New boat - part deaux

I just dropped coin on a 57' Carver Voyager pilothouse. I've been shopping for a comfy boat for 3 years. My last attempt ended in flames, smoke, soot and a rejection letter, so the boat of my dreams was still out there.

I had a list of options that I wanted, and found the hull that hits about 80%, which I consider pretty good. I'm going to add a few things I want. This is my Final Boat. I started with a 8ft inflatable when I was about 11, and messed around in local lakes and down to San Diego Mission bay. Had Hobies and various other small sail. After leaving the army, I moved up to some various outboards, and IOs, and moved up through the 28' family. 3 years ago, bought a 37' aft cabin, and we've been looking at 45-53' vessels for a long time. Rather than do another buy-sell with a 45 or 50, I just decided that I'd get the last of the last. No more swaps for me.

Hoping to close mid-June. I'll update as things move forward.

^^ Tell us more, or start a thread. ^^

The prev boat I was in love with had the hyd swim step feature. It was pretty high on the list of options for us. This boat has the extended swim step, about 3.5' but not hyd lowering. I contacted one of the vendors for the lifts and they advised me they can add hyd to my option swim step for about $30k. That'll be a next winter project.

The other feature I wanted was the "Yacht Controller" deal as I'm going to be single-hand docking most of the time. This boat not only has the Yacht Controller remote, but it also has a 3rd set of throttle and thruster controls on the inner wall of the transom. So, I can stand back there, and back it in using the hand controls, or I can loop the remote lanyard over my head and walk around while docking like a boss.

The last feature I was big on was the hardtop fly with AC ducted up there. This boat has that too, with the eisenglass encl and a couple of big ducts to put some cool air upstairs. If we are in a covered slip(most likely), I can keep it modestly cool and spend some time grilling on the Jennair without baking myself. I like to cook on the boat, but don't want nasty smells in the salon/galley.

Has the big engines, that really didn't matter too much because I'm not going very far, but better than the little engines.

Hate the remote? I think it's the greatest gadget since the atomic bomb. I envision myself, standing on the swim step, cigar and a frosty malted beverage, backing down to the dock with my thumb moving the tub where needed.

I emailed TNT and they have the kit to add to my unit. There's another mfg that I contacted but they didn't want to mess with it. Maybe it was NS, I don't recall.

Nice vote of confidence. I'm shocked(not), from gnu yawkuhz. facacta pisher.

The boat weighs 26 tons. The controller will go max 10% of WOT. MAYBE, worst case, absolutely stupid operator with no clue could get it up to 1.5-2Kts in rev and slam it into the backstop of a slip. If I'm that stupid, I deserve a dunking and squishing.

What's up with you guys? A little self-deprecating humor and we've got a bunch of arm-chair QBs waiting for disaster.

Yes, I'll operate from the swim step, yes, I'll have someone take video. I hope y'all like to sit and watch boring video for hours on end. Stern of a boat, moving a few inches per minute with a old guy laughing and pointing.

While standing literally inches from the stern controller panel. I don't know where you got 'away from any emergency shutdown or means to recover manual operation'.

Keep whining folks.

Feedback that's pretty wrong, and useless. Maybe you should upgrade your advice game? So far it's just been a form of 'you will fail, and we will get to grind on you - hahaha.'

Yeah, that's some value right there.