New Boat

[Quarry Man]

As some may know, I started fishing 2 years ago at the age of 14. i am now nearing 17 and have my license. I have learned so much over the years. My family has helped me to purchase a 14' Semi V with a bow mount and no graph or outboard. We also have a 10' Jon that I want to fix up this spring. I love to fish with my grandfather. We recently had an accident and realized that the 14' is too small for both of us. I am 5'10" 150 and he is 6'3" 200.

 

In the coming year, I want to start fishing bigger water. I plan on getting a bigger boat sometime between next spring or fall. I am going to save up as much money as I can to afford it. What the of boat should I look at? Obviously a big glass boat would be awesome, but I likely can't afford one new. I was thinking of at least a 17 or 18' aluminum or glass boat. Max budget maybe 5k, but that number is subject to change. I have no idea if i will have more or less than that. I want something that is clean, reliable and can get me on bigger water safely.

[slonezp]

Since you are fishing with your grandfather, a boat he can sit/stand in rather than on may be the best choice. Maybe a  used 16ft Lund Rebel or Fury

[MickD]

Good idea on the used Lund, but they are rare.  I sold my 2000 Monark 16 foot single console deep V earlier this year for $6K.  50 HP Suzuki 4 stroke, a bullet-proof engine.  A boat like that would do you nicely.  Buying used has the risk of getting a leaker or a less-than-perfect engine, so be careful.  Check the service records, if none, beware.  Check for hull damage.

[slonezp]

8 minutes ago, MickD said:

Good idea on the used Lund, but they are rare.  I sold my 2000 Monark 16 foot single console deep V earlier this year for $6K.  50 HP Suzuki 4 stroke, a bullet-proof engine.  A boat like that would do you nicely.  Buying used has the risk of getting a leaker or a less-than-perfect engine, so be careful.  Check the service records, if none, beware.  Check for hull damage.

My dad is one of the primary reasons I bought a Lund. He can sit and fish, there's room for him to move around a little, and room on the floor for him to put his gear rather than him having to get on his knees to take his tackle out of a storage locker. Also safer for him when nature calls. He pee's in a coffee cup and dumps it in the lake rather than risk losing his balance, standing on the deck, peeing off the side of the boat. The Lund has seating for 4 so he can sit on either side of the boat when we are fishing docks. If I had 3 across like a bass boat, he'd be stuck fishing on the port side, and that would leave me less options trolling the bank, especially on windy days.

[moguy1973]

I’m going to be Debbie downer here and say save your money, get a good education, get a good job and then you can afford what you really want. Having a boat is great but it’s just a hole in the water that you throw your money in.  Make sure you can afford one before you buy one.  

[MickD]

5 hours ago, slonezp said:

He pee's in a coffee cup

Give him one of those hospital urine jugs for Christmas, would be a real step up for him.:-)

[NHBull]

5 hours ago, slonezp said:

My dad is one of the primary reasons I bought a Lund. He can sit and fish, there's room for him to move around a little, and room on the floor for him to put his gear rather than him having to get on his knees to take his tackle out of a storage locker. Also safer for him when nature calls. He pee's in a coffee cup and dumps it in the lake rather than risk losing his balance, standing on the deck, peeing off the side of the boat. The Lund has seating for 4 so he can sit on either side of the boat when we are fishing docks. If I had 3 across like a bass boat, he'd be stuck fishing on the port side, and that would leave me less options trolling the bank, especially on windy days.

The exact reasons I got the impact 1775..... But I can still pee of the boat as long as have one hand on the motor ?

[A-Jay]

44 minutes ago, NHBull said:

The exact reasons I got the impact 1775..... But I can still pee of the boat as long as have one hand on the motor ?

I do not recall seeing that particular featuring in the brochure . . .important though

A-Jay 

[SWVABass]

Take a look on Craigslist, boat trader and other sites to see what prices are running on boats you might be interested in. You never know what you might find out there. Then once you save your money and find your boat take it to a mechanic. I learned the hard way on this, pay to have them inspect and see what works must be done to it. That will give you a good starting point.

[fishnkamp]

First thing please answer a few simple questions.

What state do you live in and tell us what type of water is available for you.

Do you want to fish small rivers, ponds, small to mid sized lakes or big lakes?

slonezp is correct, a deeper Vee boat may be best for you from a safety point of view, especially if you are going to fish bigger and faster water.  He is a great source of knowledge on the Lund boats. The downside to a Lund is finding one in your budget, however there are other good deep v boats that may be available cheaper, perhaps a good Alumacraft, Lowe, G3 etc even an old Grumman deep V as my friend Kris found a few years ago.

Now if you want to fish slower moving water ( read safer to handle) such as small to mid sized lakes, slower running rivers ponds, reservoirs etc, than my suggestion is to look for a 17to 18 foot aluminum bass boat.  These will be easier to find in your price range.  I would stay away from fiberglass as your first real boat. A 17 foot aluminum with a 40 to 75 is an ideal first boat.  These boats will be called a "mod V" boat and the 17 to 19 foot boats will have more beam and stability.  Obviously Tracker is the most recognized brand, but Lowe, Alumacraft, G3, and many other manufacturers make these boats.  Look for boats like these from Craigslist.

https://allentown.craigslist.org/boa/d/bass-boat/6429356149.html

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/boa/d/bass-tracker-tx17-tournament/6421940849.html

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/boa/d/power-boat-with-trailer/6421936258.html

 

My wife and I have fished out of tiny little 12 foot jon boats on reservoirs, several 15 and 17 foot aluminum mod v aluminum bass boats and several fiberglass rockets ships. I have caught as many fish out of our 4 different aluminum bass boats as I have out of the fancy fiberglass, however the maintenance on the fiberglass is much more involved.

Here is what we currently have. It is a 17 1/2 foot Lowe bass boat. It is now powered by a 75 hp Mercury outboard.  It runs in the high 30's to low 40's, is quite stable and we have fished on reservoirs, big 60 mile long lakes and fast moving tidal rivers including the Chesapeake Bay.

 

 

[Junk Fisherman]

On 12/17/2017 at 10:31 AM, moguy1973 said:

I’m going to be Debbie downer here and say save your money, get a good education, get a good job and then you can afford what you really want. Having a boat is great but it’s just a hole in the water that you throw your money in.  Make sure you can afford one before you buy one.  

I disagree with this.  As long as you are not financing a 25K boat, saving up and buying a modest, used boat is fine.  Get the boat, learn how to rig it and do your maintenance and enjoy the time you fish with your grandfather. I bet you look back in 20 years and realize that your fondest memories with your grandfather were the times you spent fishing.  You'll have moved on to a 20' fiberglass bassboat with all the bells and whistles but you'll reminisce about catching all those bass out of your 18' tin boat you had.

 

With all that being said, obviously moguy is right about getting a a good education and a good career to afford the boat you want in the future.  But saving up and buying a reasonably-priced used boat does not derail that plan.  Hell, boats that we are talking about do not significantly lose their value from one year to the next.  So you buy a 10-12 year old Tracker or some comparable boat and if needbe you sell it and get back most of your money.  This is not a risky idea.  Just make sure that you get the motor checked out and don't finance anything.  Good luck.  

[Troy85]

I'd start with aluminum, they are generally cheaper to buy and easier to maintain and clean(as far as the hull is concerned).  They are also lighter than glass, so its easier to launch and you have more options as far as what vehicle is needed to tow it.  

 

Aluminum bass boats are become more popular and they have several different models and sizes to choose from, they don't ride as nice as an equivalent glass boat, but they will ride better than a regular aluminum jon boat.  

[J Francho]

Look for a 16' deep-V tiller.  That's going to be affordable, safe, easy to maintain, and will serve you for years.  It'll also be comfortable for your grandfather.  My dad (68) loved fishing out of my deep-V tiller, but hated my bass boats.  He in fact would not set foot in my Bullet.

[Troy85]

Can I ask why one would refuse to set foot in a Bullet?  I'm honored just to have one blow past me on the water.

[Quarry Man]

well I'm back in business, so i now have a high paying job for a 16 year old, maybe this dream will be closer to coming true after all...

[J Francho]

17 hours ago, Troy1985s said:

Can I ask why one would refuse to set foot in a Bullet?  I'm honored just to have one blow past me on the water.

He doesn't like the speed, and the way a pad-v hull feels when it's up on plane.  He was used to old school deep-v wood and glass boats.

[Fishing Rhino]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 2:48 PM, Troy1985s said:

Can I ask why one would refuse to set foot in a Bullet?  I'm honored just to have one blow past me on the water.

Maybe they didn't have a change of undies.

[Quarry Man]

Where is the best place to buy an aluminum boat? Also do I get a boat like the rt188 or a semi v?

[Troy85]

I bought my first aluminum boat from a private seller, and I bought my second one from a used boat yard.  I don't see any problem with buying a used boat as long you thoroughly check it out.  Open every hatch, check all wiring and hoses, you can usually tell if someone has done routine maintenance or not.  Take it for a test ride, this is a must,  don't buy it, unless you can test drive it first.  Also, if its a newer engine and its possible, have a diagnostic test run on the engine.  This can tell you how many hours the engine has and if there are any problems detected by the ECM(There could be issues that the ECM doesn't detect, but its better than not running diagnostics at all).  Lastly, don't get pressured into buying it if you don't love it.  It can be tough to say no(for me at least), after having used up someones time doing a test run and everything, if you see something you don't like about the boat, don't buy it.

 

As far as hull type goes, I would base that on your budget vs the type of a water you fish.  If you fish a lot of big water that can get rough, you may want a hull type that can better handle some chop.  That's the main reason I upgraded, I got tired of fighting waves in the 17' G3.

[Quarry Man]

On 12/26/2017 at 10:08 AM, Troy1985s said:

As far as hull type goes, I would base that on your budget vs the type of a water you fish.  If you fish a lot of big water that can get rough, you may want a hull type that can better handle some chop.  That's the main reason I upgraded, I got tired of fighting waves in the 17' G3.

https://allentown.craigslist.org/boa/d/gbass-fishing-boat/6407776115.html

 

what do you think? Not get ng this one, haven't even looked at it in person, but is this kind of what i want?

[fishnkamp]

That is a nice hull and to redo the seats will not cost that much. The 20 on it will get you around and was probably chosen to meet the restrictions on some of the PA lakes.

That would do well for you if the rest of the boat is in good shape. Later on if you decided you wanted to get more hp I would go talk to Barb at Lakeside Marine in Harrisburg PA.  She sells the G3 boats and Yamaha engines. Often times she has good used ones. I have been dealing with her for decades and she has always taken care of me and my friends

I was not sure what part of Northeast USA you were in.  

[Troy85]

That hull looks nice, looks similar to the hull I have on my Xpress.  It should have a nice ride.  As stated above, the 20 will get you around.  The closest new model I could find from G3 was the Sportsman 16, which has a max HP rating of 70.  So if you aren't pleased with the 20, you have plenty of room for a motor upgrade(just check the coast guard plate to see what the max rating is if you check the boat out).  Low hours on the motor are good, and its a 4-stroke, so you shouldn't have a ton of maintenance issues(other than routine maintenance).  Just check it out thoroughly, leave no hatch unopened haha.

 

Also, I don't know what state you live in, but make sure you know whats required as far as title, registration, notary rules for the boat and trailer.  If your state requires a boat title, and the owner doesn't have one, the boat is worthless.  

[Further North]

On 12/17/2017 at 10:31 AM, moguy1973 said:

I’m going to be Debbie downer here and say save your money, get a good education, get a good job and then you can afford what you really want. Having a boat is great but it’s just a hole in the water that you throw your money in.  Make sure you can afford one before you buy one.  

 

On 12/21/2017 at 5:52 AM, Junk Fisherman said:

With all that being said, obviously moguy is right about getting a a good education and a good career to afford the boat you want in the future.  But saving up and buying a reasonably-priced used boat does not derail that plan.  Hell, boats that we are talking about do not significantly lose their value from one year to the next.  So you buy a 10-12 year old Tracker or some comparable boat and if needbe you sell it and get back most of your money.  This is not a risky idea.  Just make sure that you get the motor checked out and don't finance anything.  Good luck. 

Regarding getting a good education and a good job...

 

IMO, we send way to many people to expensive colleges (way, way to expensive!) that leaves the kids in debt up to their fannies and competing for jobs that pay nowhere near enough to be be able to start a family, get a home, and fund their hobbies...so they go deeper into debt...

 

There are other ways of "getting an education" than college.  Plumbers, electricians, builders, etc. all make great money, so do lots of other trades.  The  guys that run our presses make good money, and the ones that want them have boats, ATVs, campers and cabins up north and most will retire comfortably (unless they do dumb things with their money, there's no cure for that)...and didn't start life $50K in the hole...

 

Culturally, we have turned the trades into "dirty" jobs for the most part...and that's a shame.

 

**********************

On the "hole in the water" aspect of boat ownership:  I've never experienced that...but I buy smart, take care of my stuff and make sure I'm well insured.  Sure, it's an expense, but my boat maintenance costs a lot less than my car maintenance...

[Junk Fisherman]

22 hours ago, Further North said:

 

Regarding getting a good education and a good job...

 

IMO, we send way to many people to expensive colleges (way, way to expensive!) that leaves the kids in debt up to their fannies and competing for jobs that pay nowhere near enough to be be able to start a family, get a home, and fund their hobbies...so they go deeper into debt...

 

There are other ways of "getting an education" than college.  Plumbers, electricians, builders, etc. all make great money, so do lots of other trades.  The  guys that run our presses make good money, and the ones that want them have boats, ATVs, campers and cabins up north and most will retire comfortably (unless they do dumb things with their money, there's no cure for that)...and didn't start life $50K in the hole...

 

Culturally, we have turned the trades into "dirty" jobs for the most part...and that's a shame.

 

**********************

On the "hole in the water aspect of boat ownership:  I've never experienced that...but I buy smart, take care of my stuff and make sure I'm well insured.  Sure, it's an expense, but my boat maintenance costs a lot less than my car maintenance...

I couldn't agree more with you.  I work in education yet I don't blindly recommend going to college to everyone.   Have you seen the financial analysis of the electrician versus the doctor?   There is also one about working for UPS versus becoming a doctor.  Lots of great careers out there that do not require a 4-year college degree.  And don't even get me started on people that "have to" go to a 4-year university and live away from home and take out loans that they'll be paying off till they're 40.  Or the number of people who earned degrees in a field where there are few jobs.  When my kids get to that age, we'll be making some wise decisions.    

[Quarry Man]

I am pretty sure that I want to get a Ranger RT188. My friend and his dad have the 2015 model and they love it. They use it on the Delaware River with a 115 HP Mercury. I really like the design, the storage looks great, and it appears to be the perfect size, not too small for bigger water, and maybe a tiny bit big for my local lakes, but I can still get away with to just fine, or use my other boat. I only have a limited amount of tackle and rods, so It will hold everything just fine. The boat will also open up more opportunities to fish bigger water, and fish with others, like my grandfather more comfortably. Now, I have a few questions:

 

1 - What features/upgrades do I need/want? I am looking at trailer brakes, boat cover from ranger, trolling motor, graphs, tie downs, on board chargers, and all that stuff. I have no clue what to get.

 

2 - What motor? Although I would love the fastest and biggest motor, is it worth the money to get a 115? I could get a 90 0r 75 and save some money. Also do I need those extra MPH, I don't fish big tournaments yet, but will likely do so in college.

 

3 - How do I make $15k? in less than a year? Right now, I am focusing on school and wrestling. Come spring time, I am going to get a part-time job and save up. As of right now, I shovel snow, babysit, when possible. I also make apps for small companies, which pays well, but we are dealing with issues right now. I hope to have the boat by the summer, but I am prepared to work very hard and save all my income if I need to. I am fortunate enough that my grandfather also loves to fish. With our last boat, he was willing to pay for half of the boat.

 

4 - Are there similar boats that I should consider? Although I really like the Ranger, I would also like to see my other options

 

5 - How do I drive a bass boat? Is there any advice you have for me?

 

6 - When is the best time to buy? I am planning on buying from a local marine store, and getting it customized to my liking. I will have the money by late summer hopefully.