ISO pocket downeast for safe family adventures

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I moved to mid-coast Maine in 2020 and bought my first boat last year, a 1991 Lund Alaskan CC that had been treated well and updated with a small deck, cuddy and dodger. 1989 Yamaha 50 purrs like a loud cat.

In many ways she's the perfect boat - I can get from the lawn to the ramp in a few minutes, and both my wife and 4 year-old daughter absolutely love zipping around Muscongus Bay and exploring. I think she's definitely the perfect first boat.



But there's a catch: with this hull the wind and waves have to be just perfect or a trip can turn iffy. I'm careful and pick our days, but several times the afternoon return trip from a destination 30m or so away has turned windy and choppy beyond expectations and made everyone uncomfortable. The passengers wet and bounced around, and me wondering if I'm being quite safe.

So I've started looking at some boats that might provide a little more comfort and safety and extend our range. I want to:

1. put 4 adults and some kids in the boat to get to an island to camp
2. on rare occasions, sleep aboard with my wife and daughter
3. launch and retrieve the boat myself on the town launch (I've been offered a mooring for next year)
4. have the option of adding a bimini or similar to extend weather protection
5. stay with an outboard
6. afford this upgrade!

I think the 24 hard top Seaways and Easterns may check my boxes, but I'd be curious to learn of other options.

Budget is a primary concern - if I can find a boat that's been really well taken care of I'm not too worried about how old she is.

As an aside, half the seasoned boaters I've told my tale too have suggested I just enjoy what I've got! And that's definitely what I plan to do - but my inner voice is saying “you’re gonna need a bigger boat”.

 

[Shark49]

I have a 24 Sea Way HTS. Great simple boat. Lots of V birth room.

 

[Henry]

Try a Rosborough 246

 

[Reelman955]

********************************BOAT SOLD TO DEBF MEMBER RockBottomFish*********************************************************************
I have a 2015 seaway 24 HT I may sell. Has a mercury 4 stroke 115 command thrust (bigger 150 hp lower unit) has about 400 hours on it. Very economic to run. Have a brand new dual axle trailer. Boat is mint. Has a simrad go7 and vhf. Team table and teak bench. PM me or call 631-813-5686.
Roy

 

[mikec]

Hello Ry,
We really enjoy our Retro Marine - Cape Island 21'.
When we were looking for our next boat it had to meet the following criteria:
Hardtop for protection from the sun, storms and waves
Cabin with head for obvious reasons
Shallow draft to explore the creeks and coves on the Chesapeake bay
Lightweight so I could tow with my current vehicle (4runner)
Meet our budget
There are many nice boats out there but I would keep a Retro 21' on the short list.
Good luck on your search!

 

[subpixel]

Thanks - the Retro 21 is a new boat to me and pretty interesting.

 

[MAArcher]

I've never beached a 24' boat, but I imagine beaching the much heavier 24' glass boat is going to be a lot different than the 18' aluminum center console you're used to. In your picture for example, it could be the difference between hoping out into ankle deep water and having to swim to shore. Might need a dingy with a four year old. And misjudge an outgoing tide a bit and it could be the difference between being able to shove off yourself or having to wait 12 hours for the tide to cycle. Depending on how strong the current is at your boat ramp, getting a 24' boat on and off a trailer by yourself is a whole different ball game too.

How do fiberglass hulls hold up to repeated beaching compared to aluminum?

I think I'd try and search out people who use their boat the same way you want too and get an idea of what works.

What's your price range and how far would you travel to look at a boat?

 

[subpixel]

You’re right about beaching - with a larger and more precious boat I’d not do it and instead use a dinghy of one sort or another - possible even a SUP as I’ve seen done.

My budget is in the mid-four figures, and the East Coast is all fair game for a boat I could trailer home. I may well have jumped on the boat posted above if I had seen the email alerts (they were in my spam folder!).

 

[Roccus]

You’re right about beaching - with a larger and more precious boat I’d not do it and instead use a dinghy of one sort or another - possible even a SUP as I’ve seen done.

My budget is in the mid-four figures, and the East Coast is all fair game for a boat I could trailer home. I may well have jumped on the boat posted above if I had seen the email alerts (they were in my spam folder!).

I’m not sure you’ll find anything for mid four figures other than a try project. I think most nice turn key options that fit this criteria will run 30-70k depending.

 

[Woodvine]

Get a 22 Sisu, there are a bunch of them on the used market that are turn key for an affordable price. The boat would check most of your boxes, may not be able to overnight on it, but your kid could take a nap in the berth.
You don't "beach" a boat this size like you can with the aluminum, but its fairly easy to anchor in close to shore using two anchors, especially if you get an outboard model with less of a keel. If you get your bow anchor in the correct depth you can let line out and pull the stern in real close to shore (with engine trimmed up) to offload beach gear and people, then readjust your bow and stern lines so the boat sets in deeper water while you enjoy the beach, learn to do it right and anticipate the tides and you only will have to adjust maybe once during a tide cycle.

 

[sailor of fortune]

********************************BOAT SOLD TO DEBF MEMBER RockBottomFish*********************************************************************
I have a 2015 seaway 24 HT I may sell. Has a mercury 4 stroke 115 command thrust (bigger 150 hp lower unit) has about 400 hours on it. Very economic to run. Have a brand new dual axle trailer. Boat is mint. Has a simrad go7 and vhf. Team table and teak bench. PM me or call 631-813-5686.
Roy

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Very nice!

 

[subpixel]

I’m not sure you’ll find anything for mid four figures other than a try project. I think most nice turn key options that fit this criteria will run 30-70k depending.

I can only imagine I was typing that out on my phone when I should have been asleep - I left a digit off of that imaginary number.

 

[NH-spear-n-fish]

I moved to mid-coast Maine in 2020 and bought my first boat last year, a 1991 Lund Alaskan CC that had been treated well and updated with a small deck, cuddy and dodger. 1989 Yamaha 50 purrs like a loud cat.

In many ways she's the perfect boat - I can get from the lawn to the ramp in a few minutes, and both my wife and 4 year-old daughter absolutely love zipping around Muscongus Bay and exploring. I think she's definitely the perfect first boat.

View attachment 143158

But there's a catch: with this hull the wind and waves have to be just perfect or a trip can turn iffy. I'm careful and pick our days, but several times the afternoon return trip from a destination 30m or so away has turned windy and choppy beyond expectations and made everyone uncomfortable. The passengers wet and bounced around, and me wondering if I'm being quite safe.

So I've started looking at some boats that might provide a little more comfort and safety and extend our range. I want to:

1. put 4 adults and some kids in the boat to get to an island to camp
2. on rare occasions, sleep aboard with my wife and daughter
3. launch and retrieve the boat myself on the town launch (I've been offered a mooring for next year)
4. have the option of adding a bimini or similar to extend weather protection
5. stay with an outboard
6. afford this upgrade!

I think the 24 hard top Seaways and Easterns may check my boxes, but I'd be curious to learn of other options.

Budget is a primary concern - if I can find a boat that's been really well taken care of I'm not too worried about how old she is.

As an aside, half the seasoned boaters I've told my tale too have suggested I just enjoy what I've got! And that's definitely what I plan to do - but my inner voice is saying “you’re gonna need a bigger boat”.

I have 1 19' seaway seafarer cudy that I absolutely love....

Buuuuuuuuutttttttt, it's not quite perfect for what I'm doing. I tow with a minivan but have a spot for the boat on trailer in Rye. I spearfish, fish and tow kids on a tube. The cuddy is big enough to sleep in but I don't. The deck area is tight with the longer cuddy and a 19' boat with splash well. I launch alone 90% of the time easilyat that. It's stable with the amount of flat hull but I definitely slow down when the chop builds. My suggestion is prioritize what you're really doing with the boat and go from there. I'd love a 24' lobster boat but can't tow or moor it. The kids don't want to go with me if I have an ''ugly '' boat and tubing isn't much fun at 9 knots.
Just my 2 cents

j

 

[Henry]

Look at the Rosborough 246. I had one for about 25 years. Easy to load

 

[Henry]

Opps! Easy to load and unload. I pulled it with a Chevy 1500 with no trouble. Maryland to Canada twice to cruise the Ridout Canal. I took it on its own bottom from the Chesapeake Bay to Lake Champlain and back with no problems. A great cruiser for two and a great day boat for 4 to 6.

 

[subpixel]

I'm convinced a Seaway 24, a Sisu 22, or a Webbers Cove 22 would all work perfectly for my purposes. Every used boat is different in both condition and cost, but I'm kicking myself for missing the beauty @Reelman955 was selling. I find myself looking at photos of @Spence 's Laughing Gull and thinking 'she's perfect".

Of course a Rosborough 246 is also a dream boat, but I think it would cost a good deal more to buy (and to fuel).

 

[Spence]

If you go with a Seaway 24 hts, and I'm glad I did, pay attention to weight. my 2013 is rolled edge and weighs 1 K lbs less than the 2015 with a liner. I towed with a 6cyl Tacoma for the first few years, Maine to Florida and Maine to Alaska. would not have wanted the extra weight

 

[Maineac]

Biased reporter here, but I like the General Marine 22. Stacey builds a rugged boat. I have a pilot house design (which we love) but you most often see these as a center console. He as a lobster boat style that is the only 22 lobster boat style that doesnt look funny to me. He had a used one that was practically new for sale a few months back.

 

[Smelick]

We are around the corner on Wheeler Bay/Mussel Ridge. We have a 22' Eastern Lobster fisherman and it ticks all the boxes you have. I'd recommend it highly. We travel from Vinalhaven/Penobscot to Mohegan and Boothbay on it. I do a lot of offshore fishing too. E/SE of Mohegan.

 

[subpixel]

Have I seen her on a mooring off the Hurricane Island dock? (I assume that’s their dock). A beauty!