I'm looking for something reasonably priced boat I can pay cash for and I can tow behind a Suburban.  

Activities include:
- skiing on rivers
- cruising on saltwater bays on occasion
- party with the ladies
- fishing
- water sports skiing and tubing
- kid friendly

I was thinking an older bowrider like a Sea Ray Sun deck at 21ft but I am open to suggestions.  

I have a lot of boating experience between 40ft cruisers, sailboats to smaller bowriders and pontoons that family owned. I was always asked to be behind the wheel so they can drink. But

Help me spend my money!

Would it make more sense to rent one when you need it?

No budget listed

send me $9,000.00 and don't go boating.
You have now experienced the joy of owning a boat at a fraction of the cost.

Friends don't let friends buy boats.

In that size range, consider freedom boat club.  At my marina, they have pontoons, center consoles, and a bowrider you can take out for the day.  The upside is you don't have to do shit besides pay for it, and it's sitting at the dock ready to go.  If I wasn't into the floating condo scene, I'd consider it.

You just described 5 different types of boats.  Pick your top 2 uses and report back.  

The boat I have pictured is great for fishing with 1 person. Great for entertaining 1 lady.  Can pull a skier.  Can fit 3 other people besides me on the boat but it is tight and not enjoyable.  It excels at nothing but is somewhat versatile.  

Nordhavn 51-footer if you have a lot of cash and a very powerful Suburban.

Do you live within an hour of water?
Are the ramps busy on the weekends?
Do you have experience with engine repair/maintenance/saltwater cooling and corrosion?
Is your spouse or children able to help you with caring for your boat?
Are you parking it in your driveway, leaving it on a lift/slip or marina lot?
Do you have extra time on the weekends to wash/wax and perform maintenance?
Are you able to fix electrical issues?
Got plenty of tools?
Are you able to contort your body in various unnatural angles without cramping?

When I was a poor night cargo guy I had an airline buddy that let me stay in the family boat for a year or so. All he asked was that I take care of it. I hosed it off daily. Wiped and cleaned things daily. On weekends I’d even dive and wipe the hull and do as much maintenance as I was qualified to do. The boat was always in better shape than when I started staying on it. But it was a full time job in addition to my real job.

I still think about buying a boat to live on and cruise around the weekends and vacations but it was a lot of work just doing daily MX. To say nothing of the cost of the required professional MX.

Don't.

Not the Nordy 68?  Cheap-o.  

Agree!

Put % on each of your activities, and we can help.

We have a dual console which fishes/skis well in addition to hanging out with the family.  But, if fishing were a higher priority, I'd get a center console.

I was in the same “boat” as you.
I don’t go out into open water, but bought a 22ft pontoon- 90hp 2 stroke, during the pandemic.
It entertains, skis, tubes, cruises and fishes fine.

I can change plugs, take care of batteries and know how to change oil/service engines generally.
I can change a fuel line and general wiring like horns, lights, fuel gauges, starters.

These things are cheap to own - relatively but will have to say that storing a boat and or trailer, transporting it to and from the water are my biggest expenses. Pontoons are very transparent as to how they work and very modular.

My advice - older pontoon and do maintenance yourself and you will be fine.

If you look at a boat like some people treat cars, dealer recommended service, annual maintenance, finicky controls and electronics, well then don’t do it.
I personally have used a dealer or warranty on any device with an engine about10 times in 35 years.
I usually own at least 4 powered vehicles and they range in age from two years old to 40 at any given time

Some people I know live at car and boat dealerships and I just can’t understand how or why they do it.

I’m either a unicorn or it’s not as bad as people say.
Neighbor with a ski boat is constantly spending $ at shops, maintenance, cleaning, rebuilding and trading in on newer models.

Boats are what you make of them and expect of yourself IMO.

Probably... but I don't like to plan I like to just go.

Budget?

19-22 bay boat.

I like sea hunt

I have considered it in the past.  But I saw friends have some frustrations on availability with them.

Unless you're buying new don't waste your money, you'll just end up with someone's headache. Better yet don't waste money on a new boat either, a person never uses one as much as they think they will.

You are going to buy a boat so you can pay for other people to have fun.

I grew up with a 14’ Glassmaster bow rider with a Mercury 65 parked in the back yard.  I can honestly remember maybe 5 or 6 times we used it as a family.  By the time Dad gave it to me, it lived up to the acronym Break Out Another Thousand.  Every spring it was about $1000 to get it going again.  Sold it.  Fast forward 25 years and it was time again for another boat since we bought a lake home.

Being older and wiser, I wanted a pontoon. But didn’t know shit about pontoons, tritoons, why one is $18,000 and why this one the same year model is $50,000.
I was quickly educating myself and my wife showed me a tritoon on FB marketplace for sale at a price that had to be a scam.  It was a 2 yo tritoon with a Mercury 150 with a retail value of just under $50k. We bought it for $36,500.  It was actually our neighbors down the road selling it.

What I’ve learned in the past 18 months of ownership:
Tritoon is much more stable and smoother on the water.
150 motor will yank anyone around on a tube or up and out of the water
A 150 guzzles gas if you like going fast all day. Sips it just putting around.
Get something with the tow/ski pole that puts it up above the motor.
A pontoon/tritoon has plenty of room for kids, dogs, coolers, etc.
Wind is not your friend with a pontoon/tritoon.  A simple cross breeze will put you sideways while trying to dock or pull into the lift.
At high speed a tritoon doesn’t really turn very well. Wind going under the boat makes the toons act like a stabilizer on an airplane.
About 50% of other boaters have no idea about boating etiquette. I’m so glad I don’t have to use a landing every time we go out.  They will cut you off or run into you if you’re not careful.  
Boat repairs are not cheap or done quickly. Buy newer up front so you’ll spend money on gas and not repairs and the boat isn’t in the shop half the summer. I cannot stress this enough
Find a good boat mechanic before you need him.
Read up on your local regs.  Friend got a ticket because his fire extinguisher didn’t have an expiration date stamped on it. And keep up with your expiration dates too!  Also discovered that even kayaking or paddle boarding in SC requires a whistle around your neck and a life jacket.

Most important, Have fun!

Probably under 30k.

Well Fishing varies so much, I don't even know ops state. A bass boat in oklahoma is not an offshore tuna boat out on the coast and everything in the between which there are many.

Pontoon or Tritoon.

Attached File


Center console? Dual Console?

Glass? Aluminum?

Shallow water capable? Deep V rough water capable?

What interests you?

If it flies, floats, or fucks - rent it

Center consoles and dual consoles both appeal to me.

Probably going to go with glass in this case.  

I'll be mostly in places like rivers and Chesapeake Bay.

Center console with bow seating and a fuel injected 4 stroke for power . Reliable, low maintenance, do it all boat . Don't listen to the haters, do it .

You're aware you know boating more than most of this site, right?

Sea Rays are going to hold their value more than any other that I can think of. I've been quite happy with mine, and while I was advised to get a cabin I don't find it even remotely necessary for day trips. You raise your kids the same way I do so I don't imagine any of them will complain about heat.

But for what you describe and the way your kids enjoyed mine, I'd recommend a bowrider in the 22-28 foot range. If you're going to take out all six of you the smaller end can get crowded.

What you really need to do is check the marinas for consignment boats. I got lucky with mine. Hoffmaster's is fairly no-frills. Holly Acres isn't on the water but they have a fair amount of used boats. Check the two or three on Neabsco also. Your budget should get you something decent, but I'd definitely get a survey.

@LexConcord might have more input.

34vh Freeman with twin 450rs

When considering center consoles, you have to think about how much fishing you plan to do and how much pleasure cruising you plan to do. You can't lounge on a CC as much as you can fish on a bowrider. Plus women and kids will definitely bitch about the ride and lack of padded seating.

Personally if I bought a boat for fishing AND for pulling tubes/skiers, I'd go with 2 outboards: something big/fast/thirsty, and then a smaller kicker.

I've always wanted to try out an addictor.

Buy one of these:

That's boating...

Save yourself a bunch of heartache and just do this

Also consider that boating brands and styles are often regional and that can affect availability and sometimes practicality on the water to local conditions.

I just bought a Yamaha AR240, but I really wish I would have gotten a Yamaha 22' center console instead.  

They seem to have as much room and same capabilities (plus more).  But a better layout.

Need to narrow it down a bit, you just described 3 different boats.

Buy a Kayak for each of your family members.   Less costly.  Near zero maintenance .  Everyone in the family stays active.

Seriously.  Consider this.

Figure out how much money you have to spend on a boat. Take half and buy a cd set the other half on fire. You will come out ahead in the long run.

Awesome layout but it's a jet boat.  Nope

This is the Way.
No suburban needed.

Listen to Swire on this one.

Nothing wrong with owning a boat.  I've had one my whole life it seems.  Keep up with you maintenance and store it properly and you'll be fine.

In before all of the "FiRsT DaY, lAsT dAy" bullshit.       Those aren't boaters, they are boat owners.  Big difference.

Why not a jet boat?  No winterizing.  Turn on a dime.  Easy to maneuver around a dock.  They don't need a rebuild until around 3k hours.  No props to damage and get caught on sandbars.  

I know. I tailored my answer the way I did because he and I are local. We know each other well, and he was out on the river on my boat last year several times with and without the kids.

Id rather have a jet than an i/o like the Sea Ray you mentioned.

And they are so easy to flush out after being in saltwater.  Connect a water hose to a flush port, run the motor for a bit, do the same on the other motor, and you're done.  

Sea Ray is trash


Cobalt

This. A center console is a boat for you, not the family. My friend has one along with a pontoon. He loves the CC. He can go fast. I hate it. Uncomfortable, going fast on the water slams my back when going over waves.