Advice on Boat buying

[Owasco]

I'm looking for a little advice.  I'd like to pick up a boat to fish with sometime this winter.  I've searched craigslist and have seen what I think are great deals and I'm currently considering a few different options.  I don't want to jump into anything too fast but I do want to have something by March.

I've concluded that I don't need a real expensive bass boat.  I just want something that gets me on the water and is somewhat versatile.  I want a 14-16 foot aluminum V-hull with a 30hp+ motor.  I have found many for $1500 or less.  If they have a deck then great......I don't mind building one if it doesn't.

My problem is with some other options that i have found while searching for my idea of the ideal boat.  I've come across multiple fiberglass Tri-Hull boats (1965-1985) in the 14-18 foot ranged that are priced between $400-$1000.  Most have motors between 55hp and 120hp.  They are old but most have had regular maintenance on the motors and their owners usually say they run well, no leaks etc.

I mostly bass fish but I will occasionally go out and fish for Walleye and crappy and just about anything that swims.

As you can see I have alot of questions but I guess the main thing is, is it worth getting into one of these fiberglass tanks as opposed to an aluminum v-hull?

If it helps you help me, I would be fishing the NY finger lakes Oneida, Sandy Pond and some smaller reservoirs.

Thanks,

Marc

[Siebert Outdoors]

in that price range I'd stick with AL.  If you bust a hole in it, its cheaper and easier to fix.  Plus alot of older glass boats you might run into rotten transoms.  AL boats you can also fix easily on most of them.

[Owasco]

Thanks GMAN.  Thats pretty much what I was thinking.  I was just floored at what some people were asking for the old glass tri-hulls.

Thanks again

[Bass Dude]

You may want to get something bigger.  I've fished the Finger Lakes and Oneida for years...eventhough they are smaller bodies of water, they get rocked by the wind, especially Oneida.  Don't get an underpowered boat and the aluminum boat gets tossed around very easily by the wind too. 

I've fished those lakes in a 16 foot aluminum with a 50 and there were a couple times I wish I had more power, and honestly more boat!!

[Hamby]

Bass Dude's right. I fish a pretty small lake and my 14ft with the 40hp does well as long as i'm going perpendicular to the waves. Either going against them or with them. There's been multiple times where i've driven all the way to the other side of the lake just to turn the boat around so that i don't take one over the side. And fishing can be a real pain in moderately windy conditions if you want to do any casting.

But, there's way more days where i have no problem in my little boat than when i do. If it gets too windy, then i leave, and i've never had a big problem with waves. It'll get sketchy, i'll get wet, but it's never overly dangerous.

[Owasco]

Thanks for the replies.  I'm leaning toward an aluminum v-hull.  I'm sure the tri-hulls are more stable but I know they are heavey too.  I just saw a bass tracker for $1500 with no major problems.  The pictures look nice but I don't know the year.  It looks to be in pretty good shape from the pictures.  I am hoping to look at it sometime over the next couple of days.  The listing said it was a 17 footer with a merc 40 hp motor.  Could this be the one?  Stay tuned.