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So I’m starting to wonder about getting a different boat, I mean I like the old Skunked Again Tri-Hull, but it doesn’t do Bear Lake and waves very well. So I don’t dare fish if there’s much over 5 mph breeze on BL. Got a friend that has a newer Weld craft that totally loves it, but I’m still mortgage broke so I can’t spend a lot. I see an old Hewes craft for sale and wondered if it would make a good fishing machine if reworked and updated with new electronics and such. Are they riveted hulls or welded like the weld craft? Are they too big to fish in skinny water when things get low in the fall? What about Utah Lake and Cutler with 30” depths? What are your thoughts ? Thanks Jeff
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There might be others on here that own a Hewes craft but I pretty sure that is the same boat brand that JJannie has. Almost any boat can meet your needs if you put enough money into it[  ]. Is the one you are looking at bigger than your current boat?
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Jeff, as a past and present owner of 2 riveted hull boats (Lund 17' Pro Sport ) and 14' WCDLX, I can say that a good riveted hull aluminum boat is.........., well.......... a good boat. As far as hull strength and float-ability. After that it's all what you add to it in the way of motor(s), electronics, etc.
If you are looking for a more stable boat for use in rougher water, like almost any lake in Utah when the wind blows, be looking for something that has a deep V hull (more keel = more control) that means a boat that will most likely be too big (too much draft) to use up there in your local river and marsh playground.
A boat in the class like Weldcraft, Hewes, Thunder Jet, like the one dubob bought are GREAT boats. But pretty spendy, even used ones.
If you are like most of us, owning 2 boats isn't possible. So 1 good boat that is able to cover most of the places and conditions you want to use it in is the compromise.
A smaller boat (like mine) lets me get on the water in low water times, and on shallow waters like the marsh around you. But it isn't the boat you want to be in when the winds turn huffy [:/]
Your old tri-hull is a pretty good boat for lakes like Willard, or Hyrum, or East Canyon or Echo, or Utah Lake in good water depth years and in mild weather conditions.
But something between my size boat and your current size boat may be something like a 16 or 17 ft. Tracker Deep V. Not as expensive as the high end Thunder Jets, and probably more available.
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Hey Curt,
My current boat is a 15.5'er this new one is 20 or 21'er so it is quite a bit bigger. I think it also has a wider beam... Going from 115 HP to a 200 HP so probably quite a bit heavier than my current boat. Probably won't do it, but something I'm wondering about... Later J
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Forest we used to have a riveted hull boat and it was used a lot, but it started leaking from the rivets so we'd get a puddle of water in the bottom each trip out... One of the reason's I'm a little nervous of older boats that are riveted when I don't know how hard it was used or whether it would leak or not..
Ya know having multiple boats wouldn't be so bad, but the state nails you on the licenses for each one so it makes it about impossible to have a couple. Right now I pay more for my pontoon than I do to license my pick up, not fair, because my boat even costs more to license.. Anyway I won't get much out of my other boat so I might keep both just to have one for shallow water and one for the big water trips... Probably shouldn't be thinking about this, but I sure hate to not be able to fish Bear Lake in the falls.. Later Jeff
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Jeff,[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]To the best of my knowledge, any of the primium boats (Hewes, ThunderJet, Duckworth, etc.) are all welded boats. They all work on all but the smallest water bodies. I've launched my TJ on Porcupine twice from the back launch with no problems at all.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]My old boat was a 16 Tracker Targa DeepV that handled up to 25 mph winds on Willard without any major problems. Any of the Tracker/Lund/Crestliner type boats in the 18 to 20 foot lengths will handle Bear Lake just fine. Very good quality in all of them, but not quite up to the same levels as the Hewes, ThunderJet, and Duckworth. But they are less expensive. Just keep looking for one of the Tracker/Lund/Crestliner type boats.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Also, Tracker boats don't have rivets; can't speak for the others.
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With winter approaching folks are going to be listing fishing boats on Craig List. This is how I got my 20' Columbia. My son more recently found an 18' Duckworth getting a good price on it. Watch the Oregon & Washington areas. We found so far some sellers are willing to bargain. Hewescraft was my number 1 pic but settled for another quality boat. There are many quality built boats. To get a better idea of what you are looking for the boat show is a good place to start.
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As Dubob mention Hewes are welded. My experience with them are in Alaska on charters and as a weekly rental a couple times. Very rugged boat that can land on rocky shores no problem. I guess it depends on the cost but they are great boats if you can swing it.
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I'll second what Bduck said.
Be willing to look outside of the local area. I found the boat that I just couldn't live without back in Alabama. In comparing prices I figure that I saved a few thousand dollars. To look at it you wouldn't think that it is ten years old and I found out that it had under fifty hours of time on the motor.
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Thanks Bob that's great info and will help me a bunch in shopping... Jeff
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Just be careful on the ones out of state, lots of scams out there. I thought I found my dream boat through Craig's list earlier this year but it turned out to be too good to be true. I didn't fall prey to it, but the bank was sure interested in the info I gave them and the ad was taken down pretty fast soon after.
I bought one last week, but it was a compromise purchase. My wife and family wanted something we could play out of.
I wanted something I could fish out of, especially in big waters such as Bear Lake, Flaming Gorge and the Berry and not worry about the wind. Found a good deal on KSL. It won't be able to fish the shallows like my other boat, but after I get my downriggers mounted on it and get some better electronics, it will be great.
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Will the seats handle someone falling on them?[ ]
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[quote SkunkedAgain]Hey Curt,
My current boat is a 15.5'er this new one is 20 or 21'er so it is quite a bit bigger. I think it also has a wider beam... Going from 115 HP to a 200 HP so probably quite a bit heavier than my current boat. Probably won't do it, but something I'm wondering about... Later J[/quote]
Wow, that would be quite the upgrade if you were able to get one that big. I wasn't as concerned about having a bigger motor, bigger motor does mean you can get where you are going faster but it also means you will burn more fuel doing it but if that isn't a concern, I'd say go for it. Also a wider beam means more stability on the water, I would not consider a boat without at least a 92" beam and wider is better.
Good luck with whatever you decide to get.
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If you're looking at the one on KSL in Lehi for $5k, I had the same thought as you. However the owner said it was sold when I asked a few days ago. Might check for yourself before your brain thinks too hard on it.
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Ah ha ha ha.
If they don't at least I know of a good seat repairman. [  ]
Also you can try them out next spring when we get down on Deer Creek.
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[quote Jig-fisher]Just be careful on the ones out of state, lots of scams out there.[/quote]
Yeah the boat that I got was listed by a dealer. At least that way it's a little safer.
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Thanks for tips and PM, they are sweet rides... Still a little steep for my current budget, but about half of what I've seen similar boats selling for. Do you think it's worth spending more for a four stroke engine up front, or get what you can afford now and trade up in a few years when mortgages go away? I guess I can survive with what I have for now, if it's better to get the 4 stroke up front... Anyway thank you for the help and info, it's much appreciated... Jeff
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That's great to know, thank you very much... J
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Nice ride, but wow that's a long drive to pick up a boat... did you know it would be good before you drove out to pick it up? Kind of hard to trust buying one that you can't see... Sure looks like it turned out well for you though.. congrats... and thanks for the advice... Jeff
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That's for sure, you do have to watch things really close and the crooks are getting smarter so it's getting harder to pick out the scams... That's why i like to look at things in person and then hope I'm smart enough to see the big issues... I usually don't see them all, but hopefully the biggest issues.. Thanks for the heads up... J
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