25-28 Open Center Console Feedback Please Contender, Intrepid, etc.

[Surf Dogg]

Hey ya'll this will probably be the first of many threads as I get closer to making my very own first boat purchase. Thanks to a new job in an industry that will directly benefit from the stimulus package this long time wish will become a reality. I was considering a bay boat but a YF is way out of my price range and for the price of my second choice of a Shearwater I could get so much more boat for the money! Also living in Ft. Lauderdale I do more offshore than inshore so a center console with higher gunwhales makes more sense.

So after some research and applying my own experience I've narrowed it down to a 25-28....I just think a 23 is a little cramped and the extra few feet make a big difference and you can find them for around the same price which my goal is to stay under 35k. I understand I'm not going to find anything w/ updated engines for that price but my favorite hulls in terms of liking the lines/looks, fishability and resale-ability are the following: Contender, Intrepid, Sea Vee, Sea Craft and Blue Water.

I want only an open no cuddy. Single level deck is prefered. Top Speed and ride are important. I've only fished on the Contenders, and was on an old Sea Craft once. I don't know about Intrepid and Blue Waters. What year did Intrepid come out with the stepped hull?

I appreciate your opinions and experiences on any of the above. If there are others you think would be a good match I haven't thought of please list them up!

Tight Lines!

[kerno]

Looking at your list, let's take them one at a time: Contender, Intrepid, Sea Vee, Sea Craft and Blue Water.

Contender is a very popular boat. They've made lots of them and they have a solid following. They are first and foremost, a fish boat. THey are designed and marketed to serious fisherman and are short on decoration and extras like a head. Their resale is tempered by the sheer number of them out there. The boats are built to function and they do. The ride is decent and the boats are light enough to get reasonable mileage.

Intrepid is a very expensive boat that used state of the art fabrication techniques and is one of the few boats that are still built to order. I don't know the current wait to get one, but it used to be over a year. The intrepid line caters to a high end buyer and you'll find things like electric seats, lots of soft trim, and lots of suprise ad delight features to amaze the cocktail cruisers. They can be fished, but as you can see from the layout and the mess a bloody tuna would make that they are not a "fishing first" boat. The ride is decent, but they can be wet. Space for ground tackle and large live wells? Wrong brand of boat. But almost al of them have heads and a lot of them have bow thrusters. Access to the swim platform is not good. Some have the "dive door", which looks great in the ads, but is not something I'd want to face with dive gear on when the boat is pitching. The boats are heavy, so they ride well, but they don't carry the strakes far enough forward to make them into spray rails. The sides of the bow are very smooth, which means that withou anything to turn the water over and knock it down, you'll be wearing it when it is windy.

SeaVee: Well made boat. Good attention to detail with wiring that looks like it should. A good boat that never seems to be as strong a seller as it should be. Well designed for fishing and has no major failings in the sizes you are looking at.

SeaCraft. I have not looked at them in a while and was not impressed with the fit and finish when I looked them over closely. They may have improved, but I cannot make a current comment on them. Out of space, so continued in the next post:

[kerno]

Bluewater: I looked at them in detail at the Miami show this year and was very impressed with what I saw. The fit and finish, construction techniques, underdeck access, battery access and all the things that make life easy with a boat were there. I did not get a chance to demo one in rough water, but from looking at the hull, it should work properly.

I personally feel stepped bottoms are over-rated in the real world. The water is seldom flat enough to be able to make the speeds required to use them when you are in a 28 foot boat. Step or no steps would not play into my decision. Looking at the four boats you've listed and what you plan to do with it, I'd rate them as follows:

Bluewater 1st, SeaVee a close second. Contender third and Interpid fourth. I cannot honestly rank the SeaCraft because I have not been on a new one. If I were buying any of the above, I'd buy the Contender and SeaVee new, while trying to find a decent used Bluewater or Intrepid. That's based on price, initial depreciation and anticipated resale.

[Surf Dogg]

If I were buying any of the above, I'd buy the Contender and SeaVee new, while trying to find a decent used Bluewater or Intrepid. That's based on price, initial depreciation and anticipated resale.

Thanks Kerno for the honest input! Budgetwise I can't get anything new. I figure if I can score a decent 25 contender for around 30k use it for a few years and shouldn't loose too much on a resale. Ultimately I'd like to end up in a 30 something YF or Invincible but that is a wayyys down the road!

[sneakypete]

Have you looked into jupiter?

[blackfinmike]

Haven't figured how to post picks in a signature or list what I have, but I have what my name is and a intrepid 23' cc, which is called a 246 open (24'6"), It is (don't understand Kerno) the best no nonsense fishing machine I ever saw. I went out in a 2-3' chop running 30 knots was not hit by one drop of water. An absolute awesome boat, All I do is work and fish (sobriety), what do you think I do with it.

[Surf Dogg]

Haven't figured how to post picks in a signature or list what I have, but I have what my name is and a intrepid 23' cc, which is called a 246 open (24'6"), It is (don't understand Kerno) the best no nonsense fishing machine I ever saw. I went out in a 2-3' chop running 30 knots was not hit by one drop of water. An absolute awesome boat, All I do is work and fish (sobriety), what do you think I do with it.

All you have to do is upload the image to photobucket.com then view the photo and below it you will see about 4 different links...copy the bottom link IMG tag one then go to edit your sig here in personal options and paste the link into the sig and save!

I didn't know they made a small intrepid...i'll have to search!

[Surf Dogg]

Thanks Kerno for the honest input! Budgetwise I can't get anything new. I figure if I can score a decent 25 contender for around 30k use it for a few years and shouldn't loose too much on a resale. Ultimately I'd like to end up in a 30 something YF or Invincible but that is a wayyys down the road!

I love the Jupiters...my bud has a 31 open...great riding boat and very fishable! Last time I checked though I couldn't find one in my price range.

[blackfinmike]

Thank you surfdog

[blackfinmike]

Surf dog do you know how I can add writing to it also, just want to say the years and that that is my blackfin in the background.