*JimH* wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

*JimH* wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

*JimH* wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

*JimH* wrote:
..........Crownline, for building a 31.5 foot *Bowrider*!

http://www.crownline.com/models04/mo...p?id=316_ls_05

http://www.crownline.com/models05/bo...16ls/big/2.jpg

http://www.crownline.com/models05/bo...16ls/big/3.jpg

http://www.crownline.com/models05/bo...16ls/big/4.jpg

http://www.crownline.com/models05/bo...16ls/big/5.jpg

A 31.5 foot bowrider? What the hell were these folks thinking?

Let me give you a hand interpreting the data you've discovered.

First, it doesn't matter what the nominal length appears to be based
on
the model number ("316 LS"), you need to check the actual LOA.

That brings us down to 30-feet.

Then you need to actually evaluate how the boat is configured.
In this case, that 30 foot LOA includes an extended swim step of
rather
exaggerated size. It appears to be at least 32", maybe even a 45-48"
swim step.

Looks like Crownline is offering about a 26-foot bowrider with an
extra
large swim step (some people might find that rather handy, depending
on
application) that stretches the boat to 30 feet LOA.

No doubt they'll
catch a few folks who think the boat is over 31 feet long based on
the
model number, or who don't take the time to evaluate the design as
they
look at the boat.


Yep. I was mistaken. From their website: LOA 30' yet marketed as a
31.5
footer. Sorry, I missed it by 1'6".

So it boils down to 30 foot bowrider with a bunch of wasted space, all
for
$130,000.

How attractive it that?



Bowriders are fine for inland lakes during settled weather; and that
describes the conditions under which about 90% of boaters use a
boat.

Bull. And you never addressed the hazards of a bowrider on open water
in
unexpected rough weather or encountering rogue waves from other boats.

If bowriders are so great why don't you own one Chuck?


Because I don't boat on inland lakes during settled weather?

I have yet to see a boat generate a rogue wave. Must be a Great Lakes
thing.


Rogue or not, I guess you missed the recent tourist boat tragedy in NY.

Not at all. Out west here, boaters refer to such events as "wakes", not
rogue waves.

I will accept your terminology.

That does not, however, dismiss the possibility of such an event. Do you
disagree Chuck?


I agree that a bowrider falls into the category of "open boat."
The operator of an open boat must remain alert to water conditions at
all times.
A bowrider has no business out in conditions where the wind is
generating breaking waves that are likely to swamp the vessel. As far
as wakes, or even a genuine "rogue wave", an alert operator will be
able to deal with 99.999% of them by slowing down a bit and/or
adjusting his course to quarter into the wave.
The danger to an open boat is not so much the height of a wave as
whether or not the wave has a propensity to break. You can go up and
over a pretty steep wave or wake, but if the crest is higher than the
gunwale *and* it starts to break you need to be lucky as well as able.
After enough of those, (as in "you've got no darn business out here in
these conditions") your luck will probably run out.

I would always prefer a boat with a closed bow, myself, but millions of
boaters on inland lakes will choose a boat based on an entirely
different set of needs and preferances.

(IIRC, that tourist boat was a catamaran, not a bow rider.)