208 Adventure feedback

[sully4]

Hi Guys,
I am looking to buy a new or an excellent condition used 208 and importing to Australia.
Having previously owned a 258 journey i am now back in the market but looking to down size. I have not seen a 208 in the flesh but have been in a 209 escape which they tell me is the same hull but obviously a cc.
The boat will be used for bay and inshore fishing mainly at anchor
I would love as much info on the 208 as possible, e.g. ride quality, stability at rest,fishing room (mainly fish 2 on board),is there enough room to sleep in the cabin, best power for the boat (200hp?) overall performance etc
any help much appreciated
Cheers
Glenn

 

[westar]

Great boat. Ride quality is pretty good. I love mine. I would say fishing 3 people is comfortable but 4 is pushing it. I have a 150hp and would love to have more power. While I wouldn't say it is underpowered there are times when I would like a little more speed at cruise and better MPG's. With the 150 ox66 two stroke I would estimate that we get around 2 - 2.5 mpg. I am six foot tall and could sleep in the cabin although it would be very tight.

 

[antaris]

I love mine, too... above statements are true!

Mine's powered by a 2001 F225 that seems to do the job (!) - I guess F200 would be ideal (since the F225 is esentially 210BHP approx, apparently - just heavier).

See my adventures here: http://adventure208.tumblr.com/

Enjoy your search!

 

[seasick]

Same here, SX150 motor. Vessel handles seas well under power but does roll when not under power in rolling seas. Trim tabs help. 3 can fish OK, 4 is pushing it. In addition, you will notice loss of performance with 4 persons, or 3 and a full tank of gas. 150 is fine for me but if you have a hard top, 175 is minimum. 175 is also minimum for manual steering. 175 and up would benefit from hydraulic steering. Adding an earlier model 4 stroke may result in the scuppers being under water. HPDIs are a better choice. Boat is a lot lighter than your 258 and you will notice that when docking in windy situations. Even at speed, boat tends to wind steer.

Can you sleep in the cabin? That depends on how much gear you have stowed and how big you are. The cabin is smallish. I use mine for fishing gear, jackets, cushions etc.

 

[Daman858]

I have a 2004 Adventure with hardtop and all the other options that can be had on this boat. It is powered by the 200HP Yamaha 4 stroke. I have had no problems with the boat or engine in 6 years of ownership. I have ventured 30 miles or so out in the ocean with no problems, rides and handles the chop well. The 200 HP is plenty for this boat and my scuppers are all out of the water. Fishing with two or three aboard is fine but 4 is a bit crowded. I have slept in the cabin but it is small but a great place for kids to get out of the sun. I find to boat very economical to run with the sweet spot at 3800 RPMs at 30 mph and 6 Gallons per hour. The boat suits me and my small family well. Easy to handle and dock, easy to launch off a trailer alone.

 

[antaris]

I forgot to mention that with an f225 + F15 kicker, my scuppers are very near the surface. Get a heavy person to sit back, then the water creeps in - no real worry, just wet shoes!

 

[97208ct]

Our's is a '97 with Yamaha 175 SWS 2S.
It's a BIG 20' (Same size as a Robalo 225 next to us).
Seeing 40 mph top end and cruises nicely at 32 giving almost 4 mpg.
Overnites with me, wifey & 80 lb German Shepard OK, but not much room to spare.
Learn to pack light and stow gear.
Bimini with full enclosure a must.

Nice solid boat.

 

[Gary M]

My Kiwi Admiral and I had many great trips and hours on our 208 w/150 Yamaha. A 200 would be great! Took it to the Bahamas three times too!

The cabin is more for dry storage, but you "could" sleep down there.......

 

[MA208]

I am enjoying my first season with a 2007 208. I have the F200 and it seems like a good match, though the published performance numbers with the 150 are actually quite good (I almost bought one but it sold very quickly). I'd imagine if you were mostly 1-2 people and not loaded the 150 would be fine power. In my area trim tabs are almost a necessity. I'm surprised how well it rides in chop with a fair amount of tab. My only gripe is that it's very narrow between the helm seats. This can make solo docking a chore if it's windy as sometimes by the time I get to the deck I'm blown off the dock. Also the walk around area is quite narrow so getting to the bow to anchor can be a chore in swells. I always have the top up but there's not much to grab. I love the idea of a hard top, and it looks great. That would give some more hand holds, but aftermarket is very expensive. I'll probably stick with the soft top and upgrade into a 282 in a year or so since I don't really tow the boat anyways.

 

[wahoo33417]

We had a 1995 208 for ten years before getting a 258. The 208 was a great boat. We could spend weekends aboard. My wife and I are both 5' 8". Our 150 HPDI was fine most of the time. Only when we really loaded up did I wish for more power. If I still had that boat, I would likely opt for a 200 HPDI. Trim tabs are nearly a must. In a steep chop, I always wanted the nose down while also slowing down. For that reason, I would have to ride in a 200/225 four-stroke before being convinced it is a better fit than the HPDI.

Quite a noticeable ride difference between the 258 and 208, but you have to expect that.

We took our 208 to the Bahamas many times and had great times on it. Good luck and I hope you enjoy your as well.

 

[sully4]

Thanks for all the fantastic feedback on the 208.
I had one priced up here in Aus and can you believe a new 208 with 200 yammy on an aluminium trailer is around $105,000 !! and thats without electronics or hard top, fully optioned would be around 115k.
Beautiful looking rig daman858 (not interested in selling??), seriously though if anyone is thinking of selling their 208 or know of a good one please let me know.
Thanks again

 

[Walkers Edge]

There is no 20' boat that has the abilities this one does. I fish mine hard in the winter and seldom see another boat in its size range.
Sleeping is fine if you enjoy camping, I am 6'1" and have camped with my girlfriend on board quite a few times while our friends are on the island behind us in tents.

Fishing is good for 3 and tollerable for 4. On bigger trips I wind up with larger groups and the fishing goes out the window.
I can tell you from this past weekend that the boat will run 25kts with full fuel and 8 adults at 4000rpms. I have a 200hp 2stroke.

Here she is acting bigger than she looks....

Here's to another Bahamas capable Palm Beach 208.

 

[GW-208]

I've got a 2008 208 Adventure that I'd consider selling. It's got a Yam F250, the factory hardtop, front and side curtains, trailer, Garmin GPS, VHF, and a custom made cover that is in excellent condition. Approximately 133 hours. Bought new in July of 09 from our local dealer here in Chasn, SC. If interested send me a pm or give me a call @ 843-224-6460 (Kevin). I've got pictures etc, I just haven't been successful uploading them onto this site in the past.

 

[sully4]

Hi Kevin,
Have sent you a pm
Regards
Glenn

 

[antaris]

Hey Walker's Edge,

I love that photo. Go get' em big boyz!

 

[RBallou]

Here is some feedback on the 208 Adventure that I bought new in 1999 and have owned for 12 years. The boat initially had a 200 Mercury Optimax, but 6 years ago I repowered with a 150 Mercury Verado 4-stroke to reduce the noise level. There is no hard top, just a Bimini top. With 2 people aboard, a full tank of fuel, and assorted gear, the boat cruises at 4000-4200 rpm doing 22 to 24 mph. Top speed is between 38 and 40 mph. Gas mileage is between 3.8 and 4 mpg, depending on load. There is no problem getting the boat on plane as there is plenty of torque from the Verado. The boat trolls at idle at 0.3 gph. All of these are real performance numbers, not manufacturers' test numbers.
Regarding ride, the boat will not pound if it is handled properly. When the chop is short and high (3'), putting the trim tabs down and slowing to 3500 rpm, the boat will remain on plane at about 15 mph. The boat is used on Lake Erie in Ohio USA, which is known for its short chop and hard riding conditions. The engine has given no problems in 300+ hours of use.
I hope there is some information here that my be of use to you.