Opinions on 27-28' boats???

[Lotoparty]

another one you should take a hard look at is the 288 Sunsation. best bang for the buck imho.
fairly fast , excellent fit and finish , FANTASTIC customer service , very good resale value. only comes in a single engine though , which if this is your first go-fast , might be a good idea. if your decided on the twins , Formula is the best value out there.
best of luck ,
steve
http://www.sunsationboats.com/default.asp

[RollWithIt]

Mike, I have an 1988 240 sport. It is basically the precursur to the Outlaw line. In fact, I have the same hull on mine as the 24 Outlaw ran up till 1996. I am happy with the ride quality and how the boat looks. The only models in the Baja line that I like are the outlaws. I never really considered buying one before because there are so many in Pittsburgh but I was really pleased with it. Extactic the first time I took it out. Plus it fit my budget so that I could get an entry boat into the performance world. Best recommendation I can make is go and check out the boats you are considering in person. You learn a lot more that way. I always thought the Fountains were nice boats, and they are, but I was dissappointed in the interior room they had. I am 6' 230 pounds and like to stretch out. Events like the Miami Boat Show and L.A. are great ways to look at all the boats in one place. What ever boat you choose, just check it out, test drive it and buy what makes you happiest. smile_sp devil

[RebarBox]

Don't know if your looking at old or new. The biggest bang for your buck is one of the old 28' Cigarettes. I have a 74' with twin small blocks that runs low 70's. Thier heavy old boats, but it doesn't worry me one bit to get 3+ foot of air. The best thing about them is there is no worries about taking a bath when you sell. They can be bought all day long for 20 to 30 thousand and will be worth that in 5 - 10 years because the the sticker on the side and the Aronow name behind it.
Not to mention, a proven hull design that is arguably one of the best ever made.
Just my two cents!

[Mike.M]

Actually I have perused the old Cigarette 28's (on-line) - the pedigree is undeniable and I like Cigarette's in general. My dream boat is probably a Cig. 38TG, but for now I am restricted by budget. Not to mention this will be my first foray into high-performance offshore boating, so I wnat something I can get used to before (hopefully) moving up to something more ideal down the road. I have never seen a 28 up close, but in the pictures they look like they might have a lower freeboard than some of the other boats mentioned so far. Can you tell me some of the spec's - weight, width, etc.?

[RebarBox]

Weight, not real positive. I have heard the old 28 SS's are around 6500 lbs dry. That would be small blocks and I believe they all run 80 gal. rear and 35 gal. front fuel tanks. Beams are 7'-6". They are a very deep hull. As I own one, my opinion my be beis - one of the best riding 28's ever made. I have riden in 30 - 34 foot boats that are not even close on the ride quality. But, for the ride you pay the price in weight. They are built like a brick and move they the water like.....pushing a brick. I'm running about 400 hp per side and am only able to achive about 70 mph. But, I can ride 65 - 70 mph in most any water conditions. There are several old 28's on www.traderonline.com and I believe there might be one for sale on the classified section of www.offshoreonly.com. OSO has many pics of them as well as www.thunderboatalley.com has lots of pics, too. They started being made in 74' up thru (I think??) 1985 +/-. The only real differance was the windshield height. Most all ran small blocks but there are a few with big blocks made around 1980+.
Good luck in your future boat. If you need any more info on the old cig's feel free to e-mail me @ rebarbox@gldrippingsprings.com

[Freak]

Do not forget Velocity. My friend has a 28 that is very nice. Gps 85mph with 540hp. Fast hull that run's in the rough and turns with the best. PVC no rot floor, all the creature comforts, deep cockpit for a nice ride the wife will like. Best of all the price is right. They are well liked on offshoreonly.

[BUKKAKIBLASTER]

What about checkmate-Have had 3 previous! Great boats & handle big water well & roomy.Good luck on boat shopping!