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Thread: Looking for boat recommendations

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
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    soquel
    Posts
    19

    Default Looking for boat recommendations

    Looking for a boat I can use with my family in mountain lakes and still use in rivers. I want to be able to fly fish with two anglers for bass, shad, steelhead basically all. I have two young kids so I would want to be able to possible troll. I was looking at Boston Whalers but not sure how stable they are. Any recommendations. A jet would be ideal but I don’t want to spend a ton of money.

    Thanks in advance

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    First what is your budget?
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    soquel
    Posts
    19

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Kiene semi-retired View Post
    First what is your budget?
    Ideally 5-10k would be best.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    alameda
    Posts
    448

    Default

    The Boston Whaler 17 is a very stable boat and safe boat especially for a small family. You should be able to find one in your price range but it will be older and usually have an older two-stroke motor. Nothing wrong with a two-stroke I run one myself on a 17 Whaler but I mostly use it in the SF Bay and the ocean.

    For mountain lakes and shallow rivers a 14-16 foot aluminum boat is a better bet because they handle hitting the occasional rock much better than a fiberglass boat. You can also power a 14 foot aluminum with much less HP which translates to much lower cost. A 9.9 to 15 hp four-stroke motor will work well on a 14 you are not going to win any races but it is very fuel efficient and much less expensive than a 50-90hp motor you need on a 17' Whaler.

    All boats are a compromise and there are some things you should think about before purchasing. Like do you want a boat with remote steering (has a steering wheel) or is tiller steering ok (where you sit back by the motor and steer with a handle that is directly attached to the motor). If you decide on remote steering do you want a side console or a center console? Do you want more of a flat bottomed boat like a Jon boat which is better in shallow water and planes easily with low HP but usually beats you up if there are any waves or do you want more of a v-shaped boat which is more comfortable in deeper water and with waves and usually has higher sides like the Lund Alaskan Series but requires somewhat deeper water. Perhaps you want something in between a flat bottom and a v-hull boat like a modified V hull or a flat bottom with a v-shaped bow like the Lund Predator series. Perhaps you want a boat you can put on a roof rack or perhaps you are okay with towing a trailer.

    In a boat longer usually means more capacity and a smoother ride. Wider (beam) usually means more stable and less side to side rocking movement. To get an idea of what hull shapes are available you might look at the variety of boat styles that are offered by some manufacturers.

    Lund which offers like 26 different boat styles (a few I mentioned above)
    https://www.lundboats.com

    Bass Pro They have a bunch of different boat styles in various sizes too.
    https://www.bassproboatingcenters.co...scrollToResult

    Once you decide on hull shape and steering type then start looking in to some of the other manufacturers offering the same style of boat you like there are a bunch of other manufacturers that make great boats. Then ask lots of questions this way you can make a more informed purchase.

    Sorry this ran a little long I tried to keep it short...

    Regards,

    Tim C.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sebastian, FL, USA, Earth
    Posts
    23,837

    Default

    Excellent info.......obviously tcorfey is a boat guy too.


    The old Boston Whaler 17' Montauk is one of the most popular boats if you can find one with a new 4 stroke motor.

    https://www.boattrader.com/boats/mak...el-17-montauk/



    For $10,000 new I would go to Sutter Marine in Yuba City......

    Look at a simple 15' aluminum boat with new Yamaha 25 hp tiller outboard.



    Get a 15' to 17' used simple open aluminum or fiberglass fishing boat.

    Try to buy one with a newer 4 stroke motor, hopefully fuel injected.

    Craig's List, Facebook Market Place, Gone Fishin' Marine in Dixon, CA.



    I can not tell you how much a small, simple boat with a tiller outboard, bow electric and oars can change your life.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    soquel
    Posts
    19

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tcorfey View Post
    The Boston Whaler 17 is a very stable boat and safe boat especially for a small family. You should be able to find one in your price range but it will be older and usually have an older two-stroke motor. Nothing wrong with a two-stroke I run one myself on a 17 Whaler but I mostly use it in the SF Bay and the ocean.

    For mountain lakes and shallow rivers a 14-16 foot aluminum boat is a better bet because they handle hitting the occasional rock much better than a fiberglass boat. You can also power a 14 foot aluminum with much less HP which translates to much lower cost. A 9.9 to 15 hp four-stroke motor will work well on a 14 you are not going to win any races but it is very fuel efficient and much less expensive than a 50-90hp motor you need on a 17' Whaler.

    All boats are a compromise and there are some things you should think about before purchasing. Like do you want a boat with remote steering (has a steering wheel) or is tiller steering ok (where you sit back by the motor and steer with a handle that is directly attached to the motor). If you decide on remote steering do you want a side console or a center console? Do you want more of a flat bottomed boat like a Jon boat which is better in shallow water and planes easily with low HP but usually beats you up if there are any waves or do you want more of a v-shaped boat which is more comfortable in deeper water and with waves and usually has higher sides like the Lund Alaskan Series but requires somewhat deeper water. Perhaps you want something in between a flat bottom and a v-hull boat like a modified V hull or a flat bottom with a v-shaped bow like the Lund Predator series. Perhaps you want a boat you can put on a roof rack or perhaps you are okay with towing a trailer.

    In a boat longer usually means more capacity and a smoother ride. Wider (beam) usually means more stable and less side to side rocking movement. To get an idea of what hull shapes are available you might look at the variety of boat styles that are offered by some manufacturers.

    Lund which offers like 26 different boat styles (a few I mentioned above)
    https://www.lundboats.com

    Bass Pro They have a bunch of different boat styles in various sizes too.
    https://www.bassproboatingcenters.co...scrollToResult

    Once you decide on hull shape and steering type then start looking in to some of the other manufacturers offering the same style of boat you like there are a bunch of other manufacturers that make great boats. Then ask lots of questions this way you can make a more informed purchase.

    Sorry this ran a little long I tried to keep it short...

    Regards,

    Tim C.
    All great advice. Thank you

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Fair Oaks
    Posts
    665

    Default

    Boats are really expensive right now, not sure everyone realizes this. I've had several boats, maybe 15 or so, in the 12' - 16' range, and I agree 14'-16' is a good place to be, bottom width being equally as important as we fly fisherman do a lot of standing. I really like the Lowe Roughnecks, and as Bill suggested, get a tiller steer. They give you far more room than a console, are cheaper, and can be very precise in maneuvering.

    Try to avoid the Klamath tin boat style "modified vee" hull as they are worthless for standing, sitting, or casting. The aluminum boats produced in the Midwest (majority of fishing boats now) and the South normally have a more squared off hull with a vee well below the gunwales, which allows for far more room and maneuverability and storage. Just know that most of these boats have a 3° deadrise at the transom, so you're going to get beat up with any chop. A cathedral hull like in the Whalers can solve or at least soften that, but you can do a lot more hydrodynamics with glass than with tin, plus for a river, ah, no. Stick with aluminum.

    Welded is better than rivets, but one exception could be Lund as they are very well built. To me, it comes down to a Roughneck 1660 as a model for what the OP needs,ideal for rivers and many local lakes, and then start the compromises from there.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    26

    Default

    This is all great information. I just picked up a drift boat, but am already looking for jet sleds. It seems like there aren’t many used ones around.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Fair Oaks
    Posts
    665

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by intheways View Post
    This is all great information. I just picked up a drift boat, but am already looking for jet sleds. It seems like there aren’t many used ones around.
    You can just use the 1660 I mentioned above with a 40 or 50 HP outboard jet, perfect setup for rivers and fine for most lakes. There aren't that many of them out there in the low HP motors, but they come up infrequently. They're usually sold within hours or a day though. Oregon and Washington are good places to look too.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    26

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JAWallace View Post
    You can just use the 1660 I mentioned above with a 40 or 50 HP outboard jet, perfect setup for rivers and fine for most lakes. There aren't that many of them out there in the low HP motors, but they come up infrequently. They're usually sold within hours or a day though. Oregon and Washington are good places to look too.
    Thanks for the info. I just was looking at the Lowe website today. They do look like a nice boat.

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