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Hi I am purchasing a boat within the next week or 2 at very most. I currently have a deposit on a 2004 whaler 275 conquest. 100 hours on 225 mercury 4 strokes and loaded with all top equipment. $120,000. No Generator though which is discouraging! I also am considering a Hydra-sport with is comperable in size and equipment for 20000 less with yamaha's. I love the appearance and comforts of the amberjack 290 sea-ray also which is my only other choice at this time. I want a great reliable boat that can go off shore here in florida and do serious fishing but take the family out an be comfortable as well. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
The Conquest is a great boat but I cannot speak from experience of owning one.
I can tell you what I tell all my friends,
How much do you value the life of your Family and Friends?
A Whaler will not sink and therefore that is why I recommend the Whaler.
I sank an aluminum boat once on the Colorado River. When I got home from that trip I purchased my first 13' Whaler. I never want to go through that experience again.
I own a Conquest 23 and will be moving up soon to a Conq 28 or 275. My 23 is 1998, has been used about a month per year since new and still looks almost as good as new. The great thing about a BW is the q2uality of the build. The steel is fantastic and the it takes little polishing to make the hull shine like its just come out of a showroom. Also, apart from one locker catch, nothing has fallen off. It is a very strong boat and I can't see myself buying any other kindo f fishing boat.
I own a 15' BW "Sport", more than once this boat has saved my life, AND THE LIVES OF OTHER'S who it has pulled out of the water. My little boat was also called to duty to assist the U.S.C.G. in a water rescue, where a person strapped to a back board could not be brought aboard the USCG. Zodiac Rescue boat. The little "Whaler" was close enough to the water line, to pull the injured victim on board (not an easy task. it took 3 of us, and we barely did it) The Coast Guard Boarded my boat with the injured person and escorted me to a waiting ambulance, it was pretty cool blasting down a 5 mph creek at full throttle, with the CG behind lights and sirens going. I'm glad that I could help, I was really glad, I bought a BOSTON WHALER ! Do they make any other kind of boat besides BOSTON WHALER ? Why Bother looking ? I'm sure that other W/C members have similar stories, it's just a great boat, ONE THAT YOU CAN DEPEND ON TO NEVER LET YOU DOWN ! A news crew must have heard the CG radio crackling, and was at the dock when we pulled up, I cut out of work that day to go fishing, and was hiding from the camera's, I just kept saying, "take a pic of the boat, NOT ME, I "Banged in" (sick) at work", LOL, they did and there was a short 15 second story on the news that night. LOL
