Small 10-12' boat questions

[mackkie]

Hi Ive been looking at Dicks sporting goods website and target and I am thinking about buying one of these boats:

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2131681&cp=2367824.2291514.2291518.2291568&view=all&parentPage=family&searchId=2291568

My questions:

1. Is there anywhere I can pick these kinds of boats locally (So i dont have to pay $250 shipping) (I live in Mass)

2. Will a 36lb thrust trolling motor be fine for my only source of power on the boat? Will I go thru a lot of batteries if i only use a trolling motor to get around on ponds/small lakes?

3. My friend has an old trailer that was used for a 14' boat -- will that be fine to bring the boat around on my 2007 Toyota camry?

I am a total boat newbie but I just graduated college and have a job so i want to make a small step into getting into boating. Any help at all will be appreciated. Thanks guys!

[Jerkbate]

I live in the South.  So, I can't help you with your first question.  As for your other questions, I run a 36 pound thrust motor on a 16' welded aluminum boat.  Including outboard & myself, it weighs about 700 pounds.  You will have no trouble with the 36 pound motor.  I can fish all day on a fully charged battery.

The trailer should be fine as long as it is structurally sound.  You may have to make some modifications to the guides or runners so that your boat can be secured to it properly.

[T_Dot]

Hi Ive been looking at Dicks sporting goods website and target and I am thinking about buying one of these boats:

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2131681&cp=2367824.2291514.2291518.2291568&view=all&parentPage=family&searchId=2291568

My questions:

1. Is there anywhere I can pick these kinds of boats locally (So i dont have to pay $250 shipping) (I live in Mass)

2. Will a 36lb thrust trolling motor be fine for my only source of power on the boat? Will I go thru a lot of batteries if i only use a trolling motor to get around on ponds/small lakes?

3. My friend has an old trailer that was used for a 14' boat -- will that be fine to bring the boat around on my 2007 Toyota camry?

I am a total boat newbie but I just graduated college and have a job so i want to make a small step into getting into boating. Any help at all will be appreciated. Thanks guys!

first off check your local listings out for used boats

http://geo.craigslist.org/iso/us/ma

see if anything looks right for you.

since this will be your first boat, might i suggest a 12 - 14 ft aluminum.  great for first time boats, and very easy to resell if you want to upgrade.  i started out with a 12 ft aluminum.  lucky i had a year to borrow the boat.

we used a 30# thrust minn kota to power the boat, as we fish alot of the electric only lakes.  more than enough power for a light aluminum 12ft boat.  though i suggest picking up a 2nd battery, as you dont want to get stuck without any power.

with the above setup i was able to manuever through all the local lakes and ponds.  i was even brave enough to go through a 3000 acre lake a few times.

from there, i found out 14 was perfect for me, especially if you had someone fishing with you.

i now have a 1436 alumacraft jon boat which i can call my own.  its light enough where i can keep it as a car topper.  its a great first time boat.  goes almost anywhere on the lake, and most people cant go where we go, as we can go in as low as 6 inches of water.

check your local basspro shops for jon boats.  pick them up, see if they are light enough for you.

[Catt]

Dude we sale the same boat at Academy for $799  

[cart7t]

Not that those smaller plastic boats have alot of room to begin with but just looking at that one.....

Man!

The seating is WAAAAY too close together for me.  Most of the other non-Vhull plastic boats have a little more space between anglers.  I can't see that as anything other than too close for comfort for me.

[Chris at Tech]

While I've never been on that boat, I'd recommend a bigger trolling motor.

You'll be using that one motor both to get you from launch to your fishing area, as well as positioning your boat in that area.  While 36 may be fine to just reposition the boat and coast down a bank or through a stunp field, it may not be good enough to do the longer runs.

It's better to have too much power than not enough, especially if the wind kicks up.

[mackkie]

So I am guessing alumnium boats are much better for the long haul compared to these plastic looking boats?  Nice suggestion with craigs list, i didnt even think of that and there are some good listings in my area.  

Thanks for the help guys.

[Dennis22]

I have a boat VERY similar to that one. It is called a Basstender same size as that one and all.  I run a 3.3 Mercury 2 stroke motor, and also i have a 24LB trolling motor, and the trolling motor pushes the boat around very good!  I love the boat it is very stable in a big lake, gets into all those tight spots that bigger boats cant get into.

It is my first boat and i would reccomend it to anyone

[Dennis22]

Here is a picture of my boat, not the biggest boat, but very similar to the one you want and its awesome

[HPBB]

That is a cool looking little boat. But yes the seats are offly close together. For that same amount of $$ even a lot less you can find yourself a used 12 foot semi V with trailer and outboard. My first boat was a 12 foot starcraft with a 6hp Johnson, 28lb Minkota and trailer. I paid like $400 ( back in 1989). wish I still had it. just looking in my Local pennysaver there is one like my old one for $700 and a 14footer for $900. so look around you might be able to find a little more boat for the same $$

[fishingfourfun]

I would definitely go with a used 14 foot aluminum boat.  I bought my 1st boat (14ft aluminum) a few years ago off EBAY and I still use it.  I started out with a trolling motor 60 lbs and I purchased a 9.9 4 stroke motor last year.  It tops out at 18 mph according to my GPS.  Not the quickest boat but i  have ever seen but it takes me around our 3500 acre reservoir.

[fish-fighting-illini]

 I second most of what T_dot said. I've owned and fished both. I had the plastic first and would get a lot of leg cramps and had to scurry to the bank. It was a fun boat but not all its cracked up to be, junk seats, heavy to lift. I then bought a 14' jon extra wide w 9.9 gas, has a casting deck, trailer and he threw in a smal TM. I paid $800. My buddy got about the same thing with mint boat and motor for $600

Look for the wide ones it is worth it. You won't often hear someone say I bought too big of a boat. You will hear many say "wished I bought bigger".

 Be prepared for the extras they will take you by surprise. Life jackets, anchors, oars, , lic, trail reg, horn etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc      ( get the point? lol)

Lets us know what you end up with

[harshman]

I have a similar boat only mine is a Bass Hound 10.2 and love it. The trolling motor you are asking about will be fine as long as you yet a good battery. My local Wal-Mart has a Everstart 29 series for $60 and that is plenty big enough to run my motor and livewell all day.  I run a 33lb or a 27 lb on mine and they work great. My only precaution would be the trailer, check with manufacturer, mine reccommends not using a traditional boat trailer with bunks on it. The bunks will cause pressure points and could crack the plastic. I just have a small utility trailer that i have modified to be my boat trailer

Harshman

[BassManMissouri]

I'm considering selling one of our smaller boats.      It's a 2007 Tracker Jon Boat 12'  on a trailer also a 2007.   Selling it with a Minn Kota trolling motor and a Garmin 90 fish finder.    We're located northwest of St. Louis about an hour drive.    If anyone is interested send me a post.