Nice to hear from you, Chad. Of course, budget will likely trump your "want" list. In my experience, age is a big factor. I have had "old" (1989) boats up to this year. Although you can have a beautiful 35-year-old boat, it's still 35 years old and all the equipment, engines and wiring is 35 years old. Money and time will be different for that boat than a newer one. I work full time and have a family. I got tired of working on the boat when I should have been using it. I finally got the newest boat I could afford and it was a good decision for us all around. Cheers!
The good thing for me this time around is I've catered my want list to what I am willing to spend. I've always done it the other way around in the past. Tho I don't have a family, I do want to be boating more than working on the boat, so good maintenance and working systems are a top priority...and the market is starting to turn to a buyers market with deals to be had. :o)
Good luck on the sale of your boat. Money in hand also helps on your decision! I think you would regret a boat purchase without heat and air. I'm sure there will be nights you want or NEED (LOL) to stay on the boat and not drive back to the apartment. Once your sale is complete take your time to find your long term boat.
If you are just in the thinking and looking phase of your next boat purchase I would like to suggest you consider getting an old Chris Craft 25 or 28 Catalina to restore. This will keep you busy with boat projects and new material for your videos. But also get a little 22 or 24 foot Formula LS (go fast boat). You can hang out and sleep in the Chris Craft and also blast around in the Formula. You could probably slide both of them into the slip you had for your 381 Chris Craft. I keep a little 16 foot twin engine Seadoo jet boat tied up behind my 381 Catalina and usually have a lot more fun with the little boat. I can also run it all day long without doing too much damage to my bank account. Just a thought, for you to consider while you’re up there freezing In Wisconsin 🤔🥶
Five months ago when I decided to sell Thirsty Whale, I was looking at CC28's and 29's, but as my thinking progressed I realized I don't want another big project boat. I'll definitely still be in the restoration game of small boats (less than 16') once I figure out a space to do so. But for a replacement for Thirsty Whale, I am looking at great condition and all systems working boats. I love the idea of two boats in the slip...but I already have a dinghy to put in the slip with a larger boat. Now...replacing the dinghy with a little jet boat...that I could get in to! Hmmm... :o)
@@WiscoBoater I am a huge fan of formula boats. I personally don’t think anybody makes a better quality boat. Very expensive when they are new. I used to tell people to grab the top of a boat’s windshield and try to shake it. A lot of the lower end boats, it feels like you can pull the windshield off the boat. Formulas have solid fiberglass hulls (not cored) and there is nothing cheaply made on the boat. A 29(or maybe it was a 31)Formula PC docked beside me years ago and the owner used to take it off shore just to play around in some fairly rough seas. I remember the generator sat on a tray that rolled out when maintenance needed to be done on the generator. The owner later moved up to a Chris Craft 501 and I rode with him part ways when he was taking it to Florida. Good luck with your search.
I considered those early on, but I'm looking at much newer boats overall, other than a couple from the early 90's, and one very rare '84 CC 316 picnic boat...but that one would be a fairly large compromise in what I really want. The lure of a rare boat in fantastic condition is strong! ...but might not be strong enough.
Thanks for bringing us up to date on your latest thinking. In a way maybe it’s more difficult for you to decide since you’ve had so many different types of boats and you can picture yourself owning them again. What’s your top 3 criteria? I assume number 1 is ability to handle it without a crew?
There is a lot more thinking to share...just wanted to hang a carrot. ;o) Top 3 criteria...this may change, but right now I'd say it's at least one berth, a trailer, and working systems, regardless of the system set in the boat. I take being able to handle it without a crew out of the equation because that is the overall factor, and all of the boats I am looking at are in that category.
@@WiscoBoater ah yes. Makes total sense. I hadn’t thought about trailering it until you mentioned it in your video but being able to get it yourself and potentially go elsewhere seems wise and money saving. I guess that means 8.5 beam at most??? Not sure what your regulations are.
@@eternitysshore Not sure what happened to my reply, or if you saw it, but it's gone...LOL Must have wrote a word that YT didn't like. Anyway, I don't have any intent to move the boat elsewhere, I just want storage options and the ability to take the boat out of the water if I needed to without paying for the lift. I will likely need to permit the transport as most of the boats I'm looking at are 10'+ beams.👍😎
I actually saw the other reply as well. Thanks for the clarification. I wasn’t thinking you were going to trailer it around to other places but obviously could with a smaller boat. That Wisconsin larger beam limit than other states is interesting and that’s what I was getting at. Here in Maryland 8’ 6 inches is max and so I was curious. It’s great that you have larger options.
That 23 is just so limited! Anything below 29 ft is VERY limiting! Does not give good or relatively good over night experience and no touring experience. That Formula 29PC is about the smallest to go for. Does it have proper shower and toilet facility? How's the galley? Not to mention the sleeping arrangements? I still cannot figure why you want to cell Thirsty Whale. She just seem so ideal! Add a bow thruster to ease single hand handling and wallah, Bob's your uncle! I've seen many people handling bigger boats than Thirsty Whale single handedly??? There's that guy Paul on the Boating with Boogaboo channel, that uses a Sea Ray Sundancer 37. Now that seams Ideal. Price steep, but a real nice boat!!
The 23 was just an example to keep in my mind...highly unlikely I will go that small because, you are right, it is quite limiting. I think a lot of 26-27' boat owners would disagree with the 'anything below 29' is limiting' statement. There are so many boats in the 26-27' range that are perfect for overnighting and touring. I do want a pump out head for sure...don't care about a proper shower since I will always have shower facilities available at my marina or other marinas I visit. On the occasion of an overnight on the hook, meh, not really necessary. All I am really looking for is a place to crash overnight, so even a single V-berth is fine for my needs. I won't be hosting friends on the next boat overnight. A small galley with sink and microwave, a bed, and a toilet is in my new wheelhouse. I pretty much covered why I am selling Thirsty Whale in previous videos...but to your point, it was the ideal boat for me...when I lived 2 1/2 hours away. Comfort, space, and amenities were paramount. Now I live 7 minutes from my marina...so those once paramount features are trivial for my situation going forward. Adding a bow thruster...lol, you make it sound so simple. That is major work, not to mention the expense. I did single hand Thirsty Whale a few times in light winds, so it can be done, but on windier days, it gets really limiting at my comfort level. Paul with Boogaboo is a friend, and his boat is awesome. He also has his wife with him nearly 100% of the time who is a fantastic first mate. He rarely single hands the boat (doesn't need to very often), and when he does...winds are calm. This is a much longer reply than I typically make, but I wanted to take my time to address your comment because everyone has their own wants, needs, and desires. I really appreciate your comment and questions. Thanks for watching Paul!
