Opinions Please

[Three Sheets]

My wife and I are looking at 3 boats all in the same price range.
2002 Eagle Pilothouse 53
2008 North Pacific 43
1997 Grand Banks Europa 46 with Naiad Stabalizers.

Let me know your likes and dislikes.

Cheers

 

[Codger2]

My wife and I are looking at 3 boats all in the same price range.
2002 Eagle Pilothouse 53
2008 North Pacific 43
1997 Grand Banks Europa 46 with Naiad Stabalizers.

They're all nice boats but my pick would be the Grand Banks. (and I'm not going to list the 150 reasons why!)

If I were a "die hard cruiser," I've always lusted after that particular model.

 

[DavidM]

The GB with the Naiads.


David

 

[Marin]

Let me know your likes and dislikes.

Where are you planning to cruise? If you are planning to spend time offshore in the Pacific, the GB is not a great choice. GBs are excellent coastal cruisers but are not suitable for longer open-ocean work.

If you're going to be cruising the inside waters between Vancouver and SE Alaska the GB is a great, albeit it generally overpriced, choice (you pay more for the name).

I don't know anything about the other two boats you listed. However I will say that in my wife's and my opinion, the all-time best configuration for a cruising boat is the pilothouse. Be it a faster boat like a semi-planing Fleming or a slower displacement boat like a Krogen, Nordhavn, etc., to us the pilothouse configuration is near perfect.

 

[CPseudonym]

My wife and I are looking at 3 boats all in the same price range.
2002 Eagle Pilothouse 53
2008 North Pacific 43
1997 Grand Banks Europa 46 with Naiad Stabalizers.

Let me know your likes and dislikes.

Cheers

Price similarities aside you couldn't pick 3 more different boats. Two may be pilot house models but the 53 has perhaps 30-40% more interior space by volume.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

The stabilizers make it a no brainier for the most part.

 

[Baker]

I guess it all depends on what you want and what you are going to do with your boat. If you are gonna chill at the yacht club and stare at your boat....there is no prettier boat than a GB46 Europa!! If you want a boat with comfort and space and efficiency, the Eagle is the winner. I don't know much about the other one except that I have never liked their styling. I am sure it is a fine boat.

 

[markpierce]

It would be easier to select your next wife.

 

[Bay Pelican]

If you can decide what you are going to do with the boat, the decision is easy. As others have said the GB is not a blue water boat. The North Pacific 43 has a single engine but only carries 200 gallons of fuel. Great for coastal but not if you are going to Hawaii or the Caribbean. This leaves the Eagle which carries 800 gallons but is a little big for cruising the East Coast ICW, but great I would think for the Canadian coast and the US west coast.

 

[nwboater]

For resale and durability I'd rank them #1 GB, #2 Eagle, #3 NP. For ease of maintenance and cost to operate (insurance, moorage) and assuming local waters / Inside Passage seasonal cruising, I'd move the NP to #1. However, if I was writing the check it would be the GB (...and I'm a single screw devote ;-)

 

[ksanders]

In the Pacific Northwest where you live the Raised Pilothouse models are extremely useful. Even with a flying bridge you will operate the boat from the pilothouse almost all the time.

All three boats would be considered "Coastal Cruisers" with the ability to operate along any coastline anywhere. All three have the fuel capacity for that mission.

You will be more comfortable in the larger boat so the Eagle Pilothouse 53 would be my choice of these three.

 

[Bob Cofer]

In the PNW that GB is the ticket. Belive it or not it does occasionally rain here. The covered cockpit and side decks make her a 4 season cruiser. When it is nice, the flybridge makes for some wonderful views.

 

[caltexflanc]

This leaves the Eagle which carries 800 gallons but is a little big for cruising the East Coast ICW.

???!!

Boy all this time up and down the east coast and little did I know my boat was too big for the ICW. I'm going have to go tell my friends with 65 and 74 foot boats they better stop it too!

 

[Daveo]

If these are the only choices and with your money I'd pick the eagle 53 and add stabilization. That will set you back some but what price happiness?