Looking for tips on Fishing/Family Fun boat

[paiged79]

Hi guys.

First off, I want to thank you all for all of the invaluable information you have all provided on this site.  I have been a lurker here for atleast a year now and I love this site.

I was wondering if any of you had any ideas/experience with a Fishing/Family fun boat.  Basically, what I am trying to get is a boat that I can be efficient in fishing with, but at the same time, maybe 10 times a year, take the family out tubing/pleasure boating.  This isn't type of boat really wasn't my first choice but my wife convinced me that I should get that type of a boat instead of a "bass boat."  

I am currently in Iraq, but I want to take this time to do all research I need that way when I get back, I am ready to buy a boat and get out on the water.

So far, this is what I have been looking at:

http://www.rangerboats.com/pages/boats/1750.cfm

It is a little expensive (Probably around $32,000) so I was trying to see if there were any cheaper alternatives.  I probably could afford something like this, but we are going to be moving into our first house so I am a little scared of getting into something with a big monthly payment.  

The thing I like about this one is even though it looks like a ski boat kind of, it also has a lot of good fishing options.  Another thing my wife likes is that it has tons of room for people to sit down.  I am not planning on taking a bunch of people around if I was tubing, but if I was just slowly going around a protected lake, pleasure boating, then i would think everyone would be comfortable in this.

I don't know, maybe the type of boat I am asking for doesn't exist, but I was just wondering if you guys had any experience with trying to combine fishing/family into one boat.  I don't think we will be doing any skiing off of it, just some tubing and pleasure boating and a WHOLE BUNCH OF FISHING.

Thanks guys for your help!  

[Al Wolbach]

I would like to be the first from this site to thank you for your sacrifice you are making for all of us.

That said, the boat you are looking at is commonly called a fish and ski. Most of the larger manufacturers offer one in their line. You may want to check other brands to compare prices. This brand(Ranger) is a very fine boat, however it is also on the high end price wise. They also maintain their value compared to some others.

You may want to consider a used boat or another brand. Just food for thought.......Al

[cart7t]

Welcome aboard. Hope you enjoy your stay.

As for the Fish n Ski boat.  I'm not certain you can use the term "efficient" when describing a fish n ski as a bass fishing platform.  It's so loaded with compromises I can't even begin to start but I also understand the need to satisfy the better half if you're having to justify a boat payment.  Let me start by saying I spent quite a few years having family fun in a standard Bassboat.  When I suggested a fish and ski my wife looked at a couple and realized the fishing part was an afterthought in these deals and nixed it, much to my relief.

The problem with these boats is in your wifes comment "look at all the room for people to sit"

That = wasted space for what you want, fishing.  Unless you buy a larger model, like a 20 footer, the front and rear casting decks are like postage stamps to fish from compared to a regular bass boat.

In fact, rear deck square footage in many of the 19foot models and under is a near embarrasment.

Second,  don't plan on taking lots of rods with you.  Rod storage in most of these boats is a joke.  The rod boxes are too small for my rods and you're often forced to use the ski storage area in the floor which offers no protection for you rods from all the banging around due to running down the lake.

Storage area.  Where is it?  Again, so much of the boat floor space is wasted with the "room for people to sit" there's little left over for reasonable dry or wet storage.

Where in the world do you put your rods when you're fishing off the front deck?  Most guys I've seen have to prop their rods up against the windshields.  Now you're got 6-7 ft rods sticking up in the air. Talk about a pain in the rear when casting.  Just trying to avoid hitting the windshields is bad enough and that's because the front casting decks in these things are so small.

I'm assuming you don't care about max speed in a boat or performance. That's good,  because of the weight distribution in these types of boats, the ride and speed performance potential is mediocre at best.

Like I said, I used a regular bassboat for years with my kids for tubing, kneeboarding and family fun.  Was it ideal for that purpose?  NO.  Was I happy the majority of the year when I was out fishing and didn't have to compromise on all the things I just listed?  YOU BET!

I also understand family budgets and keeping the little woman happy.  Have you thought about a cheaper, dual console bass boat with a full width bench seat and then some expensive jewelry for the wife?  

BTW, I fully expect to be slagged by the fish n ski guys out there on my comments.  

[GeneinTX]

I fully understand where you are coming from. I just bought a new rig this year and with a 14 year old son and 13 year old daughter, I had to consider other uses for my boat. I was not forced by my wife to get this boat, but chose my family and the years that will soon be over, instead of what I was going to pull up in my next tourney with. Do what you need to without regard to whether you have a "Bass Rig" or not. Just look around until you find which one will meet all of your needs.

I currently own a Triton 190FS and would highly recommend it. It has ample room for fishing with fore and aft casting platforms. But if you are going to take your family out on it, then you need one of these types for the additional seating. Mine seats 6 comfortably. Alot depends on how it is outfitted. Many fish and skis have seating in the bow which I would not recommend and was the biggest reason I went with the Triton. I often see people with bass rigs tubing with kids clinging to the decks which isn't very safe.

The two trade offs I have with the Triton are only one live well and limited rod storage. I have worked out the rod storage thing by placing my rods strategically and my son has yet to break one. We tend to take 4 seven foot rods each with us when we fish.

As for speed, my performance with a Merc 200 is pretty respectable about 63 MPH GPS, granted I am not going to be running in 90's but it is all about what you need.

It is all about what you and your family want. My boat will also ****** just about anyone out of the water without a problem to ski or wake board as well. BTW I just retired from the Army and this was my retirement present! Keep the family in mind, my wife didn't know what a bass was till she met me!

Anymore questions feel free to email me direct. I looked at many different types before choosing.

[cart7t]

One other thing you might consider if you have the storage room to keep them.  For what you're looking at spending on that Ranger you could go out and find a fairly new 17ft - 18ft bowrider runabout for the wife and then spend around $12 - 13k for a mid to later 90's, 18-19ft bassboat for yourself.  You'll spend around 5 - 7 grand less overall vs. the Ranger and you've got boats that satisfy the needs of both you and your wife.

[Cajun1977]

one thing about owning a boat  new or used   your gonna keep spending money on it  so if you buy 2 boats   which would be ridiculis to do in the first place cause fish and skis offer what you want         youll have 2 boats to keep putting money into  with upkeeps and repairs   you wont save anything   go new and get a warranty

[Chug Bug]

I am currently posted on another thread right now looking for advice.  Thank god I'm lucky enough not to have kids and the wife has no problems with a bass only platform.  That said, over the last month I have been to several boat dealerships and have done some close comparisons, and there is no way in the world I could even think about affording a Ranger.  Their BASIC 17-18 ft bass boats START at 27,000.  I am juggling other brands that offer a fair amount of ammenities more than the Ranger at 22,000 or so.  I am sure the Ranger is an incredible boat, but 50 horsepower less at 15,000 more is not justifiable to me.  Every brand I've shopped in person has several hybrid fish/ski boats at way below 32,000.  Stratos, Nitro, Tracker, Triton etc.  Good luck!

[cart7t]

one thing about owning a boat  new or used   your gonna keep spending money on it  so if you buy 2 boats   which would be ridiculis to do in the first place cause fish and skis offer what you want         youll have 2 boats to keep putting money into  with upkeeps and repairs   you wont save anything   go new and get a warranty

I had a friend that bought a brand new Bass Pro Tahoe boat several years ago, it spent as much time at BPS getting fixed because it constantly broke down as it did on the water.  If you start out with a quality piece of equipment to start with, even used, you're not going to have to worry about breakdowns that much. Especially with the ski boat since he's only using the thing 10 times out of the year.

On top of that, he didn't say the fish and ski offers what HE wants, it offers what his wife wants which is a boat to drive some friends around in and maybe some tubing for a total of 10 times a year.

HE said he plans to do a lot of fishing out of it the rest of the year.

I merely pointed out options for him as I have a feeling once he gets in that Fish n Ski he'll be sorely disappointed in the fishability of it.  I've fished out of both. I thank god my wife came to her senses and didn't have us trying to fish out of one of those things all year round just for several weekends of family  fun in the summertime.

[Cajun1977]

what im trying to say is  that a fish and ski is fishable  id much rather have a fish and ski than a  jonboat or something          im just pointing out that the  standard bassboat is not the be all end all    im just offering a different oponion other than   what hes hearing               im not attacking you    im just debating   with ya  so it can help him make his decision   as i own  a fish and ski  and i would gladly buy another one  also with the front deck extension it is very fishable           rod storage is a downside to the fish and ski   but its  not  a  end of the world   problem      everything can be resolved   i use  stors rod covers  and i can fit 10 rods and reels in my fish and ski    i cant have them laid out on the deck  but i can store them easily in and out         and the repair  issues  are   just that you never know when and where a powerehead can blow     it can happen 3 hours into break in  i for one  am not as mechanically inclined with outboards as you  so having a warranty     is a peice of mind for me         just my two cents

[cart7t]

I'm listening to the posters comments.

"Basically, what I am trying to get is a boat that I can be efficient in fishing with, but at the same time, maybe 10 times a year, take the family out tubing/pleasure boating.  This isn't type of boat really wasn't my first choice but my wife convinced me that I should get that type of a boat instead of a "bass boat."

He wants an efficient fishing machine but she convinced him to by a fish and ski (not really efficient fishing boat) just for 10 times usage with friends and family tubing and pleasure boating.  

" I don't think we will be doing any skiing off of it, just some tubing and pleasure boating and a WHOLE BUNCH OF FISHING. "

He's capitalized the whole bunch of fishing part and minimalized the pleasure boating aspect.  I could see the F & S investment if he and his family were really into water sports like skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, kneeboarding and pleasure boating but that doesn't sound like it here.  In this case he's really compromising the WHOLE BUNCH OF FISHING part for something that's an afterthought.  Sorry, I can't imagine being wedged up in the front of one of those things during one of my many spring or fall fishing trips looking back at all that floor space wasted for just 10 trips a year on something I'm not really all that into in the first place.  

[paiged79]

First off, thanks for all the insight provided by everyone.  

This is going to be a tuff decision to make, but all of your views have definetly helped me with the thought/research process.  Right now I am still leaning towards a fish/ski boat.  

Yes...I know that it will have a lot LESS room then a normal bass boat.  But, the thing is, I really want to have my kids enjoy the water as much as they can.  Some of my favorite memories with my Dad came when we were on the water.   Now most of those memories were of fishing, but if one or so of my kids doesn't like fishing (blasphemy?), then I still would like to be able to take him/her out for a fun time on the water.

On the two boat thing, I definetly had thought of that.  And that would be great if I had the room for, but I think I am barely going to have enough room for one boat, and if I had two, my wife would kill me (Or she just would never see me:) hehe.

Thanks again for all your help.  Good luck fishing to all of you!

[cart7t]

If you're stuck with buying the fish and ski I'd suggest looking at something other than a Ranger or a Triton for that matter.  Both are nicely built boats but their "name" immediately increases their price by thousands.  Most of the major boat manufacturers are making quality product these days, I'd choose a different manufacturer and step up in boat size.  That 17 1/2 foot Ranger F&S is going to be sorely lacking in fishing deck and storage area. Move up to a 18-19 footer from another manufacturer for the same price or less. You'll thank yourself.

[mudcatwilly]

Tahoe Q4 fish/ski retails for about $22K with basic package.  Nitro 189 Fish/ski is about the same, but with better fishing features.  Of course, motor upgrades are going to get you into the $25-$27K range, but these are good boats.  There are a ton of reputable fish/ski models on the market in about the $25k range.  I have done extensive research on this because I have been lookig  for the same thing.  My top choice in that price range is the Nitro 189 FS

[sodaksker]

I have a procraft 215(21.5 ft) fish and ski, It does have limited rod storage but, I can use the ski storage area for rod storage I just don't choose to. The back deck is a little small but, certainly big enough for one angler or two small anglers. I do have to lay my spare rods up against the windshield when fishing. Not ideal but it works. I have snagged a rod or two while casting :-[, nothing broken yet. Overall storage is great for tackle and incedentals. The coast guard placard says I can have up to 7 people or 980 lbs on board. It has a 225 merc on the back with a 5 blade power prop. I have had it up to 58 mph (gps). Plenty of speed for me. It has a little deeper v hull than a standard bass boat and handles the waves very well. My kids love it, I like it, my wife still thinks it is a fishing boat and points that out on occasion, although I think she is finally warming up to it. IMO if your wife does not fish, she will always think a "fish and ski" is a fishing boat, and she'll never be happy with it. So be prepared for that issue. I like my boat and would buy another. Mine is a 2001 I found used off ebay for about $17k, purchased last fall. It was a fair "deal" in my eyes. Boat is in excellent shape. Do a search on ebay for fish and skis and look at the expired listings. You will find a lot of them out there that did not sell and are still available. your challenge will be delivery, due to your location. I am in south dakota and most of the boats that I liked were in the southern tier. Good luck with whatever you do.

[WCCT]

I have looked at the fish-n-ski's seriously for the last couple of years.  I have a wife and three kids and a straight bass boat was pretty much out of the question.  After looking at every brand on the market, I actually found a used Viper Coral fish-n-ski that actually has it all.  Granted, it doesn't have the deck space of a straight bass boat, but it does have two rod lockers, that will fit 7' rods.  It is 20' in length and will actually haul butt! (65mph on GPS with 200 HP Johnson)  It is built on the Viper hull, so it is the sleekest looking of the fish-n-ski's (IMO)  It seats 7 people and has plenty of storage.  It has 2 large livewells and it fishes great.  Another bonus is that it has an unlimeted horsepower rating  If you can find one, check it out.  I think they are the best available.  I will post a picture when I get a chance.

[sodaksker]

WCCT,

Yeah I had my eye on one of those viper corals, it would have been my first choice but ,the age and cost of the one I had located just didn't work.  As  I recall, they are no longer being made and that was too a concern for me.  Definitely a sweet looking ride though.

[WCCT]

Yea, they are no longer being made, but the company has just been bought by a different group and I hear they are going to reopen the plants.  Hopefully if this happens, then their will be some good customer service for viper owners.

[jayhawkfishin]

My family has a Fish/ski ranger.  It is an older model, a 95 i think. I personally like the design of the older ranger over the new one.  The reata design just isn't good for fishing.  The back deck well just isn't safe in my mind.  For little kids to fish on the back i would be worried of someone falling in.  The front deck is not very big.  The rod lockers are made to hold 4 rods.  Also, the price of getting a new boat over a used boat is crazy.