So I'm going to be buying my first boat and am leaning towards the Alumacraft fisherman 160 with side console but I have a few questions (1) does anybody have any experience with this boat? (2) Are there any reasons I should look into a different boat? (3) I drive a jeep cherokee and am wondering if it will be adequate to pull this size of boat. most of the fishing i do will require me to go up parleys.
Any info would be great. thanks
Casonso
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Just curious as the why you are looking at the FishermanCS model instead of the NavigatorCS model? The FishermanCS is only rated for a 40hp, while the navigator is rated for a 90hp. Plus the Navigator is 5" longer. Looks like the Fisherman also has a lot of "wasted" space back by the motor (extra long splash well). Anyway, both boats are nice, but I really like the NavigatorCS better.
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The Fisherman and the Navigator are in totally different classes. I'm sure if he would prefer a Trophy he could afford one.
You won't even notice the boat being behind you with your Cherokee.
All the boats in this class are going to be comparable. Spend a couple Saturdays visiting all the dealers in the area and work them against each other. They are starving right now.
The thing I would recommend would be to pinch, scrape and do whatever you can to come up with the extra money to get a direct inject 2-stroke or fuel injected 4-stroke. You'll enjoy the boat a lot more and have a MUCH easier time selling should you ever choose to upgrade.
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bvs you hit the nail on the head. it basically comes down to price, and if money were not a factor i would definitely be looking at different boats but since it is the biggest factor in the boat i choose the fisherman seems to fit the bill for me. Seeing that it will be my wife and i on the boat for the majority of the time i think it will provide plenty of room and i think 40 horses should push us around pretty well, plus i don't want to spend a ton on my first boat.
thanks for the input
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First of all I'd like to welcome to the site, thanks for taking the time to sign up.
My friend had a 40 horse on his 16ft starcraft and it pushed the boat a 28 to 30mph and that is a good speed for any smaller boat. He pulled the boat with a 4 liter ford explorer which I think is the same motor as your Jeep unless you have the 4 cyl. His boat motor was the oil injector model though and it was a lot easier than having to mix the gas and oil and I think it gives better performance. Good luck on what ever you decide and let us know how it goes with whatever boat you get. WH2
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WH2 thanks for the response and the welcome this seems like a great site. As far as the boat goes i'll check into the oil injected models to compare price. thanks again.
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Last year I bought an Alumacraft Navigator 165 with a 90 hp Mercury. It tows just fine behind my 4.0 - 6 cyl. Explorer, although I slow down a bit going up Parley's Canyon. At a total boat-motor-trailer-gear weight at or a little above 2,000#, it is an easy tow. I cannot speak for the Fisherman 160, but the Navigator 165 is totally awesome! Solid as a rock and lots of attention to detail. It's my fourth boat and by far the best by a long margin.
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thanks for the reply. Sadly my wife and I have decided to wait on a boat until next year with the way the economy is we don't dare take on another payment, so i guess it's one more year of fishing from the bank but i guess it's better than not fishing. thanks for all the replies though everybody.
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Dont get your beach chairs out just yet!! If you keep an eye on this forum. People are constantly asking if others would like to go with them when they go. Or if there is a lake you want to fish just make a post asking if anyone is going and if they have room for you. Might have to split the gas but thats better than a monthly payment
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