Post by tc33obx on Mar 14, 2020 9:19:29 GMT -5
Interested to hear if anyone also experienced something similar to this. Or just hear the reasons for your boating changes, up or down in size, center console to cruiser, or cruiser to center console, etc.
You guys can see my post titled "Introduction" that talks a bit about my situation. Since around 2003, from April through November, the northern Chesapeake Bay was our boating playground with the family every weekend. Initially from 2003 to around 2010 it was just with my 22 footer when my kids were younger enjoying water sports and sandbar time. As the kids great up, I wanted to get them exposed to what I was exposed to in the 80s and early 90s with my dad's boats on the northern CB and stay out on the water over night.
So in 2010 we purchased a used Monterey 322 and that boat lasted 1 year before we upgraded to a 2006 Regal 4460. Our time on the CB with the 4460, consisted of dropping anchor and staying on the water overnight by a sand bar somewhere (frequently at Still Pond, Md), bringing our smaller boat out (sons would do this) and using the big boat as base as we used the smaller one to enjoy water sports. Sometimes, we'd just use the 4460 for a run to the many Marinas in small towns on the Chesapeake Bay and spend the weekend with family or friends or even friends with boats who also brought theirs.
Three years ago this all changed for us as my wife and youngest son really wanted to spend time at the Jersey shore. She loves the beach and ocean, and so does my youngest. He's a surfer, wants to be a beach life guard during his teen years. Additionally my older children grew up, got married and have children now as well and the 4460 suddenly wasn't big enough to house everyone who wanted to be there. Additionally, my sisters both had places at the Jersey shore and I thought it might be great to spend some time down there keeping my wife and youngest son happy, spend more time with my sisters and their families, and also be able to have the full family down for the weekend or week and not kill each other on a 45 foot boat due to restricted space. So we rented a condo for two weeks right next to my sister's place and had 2 weeks of fun. We brought my Bryant 212 down for that time and had it at a close marina and we had a blast. Beach days, using the boat to go to dinner or out to the sandbar, or even fishing which I'm terrible at by the way.
We had a great time so the next two years we rented for the season, I ran the Bryant down there every summer, and that was the boating we primarily did between late may and late August. The Bryant was used a lot but it doesn't have a head, nor does it have a reasonable place for my grandkids to take a nap. It's also an I/O boat and we all know was happens with an I/O boat in the salt water all summer. We still leveraged the 4460 in the spring and fall, but it sat idle all summer. I was paying someone to keep it clean, my buddy at the marina would start it from time to time, but all summer it sat there in the water not being used. After two years of this, I decided I needed to get something smaller, with outboards for the summer at the shore, and starting looking for a replacement boat for the 4460. I love the 4460, it's was a great boat for us for so long and it's easy to handle on my own, but it seems we've outgrown it, but not up to a larger cruiser, but rather down to something smaller with outboards.
After looking I couldn't find something I really like in that 30 to 35 foot range with at least 2 outboards, that had at least a small cabin my wife and I could comfortably sleep in, or a small cabin we could leverage for the grandkids to take a nap while we were at the sandbar. The boat also needed a nice head and needed to comfortably carry 10 to 14 to dinner at the shore without cramming them in or forcing people to a cabin. I looked at center consoles where most of the time the bed is too small and the head is right next to the bed, no divider. That's when panning through a Southern Boating Magazine I stumbled upon an ad for the 33 OBX. Tried to find a used one, but the boat is too new for that to happen, 3300s are out there used, but I wanted the outboards for the shore. So we're doing something I said I'd never do, buy a new brand new boat and downsize.
We go to settlement this week on the new boat. The dealer took the 4460 in trade, as I mentioned in the other thread, got decent money and a bit more than I owed so that's all good. Pics are there as well if you want to see what I'm coming from and where I'm going when it comes to the actual boats. Looking forward to a fun spring and fall on the Chesapeake Bay still with the 33 OBX, but if I take more than just my wife on the run, we'll have to rent a room where ever we go. We do have a trip planned for St Michaels in late April. Renting a house in town a few steps from St. Michael's Marina, running down on the 33 OBX with 4 of our friends from our neighborhood. Will use the 33 to get there and back, but also to run for lunch or dinner somewhere a couple of nights. Clearly, during the summer the 33's cabin will only be used for grandkid naps or if we have too many folks at the condo, and need a place for two to sleep. Renting a slip at two different marina's for the season, one on the bay and the other at the shore for the 33. When the 33 is at the shore the Bryant will occupy the 33's slip on the bay and will be used by my son or my buddy.
Life changes, we have to change with it. Would I have done this on my own, no, but we all have families and need to keep everyone happy. I am looking forward to picking up the 33 and getting started with this chapter of my life.
Any other stories you guys might want to share about why you got your boat, or moved from one to another. I thought it might be an interesting read for us and keep something moving out here. Please Share.
You guys can see my post titled "Introduction" that talks a bit about my situation. Since around 2003, from April through November, the northern Chesapeake Bay was our boating playground with the family every weekend. Initially from 2003 to around 2010 it was just with my 22 footer when my kids were younger enjoying water sports and sandbar time. As the kids great up, I wanted to get them exposed to what I was exposed to in the 80s and early 90s with my dad's boats on the northern CB and stay out on the water over night.
So in 2010 we purchased a used Monterey 322 and that boat lasted 1 year before we upgraded to a 2006 Regal 4460. Our time on the CB with the 4460, consisted of dropping anchor and staying on the water overnight by a sand bar somewhere (frequently at Still Pond, Md), bringing our smaller boat out (sons would do this) and using the big boat as base as we used the smaller one to enjoy water sports. Sometimes, we'd just use the 4460 for a run to the many Marinas in small towns on the Chesapeake Bay and spend the weekend with family or friends or even friends with boats who also brought theirs.
Three years ago this all changed for us as my wife and youngest son really wanted to spend time at the Jersey shore. She loves the beach and ocean, and so does my youngest. He's a surfer, wants to be a beach life guard during his teen years. Additionally my older children grew up, got married and have children now as well and the 4460 suddenly wasn't big enough to house everyone who wanted to be there. Additionally, my sisters both had places at the Jersey shore and I thought it might be great to spend some time down there keeping my wife and youngest son happy, spend more time with my sisters and their families, and also be able to have the full family down for the weekend or week and not kill each other on a 45 foot boat due to restricted space. So we rented a condo for two weeks right next to my sister's place and had 2 weeks of fun. We brought my Bryant 212 down for that time and had it at a close marina and we had a blast. Beach days, using the boat to go to dinner or out to the sandbar, or even fishing which I'm terrible at by the way.
We had a great time so the next two years we rented for the season, I ran the Bryant down there every summer, and that was the boating we primarily did between late may and late August. The Bryant was used a lot but it doesn't have a head, nor does it have a reasonable place for my grandkids to take a nap. It's also an I/O boat and we all know was happens with an I/O boat in the salt water all summer. We still leveraged the 4460 in the spring and fall, but it sat idle all summer. I was paying someone to keep it clean, my buddy at the marina would start it from time to time, but all summer it sat there in the water not being used. After two years of this, I decided I needed to get something smaller, with outboards for the summer at the shore, and starting looking for a replacement boat for the 4460. I love the 4460, it's was a great boat for us for so long and it's easy to handle on my own, but it seems we've outgrown it, but not up to a larger cruiser, but rather down to something smaller with outboards.
After looking I couldn't find something I really like in that 30 to 35 foot range with at least 2 outboards, that had at least a small cabin my wife and I could comfortably sleep in, or a small cabin we could leverage for the grandkids to take a nap while we were at the sandbar. The boat also needed a nice head and needed to comfortably carry 10 to 14 to dinner at the shore without cramming them in or forcing people to a cabin. I looked at center consoles where most of the time the bed is too small and the head is right next to the bed, no divider. That's when panning through a Southern Boating Magazine I stumbled upon an ad for the 33 OBX. Tried to find a used one, but the boat is too new for that to happen, 3300s are out there used, but I wanted the outboards for the shore. So we're doing something I said I'd never do, buy a new brand new boat and downsize.
We go to settlement this week on the new boat. The dealer took the 4460 in trade, as I mentioned in the other thread, got decent money and a bit more than I owed so that's all good. Pics are there as well if you want to see what I'm coming from and where I'm going when it comes to the actual boats. Looking forward to a fun spring and fall on the Chesapeake Bay still with the 33 OBX, but if I take more than just my wife on the run, we'll have to rent a room where ever we go. We do have a trip planned for St Michaels in late April. Renting a house in town a few steps from St. Michael's Marina, running down on the 33 OBX with 4 of our friends from our neighborhood. Will use the 33 to get there and back, but also to run for lunch or dinner somewhere a couple of nights. Clearly, during the summer the 33's cabin will only be used for grandkid naps or if we have too many folks at the condo, and need a place for two to sleep. Renting a slip at two different marina's for the season, one on the bay and the other at the shore for the 33. When the 33 is at the shore the Bryant will occupy the 33's slip on the bay and will be used by my son or my buddy.
Life changes, we have to change with it. Would I have done this on my own, no, but we all have families and need to keep everyone happy. I am looking forward to picking up the 33 and getting started with this chapter of my life.
Any other stories you guys might want to share about why you got your boat, or moved from one to another. I thought it might be an interesting read for us and keep something moving out here. Please Share.
