Kayak vs Boat

[Oben]

What’s better to buy first Bass Boat or Kayak? Thanks!!!

[MN Fisher]

Canoe

[J Francho]

I don't know.  I had a canoe, rowboat, 14' tiller, 17' deep-v tiller, kayak, 18' aluminum bass boat, 22' fiberglass bass boat, then back to kayak.  Looking at a 25' bay boat as my next and last boat.  The vessel is just a tool to get you off shore.  Decide how you want fish and the budget you are willing to set for it.

[Bluebasser86]

If I was going to pick one, it would depend a lot on where and how I was fishing. I'm not good at making those decisions though, which is why I have a bass boat, 16' johnboat, and as soon as it's delivered, a peddle kayak.

[Choporoz]

5 hours ago, Oben said:

What’s better to buy first Bass Boat or Kayak? Thanks!!!

Yes.

 

Clearly everyone will weigh deciding factors differently. Consider some of these and maybe you will better frame your question:

-Up front budget

-Sustainment budget

-Storage capabilities

-Transport capabilities 

-Maintenance aptitude and desire

-Where you plan to fish

-Prefer to fish alone or with someone

 

There's probably a number of other factors that others found important to weigh 

 

 

[Captain Phil]

Your age and physical condition will also affect your decision.  Even when I was young, I found kayak fishing tough on my back.  Getting in and out of a kayak is not always easy.  If you fall out of a kayak, are you able to swim to shore?  You can fall out of a boat too, but it's not as likely. Kayak fishing is a great way to enjoy the sport on a budget.  It also allows you to fish places where a big boat can't go.  If you buy a boat you can fish with a buddy or a family member.  In either case, the bass don't care.

[rejesterd]

If you have the means to get a boat and a vehicle that can tow it, I would get a bass boat. I've had a canoe, a kayak, and now a boat.  I do not miss carrying my hull on my back (then separately lugging my equipment back and forth to the car), nor do I miss paddling against the wind.  I only miss the lower cost-of-ownership.  Just make sure you go into this with a good understanding of all the costs associated with owning a bass boat.  Maintenance on the engine every year, maintenance on the hull, maintenance on the trailer, insurance, registration fees, etc.

[Dens228]

I'd really like to have a boat.  I do love my kayak though.  Ease of storage, transport, access to more water.  Cost to run and maintain.  

Yes my kayak and all the bells and whistles I've installed do add up on $$'s but now that I have it my cost per trip is $0.

[Herbert Lorenzo]

You actually have the convenience of being able to fish without needing a boat ramp and at the same time the comfort of a boat by owning a  small jonboat. 

[GTN-NY]

I agree with Dens228

i have a Jackson Big Rig and a small boat trailer to haul it. It’s all setup nicely so all my gear stays in it except for rods. I can launch without a ramp. I have a set of wheels for it so I don’t have to drag it. 
Next year I think I’ll be adding a bow mount trolling motor to make it easier to fish against the wind. 
including the trolling motor I’ll have close to $4000 invested but...

no boat gas $

no maintenance $

no big tow vehicle $

I get good exercise every time I go out

[NYWayfarer]

I would have a boat if not for all the costs associated with one (Insurance, maintenance, storage, gas and transportation costs)

 

I purchased a kayak 3 years ago and that was the last time I spent any money on it. I store it on some hangers in my garage. I don't have to register or insure it. It has no fuel costs. I throw it on some foam blocks on the roof of my car to transport. It weighs 38 pounds so I can load and unload it myself with ease.

[gim]

Obviously there are advantages and disadvantages of both.  Certainly a lot less maintenance, fuel costs, insurance, etc with a kayak.  And there are some pretty dang nice yaks available out there too.  A yak will definitely get you to places a boat can't, and vice versa.  I currently own an aluminum bass boat and I am aware of the costs associated with it.  Plus there's just an amount of upkeep that's need too, similar to owning a second car at times.  Given a choice if you can afford it, have a towing vehicle, a place to store it, etc I would take a bass boat.  Another disadvantage to having a kayak instead of a boat is that you can only fish alone.  I enjoy fishing with my Father and/or one of my friends pretty regularly and we can't both fit in a kayak.  Plus I wouldn't dare take my 65 pound labrador with me in a yak either.

 

I will admit that if didn't have a bass boat, I would definitely have a nice fishing kayak.

[Dens228]

I have a Bonafide SS127 with a Bixby motor on the rudder.  The seat of the SS is almost like sitting in a recliner.  Plus I can stand to fish, stretch my legs, without any issues at all. With all that and my gear I can pull into a parking lot and park, put the yak on my cart and wheel it down to the water and be fishing in 10 minutes without rushing.  All my gear is kept on the kayak, I only have to attach the motor to the rudder which takes less than a minute, and put my rods in the holders.  

One of my favorite spots to fish is a small quarry that is right next to a ramp/parking lot for one of the most popular fishing lakes in northern Illinois.  When I'm fishing there I can hear conversations from the parking lot. Due to the trees most people probably don't even realize the quarry is there.  You can't get a boat to it and there's no ramp.  Just a small path from the gravel road to an opening in the trees about feet wide.  

[Bankc]

Get a kayak unless you have a ton of money.  Boats are crazy expensive.  And they don't hold their value well.  Kayaks seem to hold their value pretty well and are a lot smaller investment up front.  Plus they're less costly to maintain.  And, owning one will give you a sense of whether or not it's worth investing even more money into a boat later on, plus it'll tell you more about what you'll be looking for in a boat when the time comes.  

 

If you can't afford to waste $2,000-3,000 on a kayak that you only use a few times before deciding that it's not enough for you and you really need a boat, then you can't afford a boat.  That's because new boats are crazy expensive and old boats that actually seem affordable almost always need more work done to them than what they're worth.  Even a slightly used boat that's in great shape will cost you an arm and a leg just to get into, and it'll still depreciate faster than a gallon of milk.  You'll be lucky if you finish making payments on it before it starts needing regular repairs.  

 

I'm not saying that boats aren't worth owning.  I'm just saying that if you haven't owned one before, it's really easy to underestimate the financial burden they can bring.  

[gim]

1 hour ago, Bankc said:

And they don't hold their value well. 

That's absolutely not true.  They hold their value very well, especially compared to cars and trucks.  Think about it.  What is a boat doing most of the time?  Sitting on a trailer.  Compared the amount of miles I put on my truck, its nothing.  Plus its in storage for half the year (in the north) too.  That's why boat insurance policies don't depreciate like automobile policies do.  Its the same premium and coverage as long as you own the boat.  My boat is 5+ years old now and I have had multiple people this season ask me if it was brand new.

[J Francho]

3 minutes ago, gimruis said:

That's absolutely not true.

Agreed, not following the depreciation argument made.  Either they aren't a good value used, or they don't hold their value.  Can't be both.  Everything takes an initial hit on resale, and it isn't the minute you drive off the lot, like many are quick to say. The usable life of a decent boat is decades, unlike cars, which seems like it's only a few years.  This is clear from the term limits on boat loans verses car loans.  

 

I'd like to add that with all the different vessels I've owned, I never quit using the kayaks.  They will always be something I enjoy and employ in my search for big fish.  There's something about them.  Another argument was made that you have to fish alone.  I have three, and often go with others.  No  one has to settle for the back of the boat position either.  There's a plethora of clubs and so many people are kayak fishing, there's plenty of opportunity to partner up.

 

Just a couple more viewpoints on boats and kayaks.

[gim]

26 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Agreed, not following the depreciation argument made.  Either they aren't a good value used, or they don't hold their value.  Can't be both.

What I was trying to say is that when you purchase a boat insurance policy based on the current value of the boat, as long as you still own that boat, the policy doesn't change.  My boat is 5+ years old and I'm sure the value isn't the same as it was brand new, even though it is still in great condition.  I'm still paying the same premiums for the value of the boat that I was 5 years ago when I started the policy.  As compared to an automobile...the more miles you put on it, the less value it has, and the policy premiums go down because its not valued as much.

 

My point was that the value on boats doesn't depreciate nearly as fast and that they hold their value well.

[J Francho]

And I was agreeing.  Good point.  My last boat was 25 years old, and insurance cared little about the age.  It was in fact a higher premium due to the HP, and brand of the boat hull.

[Bankc]

4 hours ago, gimruis said:

That's absolutely not true.  They hold their value very well, especially compared to cars and trucks.  Think about it.  What is a boat doing most of the time?  Sitting on a trailer.  Compared the amount of miles I put on my truck, its nothing.  Plus its in storage for half the year (in the north) too.  That's why boat insurance policies don't depreciate like automobile policies do.  Its the same premium and coverage as long as you own the boat.  My boat is 5+ years old now and I have had multiple people this season ask me if it was brand new.

You're not wrong.  I guess I was just approaching it from a different mind set.  If you approach it by model year, you're right, they definitely hold their value better.  Your typical ten year old boat will have much more value than your typical ten year old car if they cost the same amount when new.  However, a car with 3,000 hours on it is probably going to be more valuable than your typical boat with 3,000 hours on it, if they both cost the same new.  

 

So when you factor in the initial cost of purchase, the value of that time you used it, the cost of maintenance and ownership, and compare that to it's resale value, I feel like boats don't really hold up that well.  Now, I'm not saying boat ownership is a bad idea.  I'm just saying that if you don't have a lot of money, then there are probably better ways to spend your limited funds other than a boat, unless you really, really love being on the water.  

 

 

[kjfishman]

One of the factors is where will you fish. If you have a lot of small lakes, rivers or creeks near by a kayak is the way to go. For example where  I live there are a lot of lakes that gas  motors aren't allowed so kayak is a great choice. I have both a kayak and a bass boat and spend more time in the kayak. Also maintenance cost are minimal on a kayak.

 

[Shimano_1]

Obviously kayaks have blown up in popularity and I get it. I'm getting a few years on me and honestly have no desire to fish from one. We've tried it a cple times and I can see the appeal....but i will stick with my bass boat. Its all gonna be personal preference and what kind of fishing you're gonna be doing as well as the area. You're gonna have to figure all that out for yourself.  Good luck with it!

[BrianMDTX]

I wish I had a dog in this fight lol. I’d love a bass boat, but have no ability to park it at home so I’d have to pay for space at a marina. I thought about a kayak, but unless I stow it in the garage, I’d have to store it in the backyard. Plus I’d need a hitch and extension, wheels, etc (I’m no spring chicken any more). And last but certainly not least, I don’t have the desire to spend $$ or $$$ on a yak, or $$$$$$$ on a bass boat. 
 

So I spent $ on a small inflatable boat. Lightweight, easy to carry, stores (deflated) in a Rubbermaid tote, and modified with a cheap 7” pedestal and lowback bass boat seat, and a two-rod holder behind the seat, I sit up with good vision and the ability to cast and play fish well without spare rigs in my way. 
 

Is it very roomy? No. Is it fast? No. Does it get me out on the water in ponds and small lakes where I had no access? Yes! So far I’m very pleased with it. It all depends on what you want. I simply wanted to get off the bank as inexpensively and as easily transportable as possible. I achieved my goal. 

[GreenPig]

Both. ? I own three different sized jon boats for ponds - 1232, rivers/creeks -1436, and lakes -1448.

[HookInMouth]

It's all subjective. I had a boat and I now have several kayaks because I enjoy it more. I'e thought about adding a bass boat a few times but I always shy away because of the upkeep. Not so much the cost, but the labor. Low maintenance and simplicity are two of the big draws for kayak fishing for me. There are advantages and disadvantages for both. 

[Yakalong]

Like stated above, each have advantages and disadvantages, you just have to decide what will work best for you. I have a kayak and a boat. I use both of them and wouldn't trade either one. When I bought my boat I wasn't and still am not worried about resale. I'm not selling it, I'm using it. So choose what you think will work and enjoy it.