It has the Merc 4.5, a loud stereo, depth finder, and a big swim platform. The asking price is 70 K with 50 hours but cash usually talks. 23' (hope that is overstated) and alleged to be a deckboat. I should check Searay. I did rent a couple 3 day stays this summer at a cabin with a slip so I am trying to get out. 2022 SVX230.


View attachment 159485
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would water test it first. I think the 4.5 is only available with up to 250 hp? which feels light for a loaded up 23 fter...
 
For $70k you can get a really nice 260 Sundeck and about $20k cheaper….. and have resale…. You are not with this underpowered StarCraft
 
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I would rather have this over a StarCraft
 
Thank you all. I'm hoping the hull is 20' with the swim platform included for advertising. 250 hp would be too little for a true 23' hull but maybe I could get by w/o a V-8. I underprop as the engine is rev protected and top speed is not my goal. Most porta-potties are never used. Older SeaRays were certainly of higher quality. Starcraft? I better get on with it before "adventure" becomes shooting brain infected squirrels out the window like Woody. The wiring for a stereo that can actually be heard on a boat is complicated. No, I would not need a plywood cover as open water is not planned. I'll go back to the Searay model pg and hold my nose at the cat mandate.
 
Make sure the plywood bow cover will fit the new boat before you make any rash decisions. I would hate to see all of the work you put into engineering that solution go to waste. Have you considered something closed bow like blueone suggested? That would definitely extend your boating season and be more seaworthy than a bowrider.

Edit:
I missed the part about no open water.
 
You could get a brand new 21' Sea Ray for less money (zero options included):
1708717317906.png


The 230 is a bit more spendy:
1708717366266.png
 
Underpowered and butt ugly. No thanks. A boat that size should have an outboard on the back.
 
Base SPX210 with 4.5 is $75,000. I am optimistic about the 4.5 but would have to take a ride. The goodies that make a vehicle fun add up but our money is worth less than we think. Grocery shopping is an unbelievable shock. The OB is a 150hp 4 and not in the running as much as I loved them when they were 2 strokes with understated hp.

Car engines have increased dramatically in hp per cu in with the high compression ratios. I should look at the boats that use them. The prop should be behind the outdrive though. What's a nice 6 cyl 21' boat from the other guys making more than 250 hp?
 
On the SPX 210, you'd have to get the 200 OB. I bought one of those last year (engine not boat). Not only is it unbelievably quiet -- the acceleration is insane.

To give you an idea, when I had a Sundancer with twin MPI and Bravo III. You could hardly carry on a conversation in the back at idle. Now with the 200 V-6, at idle you would hardly know it's running. On plane at around 25 mph I'm getting almost 5 mpg.
 
He's got a 2100/200hp but we like the big swim platform of the shown SVX230, hull length is 21.5'. Been a long time since I've had new boat fever. Maybe Susan will get it too. They've got a SVX231 with a 250 hp Yamaha and a bathroom, sales says over the phone that he can get his 300#s into it! It's sold if she likes it.
 
That dream is over. The SVX231 has no windshield for Susan. The SVX230 and OB version are fiberglass pontoon boats, the Starcraft genealogy. If I want to eat fish (unlikely), I will see what Fred Meyer has.
 
250HP from the 4.5L is actually just fine for a 23' boat. The 4.5L is the replacement for the small block V8 and the 4.5L performs better. You're not going to be ripping around with a boatload of people doing watersports - but for "normal" use, it's good. Now, that DOES depend on the hull design... and I'm not convinced Starcraft's engineering department puts much effort into that...

Boats like Starcraft and Stingray and fine for what they are - very much an entry level boat. It becomes very noticeable when you look past the glitz that attract most people. Most only look at surface. In fact, Bayliner is now a nicer boat than them :)

Fill Ess, something was different about your Sundancer... mine was super quiet at idle/low RPM - I often snuck up on people. I've been on many Sundancers and always had the same experience. All I mean by this is that your experience is not the norm - for whatever reason.
 
It was a 20.5' boat with a 2.5' swim platform and the 4.5 would probably be OK. Maybe that engine is under-rated as Mercury has vast experience at casting aluminum (the cooling passages in the head). But it has the footprint of a barge and my sleep was troubled by visions of families trying to get the protruding front corners into a slip. Screaming kids at every corner, heavy Moma in the middle conducting with a boathook in the center, and Homer at the helm belching with a beer. That's boating!
Pirate Lady said it would need a bathroom but they had a 231SVX with a bath and a 250 hp Yamaha for $71,365 which would be cheap for the prize OB. Susan responded that she would be cheated by the lack of a windshield and I recalled she even needs the door to the bow closed to stop the breeze.
As it is, Susan is an efficient deckhand if I don't give orders and she needs to use the bathroom. We get tied up smartly.
I am itching to spend some money though and the Starcraft dealer says he orders his various boats with extra hp so we will see where this leads.
 
Pirate Lady said:
My 454 with sport bellows aint sneaking up on anyone. What stereo, cant hear it over the rumbling of that beautiful big block. Puts a Harley with straight pipes to shame.
I love it.
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Pity they don't make big blocks like yours anymore. That old 265 was built for the '55 Vette, then it was bored to 283, then 302 like my Merc 5.0 liter, then 327, then the stroker crank put more capacity at piston skirt level for 383 cubes or the 6.2 liter, still a small block! A buddy built up a 383 for a boat but it never ran right. I imagine the Mercruiser 6.2 is a good engine but your 7.5 sounds like a better marine choice. I also imagine full throttle in rough water with the prop in and out of the water and the rev limiter trying to hold it together. 454!
 
Pirate Lady said:
My 454 with sport bellows aint sneaking up on anyone. What stereo, cant hear it over the rumbling of that beautiful big block. Puts a Harley with straight pipes to shame.
I love it.
Click to expand...
I always hated loud exhaust . Whether it be boats, bikes, cars or snowmobiles. I always call people that have loud exhaust’s. “Attention whore’s” Just my opinion of course.
 
Lazy Daze said:
250HP from the 4.5L is actually just fine for a 23' boat. The 4.5L is the replacement for the small block V8 and the 4.5L performs better. You're not going to be ripping around with a boatload of people doing watersports - but for "normal" use, it's good. Now, that DOES depend on the hull design... and I'm not convinced Starcraft's engineering department puts much effort into that...

Boats like Starcraft and Stingray and fine for what they are - very much an entry level boat. It becomes very noticeable when you look past the glitz that attract most people. Most only look at surface. In fact, Bayliner is now a nicer boat than them :)

Fill Ess, something was different about your Sundancer... mine was super quiet at idle/low RPM - I often snuck up on people. I've been on many Sundancers and always had the same experience. All I mean by this is that your experience is not the norm - for whatever reason.
Click to expand...
Interesting you say that LD ....

I always found it loud, even with underwater exhaust. The Kohler genny made a racket but that was expected.
 
Maggieiscrazy said:
I always hated loud exhaust . Whether it be boats, bikes, cars or snowmobiles. I always call people that have loud exhaust’s. “Attention whore’s” Just my opinion of course.
Click to expand...

Ohh man...mostly I agree. But there's nothing quite like being launched from rack service, inside a boat well, seawall on three sides, captains choice set to full open, and lighting the fire. Ooff...I miss go-fast boats for just about only this reason :)
 
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