Sorry Guys

[Seacrets]

Doing great. In the middle of scallop season (snorkeling for the little beauties). Trout and redfish are in the deeper grass flats, but good numbers. Take care Willie.

[Blue_Runner]

These guys make great points and reading them it is like they are reading my mind b/c this is the exact same opinions I have regarding new vs. used boats.

My .02 is not to buy a new boat. For the $$ you'd spend on new you could get a reliable used ski boat, a skiff, deep V, and a bay boat. I'm not saying you should buy 4 boats, just saying new boats are over priced and over rated because they require just as much maintenance and crap happens to them just the same. What will suck is having the new boat break down rendering it unusable until you B-O-A-T for repairs (bust out another thousand).....the bank does not care and will still need your monthy payment.

I vote older solid boat w/ newer power, skiff or V is your choice. Doesn't have to be 20 years old either.

P.S. its not if you have to bust out another thousand....its when. Right guys?!?!?!? I just busted out another thousand on hydraulic steering....after putting a new steering cable on just 2 years ago, which was $350.

[spareparts]

I like it when people B. O. A. T., thats how I make my living, problem is, most of them want to only B.O.A.T.(twenty $)

[willy]

as far as I am concerned it is and always will be a case of pay to play.
for some like Skools and Ferm and other guys on here that are mechanically trained and experienced they pay in their time, time fixing their own stuff but even they have to pay, just less thats all.
also as time advances and the newer stuff comes out the more removed from fixing the average guy even with good mechanical common sense is removed from fixing his own stuff, especially in the engine arena.
The first boats I had had smaller older engines and if something was not running right I could stumble along and eventually even this blind squirle would find the problem nut.
When you buy the newer engines the past decade and a half you need a electronics degree to figure it out, along with the special programs and wiring harnesses to hook to your laptop to diagnose it. And usually now you don't fix that much you just find out what is wrong and replace it.
It is the trade off for more reliability for the consumer.
Remember the days with your 14-18 foot aluminum or fiberglass boat, manual everything on it, maybe a 15-50 horse Johnson or Evinrude or Mercury on it that you could always coax to life even when something was not working.
Those days are gone.
Good luck with what you choose boat wise, either way you will eventually be paying the Gods of the Sea for the privelidge of plying their waters.
I would thing very hard about buying a skiff type of boat unless you intend on low speed running in shallow edge of bay waters. I have been on several and they beat the snot out of you by the end of the day.
Even the Florida guys who have vast shallow flats to fish have gone to the nicer hull designs that are more sea worthy and dry, but still give you a decent ride for a flats boat. But even those if you get in a good chop and got to make a run in will leave you feeling like you just went ten rounds with a WWF champion.

[kull79]

I have looked at the sea chase 25' bay I really like the boat but there isn't enough seating for the ol lady. This one is just more of a fit for both of us. Oh and her thing for safe would be a warranty and less than 10yrs old she has had bad expierences with OLD boats that people didn't take care of. I know the ride will be rough out in the ocean I expect that. I looked at that 258 DLV Elite at Grass Shack it is nice but there are differences b/t that one and the one on their website. Also my V20 already has a new motor I rebuilt the out drive and the person who owned it befor me had the hydrolic tilt repaired with a new pump and rams. It is in the finishing stages refinishing the woodwork replacing all the old broken hadware with stainless.

I wish I did live down at the coast, we have a house down there as a vacation home so that isn't that big of a deal.

I know I could buy several used boats for what I am going to spend on a new one. Oh and getting wet and a rough ride will just be a tradeoff. For a Big CC (which I want) with the "creature comforts" she wants is out of our price range.

I have ridden on almost every type/band of boat out there and there is one thing that unless you build your own boat to your specifications there will always be a tradeoff in what you want to do and what you get.

I can't get a new fiance she lets me do what I want for the most part you should see my house I have 8 vehicles (not including the boat) that I am messing with.

[spareparts]

there is a reason that new boats have warranties, they break also! Then you have to wait on the dealer to repair it(3-4 weeks around here this time of the year), rather than fixing it yourself.

[willy]

Well Kull good luck in whatever you decide. With the market the way it is for the money you will spend on a new basically flat bottom boat you could buy a very nice, very much low hour CC right now, with warranty. Just go on THT and see whats just there.
Again if you don't mind a very rough and wet ride, and your lady doesn't either then go for it. I have done it before and won't even consider it again.

[Blue_Runner]

I have looked at the sea chase 25' bay I really like the boat but there isn't enough seating for the ol lady. This one is just more of a fit for both of us. Oh and her thing for safe would be a warranty and less than 10yrs old she has had bad expierences with OLD boats that people didn't take care of. I know the ride will be rough out in the ocean I expect that. I looked at that 258 DLV Elite at Grass Shack it is nice but there are differences b/t that one and the one on their website. Also my V20 already has a new motor I rebuilt the out drive and the person who owned it befor me had the hydrolic tilt repaired with a new pump and rams. It is in the finishing stages refinishing the woodwork replacing all the old broken hadware with stainless.

I wish I did live down at the coast, we have a house down there as a vacation home so that isn't that big of a deal.

I know I could buy several used boats for what I am going to spend on a new one. Oh and getting wet and a rough ride will just be a tradeoff. For a Big CC (which I want) with the "creature comforts" she wants is out of our price range.

I have ridden on almost every type/band of boat out there and there is one thing that unless you build your own boat to your specifications there will always be a tradeoff in what you want to do and what you get.

I can't get a new fiance she lets me do what I want for the most part you should see my house I have 8 vehicles (not including the boat) that I am messing with.

Some people might buy a boat EXPECTING it to do something it was not designed to do so in a deep-V forum I can see why people would try to steer someone from a skiff-style boat. Sounds to me like you are right on with your expectations so there shouldn't be any worries. Hey, I'll be the first to say it - I LOVE the Carolina Skiff boats and their layout keeps getting better and better. However I would not have one as a primary boat because I love to go out anywhere from 3 - 30 miles from shore, sometimes on not-so-flat days (2 - 3's).

Besides I've always said every man needs at least 2 boats.

[Seacrets]

I would strongly recommend you sea trial a Carolina Skiff on a real snotty day before you make your decision. Take mama with you and hit the waves from all directions. See if there are plugs in the self bailing holes. If there are, pull them and see if it will self bail.

[kull79]

Originally Posted by Seacrets

I would strongly recommend you sea trial a Carolina Skiff on a real snotty day before you make your decision. Take mama with you and hit the waves from all directions. See if there are plugs in the self bailing holes. If there are, pull them and see if it will self bail.

I have been on these boats before on a really snotty day; I've been out on a 37t contender 40 miles offshore and a storm blew in. I really don't care about snotty days it doesn't bother me fishing the ol lady won't go out in snotty weather on a lake or whatever so her opinion doesn't matter much on it being rough on a snotty day. I will not give in on just a cruiser/pleasure boat which is what she wants. I like the skiffs to be able to go island hopping and getting into the shallow cubbies to catch some nice drums and so forth. Where our beach house is @ if you take a deep V out of the channel you run the risk of getting grounded I have seen too many idiots do that & I don't want to be limited to the channels with a deep V CC. Like I said before every boat is a compromise and this one fits us both the most from what is on the market. I have looked at many boats and taken her to look at a bunch too.

If I had it my way I would build my own boat that would be to both our qualifications but again she wants a warranty.

I know new boats break down or need repaired I am a mechanic and new cars are the same way. Plus I will have the boatt stored @ the boat dealer right next door to the beach house which is an Evinrude dealer (the motor I want) so they can fix any motor issues.

"Some people might buy a boat EXPECTING it to do something it was not designed to do so in a deep-V forum I can see why people would try to steer someone from a skiff-style boat. Sounds to me like you are right on with your expectations so there shouldn't be any worries. Hey, I'll be the first to say it - I LOVE the Carolina Skiff boats and their layout keeps getting better and better. However I would not have one as a primary boat because I love to go out anywhere from 3 - 30 miles from shore, sometimes on not-so-flat days (2 - 3's)." Blue-Runner

I too love the CS, I don't go offshore too often usually about 10-15 miles on my boat. Plus going to the beach for just a weekend for me its more fun to fish the cubbies I usually go offfshore when I go done for a week orr more (time management)

IF I HAD THE $$$$ this is the boat I would buy www.smithboats.com