Reader Inquires about “Hybrid Boat”
I just received an e-mail from a customer in Colorado who, by his own description, is “getting ready to make the plunge from northern Colorado.” He inquires about trying to find an all-purpose “hybrid” boat for saltwater use:
I am interested in buying a boat and thought I would get a jump on it by doing some research so I might know what I can expect! I am not a millionaire; nor am I poor enough to qualify for any free government benefits. I’m just in the middle, you know?
I decided, with the price of gas being what it is, that owning a boat would be like having a second home or RV. Your site popped up as I was doing a search.
I’m looking for a hybrid boat, about 28 feet long, for traveling the waterways, with a cabin and a decent back deck area for fishing and just plain old partying with good old friends … and, one that wouldn’t absorb all my life’s savings.
Is there such an item out there? Or, has this luxury, as many others have, become one reserved only for the rich? I hope you have some insight.
Bob K.
Dear Bob:
Of all the questions I receive, inquiries about “hybrid” boats rank among the most frequent. That’s understandable. Given the investment required (and any way you do it, it is going to be a substantial) deciding on a boat purchase … especially a multi-purpose hull … is a daunting proposition.
Every hull you consider is going to require some degree of compromise. Any specific advice I provide you is going to be dependent upon your budget. Not knowing the general price range you are seeking it is difficult to make a recommendation.
I am e–mailing you, under separate cover, a copy of a feature story that I wrote in the January/February 2006 issue of Texas Sporting Journal entitled “Skinny-Water Skimmers.” Granted, the piece relates specifically to shallow-draft flats hulls, but it should help guide you in terms of hull configurations (vee-vs.-tunnel; bow configurations, etc.)
Since you are looking for a cabin boat, you are talking about a wholly different genre. Most everything I am well-versed on has either center-console or walk-through windshield ”cuddy cabin” designs.
The high price of gas, ironically, might work in your favor. Higher prices for fuel translate to better prices on big rigs, and judging from your letter, you are probably going to be shopping the pre-owned arena for the most part.
The best advice I can give you is to check out some of the available hulls (though a yacht brokerage, or maybe even a publication like Boat Trader News). Then, check with the manufacturer, and see if you can get information as to dealers and other owners, folks who will shoot straight with you about a given boat’s pros and cons.
No matter the style of boat, however, one factor remains a constant: If the engines are not in good shape, it is probably not a good buy (you can spend as much or more repairing engines as it costs to buy new ones). For those willing to spend the money, diesels like those made by Cummins, Caterpillar or YanMar can save you both maintenance costs and fuel expense. Make sure you know how many hours the engines have, and if possible, procure maintenance records to see what work has been done on the engines (and hull) in the past.
As for the hull, make sure the boat has not been damaged (or even sunk), and be sure that it has not spent a lot of time just sitting in the water. Bottom crud builds up fast, and again, a bottom job is no inexpensive proposition. A lot of factors influence the bottom line … hours of operation, age of the hull, warranty considerations, electronics (depthfinder, GPS, radar, VHF radio, etc.), the size of the hull and the given brand. Just know that the most inexpensive boat you find will likely not be the best buy … unless it is one of those rare rigs that has been well-maintained and that the owner is basically looking to sell for what he has in it.
Any way you do it, for a quality rig you are going to spend some pretty serious cash … at least $50,000 and perhaps $100,000 or more.
Don’t be discouraged, though. Again, it is a buyer’s market today, and you should be able to drive a hard bargain. And by all means, do negotiate with the seller. Almost all are willing to come down from the asking price, so long as you don’t low-bid to the extent that the seller is going to take a beating.
Check with your local bank or marine dealer, too. There might be a repo coming up for sale, or perhaps a trade-in.
I wish I could provide some concrete options for you, brand-wise, but I don’t have enough information … and again, much as I would like to be, am not the foremost expert on boats of this type.
Check out the Boat Buyer’s Guide in the upcoming January/February ’07 issue of Texas Sporting Journal, and do some extensive Web-searching as well. So long as you are willing to invest the time, and take all of it you need, there is no reason you should not be able to ultimately find and purchase a rig that meets both your needs and your budget.
Touch base if I can help in any other way, and many thanks for touching base on CoastalAnglers.com.
Safe boating …
Larry
P.S: Texas Sporting Journal is a top-notch publication. To check it out on the Web, go to www.texassportingjournal.com.
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