New to boating, please help.

[Sampiek]

Hi to all
I am new to boating, I been watching this forum since last year or so 2017
Looking between Chaparral 203 VRX and 223 VRX
Main difference, one engine or two engines
Not quite sure witch directions to look for.
Any words of advice will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You.

 

[PJ73]

Hey Sampiek,
While I'm not too familiar with the Chaparrals, I know they are very good boats and I believe they have the old Sea Doo engines in them if I am correct, very good motors.
I guess it comes down to what you want to do? If you're in Chicago and want to hit lake Michigan, the 223 with the twins would be my go to. Bigger boat, slightly better ride and in the unfortunate event of an engine going down, you have another on the lake to get back (not that it happens that often). Towing, the 223 is heavier, a bit bigger. Engine maintenance... two vs one. Again, not that big of a deal, but oil changes (etc) will cost more if you take it in. I believe surfing would be about the same, both will throw a wake, the 223 a slightly larger one. Tubing, skiing, wake boarding is a wash, for the most part.
Size difference, well, two feet might not seem like a lot, but it's nice to have along with any extra storage. Ask anyone and one of the biggest things you should look for on a boat is storage. Everything you want to take for the day needs to be packed into that boat, again, if you have a bigger family or friends come along, the 223 would work a bit better.
Now, don't think the 203 is a slouch, it's a very good boat with plenty of power and storage. I was looking at one before I chose my Yamaha.

There are a lot of Chaparral owners on here, you might want to amend your forum headline to "New to Chaparral, please help" and they'll come to the rescue, good people on here and very knowledgeable.

 

[Sampiek]

Thank You for the input.
My main concern since I am new to this all together is what will happen if for some reason engine dies and than what I do?
I think I will go with 223 dual engines.
Thank you for the info on changing the headline to Chaparral will do.

 

[Beachbummer]

For 200 per year you can buy tow insurance. If the engine dies someone from boatUS will show up and tow you back to safety.

I have a twin engine boat and I very much like always being able to return on my own power. (Except that time I ran out of fuel)

Consider this option, but don't let it weigh more than it should. In the US ports boatUS and others provide excellent towing services should you ever need it.

EDIT: IT'S CHEAPER than I remembered.
Boat Towing & Membership | BoatUS
$160 or less.

 

[PJ73]

Thank You for the input.
My main concern since I am new to this all together is what will happen if for some reason engine dies and than what I do?
I think I will go with 223 dual engines.
Thank you for the info on changing the headline to Chaparral will do.

These engines are robust, having issues, while it does happen from time to time, is not as prevalent as you might think. My old Sea Ray was an '06 and I never had an engine issue in 5 years of owning it. That said, if it does happen, it can suck (either paddle or get towed back) as @Beachbummer stated, you can get tow insurance and that would ease your mind. The second engine is nice to have, but not a deal maker/breaker.

 

[fireflymedic]

Something also to think about is if something gets stuck in the jet pump if you have 2 engines it would enable you to get back to your trailer and not be adrift.

 

[Seadeals]

Unless you are on a lake, two practical things that help you decide are your tow vehicle capabilities and the size of your garage or storage options. I could upgrade to a 223 from my SX210; but the Yamaha 24s don’t fit in the garage.

 

[Dean P]

If you can afford it, go with the bigger boat. Like mentioned, 2 feet make a big difference. You'll appreciate the extra room.

 

[Sampiek]

For 200 per year you can buy tow insurance. If the engine dies someone from boatUS will show up and tow you back to safety.

I have a twin engine boat and I very much like always being able to return on my own power. (Except that time I ran out of fuel)

Consider this option, but don't let it weigh more than it should. In the US ports boatUS and others provide excellent towing services should you ever need it.

EDIT: IT'S CHEAPER than I remembered.
Boat Towing & Membership | BoatUS
$160 or less.

 

[Sampiek]

Thank You all for valuable info.
For now my plans are , to use the boat on Michigan side of the lake. That's where dealer that I was looking at the boat is located at.
BoatUS is definitely a piece of mind for newbie like me.
Thanks again, I am sure there will be more questions coming.

 

[Dean P]

Thank You all for valuable info.
For now my plans are , to use the boat on Michigan side of the lake. That's where dealer that I was looking at the boat is located at.
BoatUS is definitely a piece of mind for newbie like me.
Thanks again, I am sure there will be more questions coming.

Good luck and enjoy. It's an awesome boat. Let us know if we can. help.

 

[Steve Risley]

Hey there Sampiek. I would not let engine failure be your determining factor. We've had our for 3 years and it's very reliable. Assuming cost of a larger boat is not a factor, I would let having more room, power, boat lift size (if applicable), tow vehicle, garage space, water sports, etc. be your determining factor in which one to get. As others mentioned, tow insurance is cheap. We were somewhat forced to limit our boat size due to our boat lift capacity & tow vehicle (could not afford to buy a larger boat and replace both the lift & tow vehicle). While we are very happy with our 203VRX and it meets our needs most of the time, there are times we have wished we had a bigger boat for a few extra people to bring. We manage because we also have two jet ski's. As you've probably heard a thousand times, buy your 2nd boat (bigger boat) the first time and you will not regret it.