Lavey's 20.8 Sebring?

[beached1]

Anyone in here have one of these? I love the fact that it's a family day cruiser, but also a tunnel. If so how do you like it? I am very interested in a non stepped jet version. Would this hull work well as a jet? Any input would be appreciated.
http://www.laveycraft.com/the_boats/...rames-page.htm

[TOBTEK]

BEACHED....YES,I do know this boat pretty well! This was the first Lavey I was introduced to. I had a line on a few, but bought the smaller 18.10 seabring tunnel(great boat but to shallow)currently my brother has a 95 20.8 with a 225promax. If you get one make sure it either has a 2.5 or 300 outboard, bro's is kinda a slug out of the hole,65-70 top speed. Its a great allaround boat, handles very well, great over rough water, easy to reboard, doesnt take on water over the back like the smaller 18ft'r. there are two for sale right now in SO CAL, one is on www.boattraderonline.com (http://www.boattraderonline.com) search for laveycraft without a space between lavey and craft, its a 95 with a 2.5, good colors on boat, closed bow, was asking 25k but is down to 22k looks like a dealer. And in a old post in either hotspots or tunnels (what to ask) a guy named bill has a 92 closed bow w/a 98 2.5efi 30 hours on motor! from the pictures ive seen it looks very clean. Looks like a deal at 20k. I have a picture and bills email address if you want it. Good luck..toby

[warlock25]

I had one- Worst POS I ever owned- I used it mostly on Havasu and It couldn't handle the chop at all. Perhaps on parker or needles where the water doesn't get as rough the boat would be better.- Just depends on where you want to use it.
The gel work and interior were just stunning but the ride was extremely poor. I can't stress enough how hard it would pound in water that was just not that rough. If you plan on using it on a lake that gets traffic I would think twice about purchasing that boat.

[beached1]

No shit? What type of propulsion was it? The reason why I have my interest peaked is that the hull is a Mod VP bottom. Similar to a Stoker. I am very impressed with the ride that a Stoker gives. Since I have to have a Jet and Stoker doesn't make one with a jet, I was interested in the Sebring. My whole point of this is that I was hoping to find a jet that I could take to the shallow waters where I go mostly, but can also take it to Havasu if I wanted and have a smooth ride also. I know a Stoker Mod VP hull can fly across chop like silk, I was hoping the Lavey as a jet could do the same. I saw an old Sleekcraft with a Mod VP bottom. It was a jet, so it got me thinking that it might work well.

[warlock25]

Our Lavey had a 225 Mercury outboard. Top speed with 2 people was about 70 mph. Boat hit very hard and porpoised considerably unless motor was trimmed perfectly. Our boat was a 1996 sebring 208 with the mod VP bottom. I think you will be dissapointed with the ride. I wouldn't sink any money into it if I were you. I expected it to ride more like a tunnel or picklefork and it just doesn't come close.

[beached1]

Thanks for your input Warlock. I wonder what the diff is between the Lavey and the Stoker then. Both have a similar bottom, or do they? In a Stoker, you could almost thread a needle at 80mph on good chop if you wanted to. I just wish Stoker would make a jet boat like they do an O/B.
[This message has been edited by beached1 (edited July 08, 2002).]

[beached1]

FYI, I paid a visit to the Lavey facility yesterday and had a talk with the people. This hull will not work well as a jet. They said they had to add sponsons and the like to keep the pump from cavitating in the past. They strongly suggested against it..as a jet anyway. As an I/O or O/B they have had good feedback. However they haven't had an order to build one in approx 3 years.
Oh well, just a thought.

[RiverToysJas]

Originally posted by beached1:
However they haven't had an order to build one in approx 3 years.
I wouldn't want a boat out of a mold that's sat (probably outside) for that length of time anyway.
RTJas http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

[beached1]

Originally posted by RiverToysJas:
I wouldn't want a boat out of a mold that's sat (probably outside) for that length of time anyway.
RTJas http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif
True. I did pick up a brochure on the 21XCS however. That would make a clean Jet boat. Kinda big and heavy, but a nice one none the less. I like the fit and finish of the Laveys. Thinkin hard.

[Hustler]

All that work in the Omega and your done with it? Looking for the easy way out huh. http://free.***boat.net/ubb/biggrin.gif
Hustler