Newbie looking to buy a pilot house boat

[fighterpilot]

We're downsizing from a 34 Californian to a pilot house type boat in the 25 foot range. Budget $20,000. Looking for a fixed, hard roof, pilot house type, boat that I can put a RV A/C on the top and hook up my Honda 2000 gen. up there as well. I did this on a Hydra Sport 2750WA some years ago and it worked great. Want to fish up to 6. Mostly bays in Panhandle Florida area, but want to be able to run out into the Gulf now and than, like in snapper season. 24 miles to the Gulf. Prefer single engine for simplicity and cost savings. Will pay SEA TOW every year as necessary. Would like room for port a potty. Although we will keep it at our dock most of the time, trailerable is a hard requirement with standard big PU truck. 9'6" beam max but preferable rather than narrower.

C-hawk, May-Craft, and Parker are some examples. May-Craft hard to find. C-hawk reported to ride hard in chop, etc. Parker I'm still learning about.

Going to look at a Parker "25 foot pilot house" 1989 model with 1999 Yamaha Saltwater 250 on it next week. Would appreciate your thoughts on older Parker pilot house boats and the described boat in particular. What are the weaknesses and strengths of the older Parker pilot house boats and the engines that might be hung on them. Fuel tank corrosion would be of concern as well as wood rot and transom rot. I have read that the OX 66 is a pretty good engine, but I believe Mercurys were hung as original installs on the late 80s and early 90s boats. What about them? What about other engines?

Thanks for your help. FP

 

[HOTPURSUIT]

parker definitly leads the pack on the boats you mentioned, but thats just my opinion. none of them will have a ride you are use to with a shallow dead rise but the C-hawk is a light boat which makes the ride a little rougher. check the head room in the pilot house on the other two. one of the many reasons that I went with a parker is that I am 6'-3" and dont have a problem standing up in a parker. I looked into all three and my desision was parker. good luck Mike

 

[fighterpilot]

I have seen numbers for the boats like 2510, 2520, and 2530. What is the difference. Also, understand they made a deep v as well as a modified V. Do they have different names or numbers? Thanks

 

[warthog5]

I have seen numbers for the boats like 2510, 2520, and 2530. What is the difference.

Go to Parkers website and you will see a lot of the difference's in general appearance. Older models will still be similar.