I want to buy a 55 Ocean

[Gamblinhand]

I have always wanted to buy a big off shore rig. I have never owned a big Sportfisher type with diesels A/C etc..... I keep seeing these gorgeous Ocean 55's for sale for less than $300 grand. They are 86-87 models, but they look great and they have a avg. cruise speed of 25+ knots they say? I'm wondering are they just so much cheaper than than Bertrams, because they are poorly made?? Somebody tell why I can buy a 55 Ocean for $300 or less and the same year 42 or 43 Bertram is just as much money and its a lot slower???

[sandrus]

I seem to remember a lot of problems with Ocean Yachts back in the 80's on the east coasts. If my memory is correct, Ocean owners placed ads in the back of fishing magazines trying to get other owners to join in lawsuits. On the other hand, my brother used to live on and fish off a 1974 45' hatteras. Not the fastest boat, but it was solid.

[freespool]

Go look at one. Crawl around in the bilge some. If you get one make sure you have a good EPIRB and life raft. (Just as you should on any boat.)

[PalmsUp]

A buddy of mine bought a big sportfish. He never owned one either. He kept it in Freeport and used it quite often. After a couple of years and 2 new cat engines and 2 new generators, 2 bottom jobs and many cleanup/wax jobs he sold it for 50k less than he paid for it, not to mention the cost of the 2 new cats and generators and slip fees and fuel tank cleanouts, he bought a 35 center console.

Good Luck with your purchase

[Fishdaze]

Some of the earlier Oceans had quality and performance problems. They were known as the "Flexible Flyers". The initial cost or purchase price going into a sportfisherman may not sound like much, but your yearly cost is going to be quite a bit to maintain it correctly, like 15 to 25% of the boats value a year. Of course, some people have that kind of money. If I did, I would love to have a sport fisherman.

If you want more info, I would go the a site like "The Hull Truth", or one of the Yacht forums that covers SF's.

[Blue Water Roughneck]

You can count on it costing you $1000 per foot per year for insurance and routine maintenance. This is before you buy fuel to go fishing.

[Dutch Treat]

A friend on the next dock over had a 46 or 48 Ocean that was a mid 80's vintage. He had issues with leaks around portholes and hatches. Beaucoup mold & mildew all the time. He now owns a Hatteras.

If you have not owned a boat of this type I suggest LOTS of homework and have a good relationship with an excellent marine surveyor. As Fishdaze mentioned, the nickname flexible flyer was apparently deserved.

Keep us posted on your progress.
Bob

[DFoley]

Ive fished on a 55 out of the keys and it was pretty rough riding, we even got the occasional spray over the bow. The inside layout is nice IMO kinda different from the Berts. Check one out though.Im looking at a blackfin right now, I understand how you feel cause right now I got the itch too :P

[Jack Hexter]

Go to Miami right now (during the boat show) and test ride one. While on the ride, go into the engine room and watch the stringers flex. That's why they are called Flexible Fliers. Ocean Yacht's have very pretty lines, but there's other features I need in a boat that's more function and less pretty.

My son is a captain on a large custom sportfish. His boss (the owner) claims that when he gets up each day, before his feet hit the floor in the morning, the boat costs him $1000. This is mooreage, insurance, maintenance and salary, not including fuel to take it somewhere and fish.

[Striker Fisher]

If you look at a bigger boat as a 2nd house (Which it is for the most part) then it is not so bad... How much does a beach house cost a yr to keep and maintain.... "A" a lot...:D JK.

I enjoy a big boat. Mine is 37' not 55'. I would like to get a bigger boat like a 50, one day.

It is all in what you want to do.

As stated, I would do some research.

Is this your 1st big boat?

Unless you have a lot of money for a Capt and crew or don’t mind the expense then, I would say get it. Do not run the **** out of it and just enjoy the boat. I like big boats. Don’t mind the cost. That is me.

There are a few of us bigger boat owner here... Drop a PM if you would like to chat about this more.

Oh I would stay away from THT about bigger boats as well. IMHO.

[DFoley]

If this is your first big boat id kinda recommend an express style boat in the 32 ft+ range. That is why im looking at the older blackfin, topaz etc. they are much easier to maintain and fuel consumption etc is alot cheaper. Also get a good survey on the boat and make sure it is from someone reputable.

[11andy11]

ask over at this site www.thehulltruth.com. There are several members with Oceans.

[tbuckshot]

I ran a 42' ocean for 5 years professionally. The boat had problems, sure, but it was a great fishing boat. I had to do some mods, like add an 'emergency pump' to the central bilge, and some of the factory engineering didn't make sense to me, but the boat was a real fish raiser and very comfortable in nice weather. When it was rough, water would enter in the cap rail up in the V-birth and cause some problems. Also, flexing in the fore section caused gel coat spidering. However, I never felt it was a sea-worthy problem. I did cross the gulf to Cozumel in '85 and had no bodega to store my gear. Everything stayed on the boat. It would still hit 30 kts FULLY loaded. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of their new production boats (check out their 37' day boat), but for 300,000 I would be looking at a 53' Hatteras. Now THAT'S a boat for the Texas coast. Seems like you'd want that big Ocean down in Panama.

[coastal]

let me know when you buy one, ill run it for you as a cap

[1st_rate_mate]

Bertram is a classic.
So is Viking.

[dallasrick]

from what I have read and heard over the years, Berts build battleships, I have posted a link befor to David Pascoe out of Florida, a marine surveyer, who has some stuff on his site that makes a pretty convincing argument on that. Here is a pretty good link.
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatreviews/Bertram_42_convertible.htm

[Fishdaze]

from what I have read and heard over the years, Berts build battleships, I have posted a link befor to David Pascoe out of Florida, a marine surveyer, who has some stuff on his site that makes a pretty convincing argument on that. Here is a pretty good link.
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/boatreviews/Bertram_42_convertible.htmPascoe has some good reviews / surveys. I forgot about his site.

I think the bottom line is if you're going to spend $300,000.00 or so on an early model sportfisherman, then there a lot better hulls out there than an Ocean. You can go on Yachtworld.com and find Oceans all day long for sale. The Oceans are well known for their interior though. The newer models have also improved on the hull quality I believe, but they're going to cost you a lot more than $300 grand.

[Monarchy]

Boats are like houses...even though you KNOW its gonna be alot more expensive than you think, you are still surprised by the cash requirments.

Big boats are all about the engines...do LOTS of research on the web.

I'd start with a smaller boat (30 something) and better engines. I've always had a spot in my heart for Blackfins....simply one of the best you can buy.

Also keep in mind big diesel boats are demanding mistresses. You can park a 31 Contender in the barn for 3 months and not touch it. You have to constantly be loving on your diesel boat sitting in a slip.

[spotsndots]

I am pretty sure this is where the old saying B.O.A.T means Bring Out Another Thousand came from!

[Tombo]

I remember in Panama City Beach, some of the boats purchased came from around Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, seems there is a huge selection and lots of boats for sale. They got better deals by having the boat driven or hauled.

Come to think of it, maybe the original poster is in a position that 55' might be an entry level until he gets that 100' yacht later.

[CoastalOutfitters]

other than the obvious survey , i would spend some extra and get the motors really ckd out by a qualified marine diesel mechanic.

if you buy some wore out motors , a repower in a vessel that big is flat ugly, go price it.

[freespool]

other than the obvious survey , i would spend some extra and get the motors really ckd out by a qualified marine diesel mechanic.

if you buy some wore out motors , a repower in a vessel that big is flat ugly, go price it.
You could repower that thing pretty easy for about $250 to $300 K.

[CoastalOutfitters]

You could repower that thing pretty easy for about $250 to $300 K.
so now is that 87 ocean worth $600K repowered ?

[Swells]

More like a buck or two 89. ;)

[mataboy]

take this advise stay away from oceans

[marlin1989]

There is a reason you don't see them on the Gulf Coast, they don't handle our chop.

[FISHTEXX]

I heard several times "never go out in the ocean in an Ocean boat." They don't seem to have a good reputation on the gulf coast, although I don't have any personal experience on one. The Bertrem 44 I used to fish on out of Venice was awesome...