Why 16' and not 14'?

[Conclusion]

Was originally looking at a larger kayak but figured I just needed to move to a smaller aluminum boat. I'm seeing over and over that everyone says don't go smaller than 16' saying the extra room makes that big of a difference. I'm looking at a used Lund fury and the 1400 is actually 14'9" and the 1600 is 16' 2" so literally less than a foot and a half. I'll mostly be fishing alone in inland lakes and so I don't mind a smaller engine either. This will be my first boat so I'm green. Can someone please explain to me the rationale for why people are pushing the 16' minimum? Thanks.

[Junger]

Does the 14’ have a rod locker? I had a 14’ bomber and I had to load/unload all my rods each trip, from the house to car then car to boat. It might not seem like a lot of time but it adds up. Also fishing two in the 14’ was cramped. The only time I wish I had a smaller boat was when I push pole way back in the pads, but I’m glad for having a 18’ now for all other situations.

[cyclops2]

Always want the boat to be bigger than the alligator or Bull Shark.  ?

[Conclusion]

41 minutes ago, Junger said:

Does the 14’ have a rod locker? I had a 14’ bomber and I had to load/unload all my rods each trip, from the house to car then car to boat. It might not seem like a lot of time but it adds up. Also fishing two in the 14’ was cramped. The only time I wish I had a smaller boat was when I push pole way back in the pads, but I’m glad for having a 18’ now for all other situations.

It does but max 7' rods and that's only 2 of my 8 which is definitely one of the downsides I thought of as well. Part of the reason for moving away from a kayak was all the loading and unloading which I don't want to have to worry about.

[Deleted account]

47 minutes ago, cyclops2 said:

Always want the boat to be bigger than the alligator or Bull Shark.  ?

We were drifting, fishing for fluke (flounder) in a 26 ft cc within sight of the Montauk light house a few years back. I was sitting on the gunnel, and as I picked up my line, I looked down and see something straight down about 15 to 20 feet down under the boat. I wasn't wearing sun glasses, and I squinted to try to make it out, and to me it looked like 2 sunfish (mola mola, not bluegill) side by side, each maybe 6 feet long, about 4 feet apart. Try as I might I couldn't get a really good look. So I say to the 3 other guys in the boat "hey look, molas" Well they lean over and look down all with Costas on. I forget who exclaimed the expletives and who reared back suddenly, but they did both. Mind you these were a commercial fisherman, and two charter captains. Well, it turns out what I thought were the 2 molas, was actually either side of the head of a white shark, I don't think it was as long as the boat, but it was close. 

[WRB]

One consideration is can the boat be garaged with flooding tongue trailer. Garaged boats you can keep everything in the boat without a cover out the elements.

Bass anglers fish using a trolling motor, you need space for the TM and front pedestal seat.

Tom

 

 

[cyclops2]

18 years old & in a 12' hunting duck boat. Row up to the Fish Canning factory on Sunday. looking at & under the docks for any activity. See a cloud of  brown baitfish. I make several casts. No takers. Last cast As I retrieve the school of bait fish start following the lure back. Stop cranking as I see 2 large eyes in the blob down there. I freeze completely. The shark head is almost as wide as my boat. I am getting cramps from the position I have been in forever. He goes back to his spot . I very slowly row far away.  I never went back to that spot in 74 years. In any boat.