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Sportfires

And, I scored a bigger boat lift with canopy frame and electric lift motor. I'm now boat shopping a little bit harder. :cheers:

An I/O is no longer out of the question, the lift can handle the extra weight :)
 
JW said:
And, I scored a bigger boat lift with canopy frame and electric lift motor. I'm now boat shopping a little bit harder. :cheers:

An I/O is no longer out of the question, the lift can handle the extra weight :)
Click to expand...


Nice. Have you narrowed your search down to any particular models??
 
Not totally. I'd like to do over 70 mph again. Should be a bow-rider to get the wife's approval without begging. Pretty much limits me to 200+ OB power or big-block I/O.
 
JW said:
Not totally. I'd like to do over 70 mph again. Should be a bow-rider to get the wife's approval without begging. Pretty much limits me to 200+ OB power or big-block I/O.
Click to expand...

I agree with you on the power options, especially if you want to run that speed with a few passengers on board. Back in the day, my brother had a 1995 219 Persuader (closed bow) with a 454 and it ran well over 70 mph. Great boat, but definitely needed external steering. I am an outboard guy and I would seriously consider the 219. There is nothing like the "bark" of a big block! I think Checkmate made a Persuader 218 (bow rider)? Let us know what you end up with and make sure to post lots of pictures!!
 
On the sportfires - those are fun boats. The 150 on mine ran out to 63 gps with a 23p and pulled like a big jet ski. I think the hull was listed as 750lbs. Probably not a (top) speed demon hull but wide and fairly roomy for a 17' boat. I've often thought about a diplomat for a "down-state" boat but I've got more on my plate than I can handle as it is.

IMO - Hold out for a 234BR if you're coming over the the dark I/O side. There is one regularly at the Torch lake sandbar and the interior space looks to be much less than a starliner. I've never really checked it out because the owner never seemed to want to talk about his boat. I was surprised at how different that 234 was from my stingray - way smaller and far less freeboard - way faster than my boat with the same power too. Physics... go figure.
 
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