School me on boats please

[chrisb]

I'm wanting a fishing boat, but never owned one before.

Here's what I think I want/need:

12' -14' aluminum boat, used
trolling motor or small 4 stroke gas motor
Here's where I need help:

For fishing in local lakes, Potholes Reservoir, and maybe Snohomish river is a trolling motor enough? If not how Big (HP) for a gas motor?
I like the perceived stability of a Jon boat but don't know anything about them or how they compare for my purposes to a V hull boat. What are the pros and cons of each?
Anything i should look out for in brand or build style/quality?
Why do so many boats on CL not have titles? Were they not required at some point? are they still not?
What else do I need to know?

Thanks guys

[gasman]

14ft is a better choice for stability.

Flat bottom jon boats are not as stable as a V bottom (unless they have a wide beam)

V bottom boats cut through the waves better a flat bottom, so if you go areas that get decent waves, you will get beat to hell in a flat bottom.

9.9 hp motor are great motors and very common. Any boat ovre 16 ft and 10 hp and greater require annual lic. from state as well as using any boat in federal waters.

Many older boats did not have or are required to have a title unless you want to run it in federal waters and need it to be lic.
So if you stay under 16 ft and under 10 hp and stay off federal waters, you don't need to lic. the boat, there for a title is useless. (except to show owner ship)

 


On a side note, I have a 14' aluminum boat i may have for sale 

[GEARHEAD]

the problem with boats, is that you always want a bigger one. as you gain in skill etc etc, you will want to share that time with others, be sure you get a boat that can handle three people easily. another vote for V haul, and get a boat with high walls, not sitting too low. a good example, (while there are many many), of a boat that will get you most anywhere and not break your bank is a 15-16 ft Duroboat. but...the problem with a first motor is you always wish ya had one bigger,  as if you are three in the boat you will want a little more push. i vote for a four stroke, its great on gas, quiet, and you can troll with it, without fowling your plugs. the sky is the limit, just remember as a boat owner no matter what you do, you will almost never be satisfied with what you have. enjoy. 

[KFhunter]

Price range?
 
 
 

[chrisb]

Under 1k... since this is the first one I dont want to spend much until I see how often I really use it.

[coriantonk]

Found this on Craigslist.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/boa/3172975176.html

Should be an OK starter boat.

[coriantonk]

And another one.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/3167153220.html

[lokidog]

Agree with the v-hull being better for most applications than a jon boat. 

I also have a 14' with a trailer that is/will be for sale, no engine.  It is a Sylvan.  I have a neighbor that is interested in selling a 15 hp Nissan (I think). PM if interested in more info.

 A 15 hp pushes this boat quite well, until you fill it with another person, a dog and a weekend's worth of camping gear for two.  Less the camping gear and it works great for fishing.  A better engine for a 14' would be a 20 or 25 Hp. 

As far as trolling with a two-stroke versus a four stroke, it depends on the motor.  I have a 4-stroke Mercury 9.9 that uses very little gas, because half the time it doesn't stay running at idle....     I have a 1991 15 hp Johnson that trolls like a dream and has never fowled a plug. 

[Glockster]

I owned a 15ft G-3 jonboat flatbottom with Yam 2 stroke 15hp for several years. 

Pro's:  great starter boat, great for shallow water duck hunting, I fished the lower Skagit, potholes, lk WA, and puget sound with it.   It caught everything with fins.   

Con's:  Flat bottom boats pound you to deathin any kind of chop on the bigger waters.  I ended up fishing out of it more than hunting so eventually sold it to buy a Smokercraft 15ft Lodge model with a v hull.  I ended up trying to ad fishing stuff (downriggers, sonar, etc.) to the jon boat and it never really was an optimal platform for fishing.  I probably would have saved money in the long run buying the boat i really liked instead of going the 'starter' route.

Alot of great deals on CL....but also a lot of shady dealings on CL.  Alot of stolen stuff gets moved on CL.  No title...take your chances and you'll have a hell of a time getting the state to register it.

Also< 4 stroke is nice and smoke free, but I don't know where you'll find a 4 stroke for the under $1,000 range you're saying.  They are also much heavier than 2's so that's a big consideration when it comes to powering jon boats.   

[Ripper]

They will cost you more than a grand but the 14' lund or smokercraft are hard to beat. Paired with a 25 hp 4 stroke and you will be set for a long time. I've seen them used for 1500-2500 depending on age. Good luck.

[gasman]

And keep in mind, many 12 ft V bottoms are not very stable. There width is normally narrower then there 14 ft brother, wich makes it unstable or less stable on the water.

All the 12 ft boats I have been in, you would not dream of standing up in, I do it all teh time is my 14' smokercraft.

[chrisb]

Thanks for all the good info guys. I'm not looking to by right away, probably this winter most likely. I really just want to make sure I know what to look for and questions to ask, things to consider, etc. Looks like I've got some research to do and I need to decide what exactly I want since I really only wanna buy once.

[oldcamper]

i have a 15' 11" v-hull with a 25e 2 stroke evinrude gets around great, takes the waves with no problem, and I can pull it with my Jeep. It will take 3 people with no problem and still have room for gear. But what others say about you never have a big enough boat is true, and get one you can resale easy.

[FC]

Thanks for all the good info guys. I'm not looking to by right away, probably this winter most likely. I really just want to make sure I know what to look for and questions to ask, things to consider, etc. Looks like I've got some research to do and I need to decide what exactly I want since I really only wanna buy once.

If you want a rowboat by all means get one but if you want a multi-purpose fishing boat with a motor I would be looking at 16' minimum and probably 40+ hp, preferably a 4 stroke. A utility type hull is a lot cheaper than a decked one and they catch fish just as well! For optimum ease of highest resale I would be looking for aluminum but if you want to get on the water cheaper you could buy an older glass boat quite cheaply.

Winter is the BEST time to buy a boat! Demand is way down and so are the prices!

[chrisb]

Thanks for all the good info guys. I'm not looking to by right away, probably this winter most likely. I really just want to make sure I know what to look for and questions to ask, things to consider, etc. Looks like I've got some research to do and I need to decide what exactly I want since I really only wanna buy once.

If you want a rowboat by all means get one but if you want a multi-purpose fishing boat with a motor I would be looking at 16' minimum and probably 40+ hp, preferably a 4 stroke. A utility type hull is a lot cheaper than a decked one and they catch fish just as well! For optimum ease of highest resale I would be looking for aluminum but if you want to get on the water cheaper you could buy an older glass boat quite cheaply.

Winter is the BEST time to buy a boat! Demand is way down and so are the prices!

Why 16' and 40 HP minimum? I'm really not looking to hit the sound or even lake Washington so 40hp seems a bit big for what I imagine i'll do with it... but again i'm here asking b/c i don't know any better

[Hunterman]

You might not want to hit the bay now,, but later when you see all the salmon, you'll wish you had a boat to fish it..

I fish Westport in a 15 footer.. Just gives you somethings to think of

Hunterman(Tony)

[Kola16]

I wish I had a bigger boat  My dad has an awesome 22 footer, but it needs a fresh water cooling system, and he always puts things off  I have a 11' and 14' boats. Both of them are aluminum and flatbottom, and there is a big difference of stability between the two.

[Ripper]

Remember what's been repeated over and over on here, no matter what you buy you will wish you had bought bigger and with more motor! If you are absolutely positive you will never fish the sound or larger lakes then you can get by smaller/less hp. Even then I'm willing to bet you will change your mind! 

[lokidog]

You might not want to hit the bay now,, but later when you see all the salmon, you'll wish you had a boat to fish it..

I fish Westport in a 15 footer.. Just gives you somethings to think of

Hunterman(Tony)

I used to fish Westport with a 13' inflatable Achilles and a 15 hp, downriggers and all.   Sure got some funny looks out there but never felt unsafe.  You wouldn't catch me out there in most 15 footers though.    

[bearpaw]

They are heavier but if you can find a livingston boat, they are the most stable small boats I have seen. There have been a few on craigslist this summer around the state.

There is an inflatable boat in the classifieds that looks like it would be very stable. I think it's $400 or $450, that leaves you room to get a motor with your budget.

[BigGoonTuna]

i've owned 2 smoker craft alaskans - my 13 footer has been to the columbia, neah bay, sekiu, the chehalis and all over the sound.  with a 15hp motor, it'll go a full weekend of fishing on 6 gallons of gas, and doesn't take a 1 ton truck to tow.  great, stable little boats.

[FC]

Why 16' and 40 HP minimum? I'm really not looking to hit the sound or even lake Washington so 40hp seems a bit big for what I imagine i'll do with it... but again i'm here asking b/c i don't know any better

My guess is it won't be long before you want to fish the sound or bigger water and even if not you will like the extra room to fish and store stuff. 40hp is just about what it takes to push a 16' aluminum boat well!

Get all of your fishing gear together and throw it in the bathtub, now picture all of that stuff in a boat with you not stepping on everything!

[PolarBear]

Take it from someone who has owned boats all his life, get one bigger than you think that you will need because that one will become too small very soon.  Starting out with the minimum will always wind up in frustration and a case of the "2 foot-itus".

[Glockster]

I echo Polarbear's advice.  I have a 15 Smoker Lodge model with 40hp 4stroke Yami on it.  Always get the biggest motor the boat is rated for.  That way you have ample power in reserve to fight heavy seas if you find yourself caught in that situation....winds can come up fast, especially in the summertime.

Inland waters can get really rough too.  One year I hunted Potholes on the opener and camped out up Crab Creek.  Water was real low that year.  On Sunday afternoon the wind kicked up out of the south blowing at 30kts.  There were 4 and 5 ft curlers rolling up the channel and being Sunday all the weekend hunters were headed back to the ramp.  I saw big Almars, Wooldrridges, etc try to get back to the state park ramp and they all turned back to hide it out.  I did not have to go home that day, but even if i did, i'd have waited it out. 

[Dhoey07]

I bought a mid 70's 14' starcraft with a mid 80's 35hp merc on it for 1500 off craigslist.  High walls, closed bow, steering wheel, really stable.  There are some good deals out there just gotta keep your eye out 

[magnanimous_j]

I bought a mid 70's 14' starcraft with a mid 80's 35hp merc on it for 1500 off craigslist.  High walls, closed bow, steering wheel, really stable.  There are some good deals out there just gotta keep your eye out 

My uncle has one of those. I love that boat.

[chrisb]

Hmmmm... Much more to consider now. Glad I asked first.