first boat

[Ky_Lake_Dude]

I am gonna start saving money for my first boat by doing odd jobs and stuff this summer.What kinda boat should I save for.

[cart7t]

[Catt]

Ride & Decide  8-)

[RatONaStick]

At age 11 and saving money by doing odd jobs etc, I think it may be some time before he can afford boats like those.

My suggestion would be to keep your eye out in your local paper, ad pak and auto/boat trader and find a nice used starter boat, something like a small jon boat etc. If you are wanting to get a good deal on a boat, try to find one right around this time of the year. Usually during the winter months, before and after the holidays you can find a lot of good deals.

If you see a boat sitting in someones back yard collecting leaves, don't be afraid to knock on their door and ask if it's for sale.

As to what boat you should save for and buy, the best boat out there is one you can afford.

[BASS fisherman]

A while back Low Budget Hookers said that when he was looking for his jon boat, while going around his neighborhood he would put a note on the doors of folks with old dead boats in the back yard.  If I remember right, he had a few people call him to get rid of their boats.  

You could make a project out of it.  Redo the boat to make it new again.  The only real thing you'd have to buy would be a trolling motor.  That is providing your dad has all the stuff you'll need to refurbish the boat.  

Another option to think about.  Avid uses a canoe to fish from.  They are alot less expensive than a big bass boat, or even a jon boat.  

Keep your eyes peeled on craigslist.com also.  You can find some decent deals there too.  

Put the word out with friends and relatives that you are looking to get a boat for fishing.  You may just get lucky and have someone call you one day wanting to get rid of a boat, and ask you if you want it.  It happened to me, and now I have a real bass boat.  

Good luck, and keep us posted here on what you get.

[HPBB]

Start off small. If its your first boat and your 11. start small you have all your life to get a big boat. and small boats are fun. First off you can't transport it anywhere by yourself yet. So if you save till you 15 or 16 you'll have a good chunk of change. One thing get on on a trailer. Car topping is ok, but witha trailer it will make it so much easier to use. even by yourself. Small boats are fun, easy to use, easy to transport, don't cost much $$, and up keep is easy.

My fisrt boat was a 12 foot Starcraft Semi-V on a trailer with a 6Hp Johnson and a 28# mikota on the tansom. I bought  it from a neighbor when I was 14 for $300. When I turned 16 and began to dive, I had a Chevy Chevette ( does anybody remember those little cars?) 2 door, 4 speed stick, 4 banger. It towed that little Starcraft eveywhere with not a problem. 3 of my friends and I would go on weekend fishing/camping trips. I would have the boat hooked up to the Chevette with all of our camping and fishing gear in it. My buddies 7 1/2 HP Sears motor sitting next to my motor on the transom and his 12foot Sears semi-V strapped to the roof. 4 guys , two boats all our gear, in a 2 door Chevette. It was freedom. That is what a boat should give you, freedom. Start small and let each new boat give you more freedom than the one before. Those trips were some of the best trips I ever went on. I wish I still had that boat, but like most of us we move up to bigger and better boats.

[fish-fighting-illini]

Their are some questions you need to ask yourself first. What ype of waters are you going to fish? If it is fast moving rivers then the answer is different than small tiny trolling motor only lakes. Do you have room for a boat with a trailer? Is it going to be stored indoors or out? make sure if indorrs that you have room for the boat plus the trailer's tounge. And so oon. Don't forget the small stuff adds up. Boat reg, lisc's, trailer lic, maybe yearly lake fees, ropes, anchors, batteries, lights (?), paddles of some sort, extinguisher (s), trolling motor, fish finder etc etc. Just make sure that you do your homework.

just my 2cents worth  ( more like $500 worth) LOL

[hakksaw]

beautiful post cart7.  look at that MERC pushin' the fluid to the back of that dudes pumpkin.  if it doesn't hurt a little, your not getting your bucks worth out of it.  looks like he's about to seize up.  i love it!!  i agree with the classifieds, especially this time of year for sure.  i browsed for hours before i finally found the one and that was it.  you'll know it when you see it.  i tried the new and near new models and probably never will be able to swing it.  get those salesmen in the early winter to wheel and deal, and you'll be in business.  i suppose at 11 years old, i would recommend enlisting DAD to give you hand with the searching and negotiating process.  heck, i'm 31 know less about boats than i did at 20. so much has changed in the last 10 years.  hence all the questions i post on this site!  Merry Christmas fellas.