Educate me on recreational fishing boats.

[cowboykid8]

"free" Lol

There is a 31 page iBoat forum on our "quick fix up boat". Good times, but we didn't know what we were getting into when we started.

 

[EPS]

Also I don't know how old you are but if you plan on going out fishing on all day trips.
I would get a boat big enough that you can stand up in and the boat still be stable.
All day sitting in a small boat gets tough.
And I would look for one with a newer 4 stroke motor.
They are more exspesive but if you plan on doing some slow trolling they are much quieter.
Than a two stroke.
And they don't load up .
Two stroke motors have a problem with loading up. Or fouling spark plugs.
Unless you run it at high speed .
Or rev it up .

 

[No_Regerts]

Given what you say you want and your budget, you'll be looking older and used, or something basic like a Lund SSV. If it's less than 10 years old, has what you want, and is around $10k....WATCH OUT.

The boat market has been unusually strong this year. Boats are selling out like crazy.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Ask your self if you're going to be only a fair weather fisherman or an all weather fisherman? Are you over 45, or under? I started with something similar to Ramjet's Grumman. A 13' Smoker Craft with a Honda 15 horse for Wifey and I. It had nice high sides. We fished it pretty much everywhere from the Columbia, in our area and some up around the Mosier-John Day areas, picking weather of course. Tillamook upper bay and mountain lakes. Including 3' rollers at Siltcoos lake quite a few times. High sided and transom like ramjet's pic, are imperative.

If you're older, that windshield is Reeeeal nice on those cold mornings, or the run in from the river/lake when you finally decide you've had enough rian. After about ten years, 2001, of that boat I bought a new 17.5 Smoker Craft windshield boat. I still have that. I still turn to Wifey and say "I love my windshield" when we're running out to the other side of the lake at 7:00am in late September in a cold fog and light chop.

More powers is really important. Ba at or close to a boats rated maximum horse power. This boat has a Merc 75 2-stroke and a 55 lb thrust Minn Kota 12 volt on the bow with a quick remove bracket.

I also hang a Merc 9.9 kicker on it when it's at home. I take the kicker off when were at the lake on vaca. This has been a great 2-person boat. We have fished three at times though.

View attachment 716083

Isn't much better than a man and a wife that love to fish a lot, and together.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

If your able to make a road trip across the country, you can always score a storm damaged boat in the south gulf states, I got a 23 foot MAKO Carolina boat on a nice trailer for next to nothing! Cost me more in fuel to haul it back then the boat cost! Only damage was the engine flooded with salt water!

That sounds cheap.
What's that boat worth?

 

[Ura-Ki]

That sounds cheap.
What's that boat worth?

Now, it's about 90k, paid 3k for it, mostly for the trailer!

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Now, it's about 90k, paid 3k for it, mostly for the trailer!

Lol!!!
Hold on!!
You paid $3k
How much did you have to put into it to make it worth $90k?

 

[Ura-Ki]

About 20K!
New Motor (Ford 5.4L), New Jet pump, Transom extension/swim platform, all new controls, new interior, new paint, new top, new fuel tanks, re built trailer! All the fun stuff!

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Man that's a boat. I know nothing about boats. But I'm extremely intrigued by the sea. And I've never been out in it! Even being raised a hour from it. Is that boat sea worthy? How does a 5.4 handle the nasty weather?
If I ever got into the boats and the sea, I would never of left Oregon. I'm just nuts about the sea due to the power and mystery.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I bought this boat specifically for it's rough seas handling! The Ford 5.4 is pretty stout, while smaller then the 351 that was original to the boat, it's way more powerful and fuel efficient, and with the jet drive, I can get in super shallow for any fishing I may want or places others cant go! This boat is perfect for salt water, though when things get really rough, you really don't want to be out in it! It dosn't have any protection besides the bikini top you see, so your going to get wet if the winds come up or it starts raining good! Still, it's great for about 6 people all day, and fast enough to go out, fish all day, and squirt back in before it gets dark!

 

[Oregonhunter5]

I bought this boat specifically for it's rough seas handling! The Ford 5.4 is pretty stout, while smaller then the 351 that was original to the boat, it's way more powerful and fuel efficient, and with the jet drive, I can get in super shallow for any fishing I may want or places others cant go! This boat is perfect for salt water, though when things get really rough, you really don't want to be out in it! It dosn't have any protection besides the bikini top you see, so your going to get wet if the winds come up or it starts raining good! Still, it's great for about 6 people all day, and fast enough to go out, fish all day, and squirt back in before it gets dark!

You got to be single. You've got all the big boy toys.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Nope, Happily Married to my best partner in crime!

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Nope, Happily Married to my best partner in crime!

Let me guess, she's a 33 year old super model from Brazil..?

 

[Mikej]

Isn't much better than a man and a wife that love to fish a lot, and together.

No truer words were ever spoken my friend.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Nope, 42 year old Doctor from Ukraine!

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Nope, 42 year old Doctor from Ukraine!

Hahahaha
Close enough

 

[EPS]

About 20K!
New Motor (Ford 5.4L), New Jet pump, Transom extension/swim platform, all new controls, new interior, new paint, new top, new fuel tanks, re built trailer! All the fun stuff!
View attachment 719198

Those boats are nice my friend had one like that in Florida.but it was not a jet had two outboards on it .
For running out to sea catch fish and haul @$$ back .to the dock lol.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Those boats are nice my friend had one like that in Florida.but it was not a jet had two outboards on it .
For running out to sea catch fish and haul @$$ back .to the dock lol.

What does that mean haul out and haul back fast?

 

[EPS]

Well sometimes you go out fishing and then a clouds start coming over and then rain starts to fall and lighting starts .
So you have to haul @$$ back in .

 

[EPS]