Narrowed down my search - what would you pick

[go boater]

allright folks - I have grown to really appreciate the input and honesty from all site participants. For financial reasons, i've narrowed my search to a few boats that i have grown fond of. Assume that the money to get each boat reconditioned to my standards is roughly the same. SO, If you could pick any of the following used boats with fresh motors, which one would you pick for being the best bang for your buck and why? Any of these problem boats that you are aware of?

1986 bertram 42
1989 hatteras 41
1988 viking 45
1989 dawson 38
1987 bertram 37

BTW, I do mostly coastal cruising - not much fishing and have picked these boats for reputation, finish, resale and general seaworthiness for my family. Oh, and I like to run the boat and hate waiting for fair weather just to boat on the Chesapeake.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND TIME.

[Bligh]

Its your position that counts? Heres the best I can offer! The 45 viking for length and cabin. It was a fresh design back then not a regenerated smaller hull.The 42 bertram next because it was and still is a beast that can take a beating and ask for more! There are all kind of deals out there now. I would make sure you have an engine as well as a boat survey. Hi strung diesels can cost a lot to keep running nowadays? compared to old low HP diesels that made them popular.

[seapower]

Bligh, just from being in the repair end of things and seeing how much GLASS is really there, I would have to go with the old Hatteras. I've done alot of strut, shaft, rudder repair in our area because of grounding's. Jobs where the running gear was actually snatched out. I can't speak for all the boat's you've listed, but I can for most. I myself have looked at larger boats (I don't have anyplace to put one), from what I've seen Hatteras hand's down.Frank,SeaPower

[Mackey]

Some of these hulls came as motor yacht models. If you are going to cruise the boat, those models offer a ton of living area. Just a thougth. All of these boat are good, just a matter of taste in design and layout.

Most of these boats came with diesels that were pushed to their limit in terms of the HP they could produce. So look hard and long at the engines and have a detail survey on them. Try and find one which has been repowered to newer model engines or one with old tech engines in their lower HP range.

Fixing up a old boat cost a ton of money in material alone so find a good one to start with, where someone else has spent their money.

[Canyon Runner]

Viking 45 - huge cockpit for its size, plenty of cabin. Only question is what engines does it have in it? We owned one by the way for a few years - got me home one day in the worst weather I've ever seen. 70-80 knots winds, 20 foot seas, 7 boats went down that day a few lives were lost and I was able to tack the sea and make 14-17 knots getting back home about 1 hour before the inlet became unpassable.

[jawz12]

allright folks - I have grown to really appreciate the input and honesty from all site participants. For financial reasons, i've narrowed my search to a few boats that i have grown fond of. Assume that the money to get each boat reconditioned to my standards is roughly the same. SO, If you could pick any of the following used boats with fresh motors, which one would you pick for being the best bang for your buck and why? Any of these problem boats that you are aware of?

1986 bertram 42
1989 hatteras 41
1988 viking 45
1989 dawson 38
1987 bertram 37

BTW, I do mostly coastal cruising - not much fishing and have picked these boats for reputation, finish, resale and general seaworthiness for my family. Oh, and I like to run the boat and hate waiting for fair weather just to boat on the Chesapeake.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AND TIME.

42 bertram first,45 hatteras next...wouldn't put a viking or a dawson in the same class as either the hatt or the bert ...

when i was a kid,a buddy of mine,his dad had a 42 bertram,i couldn't believe that ride out of it,it was like an oil tanker.

[go boater]

Viking 45 - huge cockpit for its size, plenty of cabin. Only question is what engines does it have in it? We owned one by the way for a few years - got me home one day in the worst weather I've ever seen. 70-80 knots winds, 20 foot seas, 7 boats went down that day a few lives were lost and I was able to tack the sea and make 14-17 knots getting back home about 1 hour before the inlet became unpassable.

Solid info - thanks to all for your thoughts. Here are the engine packages:

1986 bertram 42 (6-92 475hp w/ 800 hrs SMOH)
1989 hatteras 41 (6-92 550hp w/ 750 hrs SMOH)
1988 viking 45 (6-71 485hp w/ 200 hrs SMOH)
1989 dawson 38 (new 450c cummins - or - 6v53 w/ less than 200 hrs SMOH)
1987 bertram 37 (6-71 450hp w/ 200hrs SMOH)

Agreed... Engine and hull surveys are a MUST. Aesthetically, I'm leaning toward the smaller boats with more modern lines however I do love the 45 viking for it's stability and size and the bert is certainly a tank (or so i've been told) however the lines of the boat in my opinion need updating.

Any more opinions lingering out there?

[perfectscore]

42 bert is well laid out, alot of room in her,

[MoneyBiscuits]

My neighbor had an older Bertram. The ride was phenominal, but that is the only convertable i have ever been on. It was nicely laid out, fast and stable. Even in the slop. I really liked the boat, now he has a 30 Albemarle that he dislikes strongly. Mainly because of the reason of how used to the Bertram he was.

[Lobo Marine Products]

Solid info - thanks to all for your thoughts. Here are the engine packages:

1986 bertram 42 (6-92 475hp w/ 800 hrs SMOH)
1989 hatteras 41 (6-92 550hp w/ 750 hrs SMOH)
1988 viking 45 (6-71 485hp w/ 200 hrs SMOH)
1989 dawson 38 (new 450c cummins - or - 6v53 w/ less than 200 hrs SMOH)
1987 bertram 37 (6-71 450hp w/ 200hrs SMOH)

Agreed... Engine and hull surveys are a MUST. Aesthetically, I'm leaning toward the smaller boats with more modern lines however I do love the 45 viking for it's stability and size and the bert is certainly a tank (or so i've been told) however the lines of the boat in my opinion need updating.

Any more opinions lingering out there?

We own a 89 41' hatteras, with the same motors, great boat in rough wheather, ours has a tower and doesnt effect the ride in the least bit. We ran her from West Palm FL, to Bridgeport CT with our only problem being blowin an injector. Not bad i would say! We run out of the northeast and run in some pretty shitty wheather and the boat handles it like a champ.

But the Bert and the viking also are great boats.

Really need to sea trial those boats in 2-3' seas to get the real feel...and trust me you know which boat will be for you!