On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:27:59 GMT, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

I like the Key West brand a lot. Fairly well built boat.

I've been looking for new boats for a while now - still thinking about
a new Contender again, but after looking around on the innertubes,
I've been intrigued by their new 29' CC.

http://www.keywestboatsinc.com/boats/show/id/9

Haven't actually seen one yet - just thinking.

We have some Key Wests here in our neighborhood - very nice looking
boats. Regarding that 29' CC however, I'm concerned about all of
those "optional" features that really should be standard. I suppose
that's their way of keeping the base price down but it could certainly
be misleading to the uninitiated.

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:46:06 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:27:59 GMT, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

I like the Key West brand a lot. Fairly well built boat.

I've been looking for new boats for a while now - still thinking about
a new Contender again, but after looking around on the innertubes,
I've been intrigued by their new 29' CC.

http://www.keywestboatsinc.com/boats/show/id/9

Haven't actually seen one yet - just thinking.

We have some Key Wests here in our neighborhood - very nice looking
boats. Regarding that 29' CC however, I'm concerned about all of
those "optional" features that really should be standard. I suppose
that's their way of keeping the base price down but it could certainly
be misleading to the uninitiated.

That's a good point - the base boat is pretty reasonable, but it's
pretty bare bones.

Compared to the Grady Canyon 33, as an example, it's fairly well
stripped down at the base boat.

I'm still a Contender fan. Much like 2001, when they get desperate to
sell me another CC, they'll build me one or give me a deal on a left
over just to keep the lines moving.

I'll tell you - that first Contender I had I practically stole from
them - seriously. They were desperate to get rid of it. Heh, heh,
heh.

Might keep my powder dry for another couple of months. :)

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:46:06 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:27:59 GMT, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

I like the Key West brand a lot. Fairly well built boat.

I've been looking for new boats for a while now - still thinking about
a new Contender again, but after looking around on the innertubes,
I've been intrigued by their new 29' CC.

http://www.keywestboatsinc.com/boats/show/id/9

Haven't actually seen one yet - just thinking.
We have some Key Wests here in our neighborhood - very nice looking
boats. Regarding that 29' CC however, I'm concerned about all of
those "optional" features that really should be standard. I suppose
that's their way of keeping the base price down but it could certainly
be misleading to the uninitiated.

That's a good point - the base boat is pretty reasonable, but it's
pretty bare bones.

Compared to the Grady Canyon 33, as an example, it's fairly well
stripped down at the base boat.

I'm still a Contender fan. Much like 2001, when they get desperate to
sell me another CC, they'll build me one or give me a deal on a left
over just to keep the lines moving.

I'll tell you - that first Contender I had I practically stole from
them - seriously. They were desperate to get rid of it. Heh, heh,
heh.

Might keep my powder dry for another couple of months. :)


If you're in the mood for a Contender or Grady, a "popularly priced"
production boat like a Key West ain't gonna do it for you. It's the
difference between a Chevrolet and a Lexus.

Have you considered any of the large semi-custom CCs from the Carolina
or Florida builders?

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:17:24 -0400, DK wrote:

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:

Mako's are overpriced and not even made at the old plant anymore so the
build is suspect for the price you pay.

That is correct - the old plant has been shut down, the old molds
destroyed and the new boats are built somewhere in NC.

However, they are still junk - they ain't your daddy's Mako anymore.

Got any Key West or Polar dealers near you? They would be my top two
choices in that size.

I'd stay away from Polar for a few years - they've seriously gone
south in quality with their newer boats.

I know - I know I used to pimp Polar like money was no object, but
from what I've seen recently, their QC has gone straight to hell.

Sorry to hear that. Five years ago I looked over their line and they
were 1st class boats.

There wasn't a bigger fan of Polar boats than me - seriously. I
thought they were the best built, best featured, dollar-for-dollar
value on the market - bow to stern a quality boat.

The last one I looked at on a showroom floor looked like it was built
by Bayliner - ripples along the sides, not a straight gunnel rail on
the boat, the hardware was obviously cheap and the components were not
top of the line.

And it wasn't a one off - there were two of them exactly alike.

I honestly don't know what I want to do at this point.

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:17:24 -0400, DK wrote:

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:

Mako's are overpriced and not even made at the old plant anymore so the
build is suspect for the price you pay.
That is correct - the old plant has been shut down, the old molds
destroyed and the new boats are built somewhere in NC.

However, they are still junk - they ain't your daddy's Mako anymore.

Got any Key West or Polar dealers near you? They would be my top two
choices in that size.
I'd stay away from Polar for a few years - they've seriously gone
south in quality with their newer boats.

I know - I know I used to pimp Polar like money was no object, but
from what I've seen recently, their QC has gone straight to hell.
Sorry to hear that. Five years ago I looked over their line and they
were 1st class boats.

There wasn't a bigger fan of Polar boats than me - seriously. I
thought they were the best built, best featured, dollar-for-dollar
value on the market - bow to stern a quality boat.

The last one I looked at on a showroom floor looked like it was built
by Bayliner - ripples along the sides, not a straight gunnel rail on
the boat, the hardware was obviously cheap and the components were not
top of the line.

And it wasn't a one off - there were two of them exactly alike.

I honestly don't know what I want to do at this point.


Buy a condo on Amelia Island. It's the right thing to do.

On Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:49:35 GMT, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

I'm still a Contender fan. Much like 2001, when they get desperate to
sell me another CC, they'll build me one or give me a deal on a left
over just to keep the lines moving.

I'll tell you - that first Contender I had I practically stole from
them - seriously. They were desperate to get rid of it. Heh, heh,
heh.

They are very popular with the mega yacht crowd on the east coast
where money seems to be no object. They fit them out with a large
stainless steel towing strap just above the waterline at the bow and
pull them about 200 ft back. When they're ready to come into port a
crew member goes on board and brings the Contender in separately.

Some nice dinghy!

On Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:00:36 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:49:35 GMT, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

I'm still a Contender fan. Much like 2001, when they get desperate to
sell me another CC, they'll build me one or give me a deal on a left
over just to keep the lines moving.

I'll tell you - that first Contender I had I practically stole from
them - seriously. They were desperate to get rid of it. Heh, heh,
heh.

They are very popular with the mega yacht crowd on the east coast
where money seems to be no object. They fit them out with a large
stainless steel towing strap just above the waterline at the bow and
pull them about 200 ft back. When they're ready to come into port a
crew member goes on board and brings the Contender in separately.

Some nice dinghy!

I've seen that occasionally over near Newport Yacht Club and around
Mystic. Regulators too.

I saw one Jupiter once - that's a boat that intrigues me - I really
like the styling.

On Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:55:12 -0400, Boater
wrote:

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:46:06 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:27:59 GMT, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

I like the Key West brand a lot. Fairly well built boat.

I've been looking for new boats for a while now - still thinking about
a new Contender again, but after looking around on the innertubes,
I've been intrigued by their new 29' CC.

http://www.keywestboatsinc.com/boats/show/id/9

Haven't actually seen one yet - just thinking.
We have some Key Wests here in our neighborhood - very nice looking
boats. Regarding that 29' CC however, I'm concerned about all of
those "optional" features that really should be standard. I suppose
that's their way of keeping the base price down but it could certainly
be misleading to the uninitiated.

That's a good point - the base boat is pretty reasonable, but it's
pretty bare bones.

Compared to the Grady Canyon 33, as an example, it's fairly well
stripped down at the base boat.

I'm still a Contender fan. Much like 2001, when they get desperate to
sell me another CC, they'll build me one or give me a deal on a left
over just to keep the lines moving.

I'll tell you - that first Contender I had I practically stole from
them - seriously. They were desperate to get rid of it. Heh, heh,
heh.

Might keep my powder dry for another couple of months. :)

If you're in the mood for a Contender or Grady, a "popularly priced"
production boat like a Key West ain't gonna do it for you. It's the
difference between a Chevrolet and a Lexus.

Have you considered any of the large semi-custom CCs from the Carolina
or Florida builders?

Yep - In particular bigger carolina style.

All in all, if I were to do a custom, it would be a Bluefin from
Bristol, RI - like the Predator 30.

http://www.bluefinboats.com/boats.php?bbId=26


I think I'd still like a production Contender though. :)

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:17:24 -0400, DK wrote:

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:

Mako's are overpriced and not even made at the old plant anymore so the
build is suspect for the price you pay.
That is correct - the old plant has been shut down, the old molds
destroyed and the new boats are built somewhere in NC.

However, they are still junk - they ain't your daddy's Mako anymore.

Got any Key West or Polar dealers near you? They would be my top two
choices in that size.
I'd stay away from Polar for a few years - they've seriously gone
south in quality with their newer boats.

I know - I know I used to pimp Polar like money was no object, but
from what I've seen recently, their QC has gone straight to hell.
Sorry to hear that. Five years ago I looked over their line and they
were 1st class boats.

There wasn't a bigger fan of Polar boats than me - seriously. I
thought they were the best built, best featured, dollar-for-dollar
value on the market - bow to stern a quality boat.

The last one I looked at on a showroom floor looked like it was built
by Bayliner - ripples along the sides, not a straight gunnel rail on
the boat, the hardware was obviously cheap and the components were not
top of the line.

And it wasn't a one off - there were two of them exactly alike.

I honestly don't know what I want to do at this point.

It's been a few years, but is Hydrasports still building a decent product?

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:00:36 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 30 Oct 2008 11:49:35 GMT, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

I'm still a Contender fan. Much like 2001, when they get desperate to
sell me another CC, they'll build me one or give me a deal on a left
over just to keep the lines moving.

I'll tell you - that first Contender I had I practically stole from
them - seriously. They were desperate to get rid of it. Heh, heh,
heh.
They are very popular with the mega yacht crowd on the east coast
where money seems to be no object. They fit them out with a large
stainless steel towing strap just above the waterline at the bow and
pull them about 200 ft back. When they're ready to come into port a
crew member goes on board and brings the Contender in separately.

Some nice dinghy!

I've seen that occasionally over near Newport Yacht Club and around
Mystic. Regulators too.

I saw one Jupiter once - that's a boat that intrigues me - I really
like the styling.

Any thoughts about Bluewater or Pursuit in that size?