Stumpalump
Expedition Leader
I've seen the recessed outboard you speak of. The problem they had was lack of turning radius and it was hard to maintain. Every boat is a trade off. I like simple boats because there is a tendency to cram a lot of cheap crap in as small a space as you can. "Quality" boats like Searay is actually a total POS. They rot from the inside out. The hulls separate from the deck in ruff water and they are packed with poorly installed China crap waiting to fail. Another very popular and loved boat in the trawler category is a Mainship. Again horrible construction with rot, leaks, failures and poor design. They are great to spend a week on but to maintain one over a decade would frustrate and eat you alive. Thats the reason that most "bubble boats like Searay or Yacts like Mainship waste away in marinas. The stupid simple aluminum Bayrunner I sold here was a 1983 in great shape. Try and find a glass boat half its age in solid condition. dwh and I may have sparked interest from a few by the number of views so I'll end with this. A boat is a hole to put money in but with common sense it's the best entertainment and exploration money you can spend. There are wonderful boating forums but if you want a shortcut then save this site to your favorite and absorb the info over time. Here is a direct link to the Mainship review but poke around long enough to understand his lingo and personality. http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatreviews/mainship_31.htm
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