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rlj676
06-20-2006, 11:12 AM
This is my first post but I've been lurking on here for a while (since Jan) while I have been job hunting. Well now I have a job and am more seriously going to start looking for boats in the next year. I am in MO now but may be moving to Detroit so I would be on LOTO or Lake Erie, so I am looking for a somewhat larger boat. I am interested in tunnels with moderate (read insurable) power and canopies, because I like the looks, dislike wind. I am looking at maybe 26 Daytonas, the Cobra Venom 260C, maybe the Nordic Thor 27, etc. Will these work okay for bigger water at moderate speed, or should I just look at older bigger vee's, like Cigarettes, Active thunder, etc. And what will I probably be looking at spending on a new cat with an HO, not much bling. I see some of the DCB's that have just come up for sale and would love one but price is a little higher than I'm looking at and insurance would be outrageous, but am looking for something similar. Any advice is appreciated.

Jbb
06-20-2006, 11:16 AM
So ....you want something ...."turn key?"................

Jordy
06-20-2006, 11:18 AM
From what I've seen, and experienced first hand when I was looking for bigger boats, expect to pay out the big $$$ for cats in the 25-26' range if you're running any power bigger than a 496, and in some cases a 496 was too much to insure. Unless you're going to be creative with your insuance company (i.e. lie about horsepower), in which case you may as well not bother with insurance, it's going to hurt. :(
I went with a 30' Spectre with a pair of outboards and haven't had any insurance problems. Gave them true horsepower ratings and everything and it was less to insure than a 35' Cig I was looking at.
Other than the insurance deal, bigger is always better when it comes to rough water.
p.s. I'm selling my Spectre. Doesn't have canopies though, other that that it's a GREAT rough water boat. ;)

rlj676
06-20-2006, 11:19 AM
Of course. Does that mean I have taken a "side". J/K

rlj676
06-20-2006, 11:23 AM
From what I've seen, and experienced first hand when I was looking for bigger boats, expect to pay out the big $$$ for cats in the 25-26' range if you're running any power bigger than a 496, and in some cases a 496 was too much to insure. Unless you're going to be creative with your insuance company (i.e. lie about horsepower), in which case you may as well not bother with insurance, it's going to hurt. :(
I went with a 30' Spectre with a pair of outboards and haven't had any insurance problems. Gave them true horsepower ratings and everything and it was less to insure than a 35' Cig I was looking at.
Other than the insurance deal, bigger is always better when it comes to rough water.
p.s. I'm selling my Spectre. Doesn't have canopies though, other that that it's a GREAT rough water boat. ;)
I have thought about spectres but prefer sterndrives (and canopies). Also, I assumed twin wackers would be more than a 496 for insurance. I am also trying to convince myself that the improved fuel economy of a tunnel will help offset ins. costs

boxscore
06-20-2006, 11:24 AM
This is my first post but I've been lurking on here for a while (since Jan) while I have been job hunting. Well now I have a job and am more seriously going to start looking for boats in the next year. I am in MO now but may be moving to Detroit so I would be on LOTO or Lake Erie, so I am looking for a somewhat larger boat. I am interested in tunnels with moderate (read insurable) power and canopies, because I like the looks, dislike wind. I am looking at maybe 26 Daytonas, the Cobra Venom 260C, maybe the Nordic Thor 27, etc. Will these work okay for bigger water at moderate speed, or should I just look at older bigger vee's, like Cigarettes, Active thunder, etc. And what will I probably be looking at spending on a new cat with an HO, not much bling. I see some of the DCB's that have just come up for sale and would love one but price is a little higher than I'm looking at and insurance would be outrageous, but am looking for something similar. Any advice is appreciated.
See the latest one for sale in the SPAM section.

Jordy
06-20-2006, 11:26 AM
Also, I assumed twin wackers would be more than a 496 for insurance.
I didn't compare it to a single engine cat as I was looking at big v-hulls with twin BBC's so I don't know there, and the 300X's were cheaper than a pair of big blocks. 30' seemed to be the magic number on insurance though. My buddy that I bought the boat from was paying very similar rates though a different company to what I'm paying now.
I was looking at 25' Daytona's and 26' DCB's once upon a time with mild power, like HP500 style, pump gas, turnkey, and 9 out of 10 online boat insurance quote deals dropped the red flag the minute that I said cat, the other one emailed the next day saying no way.

rlj676
06-20-2006, 11:32 AM
Boxscore-yours was one of the boats I was talking about. I love it but the price is a higher than I should spend on a first boat of my own, and the power would kill me on ins.
I was under the impression that a 26 cat with a 496 could be insured reasonably, I'm hoping for $100 a month or so. I should just call Markel and get a quote maybe so then I know what insurance would be, and then I could shop around in the future. But I am also trying to get a feel on what the boat would cost itself.

boxscore
06-20-2006, 11:34 AM
Boxscore-yours was one of the boats I was talking about. I love it but the price is a higher than I should spend on a first boat of my own, and the power would kill me on ins.
I was under the impression that a 26 cat with a 496 could be insured reasonably, I'm hoping for $100 a month or so. I should just call Markel and get a quote maybe so then I know what insurance would be, and then I could shop around in the future. But I am also trying to get a feel on what the boat would cost itself.
496 is easily insurable for 100/month. I had a 26 with a 525, State Farm, less than 1000/yr. Good luck!

rlj676
06-20-2006, 11:36 AM
496 is easily insurable for 100/month. I had a 26 with a 525, State Farm, less than 1000/yr. Good luck!
That's the kind of news I was hoping to hear, thank you. Now if I can just get some opinions on what a boat will cost.

rlj676
06-20-2006, 06:00 PM
Does anyone know where the pricing starts on the boats I'm looking at, or if there are any similar ones I should consider?

dicudmore
06-20-2006, 07:33 PM
the boats you mentioned would be around 100K with 496HO...
I have never been there but from what others have said, they are too small for LOTO on an average weekend. There was a guy selling a 30' Spectre that lived at LOTO and said he wanted bigger to feel comfortable on that lake.

CornWater
06-20-2006, 07:57 PM
I have a 26' Daytona with an HO and it is reasonably insurable, just have to shop around and be honest with your insurance co.

rlj676
06-21-2006, 07:49 AM
the boats you mentioned would be around 100K with 496HO...
I have never been there but from what others have said, they are too small for LOTO on an average weekend. There was a guy selling a 30' Spectre that lived at LOTO and said he wanted bigger to feel comfortable on that lake.
I remember seeing that spectre for sale also. I think that it might be necessary to have a bigger than 26 to consistantly go fast. However, I'd be willing to slow down except when conditions permit, and from what I have seen on LOTO it would take a very large boat to haul the mail on a weekend or something, not considering dodging other traffic. So my thinking is a 26 will get me around at a normal pace on weekends, and then fast during the week or early morning. Also, I dont know how bad Lake Erie is as I may be moving to Dearborn.
Cornwater, thanks for the input on the ins., sounds like it may be doable.

SUBPRIME
06-21-2006, 08:52 AM
I lived at LOTO for 5 years and a 26ft cat won't take a busy weekend there..... if you really want a cat then you'd need something bigger. The waves get pretty choppy, sometimes worse than what I see in the pacific out here (all those 50 ft. searays running full speed down the lake throwing out huge rollers)
If you want something that will ride nice in the big chop then a V is the way to go.