Looking to buy first boat

[slonezp]

20 hours ago, Weedwhacker said:

Kickers are for trolling. bigger 2 strokes don't like to idle around for long periods of time.

it looks to be well equipped.

seems a little high priced for a 15 year old Fisher. 

If you are serious about it, I would have a boat shop look it over. 

that boat was made by Tracker. The fisher line has been discontinued for about 9 years.

 I see quite a few older Fishers on the water, but I have also heard some of them had problems with cracked welds on the hull. 

It's very over priced and Fisher were known leakers. Tracker bought out Fisher right around this time. If the boat is pristine, it isn't worth more than 4-5 grand 

6 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

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. 

You fish Lake Wisconsin? the Madison Chain? Koshkonong?

[NorthernBasser]

13 minutes ago, Further North said:

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.

I'm definitely prepared to drive 5 hours for the right price.

 

I need to take a break from looking for a day or so though. Now I've been suckered into looking at this (but I really don't think I want a payment).

 

https://www.leadersrpm.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=3665087&p=2&at=boat|personal watercraft&s=Year&d=D&vt=boat&fr=xAllInventory

[Further North]

2 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

I'm definitely prepared to drive 5 hours for the right price.

 

I need to take a break from looking for a day or so though. Now I've been suckered into looking at this (but I really don't think I want a payment).

 

https://www.leadersrpm.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=3665087&p=2&at=boat|personal watercraft&s=Year&d=D&vt=boat&fr=xAllInventory

I PM'd you links to a couple others, take a look, see how they shake out.

[NorthernBasser]

8 minutes ago, slonezp said:

It's very over priced and Fisher were known leakers. Tracker bought out Fisher right around this time. If the boat is pristine, it isn't worth more than 4-5 grand 

You fish Lake Wisconsin? the Madison Chain? Koshkonong?

I've fished Lake Wisconsin once. The lake (widening of a river) I was talking about was Lake Puckaway.

 

Madison chain a few time. I've always relied on friends with boats before. but many have moved away and now I want to get my own. I'd like to fish them more (for smallies and skis). I know they catch huge muskies on Monona. 

2 minutes ago, Further North said:

I PM'd you links to a couple others, take a look, see how they shake out.

Will do, thanks!

[NorthernBasser]

Well, this sucks.

 

So, right now I'm living in an apartment where I have one parking spot....a single car garage.  So my plan this whole time was to rent a storage unit to keep the boat (when I finally find one). Well, as it turns out, there really aren't any around that have power outlets. And I need that to charge my batteries after every use of the boat, right? 

 

I don't know what I was thinking. I thought you could get them with outlets. But I guess it makes sense that they don't have them, for liability reasons (fires). 

 

Super bummed. Any ideas? 

 

How big of a pain would it be to take both batteries out after each use, and bring them back t my garage and put them on a battery charger. Would that even work? 

[Russ E]

51 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Well, this sucks.

 

So, right now I'm living in an apartment where I have one parking spot....a single car garage.  So my plan this whole time was to rent a storage unit to keep the boat (when I finally find one). Well, as it turns out, there really aren't any around that have power outlets. And I need that to charge my batteries after every use of the boat, right? 

 

I don't know what I was thinking. I thought you could get them with outlets. But I guess it makes sense that they don't have them, for liability reasons (fires). 

 

Super bummed. Any ideas? 

 

How big of a pain would it be to take both batteries out after each use, and bring them back t my garage and put them on a battery charger. Would that even work? 

if one of your batteries are for the main motor and electronics, it should stay charged if you run the gas motor much.

I had to remove the trolling motor battery to charge it on my first boat, because there was no electricity where I parked it.

It was a pain, but better than not having a boat.

[Further North]

I'm not sure what I'd do in that situation...it's a ton of work to get my trolling motor batteries out...

 

It is a complete PITA to get my electronics battery out.

 

I seldom run my big motor enough to charge the starting batteries, most lakes in WI just aren't big enough...

 

Sounds like it's time to rent a house...

[slolane]

On ‎3‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 10:04 PM, NorthernBasser said:

Well, this sucks.

 

So, right now I'm living in an apartment where I have one parking spot....a single car garage.  So my plan this whole time was to rent a storage unit to keep the boat (when I finally find one). Well, as it turns out, there really aren't any around that have power outlets. And I need that to charge my batteries after every use of the boat, right? 

 

I don't know what I was thinking. I thought you could get them with outlets. But I guess it makes sense that they don't have them, for liability reasons (fires). 

 

Super bummed. Any ideas? 

 

How big of a pain would it be to take both batteries out after each use, and bring them back t my garage and put them on a battery charger. Would that even work? 

Is there a bulb in the storage unit? If there is this could be the answer. https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-1403-Outlet-Socket-Adapter/dp/B001F71O70/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1522854870&sr=8-4&keywords=light+bulb+socket+adapter+plug

[lo n slo]

On 3/29/2018 at 10:59 PM, Weedwhacker said:

if one of your batteries are for the main motor and electronics, it should stay charged if you run the gas motor much.

I had to remove the trolling motor battery to charge it on my first boat, because there was no electricity where I parked it.

It was a pain, but better than not having a boat.

i do this for a jon boat that i keep on a small lake. the dock there has no power. i use a small pair of hand trucks to wheel it around and an old Shumacher charger here at the house. man gotta fish ?

[NorthernBasser]

10 hours ago, slolane said:

Is there a bulb in the storage unit? If there is this could be the answer. https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-1403-Outlet-Socket-Adapter/dp/B001F71O70/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1522854870&sr=8-4&keywords=light+bulb+socket+adapter+plug

So, I got a storage unit yesterday. 10x30. No bulbs in the unit. There are lights on the outside of the units that come on at night.

 

The owner told be he'd talk to his electrician to see if he can run power into my untit and add an outlet for me. That'd be great! Hopefully he can.

 

Now, to find a boat! 

[Further North]

39 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

So, I got a storage unit yesterday. 10x30. No bulbs in the unit. There are lights on the outside of the units that come on at night.

 

The owner told be he'd talk to his electrician to see if he can run power into my untit and add an outlet for me. That'd be great! Hopefully he can.

 

Now, to find a boat! 

That'll work!

[NorthernBasser]

Another question for you guys.

 

When buying a boat from a dealer, can you haggle on the price? I'm guessing you can with used, but what about new? 

 

What about getting them to throw in little things? Like, let's say, boat buckles for the trailer? 

[slolane]

11 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Another question for you guys.

 

When buying a boat from a dealer, can you haggle on the price? I'm guessing you can with used, but what about new? 

 

What about getting them to throw in little things? Like, let's say, boat buckles for the trailer? 

I think that will depend on dealer and brand that you are buying. But you can get a longer amount of time on a loan for a new boat with smaller payment if that's the way you want to go. A dealer will be able to help you with all that either new or used.

[NorthernBasser]

Well guys, I put an order in for a 2018 Crestliner VT DX. 

 

I'm excited to finally be getting my first "real" boat at 40 yrs old. No more relying on friends and their boats. 

 

I'm pumped, but also SUPER bummed because I won't be able to take delivery until the 2nd week of June (hopefully they surprise me and make it a week or two sooner). That's some prime fishing I'll be missing. Guess I'll have to find other ways to get out there.

 

I wanna say a huge 'thank you' to all who have helped me out in not only this thread, but my other thread as well. It's much appreciated. I know I'll have many questions along the way. 

 

Here's a look at what the boat looks like.

 

 

[Further North]

On 4/5/2018 at 10:20 PM, NorthernBasser said:

Another question for you guys.

 

When buying a boat from a dealer, can you haggle on the price? I'm guessing you can with used, but what about new? 

 

What about getting them to throw in little things? Like, let's say, boat buckles for the trailer? 

You bet you can.

 

If they say you can't, I'd find another dealer...

22 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Well guys, I put an order in for a 2018 Crestliner VT DX. 

 

I'm excited to finally be getting my first "real" boat at 40 yrs old. No more relying on friends and their boats. 

 

I'm pumped, but also SUPER bummed because I won't be able to take delivery until the 2nd week of June (hopefully they surprise me and make it a week or two sooner). That's some prime fishing I'll be missing. Guess I'll have to find other ways to get out there.

 

I wanna say a huge 'thank you' to all who have helped me out in not only this thread, but my other thread as well. It's much appreciated. I know I'll have many questions along the way. 

 

Here's a look at what the boat looks like.

 

 

Cool boat, you'll like it!

 

...the way things are going up here, June 2nd will be about 2 weeks after ice out, and should be good fishing.

 

We still have about 30" of ice as of last weekend.

[NorthernBasser]

4 minutes ago, Further North said:

 

...the way things are going up here, June 2nd will be about 2 weeks after ice out, and should be good fishing.

 

We still have about 30" of ice as of last weekend.

That's what I heard from my buddy who lives up north. I'm more southeastern WI. All our lakes have been open for a while now. Like I said, it's gonna be a looooong 2 months. 

[Further North]

Just now, NorthernBasser said:

That's what I heard from my buddy who lives up north. I'm more southeastern WI. All our lakes have been open for a while now. Like I said, it's gonna be a looooong 2 months. 

Yeah...my brother lives on Whitewater Lake...was up over Easter weekend...said they were putting docks in already...

 

I'll be in Indianapolis for opening weekend anyway, and it's amateur day anyhow...I just hope we get open water soon after that.