Pen Yan Boats

[scooterj1770]

Does anyone have any expierence with Pen Yan boats? I am looking at a 2001- 25 foot IO with a 230HP Merc. The company went out of business that year. I will be using it on Lake Superior for Lakers and for cruising. Boat has less than 300 hours on the main motor and is a one owner. The owner has nothing but praise for the brand and the boat and is selling because of his age but I have never been around one. Any feedback would be helpful.

[Priority1]

From what I have heard they are a good solid boat. Maybe someone with some personal experience will chime in. I know Penn Yan also made a true inboard with tunnel drive. It would be a good idea to have someone look it over closely.

[scooterj1770]

Thanks for the reply, I will certainly have it looked over, before making an offer.

[Nailer]

A friend of mine has one. He has only good thing to say about them.

As far as I know they are solidly built boats.

They are built up in your area some wherein they?

[1mainiac]

My experience with Penn Yan boats has been good however avoid the jet powered version if you intend on fishing it. Most of the ones I have fished off have had very little dead rise which can make them rough in choppy water. They are well built and most people seem to love them I also would try and avoid the tunnel drive boats but some people love them as well. Since you did not say which model you are looking at it is hard to give a honest opinion as there are several I would say go for it and several I would say think about it or pass on it. I would take a 288 Predator with the twin tunnel drives But would pass on a Sabre with a tunnel drive so it really comes down to which boat.

[Boss Hawg]

We have a 26' sport fisherman with tunnel drive. The drive takes a lot of getting used to bit nice with the low water levels in some marinas. The boat itself is super solid in my opinion great quality.

[prop nut]

pen yan was a quality built fishing boat

my father in law had one we we literally wore out two motors in it trolling

it was a late 70s vintage

the tunnel drive was a bitch to steer in close quarters with a little wind

you had to push some water over the rudder to anything but straight and people where always yelling at you for driving to fast in nowake zones but it was the only way you could steer it

they did not make that many stern drive models the couple i have seen where all older ones and they had problems with the transoms they where not as heavy as they should of been for a stern drive application and then when they cut the hole in for the drive they did not reglass the exposed wood core this ended up letting water into the transom board and rotting

make sure you check around the out drive for soft transom

other than that these where great boat for fishing lake michigan i spent lots of fun hours of a couple different friends boats that had them