Looper Boat

[flatley]

Mostly for a couple with occasional kids and grandkids. Will sell within 2 years. No project. Like to stay under 90k.

[tuffr2]

There are a lot of people that will pick a diesel powered trawler. The next option would be a gasoline powered crusier. 90k should buy you a 5 - 7 year old very nice boat.

Options I would look at would be a used Ranger Tug, Nortic Tug, or C-Dory or Regal Windows Express.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Flatley.

[a64pilot]

Diesel. 35' to 40' as your expecting I take it your kids and Grandkids occasionally?

I thought 90K would be tough, not a 5 yr old boat?

Mostly Marina hopping?

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by flatley

Mostly for a couple with occasional kids and grandkids. Will sell within 2 years. No project. Like to stay under 90k.

Hard to comment usefully without knowing more about your own personal preferences...

Maybe rummage through yachtworld.com to find what might catch your eye?

And if you haven't already, you might have a look at the looper's site (aglca.com) to see what other folks are using.

Useful to list/describe individual features you might need, want, appreciate, etc. Want additional staterooms for visitors, or is camping out OK? Need washer/dryer? Expect to stay in marinas mostly or on the hook often? Flybridge, or not? Dinghy and related mounted system, or not? Diesel (pay up front) or gas (pay as you go)? And so forth...

-Chris

[valhalla360]

For short term trip, it's not even that important to go diesel.

Slow down (7-10kts) and you can get a 30-35' gas power boat up around 2mpg. Around 7000miles, so 3500 gallons of fuel....maybe $10k in fuel. Diesel might get you up to 3mpg so maybe $7k in fuel.

If you can get a $50k gas vs an equivilent $70k diesel, $3k extra in fuel is a rounding error when it comes time to sell.

Lots of options available. Keep the height below 15', draft less than 5'. Beam isn't really a factor and a range of at least 250miles.

After that it's about your preferences. People do it in all kinds of boats.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by flatley

Mostly for a couple with occasional kids and grandkids. Will sell within 2 years. No project. Like to stay under 90k.

The "occasional kids and grandkids" needs to be clarified. How many at a time? I assume the kids are adults but how big? How big are the kids?

I'm thinking a trawler would be best and diesel is the fuel of choice. You will have to worry about the number of guests and their comfort expectations. Do they expect a king sized bed or will they be willing to sleep on the cushions in the saloon?

My suggestion is to find yourself a buyer's broker and discuss your needs and wants with him or her. A buyer's broker doesn't cost you anything, he/she splits the commission with the selling broker.

[30West]

A smaller, aft-cabin boat like mine works well for two adult couples and occasional kids. I have two cabins and two convertible sleepers. You can find them in your price range if you go older, I paid just over your budget.

There are planing and displacement hulls in that size and price, I have a planing hull. I get about 2mpg at hull speed, not much different from displacement hull mileage, and have the option of speed when occasion calls for it. The planing hull will be less solid in bigger waves, but more boxy and roomy.

Some planing hulls are better in bigger waves, like the Mainships, but they loose some interior space for the same dimensions. I went with gas for lots of short trips, would get diesel for looping with lots of steady cruising. I'm not a fan of Carver, but tons of those in this size and price.

You could go with a big express cruiser, a little less roomy, but you can get two cabins and pull-out sleeping. Endless choices in used, big, express cruisers. I prefer inboards for a boat that will spend a lot of time in the water.