What do you guys think of this boat?

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-motorb ... nFlag=true

The price looks reasonable and only 50 hours. Given a choice between this and a 2007 378 with IPS drives, which would you take and why?

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2007/Fo ... nto/Canada

ric · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 9:19 am

Let's go over some pro's/con's

Twin gas sterndrive: 30mph cruise @ 25 gallons per hour
Twin diesel IPS: 26mph cruise @ 19 gallons per hour

6 gallons an hour really isn't anything to gawk at.

IPS is really nice to dock.

IPS is insanely expensive to repair if you run aground (have insurance!!). I wouldn't own IPS if the waters get shallow where you boat.

Sterndrive allows you to navigate shallow waters.

Gasoline sterndrive is exponentially cheaper to fix/repair/maintain.

The 2010 looks magnitudes better styling wise compared to the other one. The stern bench seat is a really nice touch.

Personally if you were boating in salt water in the ocean, IPS no questions asked. You're inland freshwater. Go with the better looking sterndrive boat that will allow you to beach up and play. Drives up it only requires 28" of water, compared to the 42" of the IPS.

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

What about maintenance on the stern drives, isn't it more than on an IPS drive?

ric · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 10:16 am

blue dragon wrote:

What about maintenance on the stern drives, isn't it more than on an IPS drive?

Not even close. IPS is exponentially more expensive to maintain, and so are the diesel engines/generator. I'm waiting for more people to ring in, but I can imagine that IPS is just not worth it in fresh water.

http://www.yachtingmagazine.com/how-to/ ... d-the-hype

LouC · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 11:00 am

IPS is one of those interesting designs that has some advantages but seems to have been designed without regard for cost. I'd go with stern drives if you are in mostly fresh water.

Even here in salt I'd still take sterndrives,why,because now I'm set up tool wise and experience wise to service them myself. IPS is a whole new world of unnecessary complications.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 12:00 pm

LouC wrote:

IPS is a whole new world of unnecessary complications.

Like having to put the boat on dry dock to change the engine oil :shock:

french829 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 12:05 pm

I'm a sucker for the look of the 2010. Love the black, tan, and white.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 12:33 pm

the one on yacht world. i prefer its interior.. but for the same money you can get a 4788 Bayliner with a ton more interior room.. JUST SAYING...

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 792

Yes, but "bayliner". Other considerations besides space like resale, fit and finish etc.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 12:55 pm

the larger byliners are an entirely different quality from the little runabouts... I will promote the 4788 as i have spent a good amount of time on one over the years and it has been a very spacious layout that comfortably accommodates 3 couples with room for a 4th if need be and you do not feel like sardines. I'm just saying for 175 you can get a lot more boat.

ric · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 2:21 pm

The Bayliner is slow, ugly, and has no sense of luxury for the price. They basically look like a mobile home on the water.

The 2010 355 Vista? That's sleek, sexy, luxurious, and fast. Heck, it will outrun a base model H180. Has tons of spots on the exterior for the ladies lay out and tan, chill, have drinks with guests, cook, bbq, and kids swim safely. It will very comfortably sleep a family of 4 for a week and it's very easy to convert it to the private stateroom up front if it didn't come with that option (must have in my books).

Decision · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 2:34 pm

In fresh water, I would not be too concerned with maintenance for sterndrives on a boat the size of a V355. To be honest, I have not had a issue with a breakdown with sterndrives in my past 15 years of having them in 3 different boats. Keep up with the regular recommended service and sterndrives should treat you well and they do have their advantages regarding outdrive trimming and fuel comsumption over inboards. Can't comment on fuel consumption with respect to sterndrives over IPS drives, but I know which one I'd prefer to pay the bill for if damaging a drive. I would do my homework of reviewing issues with IPS drives in 2007 model year boats and in fairness check for any issues with the Volvo drives in the 2010 V355. I'd be concerned with potential costs for servicing or repairing damage to the IPS drives especially being 7 years old now assuming no warranty of any kind and I believe in 2007 IPS drives would be considered pretty new technology then.
Note the V355 is actually a bit smaller in size than the older V328's like mine. The V328 has a 11'9" beam, 35'1" LOA and carries 220 gallons of fuel. The V355 is a 11' 6" beam, 35' 0" LOA and carries 200 gallons of fuel.
Have a detailed survey on whatever boat you decide to put an offer in on, take your time do your homework. Boats are expensive enough and newer ones have a fairly steep depreciation curve, whatever boat you buy you want to be happy with the purchase for years to come.

Oh, and I do like the looks of the V355. I would like a different layout of the galley but that is just my personal preference. It is a sharp looking boat.

Have fun.
Mike.

jsimon · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 3:02 pm

When I was looking, I started looking seriously at diesel IPS. But I have to agree with the others, my intial findings are that ips is expensive to maintain, and the 40+ inches of draft i didnt like either. I dont think it has to be pulled to change the engine oil, but it does to change the pod drive oil.

I have heard some good things about them, one member here has a 378 with ips. I have heard the fuel economy is good with them. However I have also heard the exhuast caused the boat to nudge forward almost like small jet drives, but have no first had knowledge of it.

In the end I stuck with what I know, sterndrives. They are working out well and we are able to get in fairly shallow. The 8.2's are a little thirsty, but they have some incredable power. Absolutly love the joystick docking, really takes the "pucker factor" out of docking no matter what the conditions. I see the 355 has the Volvo version of that, you will like it if its anything like the Mercury Axius.

We had the 318 and loved it, we were looking at the 355 but the Admiral wanted to have a seperate shower, so that knocked it out of the running.

Having not priced boats lately, my sense is you can get it a little cheaper than that, depending on the condition. With the 355, you get the updated styling, updated electronics (at least more so that the 07) and gas/stern drives with joystick docking. Seems like the way to go to me.

Good luck with your decision, keep us posted

ric · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 3:13 pm

It's 160k USD. That's actually a deal for that boat with those options, but you have to keep in mind that in 4 years it already lost 50% of it's value. In 5 more years it will only be worth around 90. So just so you know buying this thing, you're going to be instantly throwing away 70k down the toilet. The only way to not lose your ass is to do what I do, buy and sell every 1-2 years.

firecadet613 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 22, 2014 3:48 pm

The V355 is the same boat as a V338, just a new name and the hardtop vs the arch. At 180k that'd be real steep..its not much bigger than my 318. I've been on both, and driven both. Had we been able to snag a similar deal on a 338, we'd be in that and not a 318.

The 378 would be a V395 with their new naming system, and obviously a much bigger boat. As with what jsimon said, diesels while nice, are very expensive to maintain. Give me big blocks for the time being.

The 378 looks sharp both in the interior and the cockpit. I'm not a fan of the add on swim platform, I prefer the integrated of the newer style Vistas.

See both the boats, and you will know. Quite a big size/style difference. Both great boats, for that money it'd be a hard choice. There is a pretty clean '08 338 in FL asking 119K. It has a folding arch as well, one thing you lose with the V355 and the hardtop!

Good luck...

www.iFourWinns.com

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