New Boat - 2014 232

[Hotchief]

Hi Guys -

I traded in my faithful 2006 208 Adventure for a new 2014 232 Gulfstream.
I kept my 208 for 8 years and plan on keeping this one 10.

Twin F150's, and I bucked up for some nice electronics. Garmin 7212, xHD 24 radar, a nice sonar package with a monster transducer, icom VHF, and a stellar Fusion stereo.

I slip the boat 5 minutes from my house in covered moorage, only used the trailer for the 208 for service - so I didn't get a trailer for my 232.
I put 10 glorious hours on the motors for break-in, developed a waterline, and now she is in the service yard getting 4 coats of epoxy barrier coat followed by 2 coats of bottom paint. The work order called for Petit vivid but I am thinking of going Interlux crc-micron as I had good luck with it on my 208.

It should be done this week and I can't wait to get it back into the water and put my next 10 hours on it.
My family loves the roominess of this boat with the beam and cockpit size, not to mention the marine head and fresh water for my wife & daughter.
It is a fantastic ride.

My only issue so far is when we pulled it for bottom paint there was a couple of quarts of water in the Armstrong bracket.
It appears it was leaking from the nylon drainplug.
I really don't like the zinc on the bracket bottom either as over time as it corrodes it could seep water if the bolt becomes loose.
We're going to do a nice job sealing both with caulk before it goes back in and I expect the bracket will remain dry inside. If not, I will have to look at plan "B" - as we can't have salt water inside a raw alumnium bracket.

Anyway I thought I would share my story since I've been on the board for a long time but don't post much.
My 208 was the best boat experience I've ever had and I've had over 20 boats. I logged 1100 hours on it.
I hope I get the same level of enjoyment from the 232.
Before I made my final decision I scoured the internet researching the 232 and it appears everyone for the most part feel it is a great GW boat.

Thanks for any comments.

Mark

 

[Hotchief]

Not sure why the pictures didn't center, sorry.

 

[VeroWing]

Sweet! Looks beautiful, and those twin f150s should be a perfect fit! Hope she serves you well! :goodjob

 

[VeroWing]

Click on pics and they'll show complete pic.

 

[magicalbill]

I have a 232 with twin 200's. It is a great all-around boat and you'll be real happy with it's versatility.

It's big enough to take reasonable seas accompanied by good judgment.

It's small enough to horse around a dock by yourself.

It can be trailered, but you need permits to be legal and it's kind of a pain in parking lots and areas with low clearances. You'll probably be glad you don't have a trailer.

We overnite in ours during the winter months when it's cool here in Fla. It's a bit small, but works for us.

Enjoy...

 

[onoahimahi]

Not sure why the pictures didn't center, sorry.

(I reduced the size of your photo 50% so it would show.)

Congrats...! A great boat..!

I love that new boat smell... 8)

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Congrats on the new boat! She is sweet.

 

[Legend]

Great looking boat. I had a 2004 stepped from a Seafared and loved it. I had a single F225. The twin 150 should be a perfect match. Why not have the dealer make the bracket water tigh. It is a brand new boat

Good luck

 

[wahoo33417]

Beautiful boat. Congratulations and enjoy those ten years!

 

[mboyatt]

Wow! Great boat. Congrats.

 

[fshnfool]

Congrats on the new boat. It looks awesome. I am curious how the season has gone. I have just started to consider doing the exact same thing you did. I own a 2007 208 with a single 200. We love it but it is getting a little small for the growing family. I am running over the usual questions. New vs used. How much bigger? Etc. Since you have experience with both now I thought you would be a good person to ask.

The first Question is ride. How different is the ride between the boats? Has the size difference made a big difference?

How much more useful is the cabin with the 232? The bathroom looks more accessible on the 232 and that is weighing in heavy on the 232 vs 25.

Why did you do the twin 150 vs single 300?

How is maneuverability with the twins? Docking etc?

Any regrets moving up?

 

[GulfSea]

Beautiful Boat! I love my 228 but the 232 is really the only other boat I would consider if I ever sold. On the bracket, it's more than likely the upper access port. If they still close them the same, they've got a plastic ring that is secure but prone to leaking. I think most all bracketed boats have similar potential. I sealed mine up with silicone and never had an issue again.

 

[Hotchief]

Hi Guys,

Sorry I have not posted in a while but the 232 does not disapoint!

The leak in the Armstrong bracket turned out to be the nylon drain plug.
When I had the boat barrier coated and bottom painted they sealed it with 4200 and it is dry now, along with the rest of the hull.

My 232 has been in the water now since May and I have logged just under 90 hours on it.
The motors are great and since I am not a "kicker motor" guy I enjoy being able to toggle between the twins every 30 minutes while trolling in order to keep the hours down.
This was a major reason my 208 had so may hours as I used the F225 to troll fish with as well.

Anyway the jump from the 208 to the 232 I feel is significant.
The 208 is about the biggest 20 foot boat out there, and it surely isn't right to call the 232 a 23 footer...
With the pulpit, the Armstrong bracket, and the beam it overextends in my 28' covered slip. They allow 30'5" and I am 31' with the motors kicked up.
Most people who walk by her in the slip ask if it is a 25, 26, or even 27 foot boat - so the 232 surely feels large for what it is.

As far as the room and the ride we love it.
The cockpit space is awesome and the beam is fantastic from a stability standpoint.
It is a dry ride too.

My wife & daughter love the head and fresh H20 down below and I am the only one who can't stand up down there at 6'4".
Since they can all stand up down in the cabin it makes it seem much bigger as well as compared to a crawl space cuddy.
We have not overnighted in it yet but that would be fun sometime perhaps this fall.
I'd maybe redesign that port galley console down there so it isn't so bulky and perhaps provide more seating instead, but I know the design has been successful for many years.

As far as the motors I would only go for the twins on this boat if the choices were all available.
The twin props allows for an easy up planing as well as a much lower planing speed that I am able to maintain over even my F225 208.
I take it pretty easy at 3700 = 25 MPH, 3800 = 28 MPH, 4000 = 30-31 MPH. At 3800 I burn about 12 gallons per hour.

I use the twins constantly in docking.
With this beam and a wind, a guy would need to be an absolute Top Gun Docking Ace in order to manage it effortlessly with a single.
We've had a windy summer and I can see now how a thruster can be a huge win in the bigger boats.
It doesn't like to recover in wind by just using the throttles together (same gear position) and steering. The counter rotation throttle docking is a huge benefit.

Anyway this is my 90 hour update, really enjoy the advantages in the updgrade.
I can see how one would want to keep moving up as the boating experience improves so much with a family on board.
We really notice it on longer runs in terms of roominess and ride comfort.

I picked the 232 as a new boat mainly because it is as large as I can go right now with my current ammenities such as the 28' slip and the mooring buoy we use on weekends at our island place.
If I could improve all instances including finances I would upgrade down the road to either a 300 or 305, which is my next goal. 8)

Thanks for reading, let me know if you may have any more specific questions.

 

[Hotchief]

Sorry guys I can't seem to size the pictures correctly.

 

[fshnfool]

Thanks for the update and info.