Seeking First Boat / Any Advise??

[asportbug]

I'll Be In The Market For My First Boat Right After The Holidays. I Can't Seem To Make Up My Mind Whether To Purchase New Or Used, Bowrider Or High Performance Mid Cuddy Open Bow. I'm Looking For Something In The 25' Range. My Buds At Work, One Owns A 25' Genesis The Other Just Purchased A 28' Ultra Both Loaded And Powered Up, Insist That I Should Go The High Performance Route. I'm Not Sure That Would Be Practical With Five Kids, But I've Been Looking At Laveys, Eliminators And Other Customs And I've Got To Admit I Really Dig The Look. The Little Woman Would Prefer A Chapparal Or Four Winns Deck In The 25' Range. I'll Admit That The Custom Is A Tough Sell At Home. The Little Woman Doesn't Understand Why We Need To Go 60+ Mph On The Water. Anyhow, Would Love To Hear From All You Experienced Hb's Out There....ladies Included.

[a catered life]

first of all welcome to the boards and this is a great way to get in i see your in the AV hello neighbor
i am on my second boat and have 4 kids and i feel if you got 5 kids and a lil lady go with something that mid performance and wont kill your pocket. high performance stuff would be nice but reliable is better it better to be on the water with your boat than on the shore with the easy-up..open bow would be best for you or a deck would be great with that many family members you will need a 502 or a 496 to be able to get where you want to get in the same day. since its your first boat go used and learn the in's and out's first dont listen to your friend on this subject cause its your pocket that will have to pay for it in the end eliminator is what i have but there are so many brands out there take you time and look after christmas is a great time to buy good luck

[Not So Fast]

DECKBOAT,CAT!!!!!!!!!!! Carrera,Conquest,Magic,Dominator,Cobra =Five kids + Happy little woman NSF

[29Genesis]

I got a 29' Genesis if you are interested, i'm sure your buddy can tell you they are good boats. 496 HO with 37 Hrs, open bow, cuddy, 6,000 watt stereo system, (2) 12" & (2) 15" woofers, 3 amps, 12 Mids, 3 batteries, bimini, custom gel coat, custom trpile axle Extreme Trailer. Seats 10 comftorbale. E-Mail me for $ and pic's. OLOVERUTONY@aol.com

[Flashover]

Welcome aboard,
Buy a 23' Dana. There you go thats all you need to know. :crossx: :crossx:
Seriously check out the website and PM me if you have any questions... :crossx: :crossx:

[Outnumbered]

I know where you can find the perfect boat :wink:

[Charley]

I suggest buying used and no bigger than 496 power....Use it for 2 seasons and you will know what you really want and wont end up taking a bath on the re-sale... there are some pretty fair deals going on around here right now... I think Phat Matt has a boat for sale as well as a few others.... good luck!

[Desert Rat]

I agrre with C.L. IMO go used and learn the ins and outs. Nothing worse and finding out you need pratice docking your new boat by racking the side down the dock Alot of people go out on a boat with a friend or two and feel "man this is for me" only to find out they don't have the time, money or interest to really care for a boat. After all BOAT stands for break out another thousand on more then one occasion. Also if you are new to boating a 25' + boat will present alot more challenge than say a 21'. You have to consider storage issues with most boats over 21' too, they can be to big for most standard garages and then there is the tow rig.. Just my .02 Oh good luck and welcome to the boards and the wide wonderful world of boating

[burtandnancy]

Charley pretty well nailed it. From now until next spring there will be an awful lot of boats for sale. Also consider where you will boat, on the river or the lakes close to home. Also, how about water sports, our grandkids can't get enough of knee boarding, tubing and such. If your kids want to do any or that, then you will have to consider the kind of hull to go with. Just remember to keep mama happy, and your boating experience will be fun for all

[Not So Fast]

Pretty important question we all missed, WHERE will you be boating? That should be a huge part of your decision. Good Luck NSF