KillerB

Firsthand account (from the first mate) is here: http://www.sportfishermen.com/board/f9/alw...unk-208803.html

Haven't heard the reason why she sank yet. Report was captain went to check the high water alarm and water was over the transmissions and about to flood the engines. CG dropped a swimmer and pump and as he was setting up the pump, cockpit overwashed with waves and that was all she could take. All crew and passengers were off at the time except one. Boat was towed semi-submerged back to Cape May. Crew and passengers rescued and returned to Ocean City, MD on the Marli. Amazingly, no injuries reported. The Always Late and the Marli are both out of Ocean City and are in marinas across the street from each other. Always Late has a well respected captain and always appeared to be in pristine condition. http://www.alwayslatesportfishing.com/ http://www.marlisportfishing.com/ http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=661999

I think all are about the same tier of quality and price. And since you're talking used (since Aquasport hasn't been made for 3 or 4 years), I think it comes down to what's on the market, at what price and with what options. I personally wouldn't put a 4 stroke on any of these boats. I'd go DFI for sure. So your motor brand preference will probably weigh more in this decision than the hull. A late model 150 or 200 Optimax will make any of these 45 mile an hour rigs. And give you enough power to push through ocean swells. I've owned the Proline (20') and used exactly how you describe. I wouldn't buy another for the same purpose. Ride was just too rough for me. I've been on the Trophy and Striper and would be OK with those. I've been on old Aquasports (70's) and they were built like tanks. Reminds me of the old Makos. They do have a lot of wood in the older ones so you have to be careful what you buy. If you like them all, I think it comes down to the best buy dollar wise.

Honestly, I wouldn't attack it with liquid stripper and a sander. No matter how careful you are, you're going to end up with marks and gouges from the sander. If you want it all off, I'd have it soda blasted. http://www.sodablastboats.com/ Then what you find will depend on the initial prep work that was done before the first coat of bottom paint was applied. It may be lightly sanded and will buff back up. I doubt you'll get that lucky. Most likely the gloss will be sanded off with no way to get it back easily. You could re-gel coat but I'd leave that to an expert. IE, it takes some talent to make it look right. The other alternative is to paint it with a hard, two part paint. I'm not sure how long this would last below the water line. It would certainly be the least expensive solution. On a small boat like this, it might be more expense than it's worth. If you don't like the look of the soft ablative bottom paint, switch to a semi hard paint (Interlux VC17m, Petit Vivid, etc) which will hold up longer and look better. Petit Vivid is recommended for boats that are trailered. If it was mine, I'd just go with the soda blast and Petit. If you do more I don't think you'd ever get the value back out of it versus what you put into it. It's not an old Bertram or Hatteras you're restoring and can get the value back out of it if you sell it.

Dude!! 1. You so stole my stereo radio mounting idea. The under the dash rack up in the radio box. Works like a charm doesn't it?? 2. You really, really got a thing for 5 gallon buckets!! Cool rig you got there. Reasonable price. The only thing I'd really want would be a full bow rail for anchor handling when fishing the offshore wrecks. If you still have that, you might want to include that in the ad. If I was in the market, I'd nibble.

Cheap: ICOM M304 Expensive: ICOM M604 (has a separate keypad for DSC calling codes) Also check your available mount space. M604 takes more than twice the surface space to flush mount than the M304.

Good suggestion depending on the dealer. BassPro ain't gonna let me start running wires to the electronics rack :D I'm waiting for somebody else in the marina to buy one and then I'll offer to upgrade theirs free of charge and sneak mine in at the same time. Otherwise it's going to have to wait until the end of the season and go back to Lowrance. Thanks for the idea.

Progressive: $232 BoatUS: $497 20' Center Console. Near coastal, midatlantic. $25,000 ACV policy. BoatUS remains sky high for me.

I was with BoatUS for more than 10 years with no claims. They tripled my rates after a couple of the Florida hurricanes where they had big loses even though my boating area is 1000 miles away. I switched to Progressive at the time which was half the cost of BoatUS. I will try them again but one thing I already don't like. Their "online" quote is not online. They never give you an immediate quote even though they make it sound like they will. It always goes to a human and you get an answer in a day or two. I'll let you know how the rate compares to Progressive.

I would suggest not buying this unit. Certainly not as a single unit fish finder. And certainly not for a year or two until the software settles and the updates aren't as frequent or as large. Mine is 2 months old and is now rev locked because they require you to have a second HDS unit with a card slot in order to update the software. I have other Lowrance products with card slots but don't have (and won't have) another HDS unit. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Anybody want to buy a very lightly used 5X??? Oh yeah, I just told you not to do that. HDS-5x Update Version 2.0.30.50 Warning: The HDS-5x must be updated over the ethernet network by another HDS unit that has an SD card slot. You must update the HDS unit with the SD card slot before updating the HDS-5x.

At least 3 days to stay off the water in the US: Memorial Day 4th of July Labor Day I'm sure there are local days every where that should be added to the list. Too many drunks. Too many once a year boaters. It's amazing the death toll is not higher than it is most years. But if you're going to 'ho, have at it. It's the captains problem to avoid the drunks and crazies. You might want to hit Bass Pro for that inflatable vest that's on sale just to be on the safe side.

They are high. Quite high. Even the $20 number for a repaint is high unless it's a very large boat. $20 a foot for a first paint is fair. Although remember this is the busy season and you're late getting in line. Also be aware that sanding gel coat bottoms can sometimes void the blister warranty. Go to the Interlux web site and read some of the info there. Kind of easy to understand when you sand off the expensive (but thin) vinylester layer. $12 a foot for a repaint is about right. http://www.boatkeepers.biz/index_files/bottompainting.htm You don't say, but if this was a new boat, always try to get the dealer to throw in the bottom paint in the deal. At worst, get them to throw in the labor and pay for the paint.

Wolakrab I hear ya but the world has changed. I have a building full of salesmen who are great at milking their cash cows. But guess what?? Their cows are dying and the salesmen are starving. They've lost their prospecting and cold calling edge. I'm hiring kids off the street who are hungry and giving them the tools they need and they are opening new business at the rate of 3 to 1 versus the guys who've been around 10 years. Yes you have to take care of the good customers but you have to realize 20-40% of them won't be around this time next year. There are no more good ol' cash cows. They are dead or not spending. Unless you have a lot of federal government business, you can't count on anything. Even the local governments are cutting way back. It's a new world, don't let it catch you by surprise. As far as the attitude of brokers and sales people who don't call back, I don't get it. They have to be on commission and they have to be hurting. It's not like they don't have the time. It's more like they've given up and are just hunkered down waiting for the world to change. Which it's most likely not going to do. I'd be on every prospect like a flea on a doberman. Don't care how they are dressed or what they are driving. If they are out looking it makes them a possibility and till I prove otherwise, they are next month's mortgage payment. The customers are out there, the money is out there (if you have 20% down, a job and credit not in the toilet). You just have to work harder for it and I think that's clearing a lot of the weak sisters out of the business. You see it every where. Cars, houses, boats. The customers aren't standing in like throwing money at you any more. You have to bust your ass for it and a lot of people aren't used to that I'm afraid. Welcome to 2009.