After the family’s first 2 season with a freedom 205 to see if boating was something we enjoyed, and it was… it’s now time for the next boat. I wanted to see what the community thought about my thought process and what the best fit for my family’s uses. We are on the Chesapeake and goals on the water are more focused towards cruising and some fishing. Between the freedom 285 , canyon 271 and costal explorer 281. I’ve been on all of them in the showroom. (Never in the water)I think my favorite among the boats was the costal explorer. The back bench seat was an attractive feature and the low gunnels for easy on and off at the dock. And I know bad weather pops up but I feel the 281 can hold its own if bad conditions came out of nowhere. The 271 is obviously very similar but obviously a bit beefier because the boat is designed for more offshore uses which isn’t a concern for us in the bay. And I think the better seating layout on the coastal is better option . When it comes to the freedom 285 I feel like the some of the things I don’t like on my current boat would translate over. That being the walkway to the bow being blocked by someone when I’m docking and trying to get lines tied off. Obviously the center console design is much more friendly to a single man show. I just thought it would be helpful to hear the opinions of others to help bolster my decision.