Boat for Tampa Bay Area

Have you tried typing Prestige 550 into the YF search function?

I hate to say it, but you'll probably be able to open your options if you eliminate the need for joystick controls. Those are relatively new, and I doubt you'll find that option in a 10-15 year old boat.

Buying an older boat is feasible, but you'll want to have a GREAT surveyor who will find any hidden gremlins (all boats have them, so you surely won't find one with none). You could then hire a captain to give you some lessons in docking/maneuvering.

I am, by no means, an expert on boats of that size range. But based on the number of Prestige yachts on the market, I would be thinking twice about buying one. I just did a quick YW search, and see a 2012 58 Tiara in your price range (and it's in St. Petes). I have a lot of respect for Tiara. But it's only 2 staterooms!

There are alternatives to Prestige mentioned among threads in the search results. Sunseeker comes to mind.
As for age that’s usually a factor of budget. If you are buying a “forever” boat age is only one consideration among many.
If you are the type who tends to keep things for only a few years, I highly recommend buying no more than 3 or 4 years old.
You will have a boat that’s less than 7 years old when you go to sell it. After that the values drop off considerably.

The prestige is ok, friend of mine has one it s been a decent boat. As other mentioned I would look at other brands incl Tiara and maybe expand the search to slightly older boats

two issues to consider: dockage availability and insurance. Not sure how it is in tampa but in south Florida it s tough to find dockage. Insurance on a 50 footer will be difficult if you have no or little experience

My 2 cents
Don’t limit yourself to a joystick; you can easily get a Yacht Controller installed to make docking easier by being able to move around to literally see where you are.

Look at Motor Yachts that can do 18kts as well as 8kts. Having the speed when you need it is a game changer I spend a lot of time at hull speed on ICW, but cruise @18kts on open water to literally “buy time” crossing the Gulf Stream or heading to or
from Key West- or crossing the Okochobee waterway.

I was able convert my office into a bunkroom to get the 3rd sleeping quarters for 2; not really a stateroom but absolutely practical

having a decent sized freezer is also important so you can rotate into your fridges. A convection microwave is a miracle device, and a flybridge grill and fridge are very important.

I also wanted a good sized tender and crane.

I love the washer and dryer; that was a surprise and we use it almost daily.

ICW, Keys, Bahamas and all very doable on a boat just size. The Caribbean and Virgin Islands are probably too difficult for most small M/Ys; but with so much to see in Bahamas or the Chesapeake you don’t need to get to BVI on your own bottom. Fly and charter a boat there

I had no brand in mind, just wanted the right bones. I searched by size and speed and bought a 2007 Pama 54 in 2018; for me it’s been fantastic. There have been several “brands” that have made this 54’ Howard Apollonius design , including the Mckinna 58, a Sonship, Pama...the latest being Apollonian Yachts has resurrected this design. There is a Pama for sale in Jacksonville now.

Good luck in finding the right platform, then tweak from there.

Buddy of mine that lives on St. Thomas purchased a 30' gas Sea Ray years ago in Ft. Laud and ran her home with just an additional bladder tank on the front deck. Only fuel related issue he reported were many places where they sought fuel only had diesel. After she met her fate in one of their many hurricanes he bought a 46 but since her cruise was only 14 knot's decided to ship her instead.

It s a long, and often rough, way to the VIs. Doable yes... time consuming because of having to wait for weather windows and not so enjoyable of a trip itself.

With so much to explore in the Bahamas, especially the Exumas, focus on getting the right boat for the keys/Bahamas not for a trip to the Caribbean you may never take

The other day I clicked an Apollonian ad on the sidebar here out of curiosity. I was wondering what sort of rep they had. I guess it's all dependant on the builder, but it's nice to know the design works for the style of cruising I'd be doing (Coastal, Keys, Bahamas, ICW). Granted, I'm a bit further away from a purchase than the OP, but since his desires seem to match my own (minus the BVI), I appreciate this sort of info.

Another one to look at are the Carver - Marquis. A neighbor had a 59 Marquis that I helped him with a few times. Pretty good boat with 3 SR good performance and a decent ER. I think they made a 65 as well