"kyle" wrote in message
...
hi all,

i currently own a 22ft bayliner bowrider. we live in tampa, and there
are very nice barrier islands in the gulf just 5 minutes from the boat
ramp. my wife wants to go more often. i find it difficult to have to
deal with the boat by myself. i am still quite the novice.

here are a few things that i would like to pinpoint what kind of new
boat to buy:
-shallow draft (current boat is 2.5ft, gets stuck sometimes if we
forget to continuously move the boat based on tide)
-seats 9 minimum (would prefer more)
-large deck for cooler, floats, etc.
-no carpet or upholstery to worry about -- i want fiberglass
everything for easy cleanup (current boat is carpet everywhere-- sand
is a nightmare to clean, cannot just hose the inside of the boat down)
-outboard motor, pref. 4stroke (current is an i/o, so cannot fully
trim motor up)
-has to handle a decent 2ft wave. i probably would not take it out if
it was rougher than that.


thanks for any suggestions,


kyle

Have you taken a power squadron course? Might help with some of the details
of operating.
A deck boat would be great. I like the older ones that are more like a
pontoon boat deck on a fiberglass hull more than all the molded in
furniture.