What to replace my G-23 with

[swankster]

I am putting my 2013 G-23 up for sale and will post a link when it is ready but still have not decided whether to replace it with a 2014 G-23 or to step back into a 230 and buy a older ski boat.

I hope to ride the new 230 with the NSS next week and from reading the posts, I expect to find similar wake quality. The big question is can I live without the storage space of the G-23. I know it is a high price to pay for space but for me it equates it to moving from a house with a basement to one without. My garage is packed and the work shop limited to half a bay. It is so crowed that I only use it when I have to. If DFW land prices were cheaper, I'd have some land with a barn. But that is a whole another problem.

Back to boating...and two questions.

1. For you with two boats, what are the pluses and minuses beside the cost of maintaining two? Do you live on a lake or trailer the boats?

2. Does anyone have experience with putting together a boating partnership with multiple owners and multiple boats? How did it work?

[ES]

Don't quite understand why you would sell a 2013 G to get a 2014. If the issue you have is storage space, changing the year model wouldn't help. You probably have other reasons that I couldn't see from your post.
In answer to your questions, here is my experience:

1. The two boats situation is a pain. We considered keeping our pontoon when we got our 210 and finally decided to sell the pontoon and just keep one boat, even if we had the space for both. Apart from the maintenance cost, it really came down to how often we would use both. We imagined that we would need the extra seating that the pontoon offered about once to twice a year. So paying maintenance, insurance, etc for just a couple of outings wouldn't make sense.
Also, I am learning first hand that a boat is meant to be used....stuff starts breaking otherwise.

2. I would be careful on this one: would the other co-owners treat it as well as you do? What if they want to throw in the towel or are financially unable to chip in? I have a neighbor that bought their lake house with his brother in law. It all worked fine for the first couple of years until he lost his job during the recession. He wasn't able to make the payments anymore...so the other guy got left with the full cost.
If you go this route, I would spell out in a contract every single possible outcome and how the parties agree to handle it. Better safe than sorry.

hope this helps.

[ers906]

Currently I have two nautiques (G23 and a 2002 SAN) and a pontoon, and it certainly is a pain to have more than one boat. However, if you are into skiing, you certainly know that the G23 is not for you. From what I have seen (I have never ridden behind a 2014 230, but have ridden a 2013), the wake is enough of a difference between the two for me never to go back. Almost as important is the storage space and passenger difference. It is huge, especially since to get a comparable wake extra sacs are needed. The cost of maintenance, storage, etc isn't huge, but still paying for something that you are not using (whichever boat you are not using that day, etc). I live about an hour from the lake so pretty much am only using one at a time, and that is always the G. I plan on selling the pontoon and 210, and keeping the 23. Since I am adding on an upstairs of bedrooms and bathrooms for my gfs four kids (a whole other issue, which has me wondering about my sanity), I am using the opportunity to build a garage (13 ft ceilings) which will allow me to store the G23, and have an entire dedicated workshop.

As far as being in a boating partnership, I view it the same as owning a vacation house, real estate, investing with friends, etc. I stay very far away from it. I do my best to keep my personal finances away from friendships. Very few people are as anal about their boats as I am, and I do not believe I could handle owning a boat with someone who does not baby it as I do. Between the scheduled maintenance, to the way I drive, trailer, etc, I tend to want to be the party responsible through both the good times and the bad (of my own volition) of owning a boat. It may work for some people, and certainly would be nice if you only use the boat during weekdays etc when there would be no competition for use, but I could not handle it.

[Nordicron]

Replace that bad boy with my 210! We will go even up and I'll even throw in my 500lbs of lead weight! !

Seriously though I'd replace with another G! I tested a '13 G 550 on Friday with a couple of my MC buddies and we where all blown away! Totally awesome machine! We had full ballast and 7 on the boat. Plenty of room and that thing screamed! Hoped right on plane and handled almost as good as my 210 !!! The wake was insane! So easy to hit and it just booted you! The only thing I thought that coulda been better was the throttle, I actually liked my throttle better. The other thing that maybe concerned me and my buddies was the motor revving the 5300rpms everytime we turned and on launch. Prob just the power of that 550! Anyone know what kinda Rpm's to expect with the 14's 450 and new tranny?

[northwestwater]

hey swankster! i thought i'd put my two cents in on partnerships. i agree with common thought about using partners as it can be wrought with problems and requires compromise/collaboration. while i can't speak specifically to sharing boats, i have built over 30 business partners in my lifetime and have maintained wonderful friendships with all of them through the years. i think there are many stories of partnerships that got ugly. but, i also think that sometimes partnerships solve many problems particularly because sharing something potentially lowers the cost of whatever it is you are trying to do. if you are willing to compromise and understand it is as much theirs as yours...if you don't fight for the greater good of enjoying something you otherwise might not be able to afford...if you always work towards making your partners needs above yours....well, then it can be a productive thing. i do agree with having legal agreements in the case that separation occurs but, i would hide those agreements and not look at them unless unfortunate circumstances force the issue.

I am older than most on this forum and looking back on my life, i would say some of my greatest joy's have been watching fellow business partners achieve their dreams. if you really want to have a nice boat and you can find a partner who wants the same and is willing to compromise, in my head, i'd say go for it.