boaters advice

[duststang]

looking to buy a boat but I am having a diffficult time deciding between a cuddy or open bow. Anyone own both which do you perfer? At first I thought cuddy because two smaller children but we wont stay the night and usually boating on Eastfork, river sometimes Cumb. So now I am thinking a nice openbow might be ok and put the top up to get out of the sun?

[dedpedal]

From what you're saying, a cuddy won't be as enjoyable as an open bow. The hardest thing to do is decide what the boat will be used for and buy for that purpose. You don't want a slow pontoon if speed is your thing as well as you don't want a speed boat to putter around in.

[mustangboy]

While a cuddy is nice for small kids to escape the sun and open bow is really much more useable all the time. It allows for room to sit around and will allow for more friends to come along. I have spent alot of time on each kind and I find a bow rider much more family friendly and spacious.

[89notch]

I would say open bow and a nice sunbrella or Bimini top. I have a cuddly that I never use. I bought the cuddy because I planned on sleeping on my boat but my buddy that goes with me has a houseboat so I never use it.

[97dustang]

my dad had an open bow when i was growing up, i used to love riding out front, and that was always where the kids would go, and the parents would stay in the back, and we did have a top for it which was nice to get out of the sun

[supercab78]

I've owned both. We had closed bow (no cuddy for 20 years), then a bow rider for 3 years. We then had a toddler grand child and I feared she may accidently fall out of the bow while under way. We now have cuddy and I feel alot safer about having her on the boat. That being said if you go with a bowrider get one that has high sides on the inside.

If you are looking at used stay away from OMC outdrives, Parts are tougher to find and not many people can work on them. Most people that know boats stay away from them so if you do look at OMC's offer 40-50 % less than if it had a Merc or volvo drive on the same type boat.

[k062693w]

Bust
Out
Another
Thousand


Just Saying !!!

[mustangboy]

I'll happily bust out as many thousands as it takes. Boating is no more expensive than any other hobby.

[BIGRED Z]

Open bow. Grew up on Eastfork lake. Going in circles as Dad liked to say. Now he has a houseboat on Cumberland. Has for the last 20 years. Kids will not stay cooped up in a closed bow, so it will be wasted space. Buy sunblock and hit the sun!

[BIGRED Z]

Now Dad tools around in this on the lake. And has one of the stangs too...Gives the boys something in common. Dad retired from Ford.

[wes 89 gt]

I've had both and personally will never own a cuddy again. I always felt like it was a waste of space.

[duststang]

thanks for the feedback very helpful.

[full force]

I'll happily bust out as many thousands as it takes. Boating is no more expensive than any other hobby.

My azz..... its pretty expensive, but fun!! Mine is a little extreme but it adds up faster then car stuff trust me...