Getting ready to pull the trigger on a 257, looking for input and thoughts

Sloose

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Hi everyone!

I'm a former professional boat captain/former Parker owner/soon-to-be-former hardcore kayak fisherman/likely soon to be Grady owner.

I have been in love with the 257 ever since i first saw one up close when I had my parker...About 10 years in the slip directly facing mine was a beautiful 257 grady with twin 150s. I *loved* my 25 foot parker but it was not nearly as fast as I wanted and it rode like crap in a head sea. I knew love at first sight. (Don't tell my wife)

I've since sold my Parker, moved to fishing kayaks so i could fish in places no boat can reach, and now, i am not getting any younger and I want to fish in places that no kayak can reach. Fishing in a big pedal drive hobie is nice but i'm a hardcore bottom fisherman and I love nothign more than getting over a sticky piece of bottom and losing sinkers and occasionally an anchor...and it's just not really practical in a kayak.

I am looking at a kind of ...spread...of 257s. I am not really a bluewater offshore guy but i'm a boat guy and i like two sticks. So it has to be twin engine. I want it to have a trailer so i can yank it from my marina and pull it home in the winter / hurricanes etc. Bottom paint or clean bottom is not important - rack storage and wet slips are about the same price in my area.

There's not a lot of 257s on the market, and I can wait it out until the right one comes along, but what i'm currently looking at is:

Mid 2000s (2005-2008) advance 257, twins 150s in sub 800 hour range that are well maintained with good electronics and no big defects w/ trailer ...market seems to be in the 50s and 60s on these with some crazy pants people listing them for 80+
Mid 2010s (2014 - 2016) fisherman 257, twin 200s in sub 500 hour range that are VERY well maintained, modern electronics and no defects, most have trailers. Market seems to be in the 100-110 range.

I'll be financing the boat and I intend to keep the boat 10 years+... So an older boat with older motors would get a shorter term loan for sure, and might be repowered or traded up later, a newer boat with newer motors would get a longer term loan with less liklihood of a repower needed (knock on wood). Before anyone beats me up for financing - money is cheap right now, and my other investments are doing rather well, paying cash by selling appreciating assets to pay for a depreciating asset is not really smart in my opinion. Buying new WOULD possibly be an option but i'm not in the mood to wait 2 years for all the engines and electronics to show up. I'd prefer to have the boat with the bigger newer engines but the 150s seem to push this boat just fine too.

My questions:

Are there any pitfalls i should be aware of on these boats and years?
Which do you think is the better buy for the money (i like bang for my buck). I know the market is a little crazy right now but there ARE some reasonable deals to be had (at or below NADA value). Everything i buy will be surveyed, mechanical surveyed, and sea trialed of course before closing
Do you feel the higher price of a newer boat riskier vs depreciation or the vessel (going underwater on the loan) versus a smaller loan on an older boat?

Thanks everyone!


Anecdote/ P.S. The guy in my marina who owned the 257, bought it off *EBAY* sight unseen, and it was his first boat. he couldn't drive the thing worth a damn and he could NEVER get it in his slip; ended up stopped using it other than a place to sit and drink beer. Seeing that fine machine just sit at the dock broke my heart.
 

PointedRose

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Do you feel the higher price of a newer boat riskier vs depreciation or the vessel (going underwater on the loan) versus a smaller loan on an older boat?
to me this question depends on how long you plan to keep the boat. If it’s greater than ten years, going newer wouldn’t be a bad play. Used boats 5+ years old are selling at new prices due to availability. I just saw a posting on this site for an 05 hull posted at $180k… ouch (did have newer twin 300hps and seemingly no interest yet)
 

Sloose

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to me this question depends on how long you plan to keep the boat. If it’s greater than ten years, going newer wouldn’t be a bad play. Used boats 5+ years old are selling at new prices due to availability. I just saw a posting on this site for an 05 hull posted at $180k… ouch (did have newer twin 300hps and seemingly no interest yet)
yeah im definitely in for the long haul ... 10+ years.


I went under contract on the 05 and had it surveyed this weekend... and i wasnt super happy with the survey. In the end i'd be paying premium retail prices for a boat in low retail condition.

I made a REALLY REALLY big mistake looking at a 2015 today....REALLY big mistake. with the 200s. fml.

i dont think i can look at the older hull at all anymore.
 
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