[David Ward]

I'm seeking information. I've been searching for my first boat and reviewing different body styles and manufacturers and I seem to gravitate back to the original Mariah's. I'm currently in process of purchasing a 1999 272 BR with a 7.4L and Bravo III drive. Can anyone in this forum give me the goods/bads etc . Education on Mariah's; what's the difference in Shabah, Talari, etc - things to look for, avoid etc, etc, etc.....

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

David

[mikeyt]

Hi David. Welcome to our website! I'll start things off for you & since i'm not sure how much you know about Mariah, i'll start from the beginning. If you're looking at a '99 version then it's an original Mariah. Mariah closed it's doors & sold everything in 2002. SeaFox bought the name & some of the smaller size molds and Challenger bought the larger molds. Seafox versions are completely different boats however and parts are not directly interchangable and Seafox did not buy any of the original Mariah spare parts. (We're not really sure what happened to them). It is difficult to find original Mariah specific parts. By that i mean graphics, emblems, seats, glass, trim pieces etc. Mariah did a large amount of their mfr in-house so there were very few 3rd party suppliers out there. You can still get new switches, lights, gauges, accessories & engine / drive parts though.
The original Mariahs are very solidly built and well appointed boats but like any other boat, look for one that has been taken care of, isn't missing parts and take it for a test run. You could go one better & have a survey done on it. Some owners have complained about 'porpoising' but that's an easy fix with a set of Smart Tabs.
My understanding of the differences between Shabah, Talari & Barchetta is that the Shabah is more of a family / cruiser type boat, the Talari has a lower profile so is slightly more 'sporty' looking and the Barchetta was the sporty version with a lower profile, lower windshield line etc. Within those styles there were 2 different versions. A 'standard' boat and a "Z" model. The "Z" models had a number of upgrades including power operated rear decks / seats / antenna and a number of other goodies. Shabahs & Talaris were by far the more popular of the three styles though.

I'll let someone else fill you in on the 272 and the 7.4 / Bravo 3 as i dont have any experience with them.

[David Ward]

Thanks for the help. So I assume there are still lots of the original Mariah's in operation? How do you like yours?

[Z 202]

Well I can't speak for Mike, but I wouldn't trade my Mariah for all the tea in China. It's a fabulous boat. Anyone who's ever ridded in it has made a point of complimenting me on it.

The early Mariah's are among the best built boats on the water.

[mikeyt]

Mine has been an excellent boat. I've installed the Smart Tabs on mine (about $150 and 1 hr labour on a do-it-yourself basis) and that fixed the minor handing issues i had. Also, one of the nice things about doing any sort of electrical work on the original Mariahs is that all of the wiring is labelled and neatly hidden away yet it is relatively easy to get at. Makes it easy to source out any problems or add accessories etc. Performance is very good. I've got the 4.3LX in mine and will just hit 50mph. I had an 18' Stingray before this one and the Mariah ride / comfort is far superior for the same size boat.

[ShabahZ280]

MikeyT to the rescue!

I love my Mariah. It's a 2000, the only annoyance I have, and many others have experienced with their boats is that some of the screws tend to work themselves loose over the season, and cause a rattle or two. None of them have ever fallen out or broken anything, they just loosen to about "finger tight". At the beginning of this season, I removed all the trim and tightened everything down with a screwdriver. All in all, about an hour of work once a season. No big deal at all! And once you get behind the wheel of a Mariah, you'll WANT to take care of it. They just don't build boats like these anymore.

You'll be very happy with your decision if you decide to buy it. The 7.4L & Bravo 3 would be a good combo. It's not going to run 90mph, but i'll push you probably in the high 40s/low 50's at full plane. And for a boat that size, that's pretty fast. My Z250 will do 52, and it's scary.

I would recommend a full survey though, just to be on the safe side. Post the results here and we can all help you decide if it's a keeper!

[David Ward]

Man, what a great site! So give me your throughts about a 27 foot boat. I have 4 children, ranging from 6 to 15. We want to ski, tube and wakeboard - all the fun stuff. I'm concerned that a 27' boat is too big. I recognize everyones opinion is different but you guys seem to be VERY helpful and I'd appreciate your thoughts. So, from you experienced boaters, would I be better to search for a 24' Mariah???

Thanks again!!

[mikeyt]

In my eyes, a 27' is just a little too big for wakeboarding / tubing etc. At that length you're getting more into a weekend cruising /overnighting etc. type boat.

A 23 - 25' is a good size for what you are looking for. It will easily handle a family of 6 - 8 (kids like to bring friends along), will likely handle slightly better than the larger boat and will likely be slightly easier on the fuel (less weight to push around). And ...you wont have to buy a Kenworth or Mack truck to pull the damm thing around. A 23-25' can likely be stored in your driveway if necessary. The larger boat may have to be stored in the water or at a marina. There's no question the 27' will be more comfortable and provide a greater amt of space but for your needs the slightly smaller boat might be a better choice.

Just my thoughts....

[ShabahZ280]

A 27' is a bit big for watersports and such. The wake from a boat that big makes it tough to do any type of wave-related stuff. But, if the boat is equipped with Trim Tabs, you can use them to your advantage and control the wake and the boat maneuverability better. My 25' doesn't have tabs, and it's not the best for tubing or skiing. That's why I'm planning on adding the over the winter. Our other admin, MariahMan has a 25' that he uses for wakeboarding. Maybe he'll chime in with his experiences.

There's no doubt the 27' would be much more comfy for the family. You'll have the room to keep everyone happy. And always remember, you'll always want bigger. So get what you want first! But just remember, with the size comes with added expense of harbor fees, plus a tow vehicle if you plan to travel with it.

Is the boat you're looking at on ebay by any chance? If not, there's a Mariah 27' bowrider listed on there currently. Also, is this your first boat?

[dwmax]

I would agree with mikey t about 27 is a little big but it depends on what you want and what you will be comfortable with. I have a mariah z212 and i kneeboard,wakeboard,ski and tube on it my boat has the fuel injected 350 mag and i pull wakeboards out of the water with ease and have a big enough wake to do any kind of jump you would like to do. with about 4 people, skis,kneeboard,and wakeboard my boat will do 60mph completely trimed out at full throttle. and all day of fun i only use a little more than a quarter of a tank of fuel and i wouldnt trade my boat for any other kind of boat. i hope you find what you are looking for keep us posted with what you find.