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we have one of these boats. we drove it from ft lauderdale to andros island in october last year. i've run boats from 10 ft to 150 ft and this is one of the finest , for it's size and application, that i've ever had the pleasure to operate. we take divers out in it almost every day. we have had as many as seven divers in 8 foot plus seas. on one occasion i had 26 tanks, 13 full sets of gear and 5 people on her. no problem. as far as the hole in the floor being a useless gimmick and highly impractical, nothing could be farther from the truth. EVERY diver that we have taken out has loved it. there is absolutely no easier way to get back on the boat after a dive than to just pop up in the hole and be lifted the couple of feet into a sitting position on the floor of the boat. anyone looking for a great dive boat should consider this one. by the way, the hole is closed with a flap that is zippered and velcroed.
 
I don't know, it just looks like a solution seeking a problem to me. I give it to you, it is clever but something about velcro and a zipper in the bottom of my boat just does not set well with me. Since it is my opinion and I stated clearly as an opinion, I am welcome to it. Never claimed to bat 100%, I have been wrong before, maybe I am so again but----.

N
 
she's 19 ft CG certified for 10 passengers. the boat is built on a catamaran design. two tubes, side by side, on each side, then two more tubes stacked on each side. she's dry and comfortable. i would not trade for her. these boats were designed and built for the military as rescue vessels by the patten company. check them out.
 
I think if buying new and you live in Florida, you would have to look at the Dusky.

It is not a deep v, but everyone I know that owns one loves the ride and stability combo with this mono hull.

It is a very well built machine, factory direct and can be ordered with options and power of your choice to as available.

Take a look..Dusky Marine - Home
 
If you're looking to keep it long term look at Robalo, Hydrasport, Grady, Boston W. and Pursuit.
I own a 1995 2140 WA. Robalo that I use for diving, its a bit small for more than three divers and all the gear but still in excellent shape.Great construction for offshore.
 
how good are Sea Pro boats? i'm looking into the 228 CC. anyone know the average price of these boats? i also like wellcraft scarabs. but i realise that these websites don't put up prices. and i can't exactly walk into a dealership seeing that i live in barbados.
 
I am considering a new boat purchase in March. I am looking for a boat for me - not charter. Diving seems to be taking up more and more of my time on the water, so I am considering a boat that is more geared toward divers. How about some suggestions? I am considering inside the 20' to 30' range, use will primarily be Tampa Bay Area with some excursions to Daytona and many, many trips to the Keys. Easy in and out, comfort, HPG, towability, storage, shade, cooler and tank space - what would type of boat would you suggest? I am reviewing Hydra Sports and Everglades at the moment.
My solution was to look for a good deal on an older Express Cruiser...I found a 34 foot Regal, year 1990, at about $25,000 ...it needed about $14,000 in refits and upgrades/customization for diving...plus a top end GPS/Radar/Sonar and a monster stereo...still way under what you might pay for a much smaller boat. It sleeps 6 in an air conditioned cabin, has a nice head, ( wife feels like it is a real bathroom)...galley, salon...it makes dive trips very comfortable. I fabricated a box behind the helm chair to hold 4 scuba tanks. I can easily store 12 more tanks on the floor of the cabin, just where you come in to the V-berth in front. There is an extreme ease of diving for 4 divers, and 6 scuba divers can dive this boat with a good level of comfort. Over 6 would begin to be a problem, for gearing up....However, I could easily take 12 freedivers in total comfort :)

See pic below..
 

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Nice looking boat for the price and her years.
 
Nice looking boat for the price and her years.
With the economy the way it is now, you can get good sized boats in good shape, at a fraction of what they would have cost just 2 years ago...

I got pretty lucky with this boat, as it really was in pretty good shape.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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