Essex , Lavey, Shockwave?

[01RENEGADE]

I visited all three builders in hopes of a new boat 21..22.8 Lavey nice boat, small ski wakeboard locker, but cool ice chest in seats. Excellent workmanship. priced around 52.891.50 otd. Keep in mind that is not fully loaded. Lavey is not including dual batteries no offshore shifter.. Essex 22 vortex very similar to 21 xt ski, wider beam than Lavey fully loaded 55.477.00 includes everything very nice boat more storage in ski wakeboard locker also dual draining ice chest very nice boat as good as lavey in workmanship. Shockwave 25 tremor very nice boat 64.000.00 fully loaded, alot more money but it is a 25 ft boat. All three builders are at the top of thier game and offer excellent products. My only question is do I move up in size to the 25 or is one of the others 21 22 deeper v good enough for my needs????????????? Lavey and Essex are priced with the 496 mag Shockwave 496 mag ho.

[BlownForce 29]

i would say shockwave cause it is an excellent boat and good looking

[rivercrazy]

Your faced with the situation I was a while back. Stay in the 21-22 foot class or upgrade. IMO the three mfg's your talking about are definately at the top of the quality heap in the custom boat business. I doubt you would regret a purchase from any of the three.
We chose the 25 Shockwave. We had outstanding experience with our former Shockwave and the company before buying the 25. The fact it would take the ever rougher conditions at the lakes, river, and the fact that its able to run the ocean also were important factors.
While ride quality is subject to numerous factors (like lifting stake design, delta pad, degree of V, etc), a longer boat will almost always ride better than a shorter boat. Running length and weight are very important factors in the way a boat will ride. Generally speaking, the more lift built into the bottom, the rougher it will ride. A pad also usually make a boat ride rougher than a strait V. Especially on re-entry.
Good luck with your shopping....

[SoCalOffshore]

If your going to the big lakes then the 25 is probably better choice. I don't think it would be the best wakeboard boat though.

[cola]

Look @ the 25' Essex very nice boat. Tempest, look @ re-sale on the boats 1 or 2 yrs. old to see how they hold the $$$. Good luck
Mike

[C-2]

Lavey makes a damn nice boat. My opinion only, but....Lavey is a damn nice boat. My opinion only, but....Lavey is a damn nice boat. My opinion only, but....Lavey is a damn nice boat.
Know whadda I mean?
All this coming from a Hallett owner eek! eek!

[MagicMtnDan]

It really depends on what you're looking for...
The Essex is a walk-through and I'm not sure about the Laveycraft. The 25 Tremor from Shockwave is a mid-cabin (cuddy) or closed bow.
We looked at all three boats/boat makers a few weeks ago and were impressed with all of them but we were looking for 25s. We don't like the styling of the Essex Tempest at all.
It's going to be hard to beat the combination of value, style, boat size, quality and performance taht Shockwave offers. We haven't made a final decision but it's clear that Shockwave is a winner.
Good luck and keep us posted.

[Essex502]

If you're gonna' consider moving up in size also look at the new Essex 24' Valor. Very nice boat. As you say...with the Essex it's all included. No extra charges for dual batteries, bimini or other "options" on another builder's boat.
You can't go wrong on any of the three.

[beach gomer]

01
All nice boats for Havasu you can't compair the Shockwave in the class of the other two boats.If a twenty five is what you want then go for it my friend loves his and the guys at Shockwave are some of ther nicest people.Lavey's 21 xt ski comes in a walk through or a cuddy open also closed bow. the lines on it are far better then any other boats I looked at. most of your 21 or 22'seem to all look the same except maybe for the bottoms also the Lavey has a deep v.Also if you measure the 21' it measures out to a 23. to the end of the swim step.

[BENZEEN]

01RENEGADE:
I visited all three builders in hopes of a new boat 21..22.8 Lavey nice boat, small ski wakeboard locker, but cool ice chest in seats. Excellent workmanship. priced around 52.891.50 otd. Keep in mind that is not fully loaded. Lavey is not including dual batteries no offshore shifter.. Essex 22 vortex very similar to 21 xt ski, wider beam than Lavey fully loaded 55.477.00 includes everything very nice boat more storage in ski wakeboard locker also dual draining ice chest very nice boat as good as lavey in workmanship. Shockwave 25 tremor very nice boat 64.000.00 fully loaded, alot more money but it is a 25 ft boat. All three builders are at the top of thier game and offer excellent products. My only question is do I move up in size to the 25 or is one of the others 21 22 deeper v good enough for my needs????????????? Lavey and Essex are priced with the 496 mag Shockwave 496 mag ho. 01R,
I am A little confused why you are going from a 21 footer to another 21 footer. Isn't your current boat a 21 footer? If your purpose for change is to find a better riding boat, than your only choice of the three boats is the Tremor. I have a Vortex, and for a 22 foot boat it does very well. However, it is still only 22 feet. At Havasu, Mojave, and Mead, we still get beat up. I can tell you, that in rough conditions, we are relegated to 35MPH. Otherwise we get beat up. My boat is set up identical to the boat you may be purchasing. If you have any questions about the Vortex, PM me.
-Vik
[ August 04, 2003, 10:50 AM: Message edited by: BENZEEN ]

[roln 20s]

My only question is do I move up in size to the 25 or is one of the others 21 22 deeper v good enough for my needs????????????? Good question, my response would be this: if you are upgrading and even contemplating a bigger boat- DO it. Go bigger if you are in between sizes. I feel you will appreciate the decision later on. My vote is the 25 Tremor. Great boat, great company and great people. Sounds like a winner, and especially at that price.
Good luck
Roln 20s

[RiverToysJas]

My 22'8" Lavey (21' XTSki) does everything my family of four needs, and does it all well. Big water doesn't bother me at all in this boat. We are very happy Lavey customers. Someday I can see bumping up to a bigger boat, but not because we've out grown this one. I just want a hard-deck 26-29 someday..... wink
RTJas :D

[Steamin' Rice]

I'm biased because I have a 29 Shockwave, but out of the boats you listed, I would vote for the tremor. I don't think I have ever heard someone with a 25' boat say that they wished they bought a smaller boat...

[RiverToysJas]

Steamin' Rice:
I don't think I have ever heard someone with a 25' boat say that they wished they bought a smaller boat... Moving from an 18 to nearly a 23 was not w/o growing pains for me. There are times I wish I still had a small boat! They're easy to man-handle and get stuff out of at the beach, but I've adjusted. I can appreciate the differences between bigger and smaller boats though! I feel it comes down to what kind of boating you want to do and where you want to do it. We were trying to do big boat things and go big boat places with the small boat, so time was right to move up.
RTJas :D
[ August 04, 2003, 11:16 AM: Message edited by: RiverToysJas ]

[Havasu_Dreamin]

I don't thnk you'll go wrong with any of those 3. I've been exteremely happy with mine.

[Kilrtoy]

All great boats,
But for the price you cant go wrong with the TREMOR, its only 9 grand and down the road you will be very happy you went to the 24V....

[beer hunter]

I own a 25 Tremor and couldn't be happier with the performance. I would go with the bigger boat :)

[Edmond]

I was in the same situation from the same builders. I stretched my budget and went with the Shockwave. I have been very happy with my decision, like others said, you wont wish you had gotten a smaller boat. Besides building a great boat, the people at Shockwave are great, they know what customer service is all about.

[Steamin' Rice]

RiverToysJas:
....Moving from an 18 to nearly a 23 was not w/o growing pains for me. There are times I wish I still had a small boat! ...Suck it up Sissy!! If you keep that up we'll have to bring out the whaaambulance for you... :D
J/K...I see what you're saying about a smaller boat being easier to handle in some situations.... :D

[MASTERKENDOG]

I went through the same scenerio you are doing right now. I went with Essex's new 24' Valor. It had it all for me. Swim step, sun deck, 496HO, lots and lots of room! I think you can't go wrong with anything you listed. I just made a list of what was most important to me and did the process of elimination. The Essex had all the good's with only me upgrading to the 496 HO and a drive shower, everything else is included. I looked at the 22' Vortex too, but for $5-7G.'s more, I got the 24' Valor. They were also great at any request I had, changed a few things from thier norm, but no problem and no extra $$$, they just said "no problem"! Amy the sales rep was really cool at Essex. You can't find it on any website, just visit the show room, if they can keep any on the floor! Boat rides REAL nice, has a single stepped keel and plains pretty fast. Runs about 69 mph on the speedo, so really about 65-67mph probably. Just me flippin' 2 cents too! :D

[MASTERKENDOG]

Oh yeah,
If ya want some pictures of the Essex 24' Valor, let me know, and I'll shoot you some!

[Essex502]

Here's a pic from the 2003 L.A. Boat Show of the Valor...I know Havasu Dreamin' has more... http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/672Essex_Valor.jpg
[ August 05, 2003, 06:49 AM: Message edited by: Essex502 ]

[Essex502]

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[ August 05, 2003, 06:50 AM: Message edited by: Essex502 ]

[Essex502]

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[ August 05, 2003, 06:50 AM: Message edited by: Essex502 ]

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Essex502:
Here's a pic from the 2003 L.A. Boat Show of the Valor...I know Havasu Dreamin' has more... I had some more pics but my hard drive crashed and all my pictures were lost as well.

[MASTERKENDOG]

Here is another picture of the Valor! For more pictures of the valor, go the ***boat main page and click on the image center, goto the upper right and in the search box, type in "Valor" and a few photos should show up! I just posted a few more today so you can see the interior!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/522/671070803_Lake_Mojave_at_dusk-med.jpg

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Everytime I see that boat I like it more and more!

[MASTERKENDOG]

:cool: You can see it in person this weekend (if it gets outta the shop! Spent coupler being replaced!) if yer on Havasu on Saturday and Mohave on Sunday!! If so stop by, wave me over,etc... :D :D

[shockwavebd]

Big water doesn't bother me at all in this boat. Then you will be going to catalina with us next trip Jas wink

[shockwavebd]

oops
[ August 05, 2003, 07:59 PM: Message edited by: shockwavebd ]

[RiverToysJas]

shockwavebd:
Big water doesn't bother me at all in this boat. Then you will be going to catalina with us next trip Jas wink LOL! Salty water on the other hand..... wink
I have talked to a 21' XTSki owner who did make the Catalina run. If not for the salt and the love I have for my frenched light, low-pro trailer, I would go! Instead I'll have to thumb a ride with Nick (WildLavey). Don't worry though, we'll save seats for everyone at breakfast. wink
RTJas :D