[blainer]

Hi all,

I have been shopping for a boat for almost a year now, nearly pulled the trigger on a Larson LXI 208 this summer. Locally they are very pricey but i had found one that the dealership owner had demo'd and put 10 hours on it. They are selling it for about $14000 less than an 09 would go for. it is a very sharp looking boat but there absolutely no options on it other than bimini top and canvas package. Thinking i should shop around some more i found a brand new 08 Mariah SX 20 that has almost every available option: bimini, canvas package, thru hull exhaust, cd player with 4 speaker, extended swim platform, helm stereo controls, transom tilt, heater, hot and cold shower, custom dual axle trailer with swing away hitch, Roswell wakerboard tower with board racks. And i can get it for only $2000 more than the Larson is. Now i know this seems like a spectacular deal, but i am still a little unsure. I really like the looks of the Mariah, and the interior is nice, but it just doesnt seem to have the same quality and fit and finish as the Larson. Am i just being a little picky or are the new Mariahs more like a middle of the range quality boat? Any and all feedback is appreciated. thanks

Oh at the same dealership there is also an 08 SX21 with the exact same options as the SX20 for $2000 more than the SX20. Would it be worth it to go for the bigger boat or is the difference so small as to be not worth it? looking at them in the showroom it is hard to tell any size differences between them. They both have the same 260 hp engine so i would imagine the SX20 will get out of the water somewhat faster.


One other question, is the 260hp more than enough for this boat, we do alot of tubing, skiing and wakeboarding and i want somehting that will really get out of the water in a hurry. Would it be worthwhile to put a 4 or 5 blade prop on it?

[mikeyt]

Originally Posted by blainer

Hi all,

I have been shopping for a boat for almost a year now, nearly pulled the trigger on a Larson LXI 208 this summer. Locally they are very pricey but i had found one that the dealership owner had demo'd and put 10 hours on it. They are selling it for about $14000 less than an 09 would go for. it is a very sharp looking boat but there absolutely no options on it other than bimini top and canvas package. Thinking i should shop around some more i found a brand new 08 Mariah SX 20 that has almost every available option: bimini, canvas package, thru hull exhaust, cd player with 4 speaker, extended swim platform, helm stereo controls, transom tilt, heater, hot and cold shower, custom dual axle trailer with swing away hitch, Roswell wakerboard tower with board racks. And i can get it for only $2000 more than the Larson is. Now i know this seems like a spectacular deal, but i am still a little unsure. I really like the looks of the Mariah, and the interior is nice, but it just doesnt seem to have the same quality and fit and finish as the Larson. Am i just being a little picky or are the new Mariahs more like a middle of the range quality boat? Any and all feedback is appreciated. thanks

Oh at the same dealership there is also an 08 SX21 with the exact same options as the SX20 for $2000 more than the SX20. Would it be worth it to go for the bigger boat or is the difference so small as to be not worth it? looking at them in the showroom it is hard to tell any size differences between them. They both have the same 260 hp engine so i would imagine the SX20 will get out of the water somewhat faster.


One other question, is the 260hp more than enough for this boat, we do alot of tubing, skiing and wakeboarding and i want somehting that will really get out of the water in a hurry. Would it be worthwhile to put a 4 or 5 blade prop on it?

ok, i'll start & others can chime in with their opinions. Yes, i believe that the new Mariahs are a 'middle of the range' boat in terms of quality / fit / finish but they are a very good value boat given the extras included at the price. Mariah quality appears to have improved since the early yrs (2003) as has their customer service. Personally i would go for the 21' just for the slight extra room in the cockpit.

I'll assume the 260hp is the 5.7L and yes, that engine will give you excellent performance in either the 20 or 21' model. As for wakeboarding etc, a 4 or 5 blade prop will give you better acceleration & 'grip' compared to a 3 blade.

[blainer]

Hi, thanks for the reply, the 260hp is a 5.0l engine merc. Yes i think the boat is a good value.

[John Morgan]

I bought a Larson 180 (Runabout) 6 years ago. The hull has held up but almost everything else has given me trouble. I’ve dumped ten times the loctite into it than I’ve had to on my Mariah (Z250). The passenger seat floor bolts came through the plywood the first week. As for the new Mariah’s, I don’t know much. But I would never buy a Larson again.

[ShabahZ280]

I too, almost pulled the trigger on a new 21' larson before I bought my Z250. It was between that and a Sea Ray. Then I found my Mariah and fell in love with it.

While it is true, the newer Sea Fox Mariahs are a more "budget friendly" model, they still are nice boats, and they seem to be getting much better with their design and constructions, materials used, and customer service. You have to remember, Sea Fox is a large producer of center console fishing boats. Their Mariah line is their venture into the bowrider and cruiser market. They do use the old molds from the original Mariahs, but they're not as well equipped as the originals were. However, they're still nice boats, and in comparison with some other manufacturers, I'd definitely choose the Sea Fox Mariah over quite a few brands.

The general rule of boating is always buy the biggest boat with the biggest motor. Because you'll always want something bigger and faster. While the SX21 might not have a huge motor, that extra foot of space will most likely come in handy, especially in the watersports area. More space is definitely a plus. And honestly you'll be happy with the performance of the 5.0L in that boat. Granted it won't be a speed demon, but it should be economical on gas, and be able to handle anything you can throw at it. I'm guessing with a stock 3 blade prop, WOT speed is probably high 40's low 50's. And that's plenty fast! Swapping to a 4 blade prop will definitely help with holeshot for the watersports, but you'll lose a few top end MPH in the process.

Hope this helps, and definitely keep us updated with what you decide to do!

[95 z200]

I would definately get the 21' boat. The more room the better
I have the five blade prop on mine and the 5.0 carburated engine and have no problems pulling anybody until you try to slalom ski. Then it is a little hard to get out of the water. Don't know if top speed matters to you or not but on smooth water it will still top out at about 52 on the speedometer not gps. Can not remember for sure ut I think its a 21 pitch prop also.

[blainer]

Well i have pretty much decided to ge the SX20. I am just afraid the 21 will be underpowered. Is there anything you think i should add onto the boat? I am thinking i should get a 2 battery system, i hate to be stranded out on the lake after draining the battery while listening to tunes. Do you think i should try it out with the stock 3 blade prop or just get a 4 or 5 blade prop right off the start? Being that this will be my first boat, i want to make sure i have everything i want or need. thanks for all the replies.

Blaine

[ShabahZ280]

Both of these can be added after the fact, and I suggest doing that. Run your boat first in it's stock form, so you're used to everything. Switching to a 4 or 5 blade prop is going to run you upwards of $400, and adding a dual battery system is going to cost around $200+. There's $600 right there you could have been spending on fuel, beverages, wakeboard accessories, and all sorts of other things.

If you plan to anchor up and listen to the tunes, just remember to start your boat and let it run for about 2 minutes every hour or two, and you'll have no worries about running your battery dead.

[uscghutch]

I have an SX20 with the 4.3L 190 Hp Mercruiser. I haven't changed anything on the boat. Spending the money on a prop is only worth it if you really want some more speed or pulling power. I have done every kind of water sport with mine and had no problems. The engine has plenty of power and the boat pulls fine. My top speed according to the speedo was around 55. Which of course depends on weight(gear, fuel people, etc.). Take some time to get used to the boat. Rember also, if there are a few people on board, use them as weight balance. The boat also trims very well with just the motor. Play around with it. You can feel the difference when the boat is on plane. Trim up to bring the nose up slightly and the boat will smooth out and ride on the back end. It saves on gas and will give more speed at a lower rpm. Hope you enjoy yours as much as I do!!