In case a 25 is too small....a 28 Bahia Mar?

[TechieTechie]

In case the 25's engine box is just too much of a PITA for me to get over, my next logical step is the 28 Bahia Mar (as it looks like the late 80s 26s are pretty much a splash of the 25).

Has anyone seen this one for sale in FL? If so, can you PM me? https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1986/b ... r-2405458/

Or this Sportfish https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1976/b ... 8-3068933/ (though I'd have to make sure I can move the head/portapottie to aft the Vberth. Toilet under vberth is an absolute deal breaker...and it's missing a windhsheild)

Or figuring out a way, on a 28 Flybridge with a lower station, to be able to remove the flybridge and reposition the head so that I can open up the enclosure (I will be doing a lot of solo boating, so I need to be able to get from the captains chair to the deck and such very quickly...that's why I like the Bahia Mars and Expresses.....easy access.

I'm not thrilled with the 1.5mpg the gas engines get on the 28s, but I'm not thrilled the other choices either:

1. Hideous interior and wood stringers on a 1980s SeaRay Amberjack 255 (though they ride very nicely, have a huge deck and get 2.0 mpg on a single). Here's what they look like (the transom seat is 100% removable) https://www.suttersmarina.com/boats/198 ... k-cuddy-io
2. Blowing my budget on at DE that gets 18 ktns (but great fuel consumption, close to 4 mpg). https://www.yachtworld.com/privatelabel ... =2506&url=
3. Really blowing my budget for a Albemarle 268 (great ride, good fuel consumption, but boats have been known to have water injection issues). https://www.boattrader.com/listing/2004 ... 103469904/

*Sigh* I wish I hated boating. But now that I know my puppy likes water sports, it's a no brainer that I need to buy a boat for this season!!! Any help to reduce the risk of me pulling my hair out is appreciated.

[Tooeez]

I've gotten 1.5 mpg on my 28---with empty tanks, no load on board and a strong tailwind. Real world with a reasonable load in reasonable conditions is right around 1 mpg at 19-20 knots.

[Bertramp]

Techie ... check your PMs.

[Waytooslow]

I am doing an OB conversion of the 25' and I am shorting up the engine box at the rear to be a seat with bilge access. That will really enlarge the deck and open up the rear of the boat. Will that approach work for your needs?

As to the like to the one boat--about 20 years ago I dry stacked a Sea Ray 25.5 with twin 470's and a fly bridge in the Keys. It was an OK boat and had a lot of room with a nice cabin but the railings and deck fittings didn't really stand up to the salt water environment very well. I finally had to bring it back to fresh water before it disintegrated. Also my boat was probably heavier and I had 340 HP and the boat was Ok power wise but not a rocket. I would worry that a 260 NP is not enough power and would want to sea trial it.

[TechieTechie]

I've gotten 1.5 mpg on my 28---with empty tanks, no load on board and a strong tailwind. Real world with a reasonable load in reasonable conditions is right around 1 mpg at 19-20 knots.

I'm assuming this is with a gasser? If so, I'd have to aim for diesel, which is going to put me at the top end of my very limited budget. I know, deep v needs more power and gas to push it, somehow I was hoping a B28 was immune to the laws of physics

[TechieTechie]

I am doing an OB conversion of the 25' and I am shorting up the engine box at the rear to be a seat with bilge access. That will really enlarge the deck and open up the rear of the boat. Will that approach work for your needs?

As to the like to the one boat--about 20 years ago I dry stacked a Sea Ray 25.5 with twin 470's and a fly bridge in the Keys. It was an OK boat and had a lot of room with a nice cabin but the railings and deck fittings didn't really stand up to the salt water environment very well. I finally had to bring it back to fresh water before it disintegrated. Also my boat was probably heavier and I had 340 HP and the boat was Ok power wise but not a rocket. I would worry that a 260 NP is not enough power and would want to sea trial it.

I am not a huge fan of outboards. Maybe because I am older and used to inboards (and I hate changing the dynamics and look of such a classic boat). And I'm also unsure how outboards would handle our rough chop. But, I do like an open deck. I keep dismissing boats because the decks don't feel big enough (why I walked away from the Limestone 24, the engine box just made if feel so darn small).

[Tony Meola]

Find an inboard 25 and convert it to a center console with the engine under the console. Problem solved. Plenty of deck space and still and inboard that is balanced.

[Waytooslow]

[quote="TechieTechie I am not a huge fan of outboards. Maybe because I am older and used to inboards (and I hate changing the dynamics and look of such a classic boat). And I'm also unsure how outboards would handle our rough chop. But, I do like an open deck. I keep dismissing boats because the decks don't feel big enough (why I walked away from the Limestone 24, the engine box just made if feel so darn small).[/quote]

Well I am older myself and hate standing on my head to work on anything. I will let you know how the OB's handle the chop once I am up and running.
check out the engine box in post 34 here:
https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-ho ... ead-2.html

That is what I am shooting for.