{"data":{"ranked":[{"id":"avalon-venture-85","brand":"Avalon","model":"Venture 85","boatType":"pontoon","boatTypeLabel":"Pontoon","lengthFt":{"min":21,"max":22},"skillLevel":"beginner","summary":"Entry Avalon.","score":38,"maxScore":167,"scorePct":23,"reasons":[{"kind":"fit","text":"Strong match for getting started — Pontoon"},{"kind":"fit","text":"Use cases: family, first boat"},{"kind":"note","text":"Generally lower mechanical complexity; furniture, fencing, and tube repairs drive cost. Saltwater pontoons need aggressive corrosion budg…"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Tube dents from trailer and shallow-water grounding"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Fence gate latch failures and loose deck screws"}],"estimatedBudgetBand":"25-50k","tcoAnnualMid":5413,"commonIssues":["Tube dents from trailer and shallow-water grounding","Fence gate latch failures and loose deck screws","Furniture vinyl cracking from UV and improper covers"],"href":"/models/avalon-venture-85"},{"id":"regal-21-obx","brand":"Regal","model":"21 OBX","boatType":"bowrider","boatTypeLabel":"Bowrider / Runabout","lengthFt":{"min":21,"max":21.5},"skillLevel":"beginner","summary":"Outboard Regal starter.","score":38,"maxScore":167,"scorePct":23,"reasons":[{"kind":"fit","text":"Strong match for getting started — Bowrider / Runabout"},{"kind":"fit","text":"Use cases: first boat, lake day"},{"kind":"note","text":"Moderate ownership cost; sterndrive bellows/service surprises are the classic budget breaker. Trailering saves slip fees but adds tow-veh…"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Upholstery UV fade and foam waterlogging in bow seats"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Carpet mildew and stringer/deck fastener corrosion under carpet"}],"estimatedBudgetBand":"25-50k","tcoAnnualMid":5770,"commonIssues":["Upholstery UV fade and foam waterlogging in bow seats","Carpet mildew and stringer/deck fastener corrosion under carpet","Sterndrive bellows and gimbal bearing neglect (on I/O models)"],"href":"/models/regal-21-obx"},{"id":"sea-ray-spx-190","brand":"Sea Ray","model":"SPX 190","boatType":"bowrider","boatTypeLabel":"Bowrider / Runabout","lengthFt":{"min":19,"max":19.5},"skillLevel":"beginner","summary":"Entry Sea Ray bowrider.","score":38,"maxScore":167,"scorePct":23,"reasons":[{"kind":"fit","text":"Strong match for getting started — Bowrider / Runabout"},{"kind":"fit","text":"Use cases: lake day, watersports, first boat"},{"kind":"note","text":"Moderate ownership cost; sterndrive bellows/service surprises are the classic budget breaker. Trailering saves slip fees but adds tow-veh…"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Upholstery UV fade and foam waterlogging in bow seats"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Carpet mildew and stringer/deck fastener corrosion under carpet"}],"estimatedBudgetBand":"25-50k","tcoAnnualMid":6239,"commonIssues":["Upholstery UV fade and foam waterlogging in bow seats","Carpet mildew and stringer/deck fastener corrosion under carpet","Sterndrive bellows and gimbal bearing neglect (on I/O models)"],"href":"/models/sea-ray-spx-190"},{"id":"vision-marine-voltari-21","brand":"Vision Marine","model":"Voltari 21","boatType":"bowrider","boatTypeLabel":"Bowrider / Runabout","lengthFt":{"min":21,"max":21.5},"skillLevel":"beginner","summary":"Electric runabout for quiet Quality Boat Days.","score":38,"maxScore":167,"scorePct":23,"reasons":[{"kind":"fit","text":"Strong match for getting started — Bowrider / Runabout"},{"kind":"fit","text":"Use cases: day cruising, eco, first boat"},{"kind":"note","text":"Moderate ownership cost; sterndrive bellows/service surprises are the classic budget breaker. Trailering saves slip fees but adds tow-veh…"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Upholstery UV fade and foam waterlogging in bow seats"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Carpet mildew and stringer/deck fastener corrosion under carpet"}],"estimatedBudgetBand":"25-50k","tcoAnnualMid":5770,"commonIssues":["Upholstery UV fade and foam waterlogging in bow seats","Carpet mildew and stringer/deck fastener corrosion under carpet","Sterndrive bellows and gimbal bearing neglect (on I/O models)"],"href":"/models/vision-marine-voltari-21"},{"id":"boston-whaler-170-montauk","brand":"Boston Whaler","model":"170 Montauk","boatType":"center-console","boatTypeLabel":"Center Console","lengthFt":{"min":16.5,"max":17.5},"skillLevel":"beginner","summary":"Iconic unsinkable skiff; simple systems, high resale.","score":33,"maxScore":167,"scorePct":20,"reasons":[{"kind":"fit","text":"Decent overlap with your joy intents (Center Console)"},{"kind":"fit","text":"Use cases: inshore fishing, day cruising, family coastal"},{"kind":"note","text":"Expect higher annual engine and anode costs than lake runabouts; T-top canvas, electronics, and bottom paint (if kept wet) dominate. Twin…"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Gelcoat stress cracks at console and gunwale corners from hard offshore use"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"T-top / hardtop leak paths into console electronics"}],"estimatedBudgetBand":"25-50k","tcoAnnualMid":10579,"commonIssues":["Gelcoat stress cracks at console and gunwale corners from hard offshore use","T-top / hardtop leak paths into console electronics","Livewell pump failures and plumbing odors"],"href":"/models/boston-whaler-170-montauk"},{"id":"boston-whaler-250-dauntless","brand":"Boston Whaler","model":"250 Dauntless","boatType":"dual-console","boatTypeLabel":"Dual Console","lengthFt":{"min":25,"max":25.5},"skillLevel":"intermediate","summary":"Sweet-spot Dauntless.","score":33,"maxScore":167,"scorePct":20,"reasons":[{"kind":"fit","text":"Decent overlap with your joy intents (Dual Console)"},{"kind":"fit","text":"Use cases: family coastal, day cruising"},{"kind":"note","text":"Family boats often under-maintained; budget for canvas/isinglass and upholstery refresh every few seasons. Insurance and slip fees track …"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Windshield frame leaks and crazed acrylic panels"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Soft or waterlogged deck cores near console bases"}],"estimatedBudgetBand":"100-250k","tcoAnnualMid":16184,"commonIssues":["Windshield frame leaks and crazed acrylic panels","Soft or waterlogged deck cores near console bases","Canvas / isinglass zipper failures and UV embrittlement"],"href":"/models/boston-whaler-250-dauntless"},{"id":"chaparral-257-ssx","brand":"Chaparral","model":"257 SSX","boatType":"dual-console","boatTypeLabel":"Dual Console","lengthFt":{"min":25,"max":26},"skillLevel":"intermediate","summary":"Sport dual console; sterndrive common.","score":33,"maxScore":167,"scorePct":20,"reasons":[{"kind":"fit","text":"Decent overlap with your joy intents (Dual Console)"},{"kind":"fit","text":"Use cases: family, day cruising"},{"kind":"note","text":"Family boats often under-maintained; budget for canvas/isinglass and upholstery refresh every few seasons. Insurance and slip fees track …"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Windshield frame leaks and crazed acrylic panels"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Soft or waterlogged deck cores near console bases"}],"estimatedBudgetBand":"100-250k","tcoAnnualMid":17925,"commonIssues":["Windshield frame leaks and crazed acrylic panels","Soft or waterlogged deck cores near console bases","Canvas / isinglass zipper failures and UV embrittlement"],"href":"/models/chaparral-257-ssx"},{"id":"grady-white-275-freedom","brand":"Grady-White","model":"275 Freedom","boatType":"dual-console","boatTypeLabel":"Dual Console","lengthFt":{"min":26.5,"max":27.8},"skillLevel":"intermediate","summary":"Dual console crossover; canvas and windshield are ownership themes.","score":33,"maxScore":167,"scorePct":20,"reasons":[{"kind":"fit","text":"Decent overlap with your joy intents (Dual Console)"},{"kind":"fit","text":"Use cases: family coastal, light fishing, day cruising"},{"kind":"note","text":"Family boats often under-maintained; budget for canvas/isinglass and upholstery refresh every few seasons. Insurance and slip fees track …"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Windshield frame leaks and crazed acrylic panels"},{"kind":"watchout","text":"Soft or waterlogged deck cores near console bases"}],"estimatedBudgetBand":"250k-plus","tcoAnnualMid":17096,"commonIssues":["Windshield frame leaks and crazed acrylic panels","Soft or waterlogged deck cores near console bases","Canvas / isinglass zipper failures and UV embrittlement"],"href":"/models/grady-white-275-freedom"}],"answers":{},"disclaimer":"Not gospel — a starting shortlist from our educational model list. Guide-fit % ranks relative to your answers — not a grade or dealer score. Sea trial + independent survey before you buy. Specs are demo approximations.","nextSteps":[{"label":"How buying usually goes","href":"/stages/buy","note":"Offers, survey, sea trial"},{"label":"Find a surveyor","href":"/directory?waterway=piscataqua-seacoast&category=marine-surveyor","note":"Their sites · ≠ founding · independent eyes before money moves"},{"label":"Safety hub","href":"/safety","note":"Life jackets, weather, go/no-go"},{"label":"Costs made simple","href":"/tools/cost-of-ownership","note":"Yearly slip, insurance, care, fuel"},{"label":"Find them online","href":"/directory?waterway=piscataqua-seacoast","note":"Their sites · ≠ founding · dealers, yards, insurers, educators"}],"algorithmVersion":"1.1.0"},"provenance":{"source":"Boat Day","api_version":"1.8.0","as_of":"2026-10-12","method":"Curated editorial datasets in the Boat Day repo plus deterministic heuristics (valuation, TCO). No live market feed.","confidence":"Educational estimates. Records flagged demoData:true are illustrative. Not legal, tax, insurance, survey, or appraisal advice — verify with a licensed pro / official source.","honesty":"No paid placements. Outbound businesses labeled 'Find them online' are public-web listings, not partners. Founding partner roster is currently empty.","cite_as":"Boat Day (bestboatday.com) — free boating knowledge & tools for owners","terms":"https://bestboatday.com/for-agents#terms","docs":"https://bestboatday.com/llms.txt"}}