Which Walkaround for Lake O??

[seanc25]

So I sold my 17' Lund Rebel about a month ago with the intent of sizing up to a 21-25' walkaround to handle a bit more weather on the big lake.  I've been looking around at a bunch of makes/models and honestly the list is a bit overwhelming.  I'm hoping to get everyone's thoughts on boats you'd recommend and maybe those to stay away from.  My priorities are probably the same as anyone in search of one of these boats; large rear deck for fishing, ample storage in the cuddy, reliability, stability in "weather", towable by a 1/2 ton, etc.  My budget isn't huge at $20-$30k.  A few features that I think would be nice...hardtop, outboard, wash down, lockable cuddy, autopilot.

 

I put together a list of Makes/Models that I've seen either for sale or recently sold that meet these basic requirements, in no particular order.

 

Parker
2310 DV
2310 DV WA
2310 WA
2510 XLD
2510 XL

 

Wellcraft
220 COASTAL
22 WA
232
24 WA

 

Pursuit
2460 DENALI
2470 WA
2150 WA

 

Bayliner Trophy
2052 STRIPER
2152 WA
2502 PRO

 

NorthCoast
24 Fisherman
24 Express

 

Boston Whaler
255 CONQUEST

 

Hydra-Sports
230 WA
230 SEAHORSE

 

Proline
23 WA

 

Grady White
228 Seafarer
232 Gulf Stream

 

Some Others…
SeaSwirl Striper
Robalo
AquaSport
Shamrock
 

Let me know what you think and what I may be missing!

 

Thanks,

 

Sean

 

 

[Sk8man]

The Whaler is probably the safest boat but the Parker is in a class all by itself and it would be my choice out of all of them. They hold up well, have a lot of open space in the back, cut through the water beautifully, have a first class cabin/hardtop and on and on. On the downside they are expensive and you seldom see used ones for sale For 20-30 grand you'd probably be looking at one with some age. I wouldn't worry about the hull on either the Whaler or the Parker but older engines are the question mark.

[CK3080]

I bought a 22' 2004 Wellcraft in 2015 on halloween for considerably less than your budget. Keep an eye out this time of year and deals can be found, just have to jump on them quick.

 

Although mine is a dual console, its the same hull as the 220 Coastal, and I have been more than pleased with the boat and engine (Yamaha F200).  Wellcraft makes (or used to make) a very solid boat.

[AnglingAddict]

What requirement drove you specifically to a walk-around?  You definitely give up some overhead cuddy space and in general your cockpit will be narrower on a walk-around.

[seanc25]

What requirement drove you specifically to a walk-around?  You definitely give up some overhead cuddy space and in general your cockpit will be narrower on a walk-around.

Great question I was just trying to find a balance between overall functionality and having some decent space to hold gear and possibly spend an overnight or two on the boat. I am definitely open to other ideas in that range if you have any

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[Thatll Do]

I fished with a 19’ Starcraft and this past summer I bought a Grady white seafarer 226. It has a ton of fishing space for a 22’ boat, the cuddy is relatively small but fits everything i need in it, would be tight for sleeping overnight. Handles chop nicely and can fish in a lot more than the Starcraft could 

[mr 580]

Walkarounds offer good storage space and accessibility to the front/sides for docking.  Downside is you give up width of cockpit space and cabin space for sleeping.  Rear deck space can be good especially if you get a bracket mounted outboard.  If you look at I/O’s then a doghouse can take up deck room.  IMO in today’s market, I would take hours and condition over brand with a 20 to 30k budget. Fall is a good time to look and prices likely less than next spring.  Might not be a bad idea in your initial search to open top end up to see what an extra 10k gets you.  Good luck and have fun looking.

[lrg355]

One of the virtues I would be looking for is no wood in the hull.  Most major companies started phasing out regular wood in the late 90's. Some continued to use a marine treated in the transom for a few years but mostly eliminated that a bit later. You can find a list on line that shows when most companies eliminated structural wood.  Wood even in upper class  boats like Whaler or Grady White will be a problem if it had any leakage around fittings, etc throughout its life.