myst Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Hi, I have been fishing on and off for around 10 years now, but when we go we usually get a crappy rental. This year I want to buy my own boat but I have no clue where to start! I live in Ottawa, so I will be mostly fishing in lakes and rivers within a 2 hour drive. The boat will be used for fishing 99% of the time. Also, we will usually be 2-4 people maybe 5. Should I be looking specifically for a bass boat? Has anyone ever heard of a bass boat with 4 swivel seats? What type of motor and what length of boat should I be looking for? Did I miss anything? Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions!
BFSC Kevin Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 (edited) how much are you looking to spend? looking for used or new? do you have an idea of where to store the boat? will the boat/trailer be too long if you are planning to park it in the garage....? Edited February 11, 2008 by kevin
myst Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Posted February 11, 2008 Money is not a big issue, but I don't want to go crazy on my first boat. I'd say mid range. Used or new doesn't matter to me. I'm hoping it will fit in my garage.
BFSC Kevin Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 well... if you wanted, you could buy a used boat to save some cash and if you ding it up, you won't be so shattered... but if you buy new, its new!! well what are you looking to spend around? $5k? $10k? 25k? or more?
BFSC Kevin Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 well.. if money wasn't an issue.. this looks pretty sweet... lol.. http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-bo...QQAdIdZ30465727
myst Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Posted February 11, 2008 Thanks for the replies, I was thinking around $15k-$25k. That way I won't feel bad because I WILL ding it up.
OhioFisherman Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 http://alumacraft.com/deluxe-side-console-...ator-175-cs.php Just to give you an idea, a lot of boat like this brand out there and very popular. 17 foot boat might be tough for 5 adults to fish out of, for a family with younger kids a good starter boat. Aluminum is easier to repair than glass, might be a consideration? You can buy extra seats and pedestal with the boat and just plug them into the bases and remove them if less people are going. Most boats have extra bases installed. Don`t let anyone ride on the bow seat while moving fast, get the biggest motor possible(rated) for the boat, especially for 5 people.
pikehunter Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Money is not a big issue, WOW! Those are the sweetest words a salesman could ever hear! Good luck on your search for a boat, I'm sure you'll get much useful advise from OFC'rs
danbouck Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 I say just go out to a few different dealers and actually see the boats they have. Then you might find a boat that is perfect for your needs.
HTHM Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 when you find the "perfect" boat, sleep on it for at least two days before pulling the trigger on the deal.
cranks bait Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Hi Fishguy, Congrats on the hunt. I have had a few friends go to Pirates Cove Marina in Kemptville and have great service and find the boat they were after. As well as St. Lawrence Marina in Prescott. Look at what your main purpose of the boat is going to be for. Big water or small lakes? You already have the people narrowed down so helps with size. I opted to go with Aluminum for my first boat for the simple reason that it wouldn't hurt as much when I scratch it. It also gets used up north where is gets beached on the shore, not something I want to do to a glass boat. Take in consideration where and what you will be towing with. Meaning, make sure your vehicle can handle it. If you have a chance, get 4-5 people on the boat and mimic casting and moving around to make sure that there is enough room.
Pigeontroller Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 There will be many boats to see and touch this weekend at the Spring fishing and boat show in Toronto.
doubleheader Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Even before you got to boat shows or visit dealers I suggest you order some catalogs or vsit some websites to develop a more clear picture as to your preferences. If you are willing to spend up to $25K and want a new rig don't waste your time looking beyond 18' in length. There are pros and cons to new vs. used. For instance, on the pro side you will get a warranty on both the boat and motor, but the con side you'll also suffer the greatest depreciation. When you start to consider the style of boat you want you need to consider how it will be used. Are you a multi- species guy, will you be fishing primarily shelltered water? Unfortunately a boat designed for big water will not perform as well on inland lakes and visa versa. Big water designs typically have more freeboard and therefeore get pushed around more in the wind. Here are a few companies I'd recommend for aluminum boats: Lund, Princecraft, Alumacraft, Crestliner, and G3. On the motor side I'd look at Mercury, Honda, and Yamaha. There are other great boats annd motors out there. Accessibility to a qualified dealer should be a key factor in your decision. Just to get you started, here are a couple boats I'd look at for inland lakes: Crestliner- Fish Hawk, Alumacraft- Dominator. A key decision on buying a boat is your preference for a windshield. A walk- thru windshield allows for more comfort as you would be protected in wind and rain, but it also takes up space. On the motor side you need to decide on 2 stroke or 4 stroke. 4 strokes are typically more quiet and have the advantage of not adding oil, but also have more moving parts and are typically heavier. Don't make the mistake of underpowering your boat. Your motor should be at least 80% of the max. HP rating for the boat. Many dealers offer attractive pricing by undepowering boats. One of the keys is to take your time. Look around, do your research. As someone above said, sleep on your decision.
Zib Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 when you find the "perfect" boat, sleep on it for at least two days before pulling the trigger on the deal. There is no such thing as "The Perfect Boat". I've looked at just about every freshwater fishing boat for years & still haven't found the perfect boat. I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't exist. If only they could take the inside layout for the Lund 2025 Pro-V SE & put it inside the Ranger 620VS I'd probably have my perfect boat.
Bernie Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Some great advise here. One more thing to add is find a salesman that actually drives a boat. There are lots of them out there that don't. Research well to find the boat that suits your needs.
bushart Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Maybe you can gain ideas from real time experiences with different models.. I bought my boat much like yourself to accomadate 4 people--my wife and 2 kids and it was bought to fish. Here are some pros and cons of my purchase. 1st I bought a 17 ft Smokercraft Pro-Tiller Aluminum boat and a 50 horse 4 stroke Merc Pros: Nice open boat allowing easy maneuvering around with the gang This model has been reliable (I'm a nut for regular maintenance though) It has the option for smaller lakes or bigger water with deep v hull One of the better livewells I've seen--timer incl. You can semi beach it if you wish for shore lunch on a Island Have a bunk EZ loader trailer that you can drive right onto (with practice) Can accomadate 4 pedestal seats Merc came with factory power tilt and trim (not all did at time) Cons Tiller can make for a wet ride at times in rougher conditions Battery storage is limited in the bow if you wish a 24 volt system electric Not everyone is comfortable driving a tiller handle 50 horse won't get you to your holes first in most tourneys (if important) At the end of the day I like my rig and have been satisfied but like yourself I asked many questions and analyzed my needs to get there. Bushart
myst Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Posted February 11, 2008 Wow, thanks for all of the great replies! There's so much useful information here. I'm not really 100% sure if I will be fishing mostly smaller lakes, we're not species specific although we would love to go after bigger fish! That would probably mean you have to fish in bigger lakes right? I went out and bought the Boatguide magazine. I'm going to visit the dealership in Kemptville that was mentioned, anyone know any other good dealers in my area? I would have loved to visit the fishing and boat show but Toronto is too far of a drive especially in this weather. As for buying new vs used, what can go wrong with a boat other than the motor, other than dings and scratches? Is it uncommon to buy a used boat and just buy a new motor for it?
myst Posted February 11, 2008 Author Report Posted February 11, 2008 WOW! Those are the sweetest words a salesman could ever hear! Good luck on your search for a boat, I'm sure you'll get much useful advise from OFC'rs That's why I asked you guys first! If I say that to a salesman most will just try to sell me the highest commission boat he can find.
charlesn Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 I have not been in a fishing boat that is truly "comfortable" for 5 people bass fishing. For trolling, still fishing or live bait fishing, sure, but for standing and constantly casting and retrieving and setting the hook, changing baits, etc. I've been in bass and walleye boats up to 22'. A pontoon boat is great for large numbers of people, but obviously is not the most portable of rigs or fastest or sexiest... But having a BBQ on-board is nice. I'd recommend getting a used 20-22' aluminum multi-species (deep-v or semi deep-v) boat with a 135-225 HP motor on the back. Brand names are just that, not that important, all makes have good ones and EVERY SINGLE make has lemons and outright crap coming out of their factories. The more deck space it has (I know Lund made an 18 footer that was all deck) the more likely you will find the space to be comfortable. You can put fishing seat bases (with removable seats) wherever you want and make as much storage as possible to avoid tripping over stuff. A tiller will afford more space overall inside the boat and but a console can be more comfortable. For 175 HP and up, a console I think is a must. I'd also highly recommend a foot throttle at those HPs. Take my opinion with a grain of salt though as I have a 20' bass boat and don't like having to fish with more than 1 person at a time and in fact find that the front deck (about the size of a snooker table) is "just right" for one person - that person being me. lol Others probably have a better tolerance for somewhat crowded fishing. Good luck on finding the right rig for you. One warning, I started off exactly like you, eventually bought the wrong boat (although it gave me plenty of good times) and am on boat #6 and still always searching for the "perfect" rig. It doesn't exist and every year they think of new "must have" features. The Lund stern drive with a heater built-in would be my first choice for a "2nd rig" for fishing the Niagara in the winter. An Allison or Bullet would be nice for just trying to rip your passenger's faces off with ludicrous speed. A giant "tuna boat" would be nice for lumpy days on the great lakes, and sometimes a 1 man coleman crawdad with a troller is just right for seclusion and getting in to those hard to reach places. But really any boat at all is better than being stuck on shore and will surely beat a rental... Charles
PERCHER Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Here is a good deal on a great Brand of boat with real sweet price tag. http://www.portcolbornemarine.com/html/boa...ts&view=277
doubleheader Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Let me say right up front I'm not a dealer but I was recently helping a friend of mine in his selection of a new rig. In fact he just finalized his deal last week. He settled on an Alumacraft and I have to say it is quite a rig. Anyhow, during the process I called the Crestliner dealer I bought my boat from (a U.S. dealer in NYS) and he quoted me a 2008 1850 Fish Hawk with walk tru windshield, 150 HP Opti, and heavy duty trailer with brakes for just over $25K. I thought that was a pretty darn good price. I've had good luck with my 1850 Fish Hawk, but it's not a Lund for sure. Then again a Lund is more money for sure.
davew3 Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 (edited) Check out this show. There should be a bunch there to look at and to touch. http://www.sportshows.ca/Ottawa/index.html. If you fish the Ottawa you know the river can get nasty at times, so can the St. Lawrence. But if you fish the smaller ? so measure your garage and get the biggest that will fit. Trailer and boat. Look for a swing away trailer. More questions, do you want a kicker motor and a bow mount trolling motor ? Fish finders, full roof, heaters. Insurance, boaters licence ? Good luck. Edited February 11, 2008 by davew3
danbo Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 (edited) 18' Deep-V Aluminum Hull with properly rated motor & prop. is a great start. Millions of extras like cover,Bimini top, sonar,gps, legal flares,vests,ropes Stabilizer -fin for better hole-shot, trolling plate,lights.. Take your time & do your homework. New is good, especially with extended warranties in writing. http://www.boatsville.com/boatbuyingtips.cfm Edited February 11, 2008 by danbo
irishfield Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 This is an impossible question to answer for someone as picking what you want for a "platform" is such a personal choice....but you can start here and work your way down and when you find it then many here can help with the motor/accessory questions for sure!
Bernie Posted February 11, 2008 Report Posted February 11, 2008 Hey Wayne, how come you still have that pic of my old one?
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