Which Boat would you buy?

[Inkman]

I have owned Sylvan,Lowe,Lund Aluminum Boats in the past. Last 2 have been Princecrafts 16' and 17'7" If and when I purchase another I will purchase nothing other than a Princecraft! High re-sale/trade in, reliable, great features and BONUS Canadian Made! Good luck whatever make you choose. INKMAN

[coreyhkh]

I got a start craft last spring, I am very happy with it, I found during my research that you pay a bit more for the name for Lund and there lower end boats didn't seem that good compared to all other brands feature wise.

Edited January 5, 2012 by coreyhkh

[sneak_e_pete]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Any feedback on Legend boats?

[Dutch]

If you are looking for a family boat, you may want to consider a glass boat over aluminum. The ride is considerably better IMO.

 

I too would reccomend staying away from Tracker boats, although I don't think they are as bad as they are made out to be. I truly believe the result of much of the cracked welds are due to power loading the boat on a trailer, which is specifically advised against by the manufacturer. Those boats are not meant to be power loaded on a trailer.

[captpierre]

If you live in Grimsby, you'll likley be fishing Lake O and Erie. Make sure the boats a deep V hull and at least 17 ft. The bigger the better IMO.

Think about a kicker for fuel savings and safety. Unless of course you by a Yammy main engine. No safety kicker required there

I own a Lund/ Yammy. Was nervous to buy welded but ran across a CO on Nipissing a few years back with a 10 yr old 19 ft welded Crestliner/Yammy. He said they beat the snot out of it on big water and no problems with leaks.

[Spouph]

I am starting my search for a new boat (currently have a 16ft alumacraft with a 40hp). I want a family boat...nothing too huge, but comfortable. I actually really like the features, set-up and size of the Tracker Pro Guide V-17 Combo. 96 inch beam and 115hp. Any thoughts on this? Any other recommendations for a boat with similar features and under $30k all in?

 

As always, thanks in advance.

 

 

For what it is worth, I have to laugh at my self, I remember saying those exact same words, I previously owned, a 16 sylvan with a 40 four stroke all set up for fishing. I just loved that boat. However, I bought a older 21 ft sylvyn sport cruiser next for the family(sold the first boat). So I told myself....That boat was to big for doing the small lakes, so then bought a used tiller 25 hp with 16 foot aluminum no bells and whistles. Kept the 21 footer. So the problem lies now I have 2 boats for fishing with my family, and a family that doesn't like to fish as much as I do. I wish I had my first boat back. Advice, look at your family and your own needs, find out if is what they want, borrow a buddies boat and try it out before you buy it. I just bought a house an a lake. My next purchas is a pontoon boat. That is my suggestion to you. Under 30gs you can get a hell of a spacious\family\fishing boat, Out of a pontoon boat but you have to sacrifice some of the fishing. But what do I know I have been wrong before and will be wrong again. Good luck with your purchas. I have owened johnston, yahama, mercruser, merc, and Honda boat motors. Honda was by far the best in my opinion. The cost of fuel between the 40 and the 115 will be noticable.

[mike rousseau]

I have a friend that is thinking about stepping do from an 18 foot alumacraft console... To a 16 foot tiller...

 

Better boat control... Cheap on fuel... Easy to tow...

 

I agree with spouph

 

Unless your gunna hit the great lakes and simcoe... Then the size is nice

[Spouph]

I am starting my search for a new boat (currently have a 16ft alumacraft with a 40hp). I want a family boat...nothing too huge, but comfortable. I actually really like the features, set-up and size of the Tracker Pro Guide V-17 Combo. 96 inch beam and 115hp. Any thoughts on this? Any other recommendations for a boat with similar features and under $30k all in?

 

As always, thanks in advance.

 

I forgot to mention, if you are going after the great lakes, like Erie and Huron I have spent counless hours 30 to 40 plus days per summer for the last 7 years. 5 to 14 hour trips. If you are doing the big water. Look at fiberglass, with a kicker. Smoother ride, and the kicker to get you in if the big motor fails. It happens on all boats new and old. My first year in fuel was over 2500, with no kicker on account of the hevier boat, after the kicker you can cut the cost to around a 1000, over 4 years the motor pays for itself, not to mention the speed control a kicker gives you. And deep water trolling that can be the difference on a windy day trust me. I've seen buddies fish beside me with no kicker, same lures etc. they get skunked, me rarely. I've docked mine not towed around 1000 per season. Picked my boat up for 10 g put mabey 10 into it with kicker). It has been reliable. there are litterly thousand of good cheap used boats for sale. Erie is the scariest water I have ever been on, that includes the Pacific ocean(which i lived on for 2 years). Waves come from all directions and it comes up quick. Don't dick around with that lake.

[BillM]

Thanks for all of the feedback. Any feedback on Legend boats?

 

Just sold our 15' Legend tiller and replaced it with a Lund Pro Sport. I've got nothing but good things to say about the Legend. I put that boat through it's paces on water I never should have been on and it handled it without a problem. The only thing I can say is buy the biggest motor the boat can handle. We had a 40hp 4-stroke Honda on the back of ours and it got me out of some sketchy situations....

[Sinker]

Don't forget about starcraft. Great, solid, no worries, hulls. They have been around for a long time, too.

 

The one I have now is staying with me for life. Sure, I'll upgrade to a bigger boat sooner or later, but for now, mine does everything I ask of it, and then some. I was just out on lake O today in it, beleive it or not!

 

Its a '93, 16ft wide body tiller, with a 40 mariner, and is in the water from late march, till now, every year. I beat the hell out of it, carry way too much gear in it, abuse it, let it freeze, fill it with crap and dirt....no problem. It still doesn't leak a drop!!

 

I would buy another starcraft no question!

 

S.

[Pigeontroller]

Go check out the Alumacrafts at Bay City Marine(Hestor St, Upper Hamilton) Alumacrafts are priced well, and you can put any motor on it you like. Tell Doug and Clarence Dax sent you, they are a little dry at first, but are great guys and will treat you well.

[landry]

I truly believe the result of much of the cracked welds are due to power loading the boat on a trailer, which is specifically advised against by the manufacturer. Those boats are not meant to be power loaded on a trailer.

 

That is Bull (on Tracker's behalf, not yours) - power loading a boat if done properly, puts no additional stress on the hull - you don't ram it on the trailer, u snuggle it up and then give it enough gas to push it into place - FAR less force on the hull than hitting waves and equivalent to the force needed to move it the same distance with the winch.

A lot of people are suggesting he avoid Tracker and I think that is very good advice. Lund has a transferable lifetime warranty and that is what I would buy if money was no issue. I have owned two Crestliner Fish Hawks and love them.

The nicest aluminums I have ever seen are the Lund Predator - WOW, followed by the Pro-V.

Landry

 

 

 

[landry]

Go check out the Alumacrafts at Bay City Marine(Hestor St, Upper Hamilton) Alumacrafts are priced well, and you can put any motor on it you like. Tell Doug and Clarence Dax sent you, they are a little dry at first, but are great guys and will treat you well.

 

Pigeontroller is dead on about Bay City - they are true professionals and they carry alumacrafts and Yammies.

[John Bacon]

I truly believe the result of much of the cracked welds are due to power loading the boat on a trailer, which is specifically advised against by the manufacturer. Those boats are not meant to be power loaded on a trailer.

 

That is Bull (on Tracker's behalf, not yours) - power loading a boat if done properly, puts no additional stress on the hull - you don't ram it on the trailer, u snuggle it up and then give it enough gas to push it into place - FAR less force on the hull than hitting waves and equivalent to the force needed to move it the same distance with the winch.

 

 

Agreed, if power loading was the issue then all brands should have problems with cracked hulls. Tracker seems to be only brand where cracked hulls are a common problem. Are Tracker owners the only ones who power load?

[GYPSY400]

Just sold our 15' Legend tiller and replaced it with a Lund Pro Sport. I've got nothing but good things to say about the Legend. I put that boat through it's paces on water I never should have been on and it handled it without a problem. The only thing I can say is buy the biggest motor the boat can handle. We had a 40hp 4-stroke Honda on the back of ours and it got me out of some sketchy situations....

 

I own a legend too, so far so good.. but it's considerably smaller than what your looking for.. (16 prosport tiller w/30hp merc 2 Stroke).. The reason I went with the legend is the .100 guage hull ( thickest in the industry aside from G3) and the dealer was close to me.. They are also one of the few manufactures that show you how the boat is made from the inside out.

They are made in the smokercraft plant, but to Legend spec.. ( smokers don't have .100 hull).. And their bigger boats seem pretty nice too.. Some models like the 16 or 18 Xcaliber models can convert from a fishing boat to a family boat in a matter of minutes. I'd say, don't rule them out while shopping as their reputation has improved in recent years. Just be prepared to upgrade the engine as the base package price comes with a motor barely fit for the boat, and watch the price of the options ( i.e. the price of trolling motors, fish finders and extra seats)

 

http://legendboats.com/en/view/boat/2011_18_xcalibur

Edited January 6, 2012 by GYPSY400

[Familyfisherman]

I have a 17 ft Legend XCalibur with a 115hp Merc...get an 18 footer with a 150hp imo.

 

Can't ski well with a 115hp. OK for tubing, not skiing.

 

Also be careful of the pitch on the motor...makes a big difference.

 

Get a full windshield -- very good on cold days making long runs.

 

Mine has a Bimini top, full cover, etc -- all came with the boat.

 

I paid $16k in 2005, its a 2003. Came with riggers, etc.

 

It's been excellent for me, especially on Simcoe and other bigger lakes -- nice deep V so the ride is dry.

 

You should be able to get an excellent boat a year or two old in the early $20's I think. For $30k you can get EXACTLY what you want.

 

As always, overall performance will have as much to do with your maintenance and treatment as it will with the initial brand name...many make an excellent boat.

 

Happy Shopping.

[sneak_e_pete]

Thanks again for all of the feedback....I REALLY APPRECIATE the time everyone is taking to help me. This is going to be a lot of fun!

 

A couple of people have said though, that I can get exactly what I want for $30K, but some of the prices I have seen are pretty high already...

 

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Princecraft/SPORT%20172%20SS/LONDON/Ontario/5_11663774_ON20071122100019686/?ms=boats

 

That Princecraft is great, but it is only a 91 beam with a 115, no kicker, no bow mount, no freight, PDI and apparently is already $3,600 off.

[BillM]

You really should look in the states... So much more bang for the buck then buying here... We saved a lot of $$$$ on our Lund..

[doubleheader]

You did not indicate if this boat is primarily going to be a big water or inland lake boat. If you're looking for a big water boat I would recommend you look at closely a Starcraft Superfisherman. A highly underrated big water riveted aluminum boat that is not nearly as overpriced as some. If you are looking at primarily an inland lake boat I'd look at an Alumacraft Trophy or something in the Lund family of boats. Put my buddies Alumacraft Trophy Sport beside my Pro-V and they are almost identical. The Alumacrafts offer great fit and finish, quality seats (better than mine), and lots of storage (same as mine and mine's a 19). My only advantage is my ride is superior in rougher water. With your family you need at least an 18' boat, especially if you go with a full windshield.

[sneak_e_pete]

I live in Grimsby and have a trailer in Lowbanks, so will be fishing Erie and Ontario mostly.

[ecmilley]

with large lakes you can't go wrong with lund, alumacraft or crestliner. lowe and starcraft are decent brands as well and don't forget about princeraft.

always found lunds to be the smoothest and dryest boats on the planet, where any tracker product you need a raincoat on even with slight chop on the lake. legends seem ok but they just compress my spine i find them rough boats

[esoxansteel]

My deep V17 has been excellent, and still is, rivets have never poppoed or loosened, the welded tracker hulls sound like a different story, you really have to max out both the trolling motor, and gas motor to what your pocket book can afford, packaged boats as a previous thread mentioned are put out the cheapest possible way, to attract the condumer by price, ive sinced changed trolling motors twice and electronics 3 times, one other thing that i can almost guarantee, is with a 17ft, you will most likely get a 12 volt trolling motor outlet, and a under powered trolling motor, get them to upgrade the outlet and switch to a 24volt system

[Spouph]

I live in Grimsby and have a trailer in Lowbanks, so will be fishing Erie and Ontario mostly.

 

 

befour you buy I have a buddy selling his lund wich is an awesome dry boat 18 ft, he fishes erie out of erieo with me (ihave a trailer in rondeau bay) . He can't get out half the time I can, some times you have to run 8 to 15 km to get to where the fish are they move miles in a week, at least they did this season last not so much. Iam talking 15 k winds which are the best for eye's no lie 30(50 to 70 including bows and sheep head) plus days in 5 to 8 hours of fishing. His boat could not handle that. He ended up in my boat most of the season. He is buying a 24 ft searay. If you arnet equipprd to fish a 3 ft chop, you will be off the water most days by lunch, if you even get out at all. I know nothing of ontario.

[Drew_10]

Thanks again for all of the feedback....I REALLY APPRECIATE the time everyone is taking to help me. This is going to be a lot of fun!

 

A couple of people have said though, that I can get exactly what I want for $30K, but some of the prices I have seen are pretty high already...

 

http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Princecraft/SPORT%20172%20SS/LONDON/Ontario/5_11663774_ON20071122100019686/?ms=boats

 

That Princecraft is great, but it is only a 91 beam with a 115, no kicker, no bow mount, no freight, PDI and apparently is already $3,600 off.

 

Don't get too caught up in trying to find the boat with the widest beam. Some of the best handling rough water boats have a narrow beam, and not a beam-forward design. A 2x4 will cut through the water better than a 2x6 right?

[irishfield]

A 2x4 will cut through the water better than a 2x6 right?

 

 

Depends how much weight you're expecting it to hold up!