new boat-looking for opinions

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by nesun326

We're looking to buy our first boat-21-24'. We have looked at Chaparral and Cobalt, and liked both. We are hoping to keep this boat for a long time, and will use it mostly for cruising, with maybe some fishing and sports. Also looking for info. on the service you've gotten from local marinas. We live in the Gilford area.

How many of "you" are there ? Are talking about a boat for a family of four or just you and your fishin buddies ? What ages ? Will you be skiing or boarding or tubing ? Will you be trailering it to the lake or do you have your own dock ? Where on the lake ? When on the lake how much continuous time out on the water are you thinking about ? What prior boating experience have you had ? There's a ton of boat options out there, some better tailored to specific uses than others. A small cruiser or large cuddy is a great boat for spending the day on the water but not the best for skiing. A bow rider is great for kids and easy access to the bow is a plus for a novice when docking but lack of storage and/or a head can be a problem for long periods on the water. A pontoon boat is great if you want to take your neighborhood out for a spin but not so good when the waves get real big. Your size range is good but I'd think more about what you want to do with a boat before I worried about the manufacturer. Like my Brit friends say, "horses for courses".