Buying a Bluewater Boat

[speedbird]

My Dad's boat is ready for a replacement. It's a bayliner Cierra 2355 with very little deck space for fishing, but more urgently the engine has been consistently unreliable, and is beyond justifiable repair costs for us. Our criteria are a boat that is designed around fishing. Capable of comfortably carrying 3-5 people around 24' long. We want the boat to be dependable enough to safely cruise long distances, such as to the San Juans or even Vancouver Island. We mostly fish north Puget Sound but would like to have a boat we can safely fish with out in the Strait, and nearshore on the coast. As I get more experienced driving the boat I am hoping to also take it offshore for tuna. (If this is reasonable in a 24') Comfort in the Puget Sound is key, our Bayliner gets tossed around by even mild chop a lot. So far we like the Duckworth Pacific Pro 24'. The boat had a solid build quality in the showroom. We liked the interior quality, and the rear deck offered everything you'd want to fish. If I am quite honest we are not sure how to compare it to other boats in its class. At first glance essentially every Aluminum Saltwater marketed boat looks like it has the same basic profile. My only concerns with the boat seem to be that it is pretty lightweight, and the V doesn't appear to be that deep. What are some things we should consider in buying our new boat that I did not mention here? Thanks in advance!

 

[Nick Clayton]

Aluminum boats are light. That's one of their advantages, and one of their cons. Easier to tow, fuel efficient, typically don't require as much power, easier to maintain etc. The downside of that lightness is often in ride quality. I've never been on an Aluminum boat that rides as well as glass in shitty water. Especially on the ocean. It's just a trade off, and only you can decide how important ride quality is vs the benefits of the lighter boat. Quality suspension seats can help a lot here, but they can get quite expensive and still only help so much.

On the surface most Aluminum fishing boats you'll look at will appear similar. The difference between a well built boat and one of lesser quality comes down to the details. Hull thickness, weld quality and wiring are a few of the key areas where the difference between builders becomes obvious. Look beyond the surface. Look closely at as many welds as you can. Look closely at the wiring, not just what is easily seen but dig deep. Hardware is another big one. Latches, hinges, visible bolts/screws etc. These are all areas where many builders cut corners to save money, but when you are dealing with saltwater all this stuff can quickly start to wear and fail.

Some other things to consider are hull design. A more flat bottomed hull will be super stable on drift but pound in the chop/swell. Self bailing or not. Personally since you mentioned doing some ocean fishing I would not consider a hull that wasn't self bailing. Especially offshore. I'm also personally not a fan of open bow boats on the ocean, but there are open bow aluminum boats built appropriately for that. Fish storage can be another thing to look at, especially since you mentioned tuna. In floor boxes are ideal, with overboard pump outs. A non self bailing deck with fish boxes that drain into the bilge means all that blood and mess goes into your bilge every trip. Not a fan of that myself. Lots of small amenities that are worth looking at as well. Plan to fish downriggers? Having a boat wired ahead of time is a plus. Rod holders? Can't ever have too many. Also their location can be important depending on what fishing you do and how you do it. If you plan to do tuna you'll likely want to think about a bait tank. Maybe not right away but if the tuna bug gets ahold of you you'll want one at some point. At least think about that when looking. Most of the higher quality builders will work with you to make small customizations to insure the boat will fit your needs. Some of the builders of the cheaper boats simply pump them out of the factory with no room for modifications.

I recommend searching online for FB owner groups, forums etc for the brands/models you're interested in. Reading the thoughts and experiences of owners can go a long way. Certain builders have some pretty nasty reviews from owners. Dig deep into Kingfisher and you'll see what I mean. I'm always a fan of hearing the first hand experiences from owners of any sort of expensive purchase.

Electronics are always personal choice so doesn't really factor in to a builder selection, but be sure to factor that into the budget. And since you're planning on the ocean be sure to account for radar.

A well equipped 24' boat can definitely do tuna on the right day. Since you have the ocean in mind don't skimp on power. Many boat show style deals come with minimum power, which can suffice on the sound but on the ocean can be annoying at best, and downright unsafe at worst. Being under powered in a decent following sea can quickly get you into trouble. It's cliche to say but nobody ever complained about having too much power, especially on the ocean. You'd be amazed how quickly a speedy Puget Sound boat can turn into a slug when fully loaded down on the ocean.

5 people on a 24' is doable but not very comfortable. Duckworth has a great reputation and builds a high quality boat. They don't come cheap, but no quality aluminum boat does these days.

Anyway, just some random thoughts that come to mind. Hope this helps.

Boat shopping is so much fun.

 

[speedbird]

Aluminum boats are light. That's one of their advantages, and one of their cons. Easier to tow, fuel efficient, typically don't require as much power, easier to maintain etc. The downside of that lightness is often in ride quality. I've never been on an Aluminum boat that rides as well as glass in shitty water. Especially on the ocean. It's just a trade off, and only you can decide how important ride quality is vs the benefits of the lighter boat. Quality suspension seats can help a lot here, but they can get quite expensive and still only help so much.

On the surface most Aluminum fishing boats you'll look at will appear similar. The difference between a well built boat and one of lesser quality comes down to the details. Hull thickness, weld quality and wiring are a few of the key areas where the difference between builders becomes obvious. Look beyond the surface. Look closely at as many welds as you can. Look closely at the wiring, not just what is easily seen but dig deep. Hardware is another big one. Latches, hinges, visible bolts/screws etc. These are all areas where many builders cut corners to save money, but when you are dealing with saltwater all this stuff can quickly start to wear and fail.

Some other things to consider are hull design. A more flat bottomed hull will be super stable on drift but pound in the chop/swell. Self bailing or not. Personally since you mentioned doing some ocean fishing I would not consider a hull that wasn't self bailing. Especially offshore. I'm also personally not a fan of open bow boats on the ocean, but there are open bow aluminum boats built appropriately for that. Fish storage can be another thing to look at, especially since you mentioned tuna. In floor boxes are ideal, with overboard pump outs. A non self bailing deck with fish boxes that drain into the bilge means all that blood and mess goes into your bilge every trip. Not a fan of that myself. Lots of small amenities that are worth looking at as well. Plan to fish downriggers? Having a boat wired ahead of time is a plus. Rod holders? Can't ever have too many. Also their location can be important depending on what fishing you do and how you do it. If you plan to do tuna you'll likely want to think about a bait tank. Maybe not right away but if the tuna bug gets ahold of you you'll want one at some point. At least think about that when looking. Most of the higher quality builders will work with you to make small customizations to insure the boat will fit your needs. Some of the builders of the cheaper boats simply pump them out of the factory with no room for modifications.

I recommend searching online for FB owner groups, forums etc for the brands/models you're interested in. Reading the thoughts and experiences of owners can go a long way. Certain builders have some pretty nasty reviews from owners. Dig deep into Kingfisher and you'll see what I mean. I'm always a fan of hearing the first hand experiences from owners of any sort of expensive purchase.

Electronics are always personal choice so doesn't really factor in to a builder selection, but be sure to factor that into the budget. And since you're planning on the ocean be sure to account for radar.

A well equipped 24' boat can definitely do tuna on the right day. Since you have the ocean in mind don't skimp on power. Many boat show style deals come with minimum power, which can suffice on the sound but on the ocean can be annoying at best, and downright unsafe at worst. Being under powered in a decent following sea can quickly get you into trouble. It's cliche to say but nobody ever complained about having too much power, especially on the ocean. You'd be amazed how quickly a speedy Puget Sound boat can turn into a slug when fully loaded down on the ocean.

5 people on a 24' is doable but not very comfortable. Duckworth has a great reputation and builds a high quality boat. They don't come cheap, but no quality aluminum boat does these days.

Anyway, just some random thoughts that come to mind. Hope this helps.

Boat shopping is so much fun

Thanks a lot Nick! How important are twin motors for offshore fishing? Doubling the engines doubles the cost of the boat and fuel, but it gives you peace of mind in redundancy. A kicker is somewhat of a redundency in the sound, but even a rough current in places as tame as posession bar renders them useless in my experience. Assuming we go out with appropriate emergency gear, reliable GPS, a sat phone, and a functioning reliable radio to call a tow home, are twin engines just a nice to have, or is going out with a single engine a life and limb safety issue? Guys online say varying things on the subject. A good argument in favor of singles I read is that many commercial fishing vessels go into far worse conditions than we do with just one properly maintained engine

 

[Wanative]

Aluminum boats are light. That's one of their advantages, and one of their cons. Easier to tow, fuel efficient, typically don't require as much power, easier to maintain etc. The downside of that lightness is often in ride quality. I've never been on an Aluminum boat that rides as well as glass in shitty water. Especially on the ocean. It's just a trade off, and only you can decide how important ride quality is vs the benefits of the lighter boat. Quality suspension seats can help a lot here, but they can get quite expensive and still only help so much.

On the surface most Aluminum fishing boats you'll look at will appear similar. The difference between a well built boat and one of lesser quality comes down to the details. Hull thickness, weld quality and wiring are a few of the key areas where the difference between builders becomes obvious. Look beyond the surface. Look closely at as many welds as you can. Look closely at the wiring, not just what is easily seen but dig deep. Hardware is another big one. Latches, hinges, visible bolts/screws etc. These are all areas where many builders cut corners to save money, but when you are dealing with saltwater all this stuff can quickly start to wear and fail.

Some other things to consider are hull design. A more flat bottomed hull will be super stable on drift but pound in the chop/swell. Self bailing or not. Personally since you mentioned doing some ocean fishing I would not consider a hull that wasn't self bailing. Especially offshore. I'm also personally not a fan of open bow boats on the ocean, but there are open bow aluminum boats built appropriately for that. Fish storage can be another thing to look at, especially since you mentioned tuna. In floor boxes are ideal, with overboard pump outs. A non self bailing deck with fish boxes that drain into the bilge means all that blood and mess goes into your bilge every trip. Not a fan of that myself. Lots of small amenities that are worth looking at as well. Plan to fish downriggers? Having a boat wired ahead of time is a plus. Rod holders? Can't ever have too many. Also their location can be important depending on what fishing you do and how you do it. If you plan to do tuna you'll likely want to think about a bait tank. Maybe not right away but if the tuna bug gets ahold of you you'll want one at some point. At least think about that when looking. Most of the higher quality builders will work with you to make small customizations to insure the boat will fit your needs. Some of the builders of the cheaper boats simply pump them out of the factory with no room for modifications.

I recommend searching online for FB owner groups, forums etc for the brands/models you're interested in. Reading the thoughts and experiences of owners can go a long way. Certain builders have some pretty nasty reviews from owners. Dig deep into Kingfisher and you'll see what I mean. I'm always a fan of hearing the first hand experiences from owners of any sort of expensive purchase.

Electronics are always personal choice so doesn't really factor in to a builder selection, but be sure to factor that into the budget. And since you're planning on the ocean be sure to account for radar.

A well equipped 24' boat can definitely do tuna on the right day. Since you have the ocean in mind don't skimp on power. Many boat show style deals come with minimum power, which can suffice on the sound but on the ocean can be annoying at best, and downright unsafe at worst. Being under powered in a decent following sea can quickly get you into trouble. It's cliche to say but nobody ever complained about having too much power, especially on the ocean. You'd be amazed how quickly a speedy Puget Sound boat can turn into a slug when fully loaded down on the ocean.

5 people on a 24' is doable but not very comfortable. Duckworth has a great reputation and builds a high quality boat. They don't come cheap, but no quality aluminum boat does these days.

Anyway, just some random thoughts that come to mind. Hope this helps.

Boat shopping is so much fun.

Thanks Nick. Very good info from an experienced captain.

 

[Nick Clayton]

Thanks a lot Nick! How important are twin motors for offshore fishing? Doubling the engines doubles the cost of the boat and fuel, but it gives you peace of mind in redundancy. A kicker is somewhat of a redundency in the sound, but even a rough current in places as tame as posession bar renders them useless in my experience. Assuming we go out with appropriate emergency gear, reliable GPS, a sat phone, and a functioning reliable radio to call a tow home, are twin engines just a nice to have, or is going out with a single engine a life and limb safety issue? Guys online say varying things on the subject. A good argument in favor of singles I read is that many commercial fishing vessels go into far worse conditions than we do with just one properly maintained engine

Twins are nice for many reasons but personally I'm not one who believes they are mandatory for going offshore. Redundancy is nice for sure, but a kicker serves the same purpose. One thing to keep in mind is that in most cases on boats with twins if you lose one motor the other single motor isn't going to have you coming home much faster than a kicker. Most twin engine setups are such that a single motor won't get the boat on a plane anyway, so the difference is likely coming home at 7 knots on the remaining single vs coming home at 5 knots on the kicker. Another thing is that a large majority of on the water motor issues are fuel related which in the case of twins will often affect both motors anyway.

Twins have advantages for sure, especially when it comes to maneuverability at the dock and such. But a well maintained single and a kicker, IMO, is totally fine for some offshore fishing.

 

[speedbird]

Twins are nice for many reasons but personally I'm not one who believes they are mandatory for going offshore. Redundancy is nice for sure, but a kicker serves the same purpose. One thing to keep in mind is that in most cases on boats with twins if you lose one motor the other single motor isn't going to have you coming home much faster than a kicker. Most twin engine setups are such that a single motor won't get the boat on a plane anyway, so the difference is likely coming home at 7 knots on the remaining single vs coming home at 5 knots on the kicker. Another thing is that a large majority of on the water motor issues are fuel related which in the case of twins will often affect both motors anyway.

Twins have advantages for sure, especially when it comes to maneuverability at the dock and such. But a well maintained single and a kicker, IMO, is totally fine for some offshore fishing.

Thank you very much for the detailed advice!

 

[mark wlker]

Had one of these 23'ers. Wish I still had it. Best fishing boat I've ever owned.

klamath bayrunner baja 23 for sale - Google Search

 

[Evan B]

Twins are nice for many reasons but personally I'm not one who believes they are mandatory for going offshore. Redundancy is nice for sure, but a kicker serves the same purpose. One thing to keep in mind is that in most cases on boats with twins if you lose one motor the other single motor isn't going to have you coming home much faster than a kicker. Most twin engine setups are such that a single motor won't get the boat on a plane anyway, so the difference is likely coming home at 7 knots on the remaining single vs coming home at 5 knots on the kicker. Another thing is that a large majority of on the water motor issues are fuel related which in the case of twins will often affect both motors anyway.

Twins have advantages for sure, especially when it comes to maneuverability at the dock and such. But a well maintained single and a kicker, IMO, is totally fine for some offshore fishing.

This is pretty much it. I've done many, many offshore tuna trips with one main. Both my own boat and on others. It's the way most guys are fishing out there. I've had to come back on the kicker one time and it got the job done. I've never heard anyone else in my circles ever needing to do such a thing.

 

[SurfnFish]

Salt = glass V hulls, they ride softer, and can be kept at the dock during season without the electrolyis issues of tin.
Dual engines always better...the time difference between returning home from 50 miles out on a 100hp engine vs a 15hp kicker is vast.
Construction matters - the difference between a bolted together chopper gun hull and cabin molds vs a hand laid hull and cabin is vast, as are the fittings used in both. There is a reason why Bayliners cost what they do, Parkers cost what they do, the former twists and bobs while the latter cleaves.
Excellent elecronic packages have become so ubiquitous, it is hard not to find a decent boat well equpped with integrated nav systems.
Walk the docks of the marina you will plan on launching from, view the boats you see being launched and retrieved, talk to the owners. The answers will always be the same - quality costs, and quality matters when you're running hard offshore with the family aboard.
Older Grady White boats can be a good first decent boat purchase, they are well made, handle well, and can often be picked up for reasonable when needing repowering. As to repowering, lotta of opinions on engine brand - none cheap - hard to go wrong with Tohatsu or Suzuki for best bang for the $.
Why not pay for a few offshore trips aboard a 6-pack license charter, on the size boat you would like to buy, see how you they ride It's also a wake up call to see how smaller boats suddenly become when you can no longer see the shore.

 

[Evan B]

Salt = glass V hulls, they ride softer, and can be kept at the dock during season without the electrolyis issues of tin.
Dual engines always better...the time difference between returning home from 50 miles out on a 100hp engine vs a 15hp kicker is vast.
Construction matters - the difference between a bolted together chopper gun hull and cabin molds vs a hand laid hull and cabin is vast, as are the fittings used in both. There is a reason why Bayliners cost what they do, Parkers cost what they do, the former twists and bobs while the latter cleaves.
Excellent elecronic packages have become so ubiquitous, it is hard not to find a decent boat well equpped with integrated nav systems.
Walk the docks of the marina you will plan on launching from, view the boats you see being launched and retrieved, talk to the owners. The answers will always be the same - quality costs, and quality matters when you're running hard offshore with the family aboard.
Older Grady White boats can be a good first decent boat purchase, they are well made, handle well, and can often be picked up for reasonable when needing repowering. As to repowering, lotta of opinions on engine brand - none cheap - hard to go wrong with Tohatsu or Suzuki for best bang for the $.
Why not pay for a few offshore trips aboard a 6-pack license charter, on the size boat you would like to buy, see how you they ride It's also a wake up call to see how smaller boats suddenly become when you can no longer see the shore.

100HP won't be enough for most ocean fishing IMO. Not for most boats. I run a 225hp Honda on my 21' Wellcraft, and can't imagine having anything less. But on a flat day, fully loaded, I can cruise at 25-30mph comfortably. It'll do faster, but the RPMs are a bit much and efficiency goes down. It'll do 44mph without the ice/tuna load on board.

Man, I would love to upgrade to a 24-26' Grady next... some day

Edit: for rough/shitty days and bar crossings, also want to make sure you have a prop pitched on the low side. holeshot is more important than top speed. I'm running a 15p four blade stainless prop.

 

[Paige]

100HP won't be enough for most ocean fishing IMO. Not for most boats. I run a 225hp Honda on my 21' Wellcraft, and can't imagine having anything less. But on a flat day, fully loaded, I can cruise at 25-30mph comfortably. It'll do faster, but the RPMs are a bit much and efficiency goes down. It'll do 44mph without the ice/tuna load on board.

Man, I would love to upgrade to a 24-26' Grady next... some day

Edit: for rough/shitty days and bar crossings, also want to make sure you have a prop pitched on the low side. holeshot is more important than top speed. I'm running a 15p four blade stainless prop.

1990 Grady White 257 - boats - by owner - marine sale

1990 Grady White. Has Twin 2005 Yamaha 200 HP HDPI outboards with approx. 240 hours on each. RayMarine electronics. Great compression on all cylinders. She isn't perfect but is a cruising and...

seattle.craigslist.org

 

[Evan B]

1990 Grady White 257 - boats - by owner - marine sale

1990 Grady White. Has Twin 2005 Yamaha 200 HP HDPI outboards with approx. 240 hours on each. RayMarine electronics. Great compression on all cylinders. She isn't perfect but is a cruising and...

seattle.craigslist.org

Damn... had I not just blown my project time+$$ on my new shed, I'd seriously consider that.

 

[SurfnFish]

100HP won't be enough for most ocean fishing IMO. Not for most boats. I run a 225hp Honda on my 21' Wellcraft, and can't imagine having anything less. But on a flat day, fully loaded, I can cruise at 25-30mph comfortably. It'll do faster, but the RPMs are a bit much and efficiency goes down. It'll do 44mph without the ice/tuna load on board.

Man, I would love to upgrade to a 24-26' Grady next... some day

Edit: for rough/shitty days and bar crossings, also want to make sure you have a prop pitched on the low side. holeshot is more important than top speed. I'm running a 15p four blade stainless prop.

my reference was having to come home on the second primary engine after the first engine died, ie twin 100's, vs having to limp home on a kicker.
When I was making a living running in the salt, lost one of the turbo 6-71's diesels on the last day of a multi day trip I was skipper on when it's injector pump blew...having to limp home in an 85', 60 ton boat on one engine turned what had been a 7 hour run out into a 12 hour run back.
Had a similar problem coupla decades later when a carb went bad on one of the twin gassers in the 32' Uniflite my buddy and I co-owned for personal sportsfishing, while on a tuna hunt...after that trip we converted the engines to FI, and swapped in bigger stainless fuel tanks...can never have enough engine in the salt, or enough fuel..

 

[Nick Clayton]

I dont have much experience with gas inboards or diesels, but I have driven twin outboard boats on the ocean more than a few times on one motor and unless the motor will get the boat on step you're plowing water just like with a kicker. On some boats with certain larger power a single motor can get the boat on step, but this is pretty rare and even then that single motor generally has to be pushed super hard to make speed.

On every boat I've personally been on that goes down a motor, 6-7 knots is standard speed with the other motor. Could generally squeeze a bit more out of it but again you're pushing that motor extremely hard to do so, and still not on step anyway. Considering how rare it is these days with modern 4 strokes to have to come in from offshore on one motor, I have no issue with just using a kicker. The difference in speed in most real world scenarios is just a knot or two, and I'd personally rather push a 3k dollar kicker hard than a 15k main. If it takes an hour or two longer, not the end of the world.

I've never had to come in from way offshore on one motor, and never had an actual motor leave me stranded, but I have had lower unit and prop issues that resulted in having to make my way back from closer distances on one. 5-6 knots on a kicker is very standard even on heavier boats. Using one main in the same scenario 7 knots has almost always been the speed I've seen, and the speed I've had reported from many others in the same scenario. Just not a big enough difference for me to make twins a big focus boat on smaller boats.

On a 24' boat with twins you're likely looking at something like twin 115 hp motors. Maybe 150. Neither is going to get a 24' on step with just one. You also tend to lose a bit of performance with twins vs. The same HP in a single. Having a second skeg in the water tends to reduce overall performance just a smidge. Having two skegs can improve handling in a following sea to a degree.

For my money, on a 24' aluminum boat that is primarily used on the sound, straits, and near shore coastal waters with just the occasional offshore trip the perceived advantages of twins just isn't a concern. The odds of coming in from 50 miles out on a single or kicker is just so slim that even if it did happen the extra hour or two saved by going SLIGHTLY faster with a larger motor isn't worth the expense of maintaining 2 larger motors. Personally I'd hang a single on the back at the maximum HP and a kicker. Maintain both well, and in the worst case scenario run that kicker hard to get you back to the dock when such a need arises.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[Evan B]

I dont have much experience with gas inboards or diesels, but I have driven twin outboard boats on the ocean more than a few times on one motor and unless the motor will get the boat on step you're plowing water just like with a kicker. On some boats with certain larger power a single motor can get the boat on step, but this is pretty rare and even then that single motor generally has to be pushed super hard to make speed.

On every boat I've personally been on that goes down a motor, 6-7 knots is standard speed with the other motor. Could generally squeeze a bit more out of it but again you're pushing that motor extremely hard to do so, and still not on step anyway. Considering how rare it is these days with modern 4 strokes to have to come in from offshore on one motor, I have no issue with just using a kicker. The difference in speed in most real world scenarios is just a knot or two, and I'd personally rather push a 3k dollar kicker hard than a 15k main. If it takes an hour or two longer, not the end of the world.

I've never had to come in from way offshore on one motor, and never had an actual motor leave me stranded, but I have had lower unit and prop issues that resulted in having to make my way back from closer distances on one. 5-6 knots on a kicker is very standard even on heavier boats. Using one main in the same scenario 7 knots has almost always been the speed I've seen, and the speed I've had reported from many others in the same scenario. Just not a big enough difference for me to make twins a big focus boat on smaller boats.

On a 24' boat with twins you're likely looking at something like twin 115 hp motors. Maybe 150. Neither is going to get a 24' on step with just one. You also tend to lose a bit of performance with twins vs. The same HP in a single. Having a second skeg in the water tends to reduce overall performance just a smidge. Having two skegs can improve handling in a following sea to a degree.

For my money, on a 24' aluminum boat that is primarily used on the sound, straits, and near shore coastal waters with just the occasional offshore trip the perceived advantages of twins just isn't a concern. The odds of coming in from 50 miles out on a single or kicker is just so slim that even if it did happen the extra hour or two saved by going SLIGHTLY faster with a larger motor isn't worth the expense of maintaining 2 larger motors. Personally I'd hang a single on the back at the maximum HP and a kicker. Maintain both well, and in the worst case scenario run that kicker hard to get you back to the dock when such a need arises.

Just my opinion of course.

Modern 4 stroke outboards are remarkable machines. The only reason I had an issue was due to my own negligence... in fact, the engine was and remains perfectly fine. I just didn't do what I should have done and replace the water pump assembly when I bought it. So I got over the CR bar and my water pump went out, causing an overheat. Thankfully, I wasn't out on the tuna grounds yet, so coming back wasn't a huge ordeal... only trying to get around the Ilwaco Jetty on the kicker with an ebb tide was a bit of a tall order.... So we punked on some bottom fish just west of the jetty until the tide softened up a bit.

If you have a modern 4 stroker that you properly maintain, you're in pretty good shape.

 

[Otter]

My only concerns with the boat seem to be that it is pretty lightweight, and the V doesn't appear to be that deep.

The technical term for a hull's "V" is deadrise. It's measured in degrees from the horizontal. Boat manufacturers list deadrise in their specs, so you can compare different hulls.

Here's a pretty good explanation from Weldcraft, along with examples in their boat specs:
https://weldcraftmarine.com/deadrise-defined/

I"m sure Duckworth also lists their boats' deadrise.

Good luck with your new boat!

 

[Sam Roffe]

Damn... had I not just blown my project time+$$ on my new shed, I'd seriously consider that.

Yeah, that looks like it could be a nice deal. There looks like some cleaning up, and TLC needed, but, doesn't look like a mess. I like Grady's.

 

[mbowers]

I jumped from a 19ft boat to a 2018 Weldcraft 240 Cuddy King this year (I think 260 is smallest available now) . I thought I wanted twins but used boats were hard to find earlier this year and couldn't even get a call back from multiple dealers so I talked myself into a single 300hp main and a 25hp kicker on a lightly used boat. As Nick says probably can't get a twin engine boat up on one motor and 25 is a big kicker if you have to come home on it. Guy I bought it from upgraded from a 250hp to 300 at the dealer which I think was a great move. He also claimed the twin powered models only come with a 9.9 kicker because there isn't even room for a 25hp on the transom after the twins are on there. So with a bigger single main and big kicker I'm thinking I've got more range for the same fuel tank and can probably hit the same top speed if I should lose the main.

Deck is self bailing although barely when at rest. Generally quality seems pretty good although wiring is mediocre (GPS loses power and restarts when starting the main) but I don't know if that's the factory or the dealer's fault. It has awesome folding jump seats in the front corners of the cockpit and a sliding cabin door which doesn't swing over the cockpit deck.

It has a relatively small cuddy and very large back deck. I would go for more cabin and less deck if I had one built but the huge dance floor was great during the summer.

Overall very glad I bought the boat and have had many great trips on it already.

Didn't try tuna this year but after reading this thread I think I will try hard to fit it in next year.

I also splurged on a floating pontoon lift by Sunstream. It seems like a great design and hoping I never need bottom paint. With the lift, the boat is never left in the water so it shouldn't sink, you can walk around the whole boat by standing on the pontoons and docking / leaving is super easy even solo. As an extra bonus it seems to be keeping the otters out of the boat. I've seen up to 15 on the dock at a time so I would guess if they could get in the boat they would. Time will tell how the lift does in saltwater but super happy with the functionality to date.

 

[dep]

this is a great thread. I'll never own a big enough boat for the ocean, but definitely looking for an aluminum river/sound boat. I won't be getting twin outboards so I have room for a solid kicker. thanks for all the info