Three pluses and three minuses

[Swamp Girl]

What are three pluses and three minuses for your boat? You could focus on the hull design (canoe, kayak, jon boat, bass boat, etc.) or the maker. Start by describing your boat, please.

 

Description: I fish from a Bell canoe. It is not a fishing canoe. At 15' 6" long and 32 pounds, it's built for wilderness tripping. It tracks well (paddles in a straight line), carries a lot of gear, and is light on a portage.

 

The pluses:

 

An old woman can carry it.

 

It carries a lot of fishing gear.

 

It's fast.

 

The minuses:

 

Being light and high, the wind bullies me.

 

Being light and high, bass bully me too, pulling me into weeds.

 

Being Kevlar, I have to baby it.

[GreenPig]

My " big boat" is a 2005 Lowe flat bottom 1448 with a 2005 Mercury 25 hp 2 stroke, a 80 lb Terrova, and a Solix 15. I installed a all aluminum floor, deck, and pods.

Pluses:

- I can launch most anywhere.

- Very stable.

- I Can get 52 3700's under the deck.

Minuses:

- Rough ride in wind/waves.

- Wet ride in wind/waves.

- The way I've set it up, it's really only comfortable to solo bass fish.

 

 

[MediumMouthBass]

Crescent Shoalie river kayak, 11'10" and 77lbs,

Pluses. 1. very fast, stable and maneuverable. 2. Can fit 6-8 3700 plano boxes under/side of the seat, as well as about a dozen bags of soft plastics, 4 rods in the front and 2 on the side. (if i put a crate in the back those numbers double). 3. Where the boat can take awhile to get ready, move vehicles around to get it out, and then waiting for people/unloading it at the launch, where as the kayak can be loaded with gear and on the water within minutes and anywhere can be made a boat launch.

Minuses. 1. Paddling for hours and hours, pushed around by waves, getting blown around if the winds really high that day. 2. Hooksets and fishing some lures like frogs/jerkbaits are challenging while sitting so low. 3. Snakes.... in a boat or canoe you are higher off the water and can turn around easily and move. In a kayak you are low and mostly in a stationary postion. It scares me going through weeds and lily pads sometimes.

[Tennessee Boy]

Ranger RT188   -  18ft aluminum bass boat with a 90HP Mercury 4 stroke.

 

Pluses

-It’s easy to tow without a huge truck.

-It doesn’t use a lot of gas.

-I like the layout.  It fits my organization style.

 

Minuses

-I hate the trailer.  If you don’t back down the ramp to the perfect depth it’s a pain to get the boat on the trailer straight.

-The boat doesn’t handle well in rough water.  That’s the price you pay with lighter aluminum boat.

-I wish the gas tank was smaller and there was more space for batteries.  I run a lot of electronics and need the power.  I can go months on a tank of gas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jmilburn76]

My kayak is a Native Slayer Propel 10. It’s pedal driven with a lot of aftermarket goodies and a Humminbird Helix 5. Weighs well over 100 lbs rigged.

 

Pluses: 1-Easily loaded/unloaded from a truck bed

              2-Being only 10’ it’s easily maneuvered 

              3-Retails for $2300, got it brand new for $1000

 

Minuses 1-Not easily able to add an electric trolling motor like most fishing kayaks these days.

               2-Being only 10’ the wind easily pushes you around 

               3-Rudder is on the bottom and makes it difficult to load/unload

[gim]

I'm pretty close to your assessment @Tennessee Boy.  Mine is a Ranger RT178 with a 75 hp 4-stroke outboard.

 

Pros: easy to tow, sips gasoline, lots of deck space for a mod V aluminum bass boat.  I fill my 18 gallon tank up about twice/season.  I can store mine in a 21 foot garage too.

 

Cons: poor in rough water.  I wish mine had a better location to store passenger rod/reels.  I'd like a little more speed too.  A better/SS prop could address this.

[MN Fisher]

@GreenPig - Pretty much the same for me - though based on an Alumacraft F-9 Semi-V (father of the current V-14) instead of a flat-bottom.

 

Though I didn't set up that much storage..20x3700s - but if I used the general storage area near the stern, I could probably squeeze in that much

[king fisher]

Hobie Outback.

 

Plus.

1- I own it, I paid cash zero payments.

2- Very little maintenance and no oil, gas, or trouble starting.

3- Easy to peddle all day.

4- very stable handles well in lakes, rivers, and the ocean. I can easily stand and cast.

5- light enough to launch in surf

6- Lots of storage, with well thought out places for pliers, tackle boxes etc.

7- much better than fishing from shore. 

 

Minus.

 

1- Heavy to load on top of my car.

2- I can't maneuver while standing.  I must sit down to move and position.

3- Expensive for a plastic boat

4- Does not portage well, can't drag over rough terrain, without damage.

5- Only seats one angler.  This is the biggest disadvantage.  Many times I want to invite friends to fish with me, but I can't, only room for me.

[A-Jay]

Lund 1875 Pro-V Bass Boat  -  18.75ft aluminum V-Hull bass boat with a 200HP Mercury V8 4 stroke.

 

Pluses

IPS2 Hull Design, Max Motor HP / larger gas tank, allows me to cover bigger inland northern Michigan lakes safely and in a timely manner. 

There is ample deck & interior space for my gear.

I am able to launch & recover this rig easily solo; with or without a dock,

as well as store it in my garage.

Bonus:

Very happy with the trolling motor batteries location deep/centerline of the hull.

 

Minuses

Grind my teeth at little at the pump, but that's the way that deal goes. 

Wish the front deck was 'padded'.

The Black hull is a major water spot magnet on hot summer days. 

Fish Hard

A-Jay

[Bird]

2023 Lowe Stinger 60 HP Merc.

 

Pros - 

Huge front deck

Lots of storage

Easy to load on electric only lakes.

 

Cons -

Graphics scratch easily

Only came equipped with a 2 bank charger

Wife complains that 38 mph is way to fast.....top speed.

[Susky River Rat]

Boat: 18’ center console G3 Tunnel hull.  Yamaha 115/80 jet
 

plus:

       1: It’s a jet I can run in inches of water

       2: it drafts extremely shallow

       3: I like the layout

Minus:

       1: it’s a jet

       2: steering is very unresponsive, you slide more than you complete the turn.

       3: it is by no means a boat built for comfort.

Bonus minus:

       4:  I can only have a ft of bunk in the water or it will not load on the trailer it will just float.

       5: it cannot handle rough water at all.

 

why would I buy such a boat that pretty much sucks? It’s a 100% a need to fish the water I do. Do not get me wrong either. I love my boat. It is perfect. It does everything I need it to do. Aluminum jet boats are just a special breed of boat.

[airshot]

I have a 16' Sylvan side console with a 40 up Merchant OB.  Boat is very comfortable to fish out of.  Handles chop better than expected, easy on fuel and a nice 18 gal built-in tank !    Layout is near perfect and very user friendly.   Lots of storage, especially since I don't use the livewells.

Cons.....boat has carpet..looking to replace it.  Wish I had a 60 up motor for better performance with passengers. Can't think of any other cons...

[DaubsNU1]

Lund 1775 Adventure V-hull aluminum multi-species boat with 90 HP mercury 4-stroke. 

 

Pros:

• Excellent storage and layout
• Super quick hole-shot, handles rough water well
• Wife likes the flip-up seats, very comfy
• Like @A-Jay, easy to launch and recover solo
• Fits in the garage without using the swing-away tongue
• Lund factory boat cover is really slick...easy on and off, trailers well
• Waited a long time for the Ulterra -- spot-lock and auto-pilot are game changers for me
• Networked Helis 9's and Ulterra are great...cruise around...mark waypoint...drop Ulterra and tell it to "navigate to waypoint"...takes me there, then automatically spot-locks. 
• Handles bass, walleye, Musky, panfish...

Cons:

• Rod locker can only hold 7'4" max
• Lots of open cubbies...would rather have doors on storage
• I was hoping for 40+ MPH...only can manage 39.5 MPH with the stock 4 blade prop (HA!)

[TnRiver46]

I have 7 boats so it would take a while to type them all……. a $20 rummage sale kayak that is fast and awesome, slightly uncomfortable with a chair just drilled in thru the hull. A sit on top from my cousin that keeps your arse wet. my wife’s tiny sit on top that’s pretty fishy and easy but you have to get out and stretch often, pelican 100. Wife’s jackson liska that is a wonderful sit on top kayak that is fast and big, but pushing 90 lbs. 15’ alumacraft canoe that is extremely versatile and my baby but will stick to rocks in the rapids. My shallow motor boat is 1957 Cherokee tough as nails and belonged to my papaw. I put a mud motor on it to get into good shallow waters and it’s pretty wild. 18.5 ft duracraft center console with merc 50 hp 4 stroke EFI. Sips gas and catches bass 

 

we also baby sit a 6 man inflatable stand up paddle board that I have captured a few fish from 

[Swamp Girl]

18 hours ago, king fisher said:

Hobie Outback.

 

Plus.

1- I own it, I paid cash zero payments.

2- Very little maintenance and no oil, gas, or trouble starting.

3- Easy to peddle all day.

4- very stable handles well in lakes, rivers, and the ocean. I can easily stand and cast.

5- light enough to launch in surf

6- Lots of storage, with well thought out places for pliers, tackle boxes etc.

7- much better than fishing from shore. 

 

Minus.

 

1- Heavy to load on top of my car.

2- I can't maneuver while standing.  I must sit down to move and position.

3- Expensive for a plastic boat

4- Does not portage well, can't drag over rough terrain, without damage.

5- Only seats one angler.  This is the biggest disadvantage.  Many times I want to invite friends to fish with me, but I can't, only room for me.

 

You could tow me in an inner tube and if you ever come to Maine, I'll tow you too in my solo canoe. 

 

I love the color and lines of @DaubsNU1's boat.

[BigAngus752]

2016 Ranger RT188 w/115 Merc 4-stroke and Ultrex

 

@Tennessee Boyand @gimruiscovered it pretty well.  

 

Pros:

1. It drafts so shallow I can push-pole my way through almost what a kayak can float through. 
2. The deck stability is amazing.  I've had Lowe owners and fiberglass owners standing on my front deck and going on and on about how they feel like they are standing on a dock.  It's that steady.  It's not fast and not built for rough water, so it's a trade off.
3. Once I had a couple mishaps I stopped caring about the scratches.  The welded all-aluminum makes for an incredibly tough boat and I will take it into any mess that I need to for finding fish or getting my lures back. 

Cons:

1. Wind is a battle and I LOVE fishing in the wind.  The Ultrex was a God-send but I would prefer two shallow water anchors and there are many days I wish I had a heavy glass boat. 
2. The trailer is something a torture expert thought up.  @Tennessee Boyisn't kidding about the finding the sweet spot.  I've gotten too deep on a new ramp a couple times and had to take the stupid boat back to the dock and go pull my truck up a few inches.  
3. I can't get two shallow water anchors on it.  It will get traded in five years or so just because of that.  

[gim]

23 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

I can't get two shallow water anchors on it.

I’ve got one talon on mine. Although it does not hold the boat in a true position from a bow stand point, it holds the stern well. My bow mount doesn’t have spot lock, so I use my talon as more of a pivot point in conjunction with the bow mount. Obviously if it’s too deep for the talon, I’m fighting the wind with my bow mount. Spot lock came out one year after I bought my boat otherwise I’d have it.

 

My talon is on a sandwich bracket. At the time I didn’t know that it voided my mercury factory warranty. Obviously it’s a moot point now because my outboard is 8 years old.

 

I would estimate that 75 or 80% of my fishing is in 10 feet or less of water so the talon can be utilized.

[volzfan59]

My boat is a 2003 F&F custom built 16' X 50" mod V duck boat that I've converted to a bass-jon. It has a 40 h/p Tohatsu tiller.

Pro's;

1. She's made from .125 aluminum. The hull will take a pounding.

 

2. She's stable boat to fish out of and drafts shallow to be such a heavy girl.

 

3. With the modifications, there's plenty of storage for tackle and stuff like life jackets, cooler, etc plus two rod lockers.

 

Cons;

1. While they made great boats, F&F is no longer in business. Not a huge deal, but it would be nice to have someone to call about stuff.

 

2. The ride is fairly rough. I've owned several aluminum rigs and have ridden in even more. My girl is by far the roughest ride I've experienced.

 

3. Originally being a duck boat, the bow is narrower than an aluminum boat designed for fishing. Effects movement a little.

 

All in all, I love the boat and really don't plan on getting rid of her. As F&F built good a boat, there's somewhat of a cult following around here. Had several folks want to buy it.

[Loomis13]

Pro V 202 GL. New in January to me, so havent completely figured out the cons. Coming from a 1850 sportfish. 

 

Pros:

1. Fiberglass so heavy and wind wont affect us as much as our aluminum did.

2. Much bigger front deck than our old boat. 
3. Much better storage!

 

Cons: 

1. 60 gal gas tank. put in $62 and filled it up too 1/4. 

2. Fiberglass and dual axel trailer. Much heavier/harder to move around by hand.

3. Fiberglass, so a little more fragile. 

 

 

 

[gim]

13 minutes ago, Loomis13 said:

60 gal gas tank.

Wow, that is a big fuel tank. Doing the math on filling that monster up with ethanol free gas is a little daunting.

[Deephaven]

2006 Ranger 620T 150etec tiller

 

Pros:

• Fishing space is enormous.  Easiest boat to fish with my kids and their friends I have ever been in.
• Storage is/will be great.  Replacing my old front platform extension with a 3700 holder.
• Best multi-species layout I have ever seen.  I fish for Bass 95% of the time, but Muskies, Walleyes and Crappies are fair game on occasion.

Cons:

• Too many livewells.  I don't keep fish so having 3 is a waste of space.  I do use the baitwell and one dead well a couple times of year to enjoy a walleye or two
• Could be faster.  Propped it will pull 54, but I like the more responsive prop setup I have which is 44.  At the same time could troll slower with the big motor so not having to use the vantage, but then I'd lose top end.
• Can be wet in really rough water and has no "warmth" blocking windshields for when jigging for walleyes in the cold.

 

[Zcoker]

Old Town Sportsman 106 Minn Kota 

 

 

 

King of the Everglades! This has been the most efficient, the most dependable, and the most versatile craft that I've ever had out in the Florida everglades. I've gone up to three days/three nights on one single charge with juice to spare. I can steady it in a 25mph headwind without an anchor merely by throttle control. 

 

Pros:

Super easy for one person to load, unload  

At 10.6 it can be launched just about anywhere with ease

Goes all day, all night without a hiccup.

Hull is super thick and tuff, everything is solid and durable

Transducer is recessed with no ability to get scuffed or knocked around

The rudder is massive for precise steering and folds up completely out of the water by a hand lever

Replaceable keel guard

Feet controlled steering 

Hand controlled throttle

Hull storage will accommodate the complete Wilderness System yak cart

Extremely stable, can stand and cast with no issues

Motor is recessed for extreme shallow water running

Sealed to the max, the inside of hull is always bone dry, even after washing or a heavy downpour

It has caught me a TON of nice fish!

 

Cons: NONE

 

 

 

 

 

[casts_by_fly]

Old Town Autopilot 120 kayak here. 
 

pros:

 

* spot lock and related features are awesome. I’ll never not have it on any future craft

* like zcoker, it’s small enough that with some effort I can launch it anywhere from a kart. I can take it into really skinny water with the motor down and even less if I pop up the motor and paddle board style paddle. And if you use the motor and the rudder you can spin it 360 degrees in a 12’6” wide canal to turn around so I don’t worry about getting it stuck anywhere. 
* It’s stable. We’re talking on the kayak scale but for a kayak it’s a 100% stand and fish boat for me.  I can motor full speed while standing up. 

 

Cons

 

* it’s slow. Better than paddling or peddling but at 4 mph you have to plan your course. You’re not going to run and gun by any stretch. I tend to go down the bank so that’s fine by me mostly but if you’re fishing a 500 acre lake or bigger you have to plan ahead. 
* it’s heavy. Stability comes with a price. Bare boat is 125lb. The battery and seat are another 25 or so. That’s 150# to get in and out of the truck then 25# for the motor before I get to load fishing gear. I’ve considered a trailer but hit the gym instead. 
* negligible dry storage. Fish in the rain?  You’re drying out all of your gear when you get home. Want to bring rain gear for ‘just in case’ weather days?  You’re either wearing it or it’s in the exposed rear well. On a related note, you also have to load and unload everything every trip. With a boat, you launch and your gear is in the boat already. With the kayak I have to drop the boat in the water, get all of my gear out of the truck and into the boat, then park. 

[Koz]

Old Town Autopilot 120

 

Pros

 

1. It’s a kayak with a motor and spot lock. It’s nice to make a 2-3 mile run and not be tired out like with my old pedal drive.

 

2. Lots of built in storage for Plano boxes and tools right at my seat without having to twist around to reach my crate.

 

3. Highly maneuverable in tight spaces and shallow water.

 

4. Mine is fully rigged and is a true fishing platform.

 

Cons

 

1. It’s one heavy beast. Even unloaded, it’s tough to get it from cart to trailer with the weight and wide bow. It’s better to load and unload at the ramp like a bass boat.

 

2. The rails are a bit far from the seat and that can make it tough to reach things like the head unit if you mount it on the rail.

 

3. I love the freedom that it gives me over pedal and paddle kayaks, but I get jealous of the bass boats whizzing by me to race from place to place.

[detroit1]

16' grumman deep v, 50 hp evinrude                                            pros: perfect size for the lakes i fish  (under 1000 acres)                       cheap to operate  (12 gal. tank - good for 3-5 trips)                   handles waves better than a johnboat                                          it's paid for                                                                             cons: rod storage- 7' max length, can only fit 8 rigs                                     wished it had: 70hp,hydraulic steering,24v spot-lok t/m