Robalo Boats for Sale

From a 19-foot center console

Robalo started in the late 1960s with a 19-foot center console saltwater fishing boat. Marine Products Corporation, the parent company of Chaparral, bought Robalo in 2001, and Robalos have been built in Valdosta, Georgia since. Chaparral was founded in 1965 by Buck Pegg, and the two brands share a parent but have separate model lines and dealers.

The R242 up close

The R242 is one of Robalo's most common boats on the used market. Robalo's spec sheets list it at 24' long with an 8'9" beam, a 22-degree deadrise, 150 gallons of fuel and a dry weight of 5,200 lb with engines. Maximum power was 350 hp on the 2020 center console and 400 hp on the 2021 and 2022 boats, and you will see both single and twin outboard setups. Robalo also sold an Explorer version of the 242 in 2021.

A 24-foot center console with 150 gallons of fuel has the range for real offshore trips, but it is still a boat for watching the weather. At 8'9" wide it can be towed without a wide-load permit in most states, so many used R242s come with a trailer. Check its axles, brakes and tires.

Because ratings and engines changed between years, compare a used R242 with the spec sheet for its own model year rather than the current one.

What to check on a used Robalo

2022 recall. The Coast Guard lists a 2022 Robalo campaign covering 835 boats, from the R180 through the R266 and the EX222 and EX242. The record does not state the defect and shows the campaign as still open. If you are looking at any 2022 Robalo, run the HIN and ask a Robalo dealer whether the work has been done.

Older fuel fills. An earlier campaign on 225 Robalos was for cracked fuel fill fittings, closed in 2008. On a boat from that era, check the fill fitting and hose for cracks and fuel smell in the bilge.

R242 single or twin. The R242 has been sold with a single or twin Yamahas. A twin rig gives you a spare engine offshore but doubles the service bill, so price both and get compression and lower unit records on every engine.

T-top and hardware. Most center consoles here have a T-top. Shake it, then look for cracks where the frame meets the deck and around rod holders and cleats, which is where water reaches the core.

Life in salt. Ask whether it lived in the water or on a trailer. Wet-slip boats need a look under the bottom paint for blisters.