# best boat for the money?



## SKIFFY (Oct 6, 2007)

hey guys i am currently in the market for a new 19-23 center console or walk around/cuddy cabin. which brands have the most room,seating,storage and best ride in chop?

tight lines,matt


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## 38bat (Nov 23, 2007)

More info is needed for a real answer. New only?How much are you looking to spend would be helpful.


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## SKIFFY (Oct 6, 2007)

im looking to spend up to 45,000

i want a new boat off the showroom floor.


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## REEL STAMAS (Jan 27, 2008)

IMHO Triton makes the best boat for the money on the market... I would rec. a21-23' Center-console as theygive you more room, but over the course of a 12-15hr day on the water, they tend to beat you up more & a hardtop w/a full windshield provides more protection from the elements... That said if I were buying something under 24' I would probablybuy a center-console... I also like the Yamaha 150hp 4-strokes for economy & reliability... (you maywant to up your budget though


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## jimmyjams4110 (Oct 20, 2007)

Capehorn in the 19-23 center console.










Cuddy cabins are a toss up imo. Proline, Mako, Wellcraftare nice. Grady Whites are just too expensive. If you go with a cuddy, make sure you get a 23ft, anything smaller will feel very tight due to the fact you're locked in the back of the boat, and make sure it has a hard top with railing on the side of it so you can make it to the bow and back easier.


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## CHICO (Oct 2, 2007)

Seastrike 205 or 21ft whatever you want to call it. When I was doing my boat buying I asked everyone I knew the same question. Even 4 out of the 5 guys with the 40+ ft boats said Seastrike, or it was in atleast their top three.


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## SKIFFY (Oct 6, 2007)

thanks guys.

i really like cape horns but they are really pricey.

but im seriously considering the mako 234 walkaround


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## boatman (Oct 1, 2007)

Key West, Seaswirl Striper


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## SKIFFY (Oct 6, 2007)

31 contender is a litte big

19-23 feet is what im shooting for

up to 45k


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## jimmyjams4110 (Oct 20, 2007)

> *SantaRosaSkank (7/3/2008)*Then you should just save your money and ride with friends until you can buy a real boat.


Geassseeeeee......:boo 

SantaRosaShank. It's just not the boat that costs money, it's also the cost of GAS. Maybe he doesn't want to go Marlin and Tuna fishing most of the time. Maybe he wants to go catch snappers, groupers, kings. A 31 contender in my opinion would be a little overkill.

Get a boat that does 90% of the things you want to do, not the 10% you dream of doing. 

I think you're an idiot for shooting down a 21-23ft boat. To me that's about the ideal boat for around here. My 2cents.


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## SKIFFY (Oct 6, 2007)

> *jimmyjams4110 (7/3/2008)*
> 
> 
> > *SantaRosaSkank (7/3/2008)*Then you should just save your money and ride with friends until you can buy a real boat.
> ...


very well said jimmy jams


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## bonita dan (Oct 3, 2007)

A Cape Horn would be about your best boat for the money since there pretty much unbreakable. Have ya looked around for maybe an '07 or even an '06 leftover? Combined with a Yamaha 4-stroke your looking at a boat that will last a very long time. There are a lot of good deals around right now. Best of luck.


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

http://www.androsboats.com/23.cfm


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## SKIFFY (Oct 6, 2007)

if anyone is wondering, my current boat is a carolina skiff and since its a bay boat it doesnt ride in chop very well and is cramped and poorly laid out.

just my .02 . floats extremely shallow though. my son caught his first king last week and it doesnt look like the bay is all he wants to fish now. =]


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## jimmyjams4110 (Oct 20, 2007)

> *SantaRosaSkank (7/3/2008)* Why would you call me an idiot?



1. For acting like everyone has $150k lying around the house to spend.

2. Assuming that it's not worth going out unless you're on a 31ft center console.

3. Just the tone of your 1st two messages.

Sorry back to ya.


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## Dylan (Apr 15, 2008)

Im also a big fan of the 19-23 horn....I worked at a marina driving boats and IMO you cant beat the horn with a yammer hammer on it..Makos are very fine boats to...Whatever you do do not buy a seafox..


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

23' Hydra-Sport Vector


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## jimmyjams4110 (Oct 20, 2007)

> *SantaRosaSkank (7/3/2008)*Sorry for having an opinion. If you have to worry about the price of gas, you shouldn't be buying a boat anyway. I wouldn't bother with a boat any less than what I mentioned. Probably not even that one. I only said that one because I didn't know his weak budget.


Original message deleted.

:banghead


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## seanspots (Oct 4, 2007)

> *SantaRosaSkank (7/3/2008)*Sorry for having an opinion. If you have to worry about the price of gas, you shouldn't be buying a boat anyway. I wouldn't bother with a boat any less than what I mentioned. Probably not even that one. I only said that one because I didn't know his weak budget.


45k isn't a weak budget for the type of vessel he is looking for.I would seriously consider the bay boat route.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

> *SantaRosaSkank (7/3/2008)*jimmyjams, call me a boy again and i'll have my deckhand supervise as you scrub the yellow stains off my transom.


Just another scrub that wont be here at the end of the day. POOOOF your gone.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Cape Horn boats are awesome boats and a great ride couldnt go wrong with'em. Good luck and let us know what you come up with.


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## jimmyjams4110 (Oct 20, 2007)

> *SantaRosaSkank (7/3/2008)*jimmyjams, call me a boy again and i'll have my deckhand supervise as you scrub the yellow stains off my transom.


If you actually own a contender, I would be SHOCKED... Grow up BOY and leave our forum alone.


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## Getsome (Sep 28, 2007)

Skiffy, if it was up to me I would buy a nice used boat. 45k is a great budget for a 2 yearold boat that will be in like new condition. Boats depreciate extremly fast. Go with the 4 stroke out boards for fuel economy. I own a proline thats made from 100% fiberglass, no wood to rot out later. When investing in a boat think about what kind of fishing you will be doing, do you plan to keep it long term?


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## CHICO (Oct 2, 2007)

I mean are you fkn kidding me. SantaRosaSkank please tell me you are a chick whatguy would actually put that as his screen name anyways.


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## Midnight Run (Oct 2, 2007)

call kenny at emerald coast marine our 23 mako center console is there for sale dont know what he has it listed for. It isa fishing machine and dosent burn any fuel .


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## shanester (May 20, 2008)

check out the everglades cc just bought the 24 and that thing is tight. had to go jacksonville to get it though. this the only boat i will ever own. u might have and the prices have come down slightly


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## SolarFlare (Oct 3, 2007)

There a lot of clean used boats around. You have to decide what kind of fishing you really want to do. If it's just an occassional offshore trip, buying an offshore style boat really limits what you can do. I've owned'em all from canoes, to Sportfishermen; my opinion, short cuddies don't offer much of anything but storage, you lose a lot of fishing room.

I fish a hydrasport baybolt 23 ft, it is the best hybrid inshore/near-offshore boats you can buy. The Triton LTS24 is also right there too. You could find one affordable with a 4 stroke for better fuel economy,tricked out a year or 2 old, still under warranty, and fish the shallowsfor reds or deeper water for snapper.

Good luck, happy 4th

:usaflag

*PS: both of these boats will eat that Bay Chop up!!!*


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

> *SKIFFY (7/3/2008)*thanks guys.
> i really like cape horns but they are really pricey.
> but im seriously considering the mako 234 walkaround


We were looking at the mako walkarounds firstbefore we saw our boat. After fishing on a few walkarounds, I realized how much fishing space you lose, especially with several people. The mako walkarounds are nice, just check out some makos and you will find the size you want. We got ours at the tracker boat center at the destin bass pro shops. Really nice people over there.


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## Xanadu (Oct 1, 2007)

> *Midnight Run (7/3/2008)*call kenny at emerald coast marine our 23 mako center console is there for sale dont know what he has it listed for. It isa fishing machine and dosent burn any fuel .




You guys should buy this boat. Besides the fact that Jeff is a world class boat cleaner and soon to be famous deckie, this freakin boat raises fish. It shouldn't be too darned expensive either, but for some god forsaken reason it attracts billfish. In the past 2 years, its caught as many bills as anybody.



BTW, jeff, I still need a fence!


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

buy Freespool's 24' cape horn.... it's pretty sweet!:bowdown


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## The Raven (Oct 8, 2007)

To be quite frank, I think that if you have some time to wait you might find one hell if a discount on fishing boats soon; and I mean more than you'l find now. Inventories are high from what I'm reading, and new and used boat sales are way, way off.

I think the situation for anyone selling new boats in and below your price pointis bad, and will get much worse as we approach the fall season. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd save between $5K and $10K on the same boat you'd pay $45K for now, if you wait a few more months. 

As for used boats, there are a shit-load of guys out there who stretched themselves to get into what boat they have a year or two ago, when gas was half what it is now. Overthepast five years I've seen fewer boats for sale...totalledacross all of those five years...at the Eglin "Lemon Lot," than the number sitting on the lot right now. There have to be about 20 boats sitting there. They're not selling; they're just sitting there.

I know one guy who refinanced his home to buy a new boat two years agoand now he can't afford to go fishing unless he can get a boat load of guys to go with him and buy his gas. I think there will be an explosion of nearly new "used" boats available in the next few months, and the competition to sell them will be keen.

People are going to be bleeding from the eyes trying to sell their boats in a few months. Patience might be well rewarded.


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## Danno (Oct 17, 2007)

About the Mako, take a close look at the finish, reach up under and inside of compartments. You'll find that the texture looks and feels like blown fiberglass, rough and can cut you in places, also take a close look at the hardware, not all pieces are through hull bolted and some screws are not stainless.

When looking last year I bought a Key West because of the hardware and the finish, I not going to tell you its the "best" boat outthere, but I have had no problems with it. It was an '06 left over this made is a very good buy for the boat. For a new +23' it was the best buy for the money.


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## Midnight Run (Oct 2, 2007)

i know hal they just dont know what this boat can do. If you buy it ill take you fishing for freeand show you what it can do! 

go look at it you wont regret it.


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## molvera (Nov 3, 2007)

check out the cape horn i got listed bumped it back to top


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

check this cape horn out... well in your price range, and is already set up for fishing.... VERY AWESOME BOAT!

http://pensacolafishingforum.com/fishingforum/Topic12857-46-1.aspx


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## nextstep (Jun 27, 2008)

i really love my grady but they are pricey i agree with boat man for the money you cant beat a seaswirl stripper for getting a lot of space in a small cuddy or a keywest for its ride.


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