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So I learned the hard way a few years ago I was in South Carolina.
We where just fishing in a little pond and a storm came in really fast .
I mean we saw it coming but we just kept fishing .
Next thing we know lighting strike less than a 100 yards away.
We just ran for a boat dock that had a roof over it and sat there for about 45 minutes.
Till it passed over but we got a good show.
And when lighting hits the ground close to you.
You feel it .
And hear it lol it's loud really loud.
 
Boats fall under the triple F rule as in if it flies, floats or fornicates it is gonna cost you. A smaller boat Is pretty manageable cost wise though just keep up on maintenance and it will provide many hours of service.

P.S. I am broke lol.
 
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I grew up with ski boats, row boats, cabin cruisers, and we commercial fished for salmon during the summer months out of Westport and Neah Bay, WA. Our ski boat was a deep-V runabout that we used a lot in Puget Sound and local lakes. My Dad and his buddies built boats as both hobbyist's (Dad) and pro's. Dad built the ski boat and the dinghy that I grew up rowing.

Having said that, I at some point fell in love with stream fishing in remote areas. More action, more fish. Prefer trout but other species are fun as well. We had ski boats and a canoe after we started our own family but the ski boats went away after our kids left for college.

So we bought some historic building projects in Eastern Washington, relocating from Las Vegas, and my better half began harping me to pickup a 'boat with a motor'. We had a canoe and drift boat and we used the canoe a LOT. We are surrounded by lakes and rivers, big and small, so I had to assess what would truly serve us best for our fishing needs. The Columbia River is 15 miles from home. The afternoon wind can come up and blow HARD around here so that was a factor.

Without knowing how much fishing we'd actually do, I didn't want to break the bank on something that'd only come out a couple of times a year. I trolled Craigslist for months to see what was out there while assessing what would best fit our needs. We also have a Rottweiler that would be riding along. I thought about the typical 12-14' aluminum boats.

But I wanted to cover a lot of bases, from getting caught in high winds and rain on the Columbia River to launching on small remote lakes in the boonies, as well as towing without needing a 10 liter diesel powered 4x4.

One day I found what looked like the ideal fishing platform, something to get my girl off my back while testing the fishing waters, so to speak. It was a 55 year old 16' open-floor boat with what I considered the ideal hull design for our fishing, hunting, and camping needs, something we could just hit the lake and fish with, blood, guts, and all. We drove a couple of hours to pick it up during the COVID-19 lockdown. It needed some TLC but that only put a smile on my face because I knew it would help me keep the price low with the seller. There ended up being more issues than described in the ad, including a leaky hull and weak floors, but nothing that I couldn't deal with.

Once getting it home I tore out the floor to give it a quick replacement. My boat building roots as a youth and past experience with other boats made this a breeze. However when I got the floors off I saw that the stringers were rotting and breaking away from the fiberglass hull below.

Time began to freeze on the spot.

A 1-2 day project was going to turn into weeks due to fiberglass issues. I had no time for major repairs. I had thoughts of setting the boat afloat on a river somewhere, heading west to the ocean. I could at least use the trailer and motor... I didn't want to tear out or repair those stringers (floor joists). I've done a lot of fiberglassing and it can be a tedious messy nightmare to deal with.

Alas, I bit the bullet and had to delay my fishing plans. We had family coming into town in only a few weeks. I had no time for this. Soon the project owned both of us. OMG. But we dug in and knew we'd have something for life once completed. My girl loves fishing every bit as much as I do, and does well, even fishing from shore with lures on rivers and streams.

The pics show the stripped hull followed by the mostly finished product. I've since added an electric trolling motor to the bow and kicker to the rear (spare motor in case of main engine failure, as mentioned by another, above), as well as a fish finder and GPS. I have two Canon downriggers that I've yet to mount, but they'll complete the boat.

We've had this on the water many times since getting it sea-worthy in July. It truly is the ideal boat for us. Lots of rivers and lakes. We've had five plus the Rott on board. Our go-to spot is a remote lake that we refer to as U-L (Undisclosed Location) where we limit-out with cutthroat trout in under an hour. That lake is five miles up a dusty, rutted, logging road.

I wanted a fishing platform similar to bass boats, and the storage below the front deck is a huge plus. We can sleep under there in a pinch. Lots of swivel seating. We can fish with the bimini top up or down, depending on conditions. We just hose it out after a heavy day of heavy fishing, no carpet to deal with (non-skid floor surface). The 40 HP motor is easy on gas and will push us at 27 MPH all day long. I put an 18 gallon tank in it for those long runs or overnight outings. I use the 45 lb. thrust electric motor for trolling and have yet to fire up the kicker; the electric runs all day long for days on a single charge. I've been pondering tossing a bigger main motor on it but don't want the added weight. I may go to an 85 HP just for fun.

For now I just want to do some fishing.

My main point here is to really take your time to assess your needs for the boat. Mostly big water? Deep-V. Mountain lakes? Lightweight. Rivers? Shallow draw flat bottom. Overnight? Cuddy cabin. Long tows? Lighter weight. Local lake or pond? Small aluminum. I had to cover all those bases before landing on what would best fit our needs. The canoe and drift boat cover our needs in other areas, especially the canoe when it comes to hitting those small remote lakes that no one else will fool with.

So think about the types of waters you'll be fishing. Do you want to troll with downriggers, cast lures from a deck, or do some skiing and tubing with the family in addition to your fishing? Duck hunting? Camping? Launch on shallow dirt runways? Anchor overnight? Run 50 miles up a lake for a few days? It will all factor in to your final decision.

A friend of mine went from his welded hull river runner jet boat to an aluminum cabin cruiser lake and river boat. Reason? He wanted more comfort for his wife so she could stay below while he fished and ran the boat. It'll be their last boat. They'll run way upstream to fish for a few days before heading back to the rig and then home.

It's all about your needs and desires....

Good luck in your search!

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Looks like you have plenty of good advice here... Just my $.02 worth. Stay away from "Fish-N-Ski" type boats. You either fish OR ski. To me it's about getting there quickly (but I don't need to do 80 mph), big enough for safe fishing yet maneuverable enough to "maintain the line", and most important, one that fishes "Dry". I had many 12-16' tiller boats in my day, but very few will keep you dry in a chop with a cross-wind. I'm not much into getting drenched on a cold November day because a 2' chop came up.
I am really enjoying my 18.5' Alumaweld Jet Boat. It's pretty fast, will handle pretty rough waters, but still nimble. And it keeps me very dry.
I think your range of length is about perfect.

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