Thinking About A New Boat

[UNSTUCK]

My old one is an 8+ out of 10 and even has the POS Tige SpeedSet eliminated so as to never cause a crappy surf speed again (I installed a brand new Hydrophase GPS speed control). And the sound system absolutely slams.
Gel coat is very good, seats are very good. Motor is rock solid. I purchased a brand new cover.

I would guess it is under 40K easily. I guess the only thing I cannot account for is what has happened to it since it left my house 16 months ago. From what I hear, it has basically not moved.

I would give it a look? As far as surf waves go, it absolutely could not be set up better for a listed 24Ve. I copied every move Ragboy made on his.

Basically what I am saying is, I had a bunch of extra money in that hog and someone should be using it! LOL

Only two major problems at this point with your old boat: #1, and most important: find me the "for sale" ad. #2: Listing. We would buy it and try to set it up for level/near level surfing. It was never intended for that. Better it goes to someone who doesn't mind.

But you're definitely right, it is for sure a matter of opinion. This really touches on more far reaching financial and social philosophies in general. I am a very objective, value minded, conservative guy. Boring maybe. Boring probably. My stuff looks great, runs great, performs great. BUT, its old. 2013 Tomcat. 2008 Sequoia. 2012 Honda Odyssey. 2008 335i. Combined value, less than a new surf boat. Of course, I bought it all used and at good deals after a decently long patient search. I decided what I wanted before I looked. But they're all cherry except the van, which my wife and kids have destroyed. Its a sacrificial lamb.

And, I completely understand if boat salesmen don't like me. Car dealers don't really either. Its because I just can't bring myself to go that route. One of these days, I might get stung! Hopefully not, but it for sure could happen.

So my opinions are boring and always angle toward the "bang for the buck" goal. In my opinion. Which, really if I/we think about it, is worth about as much as I charge for it.....nothing.

All I am saying is, a $65K anything vs the $38K 24Ve with regard to utility and surf wave quality is a no brainer--according to my boring old philosophy outlined above. The difference is negligible to minor, and the savings are substantial. But, its not a Z3--you aren't going to find diamond stitch.

I must say our philosophies line up pretty close. Too bad you're so far away. We could be good friends. At least we have forums now, because I would have made a terrible pen pal.


We have it narrowed down to a couple boats now. A 2012 Z3, a 2013 Z3, a 2015 B52 23, and way out in left field is still the original F24 we were interested in. We should be getting mama's new (2012) Armada today. That will put things in motion for the boat purchase in a week or so.

[dakota4ce]

Roger that. So you're intending a surf system of some sort. It would work fine for that, you would just have "extra capacity" on your ballast system .


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[dakota4ce]

Those Z3s will be sweet!

And you know how I love my big cat! [emoji78]


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[Bakes5]

Love the direction this thread has gone. Here is what I've gleaned

$40k boat: Gets you out on the water and doing whatever you want but don't get a surf system.

$70k boat: Bottom threshold of a boat with a surf system...luck required

$75-85k boat: Gets you into a surf system easily

$100k: gets you into a new surf system boat

$120-140k+: gets you whatever you want

If your looking at a reasonably priced 23 foot, no list surf boat then you are looking at a Z3 with TAPS 3 and your gonna pay $70-85k. Anything else is just gonna be an expensive experiment. Having seen all the work even getting a proven performer consistently great would give me serious pause about spending 59-60k on something hoping to get a non listed wave. Just look at the GSA experiment going on in the other thread.

My take..be happy with a sweet $40k listed wave or else pay another $30k and get the system you really want.

As long as you put your 150 hours a year on it, it will turn out fine in the end. Surf, ride, ski, scooter, foil, skate....it really doesn't matter as long as it puts a smile on your face.


In regards to how I get 5 sleeping in the Z3: 1 in bow, 1 on observer bench, 1 on back bench, 1 on the floor and me on the sun pad. You can fit 2 80-90 pounders in the bow in a crunch. I'm trying to figure out a platform from above the trash can to the subpad. That would give us 6 or move someone off the floor. Spending nights on the boat are my favorite thing...and doesn't require a surf system.

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[boonecragun]

Bakes5 - I like your style. I don't think I could sleep comfortably in my 24 ve, (although I am willing to try). Those benches on yours look wide enough to enjoy a nice evening gazing at stars. Love falling asleep on the top of the houseboat at lake powell pondering the universe...

[UNSTUCK]

We HAVE to do some kind of Powell reunion! Tons of hotel and/or cove options for sleeping in Page.

[Bakes5]

You would be surprised. First couple nights may take some getting used to but after that...lights out. Secret is to use a pad and then one of those $150 rectangular canvas sleeping bags rated to 20 below. They are huge but sooo comfortable. I spent easily 20+ nights on that boat last year. We kinda go back and forth between a lakeside campground and just coving it. With the campground I still sleep in the boat but sometimes the locals are a little loud. With the cove it's just the freekin owls, coyotes and full moon that wakes me up. This year, gonna simplify things a little so we just cove it more. We have the whole thing down to a science. The only downside of this is that you need storage space...which ballast bags kind of take up.

Anyways, if anyone is in Colorado I'm more than happy to show them how to do the lake right.

[UNSTUCK]

Which lake is it? Sounds awesome.

[Bakes5]

Lake Pueblo. It's like a mini lake Powell about 1hr from my house...and it's one of my favorite places on earth. It gets crazy and down right dangerous on weekends after 1200 but we have been the only one out there from 0515-0830 on many a Saturday. Weekdays we can do what we want until 1130 on occasion. We typically are in eat lunch and swim mode at about 1130 and leave about 1230 when the morning ramp insanity has taken a brief pause. Good thing people are inherently lazy and cannot be bothered to get up early. I typically take a day off once a week and go on most weekends June through August. That gets me an 2 evening sessions, 2 morning sessions, 2 nights and 2 chill out in the cove and eat lunch and jump off the cliffs sessions each week. So many great days and nights out there. If the weather sucks or a storm is a brewin we don't go....that's the beauty of planning 2 trips a week to the lake.

I think that people overlook the "cuddy cabin" ability of the big 23 foot wake boats. It might be less fun out East or Down south with the bugs, humidity and the morning dew, but sleeping out under the stars in the cove on a dew and bug free desert lake in Colorado is heaven....esp on new moon nights. Sure, houseboats are nice, but they are expensive and a pain in the butt logistically. Something about the simple pleasure of going out for a little adventure in your wake boat. Best word I can use to describe it is "Boat Packing."

So that is our not so secret piece of heaven. It can be had with anything from an 18 year old 2200v to a 1yr old Z3. Name of the game is figuring out your lake, enjoying the boat you have, and getting the hours in.

[dakota4ce]

"If your looking at a reasonably priced 23 foot, no list surf boat then you are looking at a Z3 with TAPS 3 and your gonna pay $70-85k. Anything else is just gonna be an expensive experiment. Having seen all the work even getting a proven performer consistently great would give me serious pause about spending 59-60k on something hoping to get a non listed wave. Just look at the GSA experiment going on in the other thread."


There are plenty of aftermarket fittings of GSA on to various hulls that are super successful and have been done. So there is that--keep in mind the 24Ve fitting is the first of its kind as far as I know. And I think it will end up ok in the end. But Ryan at GSA has told me F22s, 23 LSV, X30, X45--all these make killer waves with GSA, and have many examples out and about. So it would be possible to have a cheaper system boat with "data" behind it. And even more grassroots are the older MBs (example 2012 B52 23) with "goose slappers" installed. Waves are great and there are a whole bunch of them out there.

Maybe the one caveat to your otherwise spot on observations. I have under $58K into a 2013 F24 Tomcat with GSA. Its a real peach! But it takes perhaps piggybacking on someone else's experiments.

[Mgigs7]

Dakota, don't forget a killer B52 23 with GSA under $70k


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[dakota4ce]

Apologies Mgigs--that too!

[Mgigs7]

Apologies Mgigs--that too!

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[Dandy]

It looks like there is a guy on the Moomba forum that has a next to new boat (5 hours) for sale due to unfortunate circumstances. Thought I would pass it along
https://forum.moomba.com/showthread....17-Moomba-Craz

[freeheel4life]

That Craz is going to make someone very happy.