New Parker 2320 vs. Used 2520 vs. Eastern 248 or 27?

[Pat G]

My crew loves the bench seat. If just 1 they lean against the rear bulkhead and kick their feet up across the bench. When hanging out at the dock or wherever, I do the same. Plus, when I have 3, 4 5 or more it give needed seating. If we are pounding offshore they ride in the bean bags on the rear deck or sit in the deck chairs. I didnt know it was even an option to delete the bench on the 2120 or 2320??

Where can I get one

 

[warthog5]

No One buys I/O's around here. They end up a Rusty Blob.

 

[Brent]

I had to look up the Eastern as I'm not familiar with them. They are an attractive design. Also, as you mentioned, you are comparing 2 fairy different animals here. One more of a bay cruiser and one more of an offshore fishing boat. The eastern has the down east hull design with its flatter bottom which is going to ride differently than a Parker 2320 which is a deep V hull design. Deep V for speed in rougher seas and the down east more slow and steady when rough seas keeping the hull in the water vs more on top with the deep V. Deep V requires more HP to operate than the down east. The Eastern appears to have a non opening front windows. In Maine in the summer that probably won't matter much but on the CB in summer I think it may be a little hotter. No inclosed back on the Eastern? I guess it's a matter of preference and how you are using the boat. It's nice to be able to close the back door when it's colder out or if in a rain storm etc... Also just when not in use to keep everything clean and dry. It's also nice to have the open back design when family/friends cruising/fishing as everyone is more together and deck access is a little easier. I think you can order the Parker as an open back too? My 2120 and the 2320 are identical from the cabin door forward so my experience with that part is on par. Because you have to step down into the Parker cabin and the head is in the vbirth, there is a good amount of privacy for the ladies as long as the rest of the crew vacates to the aft deck and closes the cabin door. I think the 2 boats are a draw there. I don't know if you can get the 2320 with a pump out head but that would be nice for your needs. Your idea of putting the rear transum seat on the 2320 is a good one for your needs. Add a couple of nice deck chairs by the bulk head facing rear and you can seat 4 easily in the deck. I attached a pic of my deck set up. If you get the 2320, don't order it with less than the F250 HP.

 

[Bodick93]

I have a '19 2320. All it takes to be an awesome family boat is cockpit seating and a sunshade. If not a hardcore fisherman, I would do a nice stainless steel bow Bimini top. I have 2 deck chairs and 2 Yetis, a 75 and 65. I line them up on each gunwale facing each other.

The cabin is great for napping, being 100% out of the sun. Add a Milwaukee or some other battery powered fan and you're set.
I have considered an inflatable Bote couch ($400) for the transom for riding distances, as that factory seat is heavy and blocks access to some things that make me nervous. The cabin is a NO GO for riding any distance at speed if there is any roughness, you have to stay in the back of the boat. I have beanbags, but have never put them in the boat. My teenagers, now adults confiscated for the game room.
When fishing with 3, I put the 75 in the center and one person rides on that, sitting on a throw cushion, and the other rides in the cabin facing the captain.
For kids the age of yours, bean bags in the cockpit would be ideal. They would be down in the boat and safe while traveling. While sandbarring, we put the boombox3 Bluetooth speaker on the engine bracket or transom and have a blast.
At home, THE PERFECT setup would be to have a 3-railed covered platform/deck at gunwale height, adjacent to where you park the boat, so that you can reach over and offload/store fishing stuff, and onload family stuff (floats/chairs/noodles/coolers) and then reverse for fishing trips.
That is my biggest PIA...that plus loading cooler and fishbox with ice.
I just procured a few big pallets for this and will use my tractor now, instead of humping all the stuff from the garage to the boat and back. For the "light weight" shorter trips, you can just store some of the stuff in the cabin between trips. Can't do that with a CC.
Oh, and I personally wouldn't delete the bench. There is lots of good storage under there in addition to the seating.