270 VANTAGE Ride Quality

[Marlin]

I am a life-long boater and am considering upgrading to a Boston Whaler 270 Vantage from a 22-foot Grady-White whose ride is rough and at many times wet. I am most concerned with the quality of ride of the 270 Vantage.

Tell me your experiences with the 270 Vantage ride.

I love all else about the boat.

[jimh]

Since you are "most concerned with the quality of ride of the 270 Vantage" and considering that a Boston Whaler 270 VANTAGE is a boat that sells for around $230,000, I do not recommend you purchase one without getting a sea trail and experiencing the ride qualities yourself, first-hand, in the waters and wind and wave conditions you anticipated using the boat. I would never buy a $230,000 boat based on someone else's impression of how the boat "rides" and their notion of "quality of ride" as described in a short narrative.

Considering the $230,000 cost, I am certain any seller would feel obligated to provide a sea-trial to a qualified buyer prior to a buyer extending an offer to purchase a 270 VANAGE boat. Boats at that price don't get sold without a sea-trial in most instances.

As for ride in a 27-foot boat compared to a 22-foot boat, I would expect the larger boat to provide a more comfortable ride in all sea conditions.

As for "wet" ride, the general hull form used in Boston Whaler boats deflects spray coming off the bow entry and throws the spray outward and downward, and it is very unusual for spray from the hull encountering a wave to come aboard a Boston Whaler boat, although it certainly can occur in some instances of high winds and large head seas taken at unusual angles where the wind is strong enough to blow spray from from the windward side of the boat back onto the boat, but that is a problem in every boat.

[Blown Assets]

Tell me your experiences with the 270 Vantage ride.

I am signing a contract tomorrow for a 2018 Vantage 270. I love everything about this boat. I just sold my 2017 Tidewater 252 yesterday to make room for this boat. The sea trial is in a protected area and really can't show much about how it will perform in seas. My Tidewater was a very dry ride with a huge Carolina flare. The problem is the seats were not comfortable at the center console and full days 12 to 14-hours of running and fishing wore out my wife. I have been running the Tidewater in all sorts of conditions and it rides well--pounds a bit in big seas. The Vantage is heavier as well as longer and I am looking forward to running it all over. I am currently on the west coast of Florida, a little north of Clearwater.

[Vantage270]

I was able to look at a new 270 Vantage recently (not many here on the West coast) and will probably order one in September.

For those of you that recently purchased a 270 Vantage: I'm interested in how the boat performs in fairly rough water, and is it what you expected?

Any reviews would help. Thanks.

[jimh]

Any reviews would help.

Using GOOGLE SEARCH and using the search terms

boattest.com 270 vantage

I found many reviews of the 270 VANTAGE.

I do note that BOATTEST.COM has seldom—if ever—reviewed a boat they didn’t like.

[ASW]

I am considering a 2014 Vantage 270, but am also concerned about ride quality off of Gloucester. I've seen lots of mixed comments, but few from actual owners. Could any of you that own one give some insight on your experience in real seas? The 20 degree deadrise doesn't seem like much but I'm sure there are other factors.
Thanks.

[roundle1979]

There are a few videos from Boat Test. That said, the only negative things I have ever heard Boat Test say about a boat include:

*Lack of red horn button
*Lack of steering wheel knob
*Compass not centered with wheel
*Dashboard / console too high for short captains

Vantage 270 reviews:
*The Boat Show (Italian): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THn7WJNp8uw
*Boat Test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8y7OdfxIrk&t=93s

I would also read some reviews of the recently released Vantage 280. The 280 addressed some client feedback about the 270 (including desire to have more free-board, more dead-rise, and eliminate the square bow).

For the Money, I would also have a good long look at the GW Freedome 285.
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cNZeORbQ6A

Or if you want to trailer, the GW Freesome 275:
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN4j5YF7vnU

[jimh]

There are a few videos from Boat Test. That said, the only negative things I have ever heard Boat Test say about a boat include:

*Lack of red horn button
*Lack of steering wheel knob
*Compass not centered with wheel
*Dashboard / console too high for short captains

Your observations are very acute. My much rougher model assessment is that Boat Test has never met a boat they didn't like. But your detailed list of actual observed faults is a great addition to the review of Boat Test as a reviewer of boats. Thanks for that insight

[Phil T]

Given the reports of the limitations of the "sea trial", I would suggest the prospective buyer ask the selling dealer to provide one or two 270 Vantage owners to talk to. They may even offer a ride to show off their boat.

[Jefecinco]

There are other discussions on this subject on at least one other "boating" web site. I've been reading them with some amusement. There are a lot of Boston Whaler "critics" posting negative opinions of Boston Whaler ride quality on every model every built. Some of them have never been aboard a Boston Whaler boat and others seem to base their negative opinions on their experience on 13 foot models. A favorite clam from these folks is that "A Whaler will shake the fillings out of your teeth." It seems that a handful of these folks chime in with comments whenever the opportunity presents itself. I find it difficult to understand why they behave as they do.

[biggiefl]

Butch...welcome to social media and 2020 in general.

Then again you have been on this site long enough to hear the negative or misinformed comments. Favorites are bottom paint, over powering, and weight of engines.