Atlantic City Boat Show.....observations
 

Mercury......... showing a 400hp outboard.
Etec G2's........I've become used to the look, cool engines.

Center console's 28' - 31' of all the boat manufactures offering CC's in this size, seemed that only the Edgewater had sleeping bunks inside the cuddy / head section.
Even the CC model of Regulator 34" ........no bunks unless you get the other model, where you can only walk around one side.
$ 200,000 - $ 300,000 boats, and no where to lie down out of the weather.

Saw a 20' boat priced at $ 64,000.... " boat show special price" .
That's a twenty foot boat.

Plotter/finders...... newest models feature touch screens. Garmin units seemed fairly easy to work, given they all have more features than most of us will ever really use.

Nice show.

I'm not a huge fan of those touch screen units. My friend has one... gets salt spray on it... by the time he finished wiping off the salt he had plotted a course for Idaho. :you:

That's CRAZY! I personally wouldn't spend over $100,000 on a boat.
:fam:

I just don't understand paying for a 30+ CC. I have fished the canyon on one in great weather. It was bearable but still no room at the stern to fish. When you are running 50mph for 2 hours, only two people get a windshield.
I have also been on the same 31 Edgewater and got soaked on a 60 mile ride.

If I had the money, I would buy an express. They are real fishing machines and still have a nice place to eat & sleep. I was just in Florida and saw a custom 36' walkaround express. :pray:

My budy just bought a Custom 30' (28 cause of euro trans) Contemnder CC twin 300hp Suzuki's taking delivery in March $150,000 just for the hull!!

Not to derail but is anyone watching the 38' Fountain build thread on THT?
Quad 400R Mercury outboards. Should set a new record for center consoles. 30' boats just aren't that big when it comes right down to it. Center consoles do lack a lot of creature comforts. Dry seating is one of them. Express models seem to fill that void.. There is a cool boat made in Gainesville called Mirage. It could be built to suit any need. It has sleeping Quarters and a really neat Pilothouse too. Check it out. The 21' Classic remind you of anything???
http://www.miragesportfish.com/

:cry:Face it...this is the V20 forum not the Viking yachts forum...we're poor....:cry:

I would be hard pressed to justify a new $100K+ boat when you can get some really nice used +30' boats for $30-$40k. I could afford that but I can't afford the annual dock and the winter haul and the fuel and the maintenance. So I keep my V20 and try to weasel my way out to the canyon on a "friend of a friend " boat....

The best sport fisher isn't the one you own, it's owned by a friend.

I like that last post..........yup, I guess so.........we're not the Viking Sportfish forum now are we.....

Hydrasport now has a 53' center console....with 3-4 of the 7 Marine outboards on it.

Imagine, a 200' center console where everyone gets soaked, that would be funny !

I used to be one of those guys huddled behind the little console. Now I sit behind my windshield and curtains , or sit comfortably on chair with my feet up on the deck!!

I've owned my V21 for over 10 years. If I own it another 20 years and I'll have close to $100,000 in it. :hi: