Posted: January 22 2011 at 22:05 | IP Logged

Hi everyone. I am starting a search for about the 10th boat of my lifetime. My most recent boats have been, (now own) 230 hydrasports walkaround/200 yamaha 2005 for 3 years, 30' Searay weekender for 8 seasons, 25' Tiara vacationeer for 18 seasons, 21' stamas, 175 johnson 5 seasons .....I enjoyed my Stamas but remember having to repower it, the original 150hp did not handle this heavy boat well. I then moved up to the Tiara. Kept for 18 seasons on LI sound but had a son when I was 51 and the wife did not feel comfortable in Tiara. Had to move up to 30' Searay with twins and a lot of "furniture". Great ride for my son and great gas mileage (7 gal/hr both engines @3100 rpm) but now my son got to be 9 and wanted to water ski and tube. I got the Hydrasport and put about 70 hours on it first season, tubing and tubing and tubing, boy what a sore neck I had and an empty wallet. Worse than my twins. The last 2 seasons my son acquired other interests and I used the boat 100% for fishing. The boat is still like new, 190 hours, radar, black box, super electronics and 5 star trailer. I want to sell this while it it still in mint condition. My body is not in mint condition, had a hip implant and continue with bad arthritis, but contrary to doctors saying I would never boat again 3 years ago, heck , what do they know. If you become a couch potato you might as well call Dr. Kevorkian. I want a more comfortable boat, does not have to pull skis or win a race.  Want outboard(s) and a cabin, not a center console. I came across both the Stamas 288 Liberty and 32  express (ob). I don't know why I did not even know about these when I sold my Searay and got the Hydra-Sports.  When I had my 21 Stamas and needed advice I would call Tarpon Springs and Nick?? Stamas would answer the phone, he was quite a character. I guess he and his brother started the company. I would welcome any advice, ie, pros or cons of these 2 models or even something smaller that might be trailerable to avoid storage costs. I am concerned about how much power would be needed to power these boats sufficiently. I always had a high regard for the ride and structure of the Stamas but am not familiar with any models that I should shy away from or really  what model should be my #1 priority to buy.  I greatly appreciate any advice you can give this "old" salt who is going into his 3rd childhood and looking forward to a 4th and 5th. I intend to use this boat on LI sound, not out to the canyon, fish, relax, and get my son more involved with boating. He says he misses the Searay. Gee I wonder if his attraction to girls (he is now 13) has anything to do with a possible floating motel.lol