Boats

[Rokbar]

As mentioned earlier maybe rent one to see what and if you (family) like??? Maybe even try a pontoon (roomy). Now is the wrong (expensive) time of year to buy a boat. If you get an outboard get a 4 stroke!!!!!!! Not a 2 stroke.

 

[Marmots]

Boat prices are currently at an all-time high across the board.

My father in law and I were both actively trying to purchase boats when covid started. He was going for a big fiberglass deal to take eight people out for kokanee and lake trout. I was building bare bones a 20 foot Alumacraft with a jet drive for hunting and trapping. Even though those applications couldn't be more different, we both saw used and new prices more than double.

You would honestly save money by just renting for two to four years, even if you were out every other weekend. By the time supply catches up with demand you'll know exactly what you want and probably still be financially ahead.

 

[grappling_hook]

I strongly agree with renting one at least a few times. You may have experience on friends' boats, but it's different when you're the skipper, and different when you are doing it with a mind on buying one. It will show what you like and don't like, what size is really enough, features you need/want, etc. Then once you are more settled on that, you can get set up slowly like making sure you have the right tow package for towing, storage, look into different shops that can get you parts or perform maintenance, consider your storage needs (boat on trailer, plus equipment; usually more space than you think you'll need) which could include renting storage space, looking into insurance costs, launch fees, etc etc.

Then you could really calculate out the cost of renting vs owning, which you'll probably find will be mostly determined by how many days per year you'd use it.

 

[Quentin VanPelt]

I was once talking to an older guy who has spent most his life working around boats. He told me, If it floats, f###s, or flies its cheaper to rent. Those words have always stuck with me while looking for a boat to own.

 

[Moserkr]

As others mentioned, boat prices, along with everything else, are at all time highs. Not a great time to buy. Glass boats are more expensive, as are newer 4-strokes.

I did as others did, sold my last boat for more than I paid for it, then got a “new” one. New one is a 1979 starcraft 16’ aluminum supersport (open bow). Has an 80’s 2-stroke johnson. So its old, needed a full rebuild, and some motor work. Again its old. But with a little elbow grease, Im almost done rebuilding it and im in it for around $4k. Ive seen a rebuilt one 2 feet longer than mine thats selling for $6k.

Deals are out there. If you want shiny and turn key you will pay for it. Or if you’re willing to put in a little effort, you can possibly get a lot more for a lot less. Tough call. Still a bad time to buy a boat. But the new 4-stokes are sweet. I could put a new motor on my rebuild and be in it for less than $10k. Good luck!

Before, now, and (soon) future pictures.

 

[Shraggs]

Long time boat owner. Fish all the time.

yes, it’s a money pit.

but it’s a life style, like hunting another expensive pastime.

solo fishing and or family fun is worth it to me, maybe you too...

A consideration : maybe buy new and finance it. Buy a msr pocket rocket and a small ports potti. Depending on your tax filing may qualify as a second home deduction. Idk. But buy smart in a quality brand without bells and whistles.

 

[EastHumboldt]

“Boat: A hole in the water surrounded by wood,fiberglass, or metal into which one pours money and tears.“. it is said that many boating experiences can be inexpensively simulated by standing in a cold shower and burning $100 bills.

 

[Fatcamp]

I didn't get my first boat until I was older. They take work and cost money, but I absolutely love them. Water opens up so much opportunity.

They also cause a bunch of stress. I highly recommend watching "Boat ramp fail!" videos on Youtube prior to buying a boat.

I have cheap aluminum outboard models. Still cause me grief. A big boat you can ski behind? You better be really handy or have plenty of cash.

 

[Brendan]

You have to know what you're getting into, but it's not always THAT Bad...

Need a vehicle to tow it, a convenient place to store it so it's easy to hitch and go (Not under a tree, or it'll need to be religiously covered so it doesn't fill up with crap). Keeping it on a trailer instead of in the water means no bottom paint and painting the bottom of a boat is up there with the worst things on earth. I might rather run naked through devils club... Pressure washer to keep it cleaned off at home. Need to do basic preventative maintenance every year - we'd put in gas stabilizer, fog the cylinders, flush it with fresh water while doing it, and replace the lower unit oil before storing it at the end of the season. Need to shrink wrap it or tarp it or store it inside in winter if you get snow. Electrical gremlins for the lights and trailer lights are par for the course. Trailer hubs need to get greased / inspected regularly or you'll have a wheel fall off your trailer at a very inopportune time, ask me how I know.

Do all the preventative maintenance, and most boats are going to last a while. Get a simple aluminum and the maintenance is pretty low relatively and resale is pretty good.

With that said, It is a REAL bad time to be shopping. Pretty much every manufacturer is way behind on orders and deliveries because of the demand, and used market is crazy right now too.

 

[Fatcamp]

Forgot plug. Almost lost boat.
Wouldn't start after traveling X2.
Stalled and wouldn't start, kids learned about Lewis and Clark/pulling boats with a rope X1.
Lost a trailer bearing on a Sunday 200 miles from home. NAPA rocks.
A whole bunch of days off working on and getting ready.

All of those problems were my fault and due to poor maintenance. I would like to think I have learned my lesson.

In between all of those issues have been many, many days of exploring and adventure with friends, family, and my kids. If I had known how much I would enjoy it I would have had a boat at 15.

 

[Bowhunter1287]

I would take a look at tri toons they have the space for a lot of people just hanging out not cramped you can pull skier and tubers all day long with them with a smooth ride. I would definitely go four stroke Mercury and Yamaha both have good motors if you look enough you could easily find a boat with less then 100 hrs on it. I have a 22ft tritoon with a Mercury 200 on it and I have had that boat in waters that a 16-20ft v boats would not go out in it handles 4-5 foot waves like a dream and I know most people don’t go out in that big a waves especially for there first boat but I have had v boats before and if I was to buy another I would buy another tri toon roomy smooth comes in fishing packages and if you take waves or water up on the deck it’s just gonna run off the sides

 

[KurtR]

id Like to keep it $10,000, maybe double that max if we decide to get serious. A lot to consider. Thanks for the advice.

For that price it’s going to be tough getting some thing bug enough for 6 to pull skiers and be reliable. Another option would be look at pontoons . A lot of people up here on Oahe are getting them to fish/ski. The guides have almost all went that way to just for the comfort factor

 

[Fatcamp]

Ya, pontoons are awesome. Prices right now are the other side of stupid.

 

[Boarmaster]

If your not going to use it quite a bit then I would rent. Buy a boat that works really well for the 90% of what you will be using it for. Make the other 10% work Or not.
If you buy one get one that you can park in your garage or barn or inside And pull with what kind of vehicle you drive.

 

[brocksw]

I'm surprised by the lack of boat love for a hunting demographic that I figured would do alot of fishing too.

Boats aren't necessarily the money pit everyone is making them out to be. It's similar to a vehicle, If you buy a junk boat with high hours expect to put some money into repairs. If you can't pay cash then you have a monthly payment. If you shop wisely (i.e. buy a low hours 4 stroke outboard) then it's just like owning another vehicle with some caveats. Want to go to the water every weekend and pile on hours and slime time ....then you'll have a gas bill that matches. Buy a boat without a trolling motor...then be prepared to buy one.

Somebody recommended a tritoon or pontoon. I think that's unwise. They're a pain In the ass to store because they're huge, which means you need to make sure you have a vehicle that can tow it, and they suck to load and unload. There's a reason most people with pontoons pay for the slip at the marina for 1500-2k a year. Because they don't have to do anything except drive the boat. The marina takes care of taking the boat out of the water at the end of the year, winterizing, wrapping, storing until spring, then they put it back in the water for you.

Prices are high right now but decent prices can still be had. It really comes down to do you want one or don't ya?

 

[Bowhunter1287]

The only real big thing to store a tri toon is the height if your gonna back it in a shop and the cost of shrink wrapping is not that much more of the v boats and for loading the boat they are not bad at all 9 times out of 10 when I can load my tri toon faster then the guys loading there v boats

 

[Bowhunter1287]

Pontoon / tritoons may look big and heavy but they are not on average a they weight 2500lbs or less

 

[roadrunner]

Pontoons are floating bricks, they are not fishing boats, and handle like a pig, especially when its windy. If your not an experienced pilot, avoid the heated arguments with family when trying to load in 20 mph cross winds on a busy weekend...

Hours on the engine for a water vehicle is equal to mileage on a road vehicle, let that be a guiding principle.

The type of fishing you do will govern the type of boat you have. You won't get a walleye boat if you chase bass.

If you plan on water tow activity as well, then you need to keep it narrowed to fish and ski options. The torque ratio is needed to pull a tube or skier up out of the water which those engine options are made to do, a bass boat with a 250 HP won't do it (very easily anyway). It's job is to get you on plane ASAP.

Outboards are by far the easiest to maintain and store, and depending on the use, may not necessarily require changing lower unit gear oil every year. The newer 4 strokes are the way to go, only because you don't have the separate oil reservoir that needs to be injected under high pressure for the fuel mix.

Half the price of any boat, new or used, is the engine. A $60,000 bass boat with a 250 on the back is 30 for the vessel, and 30 for the engine. Roughly.

An Aluminum deep modified V-hull with a minimum of a 175 4 stroke with less than 150 hours, 20' bow to stern is probably where you want to keep your focus. This boat is more in line with the fish and ski option, make sure the OB has the lower gear ratio for towing, and the 20' is night and day in rough water as opposed to an 18', and should fit in your price range.

As a side note, "Break Out Another Thousand" also applies to shoulder mounts and out of state elk hunts...

 

[brocksw]

Pontoons are floating bricks, they are not fishing boats, and handle like a pig, especially when its windy. If your not an experienced pilot, avoid the heated arguments with family when trying to load in 20 mph cross winds on a busy weekend...

Hours on the engine for a water vehicle is equal to mileage on a road vehicle, let that be a guiding principle.

The type of fishing you do will govern the type of boat you have. You won't get a walleye boat if you chase bass.

If you plan on water tow activity as well, then you need to keep it narrowed to fish and ski options. The torque ratio is needed to pull a tube or skier up out of the water which those engine options are made to do, a bass boat with a 250 HP won't do it (very easily anyway). It's job is to get you on plane ASAP.

Outboards are by far the easiest to maintain and store, and depending on the use, may not necessarily require changing lower unit gear oil every year. The newer 4 strokes are the way to go, only because you don't have the separate oil reservoir that needs to be injected under high pressure for the fuel mix.

Half the price of any boat, new or used, is the engine. A $60,000 bass boat with a 250 on the back is 30 for the vessel, and 30 for the engine. Roughly.

An Aluminum deep modified V-hull with a minimum of a 175 4 stroke with less than 150 hours, 20' bow to stern is probably where you want to keep your focus. This boat is more in line with the fish and ski option, make sure the OB has the lower gear ratio for towing, and the 20' is night and day in rough water as opposed to an 18', and should fit in your price range.

As a side note, "Break Out Another Thousand" also applies to shoulder mounts and out of state elk hunts...

As a matter of fact, I expect to draw my Montana B.O.A.T. today or tomorrow.

 

[brocksw]

Here's an example of the market right now. The 2010 Skeeter below being listed for 38k is WAY over priced, by like 6-8k. BUT, just in the last month alone I've seen multiple 10-12 skeeter wx1880s and wx1850s with similar or better add ons go for 29,500-32k. Still a touch high, but if you want one....not enough to bicker about.

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This 2008 skeeter is still high by 3.5-5k, but make it clean low hours 2008 ranger angler with a kicker and top end humminbird or lowrance and then its not so bad. Might still not be a "deal", but I'd have no problem buying that, but I would not pay for this one. I've seen multiple 06-07 skeeters go for 25-26k this year. Again, a touch high but....

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Best "deal" I've seen so far this year was a 2012 skeeter wx1850 with low hours, 150 yamaha with T8 kicker, all newer humminbird at the bow and helm, linked minnkota trolling motor, mint condition glass in and out, with bimini cover and it sold for 32k in about an hour back in late feb.