Small Sportfishing Boat

Here is a thread from The Hull Truth from 2019 with a few numbers thrown around. Just keep in mind how mush shite has gone up since 2019 to know from inflation.

LINK

Maintenance and operating costs will be an exponential change from a bay boat. From experience you should factor 10% - 20% of the purchase price for annual cost of ownership.

Hire someone to survey the hull and diesels separately.

If you're set on making the purchase, I would consider an Albamarle, and Henriques in addition to the Cabo. Viking also makes a nice Express, but it's a different price point.

Not sure where you're located, but I would consider keeping the boat in GI at Hurricane Hole. It's the nicest marina in Louisiana with great amenities for the family. Day trips offshore are more cost effective from GI as well.

Woooooo....taking up bill fishing as a pastime is not normally done with any consideration for money...its usually one of those "if you have to ask your probably ain't got it". Especially in the Gulf. Its usually a long boat ride to any bill fish other than sails even in Venice. That alone keeps most people from taking it up on a budget.

I had 1/4 share in a 26 foot Mako CC with twin 250s on a bracket from 1996 - 2008. It was kept in dry storage in Stuart Florida (it is entirely possible to regularly catch sails in that part of Florida withing a mile of the hill and not un-heard of to catch striped and white marlin in the same areas...the gulf stream does, on occasion, hit the hill in that area). That boat in that area was a sail fish catching machine. I had reworked the boat from the transom to the bow before I sold shares in it. I knew it backward and forwards. The other 3 owners were pretty well heeled...they did not think a helluva lot about money. I did almost ALL the maintenance work myself because I enjoy doing it and do not trust anyone else to do it right...especially on a boat that I, for all intents and purposes, hand built. That being said if something minor happened while one of us was using it we simply fixed it out of our pocket...no one ever complained. We never had any major issues but, if we had to repower, for example, I would have done it out of pocket and if someone did not want to pay they'd be paid out and there'd be three of us left. This was understood but never tested. We never had any issues. I used the boat far more than anyone else.

This is a vastly different boat, however, from what you are talking about. Keeping a boat in dry storage and keeping one in the water is an entirely different situation...the latter is infinitely worse on maintenance. I would consider a walk around that could be dry stored. It will do anything a sportfisherman will do and will do so comfortably for fishermen. In my experience the thrill of riding in any boat offshore fades the first time you return through any pass on an outgoing tide with a fresh sea breeze...most folks who like the idea of boat riding offshore take up golf after facing confused 5-6s mere seconds apart on an outgoing tide in a narrow pass choked with boat traffic. I have been in passes on the Flordia Atlantic Coast in 60 foot sportfisherman and at times they are just as wet and uncomfortable as a center console. Most people are sane enough to not enjoy being in a boat offshore even in 1-2s. Only an insane fisherman is willing to risk much more than 3-4s. I can't imagine a more boring and painful experience than being in a boat offshore simply for the sake of being in a boat offshore. I would posit that the idea of family members joining you offshore will not happen often enough to warrant the extra expenses of a true sportfisherman...especially since you are asking about expenses. A 30 foot walk around with twins or more will be far less expensive than a true sportfisherman in the long run.

MONEY PIT!!!! Like everyone else said about tackle, bait and fuel. Plus, u have to worry about ur burn rate vs what u hold. If you don't hold enough u will need to add fuel bladders.

Remember the 3 F's ........ rent it!

I honestly would buy a used mono hull or cat. Less mantaince, cover more ground and WAY FASTER!!!!

A good friend bought a Hatteras sports fishermen.

He had it a couple of years and he now says "I could afford to buy the boat, but I couldn't afford to own the boat."

Looked at doing the same thing last year, after much research from folks I trust in the industry I pulled back on the SF idea. Just couldn't justify the extra expenses. I ended up buying a 27' Glacier Bay Cat with a cabin as I got tired of trying to find the 33'+ models, not a lot were made. Being able to trailer it saves 1000s per year, we went out about a dozen times last summer up to 60 miles to get our feet wet. Looking to do some over night tuna trips this year, still acquiring offshore tackle, holy crap, it doesn't take long to get to 10k in that department. It has outriggers and we are slowing learning the trolling game, previous owner is a captain on a big SF, he has caught billfish off it in the past. We run out of Port A in Texas. Biggest adjustment for me is the speed, going from my SCB to chugging along at 28 mph can be maddening at times. Still have my eye out for a 33' World Cat EC or GB 34' with a cabin with twin 350s.

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What am I missing?

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Don't give up just because everyone says it "expensive" or "foolish".... They are correct, but it's also relative to your situation.

Best two pieces of advice I can give you if yall are serious is:

1) Contact Galati or Bluewater. Most salesman are captains that will be glad to help you. Ask as many "dumb" questions as you can think of. They will be glad to work you numbers because they make few sales per year and need as many leads as possible. Also, you have access to the network of captains when you need one.

2) Charter. They are not cheap in the gulf but extremely valuable. This is how you build the network of crew and maintenance for your boat You will find that most mates are part time, and spend the other time detailing, repairing, selling parts, or working at the local boat/bait shops. Friend them on facebook and get there numbers. Stay in touch and take them for a beer or lunch whenever you are in the area. They will give you most of the info you seek, and if you jump in, you have a phonebook of crew willing to jump on. If they see yall drop that kind of money on a charter and take care of them, they know you are serious and someone to consider working with/for.