# Help picking out a boat



## timekiller (Mar 3, 2010)

I have been out of the boat scene for about 10 years now, and I don't have a great variety of experience with offshore boats. I have been on a friend's Contender and that is about it. I am looking for something in the 21'-27' range, and I think I have narrowed my choices down to a Robalo, Cape Horn, and Sea Hunt. I like the Robalo R222, Cape Horn 24OS, and the Sea Hunt GameFish27 or Triton225. What would you guys look for / avoid / recommend? I intend to try and at least float a couple before making my purchase, but would like a heads up beforehand.

Edit: I am not stuck on any of the mentioned brands...If you have a recommendation of another brand/model please let me know.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Out of those, Cape Horn.


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

You're not going to beat that Cape Horn OS unless you look at the XS.


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## Ragon210 (Jul 11, 2013)

cape horn!


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Go big as you can afford. 
Get twin motors or you'll regret it. 
Buy used
Depending how far you think you will go offshore, the bigger the boat the safer you are.


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Cape Horn . The size of your vessel means very little without the appropriate skill level and experience on the water. Hopefully you just chose your words poorly and don't really believe what you wrote.


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## bhudson (Apr 22, 2015)

Yellow Fin or Ranger


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Cape Horn is an arm and a leg better than the other two you mentioned, and I have fished on newer versions of all 3. I own a 14' 24os, absolutely love it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

grouper22 said:


> Cape Horn . The size of your vessel means very little without the appropriate skill level and experience on the water. Hopefully you just chose your words poorly and don't really believe what you wrote.


Men will always want something bigger. 
When your offshore with one motor, you will always in the back of your mind wish you had another motor. 
And a larger vessel in my opinion will typically always be "safer" than a smaller vessel when offshore. 
You can get way more boat buying used rather than brand new for the money, that's with about anything. A boat is "used" once it leaves the lot, and will never again be worth what it was worth when bought new. 
I hope this meets the requirements for best choice of wording.


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

no, but hey, stay safe out there!


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## Capt'n Daddy (Oct 10, 2014)

Robalo 246

Gives you the most flexibility. ..I've taken mine tuna fishing and the next day, hit the flats


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

grouper22 said:


> no, but hey, stay safe out there!


I tried.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

Dont take it too hard. All of these guys went out there for the first time once also.

I'm in the same situation you are. Looking for a boat to go offshore. But my budget is quite a bit smaller than yours. When looking in my budget area, you have to watch those older Cape Horns. Especially the ones with the aluminum tanks that are in the floor. The foam gets soaked with saltwater and eats the aluminum tank. Then you get fuel in the foam and bilge. No way to decap a Cape Horn except to cut it...

Before I get hated on, I will add that they are GREAT boats and I am still considering one. I'm also looking Hysdrasports and Sailfish, and anything else that is recommended.


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## 301bLLC (Nov 23, 2013)

Cape Horn for THIS REASON: The peace of mind you'll have knowing you are in an unsinkable boat.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

...


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## Nitzey (Oct 9, 2007)

I went through the same thoughts nine years ago before I bought my boat. I came down to either a Cape Horn or what I actually bought, a True World Marine 288. I went to both factories and saw how they were built. Both very sturdy, and although I do not think any boat is unsinkable, they are both very hard to sink. The True World is a single diesel engine but twin propellers. You pay more up front for diesel, but diesel technology is reliable and very economical. If you get fuel to a diesel engine, it will run. My friends like to go out on my boat because I charge them less when we split the bill. 

Good luck with your search. There are lots of good boats out there, and I like going to boat shows (when my wife will allow me to go).


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## Coastal Cowboy (Feb 12, 2012)

301bLLC said:


> Cape Horn for THIS REASON: The peace of mind you'll have knowing you are in an unsinkable boat.


Unfortunately they said that about the Titanic.


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## cody&ryand (Oct 3, 2007)

Out of those brands I would say cape horn but your budget and if you are willing to buy used would help with suggesting other brands


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## NoleAnimal (Apr 3, 2014)

You get an awful lot for your money with Robalo, but it'd be hard to go wrong with Cape Horn, as well. Destin Sunrise Marine sells both, so you can look at them side-by-side and they sure treated me right.


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## Gamefish27 (Nov 13, 2009)

Seahunt... Just saying


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

If you are talking dedicated offshore deep V hull, no less than a 24', at least 2 engines (and at least 150, Yamaha preferred). A lot of the guys like the Cape Horn boats. Triton is good, or even Yellow Fin or Contender if you can afford it. And a lightly used boat can make some of these more affordable. I seldom buy anything like that new.
We do too much inshore as well as offshore, so we're stuck in a bay boat until I figure out the winning lottery numbers...lol.


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## murfpcola (Aug 28, 2012)

Sea hunt seem to be a very nice boat also. Something I have seen time and again that has not been stated yet is that with many owners, the bigger the boat, the Less you will use it. harder to handle by yourself, more of a pain to tow, harder to launch and retrieve and more money for fuel. I know plenty here won't agree with me but I have seen this scenario plenty of times.
I have been 60 miles from Pensacola pass in a 21 cape horn with a single motor. Everybody has different ideas of what is safe. Also try to do as much research as possible as to what kind of fishing you plan on doing. If you think going thirty miles out to the edge would be the farthest you would ever dream of going then you can easily stay on the smaller end of your boat range. There is a big difference in every aspect of boats between a 21 and a 27.


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## Bill (Oct 4, 2007)

I have a 24' sea hunt with a 250 yammy. It is a good boat for the money, rides good. It is not as solid as a cape or a yellow fin, but gets it done for me. I always what a better boat, but $$ is not endless for me. Take really, really good care of your engine and pick your days. Trouble happens when you bite off more than you can take....and sometimes it just happens. Have all the gear and plan for the worst. I would rather have ALL the safety gear with a average boat, than a kick ass boat without the gear.....just me saying. I have seen some small crap boats out far...nuts imho. 

Good luck and be safe.


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

Buy used, all the bugs are worked out. Search the web often until that sweet deal appears! Good luck with your purchase.


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## snjcamp03j (Jun 13, 2014)

I have Robalo R180. I have to choose my days to go out, but I have been out 15 miles with no concern catching fish and having a good time. I would love something a little bigger but I can fish all day on 15 gallons of gas with a yammy 150. When the big boats running twins pass me up I just think to myself they are burning more fuel than me. I can easily launch my boat solo and all in all I think it'so a great little big boat.


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