Boat Thoughts

[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Curt,
Sounds like the boat is gone anyway, so maybe I spent too much time thinking about it the last couple days... J
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[SkunkedAgain]

Yup that's the one, wonder why he didn't mark it sold... I've been stewing over it for a few days but couldn't really afford to do it now, guess maybe I was stalling hoping it would sell so I didn't have to try to figure out how to come up with the money to do it... I did this on a 150 hp motor last year, that was a good price and a great motor, but I couldn't really afford it, so I stalled until it sold... Some day when that mortgage goes away, I'll get a new toy... Thanks for that info... J
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[a_bow_nut]

Luckily I helped a friend move to a town about forty miles away from where i found the boat and he gave it a once over for me. Without his help I wouldn't have bought it.
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[SkunkedAgain]

That makes it a lot easier if you have someone you trust that can give you a good feeling about the craft... Otherwise you could sure spend a lot of money trying to figure out if they were good deals or not... not a lot of that type boats around here, it's a lot easier to find a pleasure craft than a good fishing boat and that keeps the prices pretty high around here... Thanks for your tips today, will help when I get there... Later Jeff
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[Tin-Can]

That is one PURTY Crestliner ! It looks brand new. I can get a good idea how much a boat has been used by the shape of the bow stand roller. That one ain't got a mark on it. Very Nice []
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[Tin-Can]

I rented an old aluminum boat on Base several years ago (like 16 years) before I bought my first boat. The base was in the process of replacing all their old Lunds. Of course as rentals, they had not been taken as good of care as one might that owned the boat. Anyway, we went to Utah Lake on a Memorial Day Weekend, 16 ft. boat, 25 hp Mercury 4 stroke, no electronics at all so was never sure where the bottom was or where the fish were. But the 5 of us were having a great time (catching mostly Mud Cats) and about 3 hours into the time on the water, I noticed that one of our small bait buckets was floating in the bottom of the hull.
That un-nerved me a bit but realized if there was a big enough leak to cause us problems, we would have already been up to our hips in lake water. We bailed it out best we could, and pressed on fishing. At the ramp when we pulled out, I pulled the stern plug and I would guess a good 20 or 30 gals of water came out.

I mentioned that to the guys at the MWR rental on Tuesday when I returned the boat. Their response was "Oh yeah, just about any riveted boat will leak some as it gets older, but these Lunds would still float enough to get you back off the water as long as you bailed out the water once in awhile. "
Then I figured, hey I've worked on aircraft that are a bunch bigger and heavier and under way more stress than any small fishing boat, and the planes are riveted. I've seen B52's come back with lots and lots of popped rivet heads on the forward fuselage after just one flight.
So I bought a 17' Lund from Peterson Marine in 2004. Sold it in 2006 cuz the waters were all getting too shallow to put it in. Then in 2007 just couldn't stand not having a boat, so went back to Peterson Marine and bought the 14' Lund I have now. It may leak just a little now, but I bought the model with a deck and a bilge pump. I hit that pump switch once or twice during a full day on the water and it blows any water out that was deep enough to get to the pump (about 2 inches in the transom hull area.)

Riveted or welded, an aluminum boat is lighter than say a Bayliner of same length and width. Easier to tow, uses less gas. An aluminum hull can be repaired and dents removed pretty much the same way as a car. For the amount of $$ they cost, the top of the line Thunder Jets, Hewes Crafts, River Hawks, are worth every dime, if you got that many dimes [laugh]

IMHO, the next rung of the aluminum ladder is G3 boats by Yamaha. But they are used to sell that pricey motor. Yamaha marine motors are good, and quiet, but a bit too spendy for my wallet. After those I would rank the Crestliners, Fishers, King Fisher's, and Trackers...........all welded hull. And I think equal in reliability and strength would be the Lund family, difference being they are riveted.

There is one make of non-aluminum boat that I would closely consider if I had the money...........Triumph Boats..........no not the motorcycle. Do a web search on Triumph Boats. Pretty popular back east and down south. Built in North Carolina, I think. Don't know if there are any dealers out here handling them.

No matter what you get, if you get a new to you boat remember these adages, they came about because they all hold some bit of truth or accuracy.

1) A boat is just a hole in the water you throw money into........
2) BOAT stands for Break Out Another Thousand............
3) Whats the first thing most guys do after they buy a new boat.............?
They take it home and start drilling holes in it.....[laugh]
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[Bduck]

Jeff, I understand your feeling deeply. I'm thinking that some 2strokes will be if not already under scrutiny with EPA laws especially the older models. I'm very satisfied with the 4stroke, I'm sure others would agree about theirs. My thought would be for you to stay with the purchase of a 4stroke. Time is on your side to shop around, my best.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks Forest, ya know one thing I’m really worried about, we used to have an old beater camper that I bought for around $2000 and it was rough and the floor plan wasn’t what we wanted or liked, but we took it everywhere and never worried about doing stuff with it. Used it all the time and loved camping. Then I got stupid and bought a newer 24.5’ fifth wheel that was exactly the floor plan we loved, really nice and all but it cost more than the truck and we’ve used it maybe six times since. I’m afraid to take it to the tight rough spots I used to go to so we camp in crowds of people and it’s just not fun anymore. Probably had this new one longer than the other one by now and even though it’s really nice, I think we had more fun in the beater. So long story but I’m afraid I might do the same thing if I replace my trihull it’s been great it does almost everything I could want so I’m hoping if I change I don’t regret it down the road. I’d love the more stability and enclosed cabin and all at certain times but if I can’t fish for cats or smallies then maybe I’m doing the same thing. Just need to see how I can make it more safe on big water. Later J
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[SkunkedAgain]

I have a four stroke Yamaha trolling motor 9.9 hp and I love it, it is so fuel efficient and quiet compared to my 2 stroke, not to mention more reliable. So I think I agree completely and you’re probably right if the election goes the other way we may see our 2 strokes prohibited. I’ll keep shopping. Thanks J
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[Fishhound]

I toy with that same idea of upgrading all the time. But I remind myself of the sayings - don't leave fish to find fish. And, The fish don't care how much you paid.

I have an older beater boat that is perfect for getting me on fish but not looking like a chick magnet. I've had it for 25-30 years (cant remember exactly how long) and caught countless fish on it in almost every body of water in Utah. Maybe she won't handle a force 4 gale, but I ain't fishing in water that should be sailed with 80 feet of water line. She ain't pretty by any metric but she's mine and paid for many times over.

The grass always seems greener on the other side, but consider also that the predators could know that too.
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[SkunkedAgain]

I think you’re right. I’m just getting close to being able to buy the Terrova I’ve been saving up for, for the last couple years and I don’t want to do that if I’m going to be changing rides here soon. So I guess I’m checking those pastures on the other side, but may find I’m like my goats that stick their heads through the fence to eat dry weeds when they’re in a lush green pasture. Ok my boat is not very lush, but like you said it’s paid for. Thanks for the council. Later J
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[Tin-Can]

You can do lots of different things to upgrade your old tri hull. Those upgrades can be done one or two at a time with little to no down time and be many times cheaper than a whole new boat, or even a new to you used boat.
I have seen many used boats for sale that were nice looking, had all the amenities I wanted, not too old, and at a seemingly fair price. But the nagging question I always default back to: Do I want to buy into someone else's possible problems that may not be part of the advertised information? Would hate to be out in the middle of some body of water when something critical decides to stop functioning. At least on my old "Tin-Can" I know what and where everything is.
If I was financially able to replace my boat, it would most likely be with a brand new one from a reputable dealer.
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[SkunkedAgain]

That is the thing, I've done so many different mods to my current boat, that it's worth way more to me than I could ever sell it for. I'd never get out of it, what I have into it... and like you say it's probably much cheaper to make changes to the current one, rather than buy a different one and have to start over making it what I like to have. I guess I'm weird, but I can't stand the low seats most boats have, so I had to put pedestal raised seats in my boat, and lots of little things I've done that have made that machine the way I like it, just wish I could add a wider beam and higher sides for taking the waves, but I guess I really don't like to fish on windy days anyway.. Later Jeff
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[Lundboy54]

Im on my 2nd lund and theyare great would highly recommend
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[muirco]

I don't know about Utah lake or hewes craft, but we have a weldcraft maverick deep v 240 and hasn't given us any trouble in late fall. We love the boat. I would assume hewes craft would be similar.
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[SkunkedAgain]

I really like what I've seen in the Lund's myself, they are nice boats... just wish I was a little more financially well off so I could afford one of those nicer machines... Jeff
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks, my friend has a similar boat to you and it's a wonderful boat, got to admit I've very jealous.. thanks for the input... Jeff
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[Tin-Can]

I second that....[] I'm on my second Lund also. Very reliable and sturdy. Only problem is the local dealer close to me has closed down. Petersen Marine in Ogden is not there now.
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[wormandbobber]

Personally, I won't buy any kind of aluminum boat. They just aren't as smooth or nice as fiberglass boats on big waters (really the only place I use a motor boat). So, for my next purchase, I am hoping to get a Chaparral. These are the boats I am looking at:
http://www.chaparralboats.com/Chaparral-...highlights

Definitely not as nice a fishing boat as a Ranger, but it would suit my purposes great.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Sounds like I need to do some ride alongside to compare them. Thanks for your thoughts. Jeff
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