Hi Waterdoc,
I'm no expert but I have owned 2-281 Ospreys, 3-222 Ospreys, 1- 250 Osprey, 2- 19.6 Ospreys, so I do have some experience with AS. The 25' should be able to handle most anything you want around Tampa and for a good ways out into the Gulf. I have a friend that owns a 222WA and typically fishes 20 plus miles offshore in the ocean. He loves his boat and has a great deal of confidence in it. The 25' is a much larger more stable platform than the 222. Is it over priced? I "RECKON"!!! NADA average retail for the boat is 7200. Add in the trailer, new motor/outdrive and some electronics and you have a 10-12K boat 15K if it's exceptional and that a real stretch. You'd be better served to find a good hull with blown outboard(s) and trailer and invest all that money in a new outboard(s). I/O's are just a lot of greef. A straight inboard or outboard are much better. The outboard would be my prefenence. Look for soft spots in the deck, hatch covers for the gas tanks, transom, and if there's anyway to check the gas tank. Those are the things that go bad. The reason that the insurance company won't go that kind of value is because no matter how you dress her up, she's still an 85. Great boat but way over priced. Just my .02 worth. Sorry to be a wet blanket. Hope you didn't have your heart set on it and that you can still back out without getting hurt too bad.
Keith
