Buying "04" 175 Osprey. Looking for advice, comments, sugg.

[davs1wrld]

Hello All,
   My name is Dave, I live in the Ft. Lauderdale area. I am purchasing a "04" 175 Osprey, downsizing from my last boat. I have done a lot of research on this boat and believe it will fill all my needs nicely. But in all I have read I do not see any negative feedback. Is this boat really this good or am I just reading very optimistic reviews. I am looking forward to hearing comments from those who have actually used this boat in different activities, from fishing, both inshore and offshore, to skiing/tubing, diving and just cruising etc. Also interested in any modifications made to improve on these activities. Any and all input will be appreciated. The boat has a 90 yamaha with very low hours and is in excellent condition, All original.

[pete]

welcome aboard sir!that sounds like a great rig!get the motor checked out by a yammy tech,enjoy!

[RickK]

I love my 170 and have used it mostly inshore and near shore for the last 23+ years.  The size of the boat makes it great for towing and when you get to the ramp it is easy to handle by yourself on launch and retrieve. The design of the boat makes it a great inshore boat and it'll float in very little water.  She is best suited for 2 people but 3 is ok too.

[kchaudha]

Hi Dave,
I have a 1998 175 that I have only owned for a few months.  But so far I love it.  I think these boats are great overall value and pretty versatile.  I also have not really seen negatives written about them.

[akbridge]

The boat should fit the bill.  It does most things very well.  The only down side I have seen is lack of storage, generally not self bailing, and fairly tippy.  Having said that, I love mine.  It does everything I need it to and it is easy to store and tow.  Just make sure the engine is in good shape, check out everything for corrosion, and throw a bad offer at them for the boat.  There are tons of these boat available, don't get stuck on one.

[bcc101]

I have a 2001 with a 115 Johnson. We purchased this boat after it had been used in Long Island Sound for a year and have since used it in frsh water in upstate NY in quite varied conditions.

We really like the boat and many times have 4 or five on board. It is, however better with two.

The boat is stable and has handled some storm conditions that kick up on the Finger Lakes.

For those that helped build this boat I appreciate the quality . The storage is somewhat lacking-but it is only 17' and is an open boat.

Changes. This year I'll put a extra step on the swim ladder. As we get older it is more difficult to reenter the boat with any grace.
A few years ago we put in some solid  flip up cleats on the rear decks. This way we use the lower ones for fenders and eliminate chafing across the deck. Thought about a bimini, but after this summer I am not sure if we need it.
We tow with a V6 4 Runner and really have no problems.
For some poorly thought out reson I considered selling the boat last Spring. My wife brought me to my senses-one of her resons being we could not get as good a boat for any where near what we have invested in this.

Enjoy your boat.
Bruce

[fitz73222]

One way to deal with limited storage is to plastic tote as much of your gear as possible. It keeps things neat, clean, stackable an orderly. When it comes to wash down, it takes just a couple of minutes to empty the boat and you dont have to worry about getting things wet and introducing mold in your compartments.