Newbie Help

The first thing we'll need to know to assist you is what your intended use of the boat is. Cruising grounds, people aboard, speed you want to go, what is really important to you.

I would suggest 25 to 30 in a 42ft boat is hauling ass, particularly if you consider that your cruising speed.

There many good US built boats available, it is still a buyers market, but that is tending to change as the nation prospers once again.

I recently bought a 42ft Bertram for less than half the owners original asking price......low engine hours and well kempt.

Electronics on foreign boats can be incompatible with the US, personally I would stick to a well known US product.

The boats I would add to your list for use in the US and for your purposes are Sea Ray, Princess/Viking Sport Cruiser, Neptunus, and Sunseeker. If you plan on weekending with the boat I would seriously consider a flybridge sport cruiser as the salon and flybridge add so much to the livability of a boat in the 40 to 50 ft range.

One advantage of the Sea Ray and Princess/Viking SC will be all US electronics and electrical systems along with good access to support in the US. Sunseeker and Neptunus may be similar, I just don’t have first hand experience with these builders. You will find many similarities between the Fairline and Viking SC/Princess as they are designed by the same naval architect.

The most important thing, once you find the layout you like, will be how the boat has been maintained. Going offshore and coastal distances will be much more pleasant if you buy a boat that has been well maintained and then you continue to do so as opposed to bringing a boat up to offshore maintenance standards. I am basing my comments on age on your mention of 3126 CATs and the presumed vintage.

Not sure I would look for a Carver to go anywhere outside a marina, but some folks think they are great, others, like this surveyor have questions:

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatreviews/Carver370.htm

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Well, frankly, I would not make my boat buying decision based on David Pascoe. His prejudices overwhelm his reviews plus most of his reviews are ancient. Now, I'd read his reviews and see what to look for as issues with certain years. His reviews of Sea Ray are also very negative. Yet, he reviews Bertram and there's no mention at all of any of their problems. He clearly doesn't like production boats at low prices but that's what many people have to purchase and they outsell the others. I'm not saying Carver is a great boat, just that they have many more than happy owners and for the OP's purposes could be a good option.

All true, but he was reporting observations on the Carvers, and if those obeservations reflected reality, I would not consider one, ever.
Perhaps some buyers can live with the quality issues in exchange for a low price but they should do their homework on the brand, including Pascal's notes.

I spent $165k recently on a boat, but I went smaller and a new boat. I was tired of fixing up old boats and dealing with previous owner's deferred maintenace and sloppy workmanship.

Have you considered Tiaras? They seem to be well made.
Lots of choices in your price range, hope you find a good boat that is Proffesionaly maintained.

Pascal's books and are excellent...well worth reading before deciding which boat to go for.

There are those, like myself who believe the early Bertrams and Haterass were more heavily built....ergo no filler in the hull, and those who prefer the lighter build modern hulls which are not solid fiberglass.

Pascal in his articles and books explains all this...so armed you'll be in much better position to make intelligent decisions based on facts not cost.

Also remember, most private boats do minimal hours engine time per year.....somewhere in the region of 50 to 100 hours. It is not unusual to have a 20 year old boat with less than 1000 hours.....the inference being that the engines are hardly run in.....but....it is their actual age that counts, especially, when the boat has been kept in salt water.

Rust does not stop just because the ignition key is switched off.

The name is Pascoe, not Pascal. Pascal is a member here.

Never noticed.....I guess it was the confounded spell checker.
Thanks for pointing the typo out

Where do they rate? In whose opinion? For what use?

As to a list, what year? What type boat?

You call Bayliner low end, well I'd take one any day over Azimut.

A newbie needs to not think of brands at first, but focus on attributes and their intended use as well as their budget. Then the boats that fit that need will start narrowing down.

Here is a site with some lists, but it's pretty overwhelming and not broken down like you're seeking.

http://www.rbbi.com/links/boatmanufacturers.htm

As oldboater says, you should determine what you need or anticipate from the boat.....at one point you say you want to run across to Catalina Island, and thereabouts on the west coast.
I have no knowledge of the west coast or the boats whigh are the most popular.
It would seem to me that you should wander around a few marinas, check out the boats, and chat up their skipper/owners.
In this fashion, you will determine which boat is most suitable for your type of use....rather than buying a boat which you must adapt to suit you.
As has also been said in this thread, American boats, with American engines and electronics, are much easier and cheaper to have serviced.
This is a fact......the Azimuth etc of this world maybe beautiful boats, but..... they will cost more to maintain, and spare parts may not be readily avaiable.

This is still a buyers market.....there must be many boats available in your area.....
Last year, I bought my boat for less than 50% of his original asking price....it was very well found, a true turn key boat.....

Other than having a good survey prior to purchase, I can't think there is much more to say, except good luck.....do it and enjoy.

But ultimately there is only one opinion that matters and that's yours. You've done some of the right things. Questions like type of boat you like. For instance a Sea Ray Express boat vs. a Bayliner Pilothouse boat. Flybridge or not. Size. Once you narrow things down some then the number of brands will become less.

Let me clarify on Bayliner. I'm not claiming they are top of the line, but I will say that the Bayliner Pilothouse boats have a tremendous number of very happy owners. It's not an expensive boat, but that's part of the attraction a more recent Bayliner vs. an older version of something else. I'd say Bayliner is lower priced but I don't like the term lower end because it scares people away. Another boat a lot who look at Bayliner look at is Mainship. Then on the west coast you have Californian and others.

Also, I was basically saying, No Azimut.

In your price range, the cost of transporting from the East Coast would be a very large factor and I'd hope you can find a boat and spend the money just on it, not on transportation.

As to Carver, I'd probably tell you not to buy a new one, but a used one in good condition with all issues resolved over time could be fine. I'd also say that Bayliner build was probably better than Carver, but Carver was more expensively outfitted.

UK boats. There are some very decent ones. Most of the ones you'd be looking at were built for the US. Same electronics as others. There are some parts that might take time, but the equipment is much the same you'd see on any boat. I admit to being a fan of Sunseeker, but doubt there will be one that meets your needs. As to Princess, I'm not a huge fan. Decent boat, but not great.

I'd suggest just based on what you've looked at, three lists. Likes, Dislikes and Uncertain. Then perhaps from that it will help you on which boats might fit. Flybridge, upper or lower galley, how many staterooms and where, length, many of those things merit thought.