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What say you? What is the best vintage of a west coast performance boat?

rivermobster

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That's what I am trying to understand. In the Jeep world, I could tell you which years have which drivetrains, aftermarket support, suspension, etc. IMHO a 2005 LJ is pretty hard to beat. With Ford SuperDuties one could argue the 99-2002 models have a great balance of form and function.

I'm looking for the model years that produced the right circumstances to yield exceptional boats. Maybe it was the years Sammy Wizznuts was laying up hulls, or Joe Schmo was doing gelcoats, or whoever was rigging boats? Is there a window that we had the right powertrains and build quality that outperformed other years, or do custom boats not have this type of model year changes?

I'm pretty sure a 25-27 MCOB with an EFI motor from a reputable builder mentioned in this thread is the right path, just curious if there is a nugget hiding in a specific year?

Thanks

jeff

Doesn't really work that way with boats.

There are not as many variables involved as there are on a car/truck. And the options don't change Every year.

Sure, there Are certain engine/drive combos to stay away from, but it also highly revolves around one's budget, and the intended use of said boat.

So far...

BIG water boat. Almost big blue status (ocean boat).

Budget should be the next thing you want to throw out there?

Current tow vehicle? Are you willing to upgrade? Will it even need to be towed?

Inquiring minds wanna know...
 

nameisbond

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What's the budget? I like the Kavalk and Mirage @spectras only posted. I looked at a few Mirages, always a couple for sale on Seattle Craigslist.

 

traquer

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Lots of good suggestions so far. If you pick one of the quality builders I don't think you'll have any worries about yearly variations or manufacturer defects. Just get it checked out real good and take it for a water test.
 

Sportin' Wood

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So far...

BIG water boat. Almost big blue status (ocean boat).

Budget should be the next thing you want to throw out there?

Current tow vehicle? Are you willing to upgrade? Will it even need to be towed?

Inquiring minds wanna know...


I hesitate to share this, but.......WTF

Hopefully, anyone soliciting me with boats for sale is dealing.:)


Budget: It's subjective. I am a cheap bastard, but I realize that approach sometimes costs more. e.g. #ThisDamnRV. What I want to spend and would be willing to spend really depends on the value of what we find. We would like to pay cash, so that weighs on our decision, the cost of that cash doing something else for us vs life enjoyment. How much boat do we need to enjoy the water? $50-$75K seems reasonable if not for the COVID premium. I'm patient, we can wait until next winter to purchase. Spending $100K on a boat is not attractive to us, but if we had to spend that to reach the target, we could. I just would not feel great about it. I would feel better about spending $40K LOL Or less. :) This much I THINK I know. Winter purchase in Havasu, not a summer purchase up North. Better selection down here.

Tow vehicle; #ThisDamnRv is 43 feet long. I can only go so big if we plan to tow it with the RV. I stay out of California, so the 65 foot rule is not an issue. The states we drive through will be a mix of 70 and 75 foot max length. I can launch just about anything with the Diesel ZR2, but I'm not gonna do much more than that. Going for a fuel run or launching up north between multiple lakes, the ZR2 is not gonna cut it. RV can pull down a house when it runs right. Launching with it is out of the question, a Hard no.

We currently have one car. Our plan has always been to buy another one-ton truck this winter. We will likely do that when we head home to Montana for the Holidays next month. Christmas present we can share.

I need to solve for storage and logistics for the 5 months we plan to be in Havasu each year. I've been told that's an issue here. The size of the boat could be limited to what I can fit in my spot at Islander, or available storage units.

I've still not had anyone offer the Golden Years, so maybe you are right, they all have good and bad?
 

Sportin' Wood

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25 shockwave tremor with a 496ho or a 240/255 hallett

Honestly with how crazy the prices have gotten on older hallets i think a better value would be the tremor.
I like the Shockwave's, less the tribal flame graphics. That never seems to be an issue with a Hallett, you only have to worry about Teal and Pink lines, not backward flames. :)
 

92562

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Any year Howard Bullet, they never slowed down in the Obama economy. 25 with a 496 MAG/HO or 525 or a 28 with a 525 or 600SCi.
 

Big Chorizo

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26’ Eliminator Eagle $45k It’s a great boat in your budget and available now!

EFF786EC-4CE7-4A49-86BD-0E02313C68D6.jpeg
 

Cole Trickle

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I like the Shockwave's, less the tribal flame graphics. That never seems to be an issue with a Hallett, you only have to worry about Teal and Pink lines, not backward flames. :)

i agree...there are still tons of tasteful graphics out there just need to find one.

As a hallett owner i personally think the shockwave is a faster hull and rides really good in the rough.
 

rivermobster

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I hesitate to share this, but.......WTF

Hopefully, anyone soliciting me with boats for sale is dealing.:)


Budget: It's subjective. I am a cheap bastard, but I realize that approach sometimes costs more. e.g. #ThisDamnRV. What I want to spend and would be willing to spend really depends on the value of what we find. We would like to pay cash, so that weighs on our decision, the cost of that cash doing something else for us vs life enjoyment. How much boat do we need to enjoy the water? $50-$75K seems reasonable if not for the COVID premium. I'm patient, we can wait until next winter to purchase. Spending $100K on a boat is not attractive to us, but if we had to spend that to reach the target, we could. I just would not feel great about it. I would feel better about spending $40K LOL Or less. :) This much I THINK I know. Winter purchase in Havasu, not a summer purchase up North. Better selection down here.

Tow vehicle; #ThisDamnRv is 43 feet long. I can only go so big if we plan to tow it with the RV. I stay out of California, so the 65 foot rule is not an issue. The states we drive through will be a mix of 70 and 75 foot max length. I can launch just about anything with the Diesel ZR2, but I'm not gonna do much more than that. Going for a fuel run or launching up north between multiple lakes, the ZR2 is not gonna cut it. RV can pull down a house when it runs right. Launching with it is out of the question, a Hard no.

We currently have one car. Our plan has always been to buy another one-ton truck this winter. We will likely do that when we head home to Montana for the Holidays next month. Christmas present we can share.

I need to solve for storage and logistics for the 5 months we plan to be in Havasu each year. I've been told that's an issue here. The size of the boat could be limited to what I can fit in my spot at Islander, or available storage units.

I've still not had anyone offer the Golden Years, so maybe you are right, they all have good and bad?

Your current tow vehicle will limit you. Most MH's are10k max I think? And you definitely don't want to be towing anywhere near that limit. The GCVW is what matters. Need a scale number loaded to calculate properly.

So 40k budget. I'm gonna guess you'll have to spend more.

So if you have a max length, we probably need to know how long you are now?

Storage? I got nothin. Maybe someone else will know?

With your current limitations, I'm gonna say you should probably wait till you have that new truck?

Seem like youll want/need something in the 28 plus ft range. Doesn't seem like that will work with a MH?

And to answer your last question...

There are good/bad combos for every TYPE of boat out there. I get what you're asking, but it honestly doesn't work that way!

We have to figure out what you want first use/budget wise, and then figure out the best fit for those numbers. And THEN what tow vehicle you'll need.

You may have to end up with an older/vintage boat to check ALL your boxes. Being flexible helps. 😊

@Tank should have some good info here.
 

Big Chorizo

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I was gonna suggest your boat. Not sure if he can tow it safely though? Maybe he can buy a new truck sooner??
The boat is 4400lbs, trailer is stout and I’m guess is roughly 2,000lbs. So less than 7,000lbs all in? Tongue weight is less than 200 lbs because its a triple axel, according to the gauge on my weight safe hitch. I pull it around camp and launch it with my wife’s 4Runner all the time, I’m thinking a half ton would be ok, an F150 would have no problem.
 

Sportin' Wood

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Your current tow vehicle will limit you. Most MH's are10k max I think? And you definitely don't want to be towing anywhere near that limit. The GCVW is what matters. Need a scale number loaded to calculate properly.

So 40k budget. I'm gonna guess you'll have to spend more.

So if you have a max length, we probably need to know how long you are now?
I've got a 15K tow capacity. We run fairly conservative on added weight in the Rig, but I have not had it weighed yet.

RV is 43 feet. I figure I can get away with about 30 feet of the trailer, not that I want to be that long with this pig.
 

Ballyhoo

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I think in this industry it would be hard to pick out specific years of certain builders. You would need to know or remember who they had in their shop during particular years. IMHO a handful of builders have consistently built boats that are well put together, timeless and perform as intended with a solid ride in most conditions. Most of these boats would fall in the 20 to 27 foot range.

For Western lakes like Havasu, Mohave, Mead and the like:

27 Hallett - Just enough size, will never go out of style and will be a comfortable ride

24 Schiada - (This will be biased based on 20 plus years of ownership) Plenty big enough to handle most conditions, will never go out of style, easy to drive but still fun, comfortable ride, can still ski or wakeboard behind it

240 Hallett - I think these are great boats and match the 24 Schiada in many ways. I don't think they ride as good as the 24 Schiada when it gets nasty.

Honorable mentions - Howard, Spectra, Campbell and Schockwave

For the River:

21 Schiada RC - Its still the King of the river

20 Schiada RC - ^^^^^^^^^

After this there are many boats you could pick from.

Pic to admit bias:

schiada.jpg
 
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HubbaHubbaLife

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I dont think its what years are best for boat builders as far as quality unless you are talking about the smaller manufacturers that popped up and got passed around in ownership using other manufacturer's designs (bottoms, mainly, usually with their own tooled deck to set it apart).

Some manufacturers were, and remain to be, quality no matter what year you want to pick. Eliminator, Howard, Schiada, Hallett, DCB, Outerlimits, MTI, etc.
Magic? Hee Hee....
 

rivermobster

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I've got a 15K tow capacity. We run fairly conservative on added weight in the Rig, but I have not had it weighed yet.

RV is 43 feet. I figure I can get away with about 30 feet of the trailer, not that I want to be that long with this pig.

The scale will tell you everything you Need to know.

You could Maybe get away with Big Chorizo's boat right now? I can tell you from personal experience, that hull is awesome in rough water.

And if I remember correctly, it has a Solid power train in it. Probably want to look again though to be sure.

Being it's an eliminator, you could sell it Easily if it doesn't work out. And it checks pretty much all of your boxes.

Just my 2 cents. 😊
 

spectras only

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sirbob

years ago, it was about 150K cdn. Tony builds a cheaper version without the mahogany deck. He now lives in cottage country in Muskoka region Ontario, mostly restoring his old boats he built since the 80's. Dennis Washington loved the boats, Tony was going to build two for Attessa III but the captain opted for larger RIB style boats that won' bang up the boats or scratching the hull of the ship while launching in rougher water. 🤔 :rolleyes: If I was a billionaire, I'd have fired the captain and hire one with taste. :p

My friend Chris in Kelowna area can build a 28 like this one for around 600K cdn. This is his personal boat along a 24 Riva as well.


sirbob. I know for sure this Riva Chris restored would be your first choice ;)
 
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DarkHorseRacing

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How come no one's mentioning Lee Spindler's 32' Schiada with some twins? That boat pulls in Catalina a lot, usually with the top women's finisher or close to it. It can definitely handle the ocean conditions. It would eat up Flathead.

Something like this...

 
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DILLIGAF

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How come no one's mentioning Lee Spindler's 32' Schiada with some twins? That boat pulls in Catalina a lot, usually with the top women's finisher or close to it. It can definitely handle the ocean conditions. It would eat up Flathead.

Something like this...

Thats more than they want to spend plus its a little big for their towing….I think
 

stephenkatsea

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Best vintage of a west coast performance boat. Back in the boom years of the LA Boat Show, mid to late 90s, there were numerous good boats available in the low to mid 20 ft range. Performance boats? Not as we know the term now. But they performed. Ya sure, some were a splash of other brands, but still for the price they were good boats. Recall back then the Schiadas were noticeable due to their quality of build. And the Carrera 257 effect X was noticeable due to its layout and concept. The high range DCBs had just begun to hit the boat show floor. Their quality, along with the Shiadas, stood out above the rest. But, as said, it all depends on your budget and intended use. Used for Sale, they are out there and many are still good boats.
 

DarkHorseRacing

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Thats more than they want to spend plus its a little big for their towing….I think
I'm turning this into my big water lake boat wish list... And I'd buy the truck after I figure out what I'd need to tow the boat I get.
 

Wheeler

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@angiebaby and I are shopping after a long break from boating. We have been having some deep discussions on which model years might be considered the best? Yes, Angie knows a lot more than me about boats. She's been on the river her whole life.

What say you RDP? after all you all might offer the best judgment on this topic. Power train, hull design, and construction, floorplans, etc. This is not necessarily a brand conversation, but if you feel the need, you can cheerlead all you like. We have been having some fun today talking about which years produced the best boats, I thought it might be fun to expand our discussion.

Vintage is not meant to define old, more like wine, which years no matter how old produced quality.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff
Have you checked out this Campbell?



IMG_0161.jpeg
IMG_0161.jpeg
IMG_0160.jpeg
 

02HoWaRd26

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For a V to me it’s hard to miss the beautiful lines and gel of a Lavey, but the performance of an Eliminator Eagle.

Cats fiberglass dash (no canopy or wrap around) the Howard 26’ Cat is gorgeous at every angle, but so was the Boss Cat II.

Canopy Cats i May be biased but the register on the F-series from DCB takes the cake.

Wrap around, to me that’s a subject of Budget! No Budget the M-serious, DW and Skater are just top of the crop. Keeping under the 150, well of going new never mind no one sells a bare hull for that these days.
 

twocents

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Interesting thread.......lots of support for Schiadas and Spectras. What's that say about hulls that were designed and initially built over 50 years ago. Leonard Schiada was a master and Bud Bailey (Campbell, Spectra, Silverwing and Hallett) a genius.
 

spectras only

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^^^
Had my 76 Spectra for 26 yrs. It was q great boat for rivers and lakes and calmer ocean voyages across Georgia Strait

1637782687871.jpeg

My 24 was a great boat for the ocean. Built like a tank, never rattled in the rough.
1637782836795.jpeg
 

Taboma

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^^^
Had my 76 Spectra for 26 yrs. It was q great boat for rivers and lakes and calmer ocean voyages across Georgia Strait

View attachment 1069097
My 24 was a great boat for the ocean. Built like a tank, never rattled in the rough.
View attachment 1069098

Holy shit, you were towing that behind a early 90's Jeep GC :oops:
We had a 95' Limited, with the 318CI for over 20 years. It towed the shit out of our 22 Cole Superhawk that's probably 2,000 lbs lighter than your 24' --- albeit, with a couple of minor exceptions.
On a hotter-than-f*ck Havasu summer day it got a tad warm climbing a long grade and most of all there was that ever present, Tail wagging the dog" uneasy sensation. Thankfully we never encountered any need for evasive action or panic stops.
Launching was it's forte, with the AWD it never so much as slipped a tire on a snotty ramp and we once towed two jetskis on a tandem trailer over sand dunes in low-low and it crawled out with ease, without even airing down. 👍
 

spectras only

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Holy shit, you were towing that behind a early 90's Jeep GC :oops:
We had a 95' Limited, with the 318CI for over 20 years. It towed the shit out of our 22 Cole Superhawk that's probably 2,000 lbs lighter than your 24' --- albeit, with a couple of minor exceptions.
On a hotter-than-f*ck Havasu summer day it got a tad warm climbing a long grade and most of all there was that ever present, Tail wagging the dog" uneasy sensation. Thankfully we never encountered any need for evasive action or panic stops.
Launching was it's forte, with the AWD it never so much as slipped a tire on a snotty ramp and we once towed two jetskis on a tandem trailer over sand dunes in low-low and it crawled out with ease, without even airing down. 👍
It was a 1998 GC Limited. Pulled the boat no problem. I never exceeded the 55 mph on highways, unlike the speed demons down where you're doing 70+ :p
 

HBCraig

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Hard to beat the OG Stoker

Always have loved those. They haul their too.

I forget the RDP guy that had the yellow one with the quad rotor Whipple

I know he ran with @RiverDave
 

Taboma

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It was a 1998 GC Limited. Pulled the boat no problem. I never exceeded the 55 mph on highways, unlike the speed demons down where you're doing 70+ :p

You simply can't tow a Cole slow 🙄 what would the neighbors think 🥴
 

Ultra912

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Shockwave 25' Tremor. I've had it on the water in some brutal conditions with absolutely no issues. This hull will cost you less than a Hallett, Howard or Shiada with the same results. If I had bought one new I would go with the 525 but my 496HO can get 68 mph which is fine for us.
 

Backlash

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Old school V-bottom.....

27' Magnum or a 30' Scarab Panther. Both can be had for less than you think.
 

The Capt

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i would say a Donzi 22 classic. I have one and it is a good rough water boat. Not the fastest but in the rough it’s pretty darn good.
 

NicPaus

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Howard 25' Bullet walk through open bow. Unless you have a big family like me. Friend has 1 and it is perfect Parker boat that can handle the holiday weekends and Havasu. He mentioned selling eventually and I want it. Might go back to being a 2 boat owner.

Problem for me currently is 3 siblings and a army of Nieces and Nephews. My 26' Cobra MCOB holds all of us. It's just difficult to use when it's just me and my GF. Our launch ramp sucks. Last trip out we rolled 18 deep. 10 were kids. 496HO pulled the tube all day no problem. Kids love the boat and it handles everything Parker throws at it. Even surf boats.
 

nameisbond

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Does it have to be west coast? Formula made some pretty nice boats that fit your criteria.
 

2FORCEFULL

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I like the Shockwave's, less the tribal flame graphics. That never seems to be an issue with a Hallett, you only have to worry about Teal and Pink lines, not backward flames. :)
the 210 hallett is the best all around.... start to today, you can't go wrong....stepping up to 24'rs,,.. there's a lot out there in that size...and all good.. back to the 21'r,... yeah schiada's shine, but you pay double compared to halletts..but,.. schiada's V drive is not dock or trailer friendly... pretty much need to walk them on and off the trailer...21 schiada out drive doesn't compare to the V drives... but go faster with less power... as far as 24'rs go ... I would just jump to a 27'r ,.. 24's won't compare to to 27'rs in rought water.... as far as what's the best 27'r,... bang for the buck... the 270 hallett will get the most votes...but , the most over looked in that size is the 272 baja... they're faster, ride better and lighter... I've owned over a dozen of each, halletts 270 and baja's 272
 

2FORCEFULL

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heres a nice 210 hallett that could be bought in your lower price range

...
img_0162-jpg.1063338
 

rivermobster

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For anyone that's never been in one...

The Stoker hull is the worst rough water boat EVER! They ride worse than a flat in rough water!!!

Still my favorite go fast boat though..

😎
 
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