Which boat for Diving NC wrecks?

[Redneck7]

Boat would be used for diving NC coastal wrecks as well as some gulf stream trips for h/l fishing and spearing.

1975 Silverton 28...twin small block chryslers (http://images.traderonline.com/img/6/dealer/758086/61203594_1.jpg)

1981 Grady White 25...twin 200 Merc o/b's (http://images.traderonline.com/EMedia/tarchive2/135/51906/00502796907.jpg)

1966 Bertram 25...twin 3.0L merc I/O's...has a little bit of a problem shifting one motor into gear. (http://images.traderonline.com/img/6/dealer/750354/50183246_1.jpg)

My top 3 choices right now...leanin toward the silverton 28 but the other 2 can be trailered (the grady much more than the Bertram). Thats desired since the Silverton will cost me big bucks in the winter.

Just lookin to get some opinions from folks who might know better than me what works out there.

-Ryan

[SPEARIT]

Well, since I live here in NC and spend a fair amount of time on these waters, I'll try to give you a little help.
First is the boat going to serve more than one purpose? I noticed in one of your other posts that you intended to live onboard at Hatteras this summer. If you're planning to live on one of these 3, cabin area will be a BIG factor. I spent a few years living on a 106ft Motor Yacht and it got tight after awhile onboard. If you've never lived long term on a boat before, you're in for a big surprise.
If the boat is going to be used strictly for diving/fishing, I'd look toward the Grady or Bertram, with the Grady being my preference for the following reasons:
1. The Grady is a Carolina built boat that's designed towards our waters.
2. The outboards are going to be a little easier/cheaper to maintain. Especially if there are already problems in the Bertram's running gear.
I wouldn't be too concerned about the age of the hulls on either the Grady or Bertram(I'd like to have a dollar for every 81 Grady still running, just here in NC) as long as they are sound.
You're going to have to compromise on some things on any boat you look at, unless you have only one purpose in mind for it, and it's still hard to find the perfect boat.

[Redneck7]

I appreciate those responses...as for living aboard, we're still debating that and if we do, it will more than likely be split between my boat and my friend's boat, so it'd be 1 or 2 per boat max (at 20 if I'm living on the water I'm not going to be upset about the arraingments, no matter what they are). As for offshore, I like the Grady also, but am worried about having a suitable tow vehicle. The Bertram was my first choice until I found out about the mech issues it is having, and while the broker told me they are minor but to go ahead and make a low offer, I don't want that to be a sign of things to come. My neighbor has the same bertram, less the tower, and he had her converted to diesel...I don't see myself having the money to do that anytime soon. As for the Silverton, the reason she is my first choice is a.) she is the only one I could semi-comfortable live aboard for 3 months. b.) she is the only one who has major maintence performed recently (the grady doesn't have any problems, but is running on old outboards...their days are numbered) The Silverton has had the engines/carbs rebuild within the past 125 hours, had the stuffing boxes repacked at the beginning of this past summer and includes the most in the way of electronics. c.) I asked a guy who has owned many boats and run offshore from VA and NC and he said that while maintence was easier on the O/Bs, that a twin screw inboard was a pleasure to drive...so he said he'd like the extra few feet plus the inboards.
Thanks for the replys and more opinions are welcomed.
-Ryan

[PatMyGreen]

Rebuilding the carbs on an outboard is more a time consuming thing than a difficult thing. The kits aren't very expensive and you can either figure it out yourself if you know anything about engines, or (what I did) have someone that knows what they are doing do one (for beer) while you watch and you do the rest while they watch. Maybe ask when the last time someone ran a compression test on the outboards was and what the results were? That should at least help give you an idea if death is eminent for the engines and to run away or not.

[Redneck7]

Thanks Pat...I can actually handle rebuilding carbs (used to race 4wheelers and dirtbikes) its the thought of having to purchase a powerhead anytime soon that bothers me. I'll be stretchin thin (REAAAAL thin) to get either of these boats and continue to be a college student...but hell, if it gets too tight financially I guess I could take a semester or two off and just fish :D There hasn't been a recent compression test of the engines on that Grady. Its an older guy and said he's getting too old to fish it, but it runs great...I trust he's not lying, but just because it ran great when he last fished it, it doesn't prove anything about how sound the motors are. Also, the grady's in 1981 (if I'm not mistaken) didn't have a closed transom OR a motor well...this bothers me since taking a wave over the transom in a boat that size wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities and that little splash board thing that older open transom boats had isn't going to help me too much.
-Ryan

[Md Spear]

Test, dont guess!! Being a NIASE certified mechanic since 1978, I've seen alot. Sitting , rings can stick to to the side of a piston e voila.. no compression althought it was running great many moons ago before it sat forever. Carbs gum up, wires crusted up the whazoo. Marine exposure is the worst case senario. Its just the way it is,so check it all out, dont pray for a deal from heaven.
Get a little battery lite you insert into the cylinder in the spark plug hole. You can easily see a scored or cooked cylinder.You must be aware of whats going on w/ the motors so you can create a real boat budget. Nothing worse than buying a boat and not having the cashish to make the new toy dependable and turn key. Wade.

[Redneck7]

yeah, thats kinda my worry with the grady, that something is going to be screwy. The betram I'm kinda stuck on, because he said it was ready for sea trial otherwise, as in the motors ran and he was glad to demonstrate and the shifter was only messed up one motor. And, I personally like the 3.0L LXs that it has as I have had that motor in my previous boat and love it in terms of fuel burn, BUT that damn boat is in Massachusetts. I'm going to look at that silverton in NJ on Friday and I guess I'll go from there since it's the most mechanically sound judging on description alone. Its already in dry storage/been winterized...any thoughts on what to do there? I'm doubting that they'll want to re-winterize it just for me to hear it run, but I'm not buying a boat based on the owner merely saying that it runs good.
-Ryan

[junior]

I love the old Bertram 25s. But I would not really plan on trailering it too far, too often as it has close to a 12' beam and is not exactly the lightest 25 footer on the market.

I would not buy anything without running it in the water.