Looking to buy first boat

[PECo]

That Tracker looks almost too good to be true. Out here in Connecticut, the seller would get multiple offers on it. If I were looking for my first bass fishing boat on a budget, I’d be all over it.

 

Don’t get caught up in the name-brand hype. Every boat maker you recognize makes a bad boat from time to time, but the vast majority are good. Look at each boat on its own merits.

[J Francho]

That Crestliner would be on the TOP of my list.  That's a real nice boat.  My buddy has the 18' version.  There is a difference between some brands.  Lund and Crestliner are top level boats.  Lund are riveted, Crestliners are welded.  Both hand made in the same factory.  Both far better made boats than Tracker.  That isn't to say Tacker are not good - to the contrary, they pack a lot of value in for a low price.  Personally, if you're looking at deep-Vs, Alumacraft, Lund, Crestliner, PolarCraft, would all be in my top choices list.

[NorthernBasser]

Thanks again guys.

 

I contacted the guy with the Crestliner. I asked him him what pond thrust the trolling motor is. He said he doesn't know, which seems weird.

 

Regarding that Tracker with the mod-V. I realize those probably aren't as stable as the V's (or as wide), but are they still pretty stable boats? I've never fished out of one. 

[J Francho]

Actually, the nod-v are a little more stable than a deep V.  They can't handle the same big water as a deep V, and they can be a bit rougher riding in chop.

[NorthernBasser]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

Actually, the nod-v are a little more stable than a deep V.  They can't handle the same big water as a deep V, and they can be a bit rougher riding in chop.

Ah, gotcha. Again, I appreciate all the help on this. I'm learning and wanna get the right boat.

 

Now, on that crestliner, it looks like the battery storage up front for the trolling motor may only fit 1 battery (I could be wrong). A guy I know said if I get a bigger trolling motor, I'd want 2 12V batteries. If that's true, I'm not sure how I'd make that work.

[NorthernBasser]

Another thing. I like to get in the shallows often like I'm sure most of you do. Will that Crestliner handle it well being a deep V? Obviously the Tracker would be better in that regard.

[J Francho]

I mean, how shallow are you tyalking about?  Most deep - V draft in about 14".  It all depends on how the boat is laden.

[NorthernBasser]

9 minutes ago, J Francho said:

I mean, how shallow are you tyalking about?  Most deep - V draft in about 14".  It all depends on how the boat is laden.

I'd say if it can go in 14" I'd be good. Thanks.

[PECo]

A modified-vee would be much better for bass fishing than a deep-vee. As I mentioned, my first fishing boat was a 16-1/2 foot aluminum modified-vee. It worked great for bass fishing, but my usual fishing partner weighed north of 350 pounds and had vertigo, so my next boat was an 18-1/2 foot aluminum deep-vee. That worked well enough, but we fished tidal rivers and even Long Island Sound on occasion. After my buddy moved out of state, I finally went with an 18-1/2 foot glass bass boat. It was really nice, almost a relief, really, to go back to a bass fishing boat with less freeboard. I really hated hauling fish the long way up and over the rail in the deep-vee.

[J Francho]

The OP is in Wisconsin, near Lake Michigan, has a $6-8K price limitation, and it's his first boat.  A tiller or side console deep would suit his waters better.  A mod-v or glass bass boat would severely limit the water he could safely fish.

[NorthernBasser]

I definitely don't fish huge lakes. The biggest lake I fish is actually a widening of a river, and it's 5,000 acres with an average depth of 3-5'.

 

I'll definitely be fishing deeper lakes as well, but acreage-wise, nothing huge. Maybe up to 2,000-3,000 acres. 

[J Francho]

You want to hit some of those bays on Michigan.  By the time I was 16, I was chasing smallies in Lake Ontario with a 15' deep V tiller. 

[NorthernBasser]

Just now, J Francho said:

You want to hit some of those bays on Michigan.  By the time I was 16, I was chasing smallies in Lake Ontario with a 15' deep V tiller. 

Oh man, I've been wanting to fish those clear waters of Door County for trophy smallies for years. And even muskie. 

[J Francho]

From 20-something years ago:

 

[NorthernBasser]

8 minutes ago, J Francho said:

From 20-something years ago:

 

Beautiful! I definitely fish LMB a lot more than smallies (tho there are plenty of smallie lakes around me), but not much matches the fight of a smallmouth.

 

Those goby's in Lake Michigan really fatten them up. 

[NorthernBasser]

Well that Crestliner sold. Bummer. I'm in WI and he was in MN so I couldn't get there to look at it til this weekend. 

[J Francho]

That was a sweet deal.  Keep looking!  Be patient.

[Further North]

9 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Appreciate all the info guys! Like I said, I don't have much experience into what brands to avoid, what outboards are better, V vs flat bottom vs mod-V, etc.

 

How about this one? Are Crestliners good boats? What about the price point on this one?

 

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/boa/d/2007-crestliner-1600-fish-hawk/6540676303.html

That boat is gone, but yes, Crestliner makes a good boat.

 

Fish Hawks are good boats within the Crestliner family, I know several people that have them and like them.

9 hours ago, J Francho said:

That Crestliner would be on the TOP of my list.  That's a real nice boat.  My buddy has the 18' version.  There is a difference between some brands.  Lund and Crestliner are top level boats.  Lund are riveted, Crestliners are welded.  Both hand made in the same factory.  Both far better made boats than Tracker.  That isn't to say Tacker are not good - to the contrary, they pack a lot of value in for a low price.  Personally, if you're looking at deep-Vs, Alumacraft, Lund, Crestliner, PolarCraft, would all be in my top choices list.

Good advice.

7 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Another thing. I like to get in the shallows often like I'm sure most of you do. Will that Crestliner handle it well being a deep V? Obviously the Tracker would be better in that regard.

The hull on my Crestliner is very similar to the Fish Hawks, I have no problem fishing very shallow.  I've never measured it, but I would guess 12".

5 hours ago, J Francho said:

The OP is in Wisconsin, near Lake Michigan, has a $6-8K price limitation, and it's his first boat.  A tiller or side console deep would suit his waters better.  A mod-v or glass bass boat would severely limit the water he could safely fish.

Yup.

[Further North]

I just spotted a Crestliner 1650 Fish Hawk that might be a fit.  Check your PMs.

[NorthernBasser]

52 minutes ago, Further North said:

That boat is gone, but yes, Crestliner makes a good boat.

 

Fish Hawks are good boats within the Crestliner family, I know several people that have them and like them.

Good advice.

The hull on my Crestliner is very similar to the Fish Hawks, I have no problem fishing very shallow.  I've never measured it, but I would guess 12".

Yup.

Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for Fish Hawks. I don't think I've seen any in all the time I've been scouring the internet, but maybe I just overlooked them.

 

And I can't remember if I asked this or not, but is welded hulls better than riveted? Or doesn't it really matter? 

[Further North]

Little difference between welded and riveted.

 

I've owned both, they were both fine.

[NorthernBasser]

7 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for Fish Hawks. I don't think I've seen any in all the time I've been scouring the internet, but maybe I just overlooked them.

 

And I can't remember if I asked this or not, but is welded hulls better than riveted? Or doesn't it really matter? 

OK, I'm dumb. The Fishhawk is a Crestliner model...which I was looking at. I thought you meant it was a sister company of Crestliner. My head is spinning from all the research I've been doing lately.

[Further North]

10 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

OK, I'm dumb. The Fishhawk is a Crestliner model...which I was looking at. I thought you meant it was a sister company of Crestliner. My head is spinning from all the research I've been doing lately.

That'll happen.

 

Print out the adds, write down your notes, that'll help you keep things straight.

 

Works with vehicles, too.

[NorthernBasser]

8 minutes ago, Further North said:

That'll happen.

 

Print out the adds, write down your notes, that'll help you keep things straight.

 

Works with vehicles, too.

I'm learning quickly that once a nice deal is posted, it doesn't last long. 

[Further North]

Just now, NorthernBasser said:

I'm learning quickly that once a nice deal is posted, it doesn't last long. 

Yup; I spotted the boat I have at about 11:00 PM one night, was on the phone at 8:00 AM the next morning, we had an agreement 15 minutes later, pending inspection.

 

...that boat was in Chicago, 5 hours away, but we got 'er done.