Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

A conversation among Whalers
Tacky79
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Joined: Wed May 03, 2017 1:49 pm

Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby Tacky79 » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:08 am

I happened to see an 18-wheeler drive by with a large shrink-wrapped Boston Whaler boat on the trailer. I texted the local Boston Whaler dealer salesman, and he replies: "Yes, 325 CONQUEST just arrived. I'm unwrapping it now, stop by to check it out".

I ran over in time to see him taking the shrink wrap off. Holy cow: what a boat! Of course, I start reading up on them, which gets me thinking about a boat for when my wife and I get older. Maybe in 2031.

For now, we have teenagers, so our Everglades dual-console fits the bill for adventure, tubing, skiing, fishing, and chilling.

For that 10-year-from-now-boat I'm all over the map: a 38-foot sailboat sounds about right; a trawler; an outboard-powered express cruiser 235 Conquest type boat.

Ideally, we'd have the ability to overnight for a week or so in relative comfort, in a boat that doesn't consume massive amounts of fuel, and something that fishes reasonably well in the Great Lakes. Around here in Wisconsin we see many TIARA and SEARAY boats, but not a lot of Conquest-type boats.

[Implied question: What is your ideal boat for your older years of boating?]
2017 Boston Whaler Montauk 190 w/ 150 Merc/Fish Pkg/Bowrail delete/aft seating
1979 Boston Whaler Harpoon 5.2 sailboat with sails and a tiller :D

Jefecinco
Posts: 1592
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:35 pm
Location: Gulf Shores, AL

Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby Jefecinco » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:35 am

For your purposes I would consider a decent-sized forward-cabin trawler around 40-feet LOA. I believe Mainship made a trawler of the type.

This type trawler has a roomy open cockpit which could be arranged for both fishing and lounging. Grilling your fresh catch in the cockpit can give the mate a cooking break and the captain won't have quite as much cleanup to deal with.

The salon has enough space for a couple to relax comfortably in the evening. The galley is a bit tight but adequate for a week of cruising. I believe average sized people can adapt to the small head.

I assume Great Lakes boats must discharge sewage into a holding tank. Holding tank size may be a limiting factor when cruising.
Butch

jimh
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Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby jimh » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:49 am

Be careful what you get yourself into with a larger boat. There are going to be many more systems on those larger boats compared to a classic Boston Whaler (or Everglades). You are going to be spending a lot of time working on maintaining all of the complexities of 40-foot boats.

The simplicity of a single-engine outboard day boat allows a lot of freedom from maintenance in your boating.

The 325 CONQUEST also is a 49-MPH boat at full-throttle. If you get a 40-foot sailboat or trawler, the top speed is going to be about 8 or 9-MPH. There is a big difference in the rhythm of boating when you can get on plane and go somewhere fast compared to chugging along for six or eight hours a day at 8-MPH.

There really are no 32-foot outboard boats with 600-HP on the transom that are fuel efficient when on-plane.

jimh
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Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby jimh » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:50 am

ASIDE:
Tacky79 wrote:I texted the local Boston Whaler dealer salesman...

If you have the mobile telephone number of the salesman at the local Boston Whaler dealer in your contacts, it sounds to me like you are already in the market for a new boat.

ALSO: I tried the BUILD feature on WHALER.COM to see what the MSRP might be. The price is not given. You have to contact a dealer. What's the asking price for that 325 CONQUEST at your local dealing?

jimh
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Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby jimh » Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:11 am

Jefecinco wrote:...consider a decent-sized fore-cabin trawler, perhaps around 40-feet LOA. I believe Mainship made a trawler of the type.

The MAINSHIP 40 is a very nice live-aboard trawler. You can find them used in good condition for under $200,000. We have spent about ten days aboard one while cruising the Atlantic Intra-coastal Water Way a few years ago as guests of our good friends Don and Elsa.

dtmackey
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Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby dtmackey » Tue Jul 20, 2021 11:41 am

If your considering the trawler style, take a look at Nordic Tugs. We have a Nordic Tug 32' that we took delivery of in Anacortez Washington in 1999 and cruised a bit out there, it was then trucked back to Marblehead MA. Single Cummins diesel, very economical, but will still move along at 16kts if pushed and it's very quiet.

D-

ConB
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Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:52 pm
Location: Suttons Bay, MI

Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby ConB » Tue Jul 20, 2021 11:51 am

Keep it simple.
What about a Montauk 190? Easy in, easy out, uncomplicated systems. Easy to store.
Watched senior citizens launch one yesterday.

Con
!987 Outrage 18 / 2011 Yamaha F150
1969 13 / 30hp Johnson tiller

Jefecinco
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Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby Jefecinco » Wed Jul 21, 2021 9:50 am

For what it's worth, this senior citizen (81) sold a 190 Montauk last year because it had become too large for me to maintain to my standard. For the 10 years we owned the boat it was a delight to use. It was an excellent inshore fishing boat and well suited to near offshore fishing in the right conditions.

I as far as living aboard the 190 Montauk for a week, that would have been really roughing it. Camping on the beach under a tent every night for a week or two is not my idea of fun.

A forty foot trawler with a towed Sport 13 tender could be a nice combination.
Butch

Tacky79
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Joined: Wed May 03, 2017 1:49 pm

Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby Tacky79 » Sat Jul 24, 2021 12:36 pm

Thanks for the replies, all.

Jefecinco: funny that you mention the Mainship. I was scanning YachtWorld and came across this is a potential candidate:

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2002/mainship-34-pilot-sedan-3856653/

Looks to be something do-able for short/moderate range cruising.

JimH: I have the cell number for the BW sales rep since we bought the used Everglades from him a few years ago. Not quite shopping yet! We are very happy with the Everglades for now, but I keep in touch with him. Cost for the 325 CONQUEST was around $425k, he said. Gulp. I'm not too worried about the systems in a larger boat - my career has me troubleshooting all sorts of pumps, valves, and electrical devices. As a side note, our Everglades, despite being 23', has radar and autopilot on it from the previous owner. I would never had outfit it with those systems, but it is very nice to have at times. No troubleshooting needed, yet!

dtmackey: Nordic Tugs have been on my "short" list for a few years now. Along with American Tug, Grand Banks, and Nordhavn. Nordhavn being ideal, except for the cost.

ConB: we actually already have a 190 Montauk! We keep that one at home, and the Everglades is at a vacation property in Wisconsin.

Thanks again everyone.
2017 Boston Whaler Montauk 190 w/ 150 Merc/Fish Pkg/Bowrail delete/aft seating
1979 Boston Whaler Harpoon 5.2 sailboat with sails and a tiller :D

Jefecinco
Posts: 1592
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:35 pm
Location: Gulf Shores, AL

Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby Jefecinco » Sun Jul 25, 2021 11:54 am

The Mainship looks decent to me. I would prefer a little more room and a flybridge model for piloting on nice days. The Yanmars are excellent diesels. A little pricey for what you get but perhaps that's the market these days. The cockpit, galley and heads are a little tight. At my age comfort is very important. I don't know the used market for Mainships but I would think a used 40 could be had for similar money or less. The 90s era sedan bridge models are well under $100K.

Yesterday I saw an Everglades 435 CC at a nearby marina. A beautiful center console with quadruple 350 HP Yamaha engines. Had all the electronic goodies and they were Garmin.
Butch

Hoosier
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Re: Ideal Boat for Older Years of Boating

Postby Hoosier » Tue Aug 24, 2021 6:02 pm

We're in the age bracket you asked about. We have a 1992 23 Walkaround that we use on the Great Lakes. We've spent a week on her in: the North Channel (twice), Isle Royale, Green Bay, and last week Northern Lake Michigan. We launched from St. Ignace, MI and proceeded to Beaver Island, then Boyne City, then Elk Rapids, then Northport, then again Beaver Island, and finally back to St. Ignace. We stayed aboard in all of these trips and the boat has a plumbed-in fresh water system, a flush head, and a mini-galley. We tow it with a GMC Yukon Denali. Jim has a cruise report over on Trips and Rendezvous for all these adventures.
1978 Outrage V20 with 2004 Suzuki DF-115. 1992 23 Walkaround with two 2010 Yamaha F-150s.