What are your thoughts on the V358?

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 9:24 am

blue dragon wrote:

^ Thats an interesting take Cap'n. I know you moved to a bowrider from a cruiser. My kids are now 6 and 9, and just starting to take an interest in watersports (wakeboarding). We do lots of tubing now, but they want to do other things.

We also don't feel pressured to use the boat like you said, if there are other things to do.

What I tried to say, is you will probably feel some pressure to use a cruiser that you are paying through the nose for, much more than you currently feel with your SL. Lot's of money just sittin' there, ready to use.

One other point that I have already lived through. Your kids are at the age that they may bring friends with them, and have a desire to do water sports. You have the perfect boat for that. With a cruiser, you essentially eliminate any watersports activities that you and your kids like to do.. Once they hit their teenage years (closer than you think) they will not want to hang out with the peeps at the marina. They will be bored to death after the novelty of a big boat wares off.
It is nice to spend alone time with your wife at the marina without kids, but IMO, it kind of defeats the "family boating" you have done for years.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 9:33 am

I personally don't think in your family situation that's the right kind of boat. You're almost better off getting two. A Vista 248 for weekend camping adventures and a Moomba Outback V for water sports (They're great wakeboarding and wakesurfing boats). You can buy the Moomba brand new for $50k fully optioned and customized, and a mint 2005 248 for around 30. The 248 will be a bit tight for a family of 4 to sleep in, but it can be done and both can be hauled by your SUV. You're not going to spend but maybe one night a month sleeping out anyways. Best part?? It's still way cheaper than a V358 and now you have the best of both worlds: A bad ass brand new watersports boat to last you into your kid's teenage years and a cruiser to get away from it all. That you can tow.

cougarcruiser · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:22 am

I grew up with boats. My wife didn't. I sold my first 'bought my own boat' boat to help offset the cost of a wedding. A few years in, we bought a new Four Winns 24' bowrider. Had it less than a year (one season) - and the wife was ready to upgrade. We knew we wanted to go straight to a cruiser - bathroom, galley, and we could overnight. It wasn't even a blink of the eye and we knew which way we wanted to go. Went from 24' to 33'. Enjoyed the 318 for several years. No kids. Worked great with 4 adults and long weekends.

Fast forward to kids... And we love the long weekends. We need staterooms, and alot more room... and the kid wants disney junior (which we're happy to give him to give us some peace and quiet as well). Now we're in a 45' Sedan bridge. Kid #2 just about here.... when the kid wants water sports, I just got a real nice dinghy. they're a few years off from wakeboarding. tubing will be fine for a while.

Point of the story is that it was a progression of how we wanted to use the boat. If we just wanted a dayboat/fun boat - we'd still have the 24'.

If you aren't sure 'how' you want to boat -- then don't make a change. That being said, if you want a real comfortable day boat --- then going straight to a 358 is a great choice. Whether you stay with a small cruiser, to me, would only depend on if you need to trailer the boat or not. No trailer needed - then go straight to the biggest cruiser your wallet can afford.

As for maintenance costs/running costs... if you stay with Gas motors, then you would be fine. Just realize that with 2 motors you do everything twice. GO for inboards. No outdrives to repaint/align/service/maintain. Then you are really just filters and fluids.

Decision · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:40 am

ric wrote:

I personally don't think in your family situation that's the right kind of boat. You're almost better off getting two. A Vista 248 for weekend camping adventures and a Moomba Outback V for water sports (They're great wakeboarding and wakesurfing boats). You can buy the Moomba brand new for $50k fully optioned and customized, and a mint 2005 248 for around 30. The 248 will be a bit tight for a family of 4 to sleep in, but it can be done and both can be hauled by your SUV. You're not going to spend but maybe one night a month sleeping out anyways. Best part?? It's still way cheaper than a V358 and now you have the best of both worlds: A bad ass brand new watersports boat to last you into your kid's teenage years and a cruiser to get away from it all. That you can tow.

Wow, sell an already owned newer 2011 24' boat, and purchase a 2005 25 foot boat (as a cruiser) AND a new 50K Moomba water sport boat? Hope you have a good sized driveway and like towing a lot.

What Cap'n decided to do, makes a lot of sense to me and I can see the appeal for going that direction. But it still boils down to personal preference for you and your family as to what makes the most sense (enjoyment and $) for your family. I wouldn't change our decision as to what we are doing now with a cruiser. We may move into a sedan bridge as we get closer to retirement or we may explore other boating alternatives all together. Right now we plan to enjoy our 328 as much as possible with our 12 year old son. Our son has been boating with us since he was one week old. Only you and your wife can decide if the expenses that go along with a larger cruiser are worth it to you.

Take some time and make a comprehensive list of the pros and cons of both trailer boating and upgrading to a larger cruiser. With time and thought, you'll get a feeling on what seems to be your best direction to go for your family.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:54 am

Decision wrote:

Wow, sell an already owned newer 2011 24' boat, and purchase a 2005 25 foot boat (as a cruiser) AND a new 50K Moomba water sport boat? Hope you have a good sized driveway and like towing a lot.

Why not? The new ski boat is for family fun that show an interest in water sports, and the cruiser is for the adults that yearn for weekend getaways. He gets everything he wants without sacrifice in a package that can be towed by his SUV. Total cost is 40-60k less than buying a used V358 which will cost more to own in two months than owning both a new ski boat and a used V248 for a year.

babbot1 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:46 pm **Posts:** 570

Boats are a compromise. There is no "perfect" boat that has everything or does everything.
I would suggest looking to rent a boat for a weekend. There is a big difference from a bowrider to a cruiser.
I wish we had more rentals near me. The next boat is going to be months of research and even then I will not know if it is right until we have it for a weekend or more.
The $$ can be pretty much figured out with the exception of unknown breakage.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:37 pm

babbot1 wrote:

Boats are a compromise. There is no "perfect" boat that has everything or does everything.
I would suggest looking to rent a boat for a weekend. There is a big difference from a bowrider to a cruiser.
I wish we had more rentals near me. The next boat is going to be months of research and even then I will not know if it is right until we have it for a weekend or more.
The $$ can be pretty much figured out with the exception of unknown breakage.

I own a cuddy cabin, sail boat, jon boat, jet ski.

Could use a pontoon boat.

Decision · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 1:34 pm

ric wrote:

Decision wrote:

Wow, sell an already owned newer 2011 24' boat, and purchase a 2005 25 foot boat (as a cruiser) AND a new 50K Moomba water sport boat? Hope you have a good sized driveway and like towing a lot.

Why not? The new ski boat is for family fun that show an interest in water sports, and the cruiser is for the adults that yearn for weekend getaways. He gets everything he wants without sacrifice in a package that can be towed by his SUV. Total cost is 40-60k less than buying a used V358 which will cost more to own in two months than owning both a new ski boat and a used V248 for a year.

Why not? - Well, for starters, the total cost for purchasing both the new Moomba and mint 2005 248 (using your numbers of 50K Moomba and 30K 248) is not 40 - 60K less than purchasing the V358 when the asking price for the V358 linked in the topic of this thread is $105,000.

Would his kids really notice and appreciate the difference between his current trailerable Four Winns and purchasing a brand new Moomba to justify the cost and effort required to sell his existing Four Winns and purchase a new Moomba? Also if he plans to buy a cruiser for overnighting with a growing family of four, overnighting in a 24 footer would be awful tight.

I can't see how owning two depreciating boats, when factoring in all the maintenance, upkeep, insurance, storage on those two boats the size you suggested would be better off for him. But to each his own.

blue dragon · **Joined:** Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:01 pm **Posts:** 788

babbot1 wrote:

Boats are a compromise. There is no "perfect" boat that has everything or does everything.
I would suggest looking to rent a boat for a weekend. There is a big difference from a bowrider to a cruiser.
I wish we had more rentals near me. The next boat is going to be months of research and even then I will not know if it is right until we have it for a weekend or more.
The $$ can be pretty much figured out with the exception of unknown breakage.

That sounds like an idea, I've never even looked to see if there are rentals near me, but its something I will do this spring.

JeffLW · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:56 pm

It is cheaper than a cabin on the water(as long as you don't factor in depreciation) :lol:

If you want watersports I'd stick to what you got. For us, we want to go on longer trips further distances away and have no kids. Our current boat is great for a weekend but anything more than a night or two makes the admiral cranky. It also is a rough ride when lake Michigan starts kicking. Our two main things are a more comfortable bed and a usable shower for the wifey. The 358 fits that perfectly. Now if I can just figure out how to pay for one.

acguy · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 5:11 pm

JeffLW wrote:

Now if I can just figure out how to pay for one.

Come across and buy that one posted. The dollar is perfect for you to do that right now. You will be making 20 cents on the dollar!!

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 10, 2015 8:59 pm

From what I recall, you boat on big water and I couldn't imagine not having a big boat to cruise to different ports and see the sights. Also, don't you have a couple of other buddies who have runabouts to where your kids can go tubing and knee boarding on? Your boat might become home base when you and your friends hang out together but it beats owning two boats.

www.iFourWinns.com

What are your thoughts on the V358?

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