choosing a new boat

[Night goat]

its time to buy a fishing boat.... nothing crazy, just a humble little utility boat i can tow with an old jeep. i got some stuff for sale, and will have a budget of 4000$ i think, or there abouts. i already have a motor, i have a 15hp suzuki, i have a flatbed trailer (6x10 on deck, 8x10 at fenders) that i can use as a boat trailer if i have to, i just dont have a boat. i wanna go fishing, weekend adventures, and stuff like that, something easy to tow and cheap on fuel, something i can beach, thats somewhat seaworthy for the size of boat im looking at

i have a few ideas in mind of what im looking at but thought id get some opinions. its just going to be myself and girlfriend, and we will keep fishing simple, something to take out of sekiu and the sound on nice days, lakes, and maybe the river.

my choices so far are

1) 14 foot livingston catamaran
2) 14 foot HiLaker Seaskiff or Sealaker
3) new 14ft crestliner aluminum
4) Valco 14ft aluminum
5) 16ft lund if i can find one


simple boats, tiller steering, minimal bells and whistles, something i can row if it comes down to that, thats the idea

any opinions?

[scotsman]

Id go with the Hilaker. Much nicer ride in a chop than your other selections.  The 16’ Lund is a sweet boat but might be a tad much for your 15 Suzi.

[Wingin it]

I’d also take a look at the Smokercraft Alaskan line.

[MADMAX]

I’d also take a look at the Smokercraft Alaskan line.

I bought one in Nov
25 Yamaha
Great little boat
I downsized
I got sick of my Duckworth sitting 9 months out of the year

[Westside88]

15’ smoker craft Alaskan is a very versatile boat. 15hp will work just fine, but you can throw a jet pump on them and prowl the shallower rivers as well. Probably never drop in value either, which is nice

[Night goat]

Could a Livingston work as a drift boat too??

[Westside88]

Livingston's are really well built boats. I wouldn’t think of them as a drift boat. They’re fiberglass and heavy more of a lake, light Puget sound and some rivers.

[Wingin it]

I would think you would be asking for trouble if you tried to row a Livingston down the river. Unless you are talking the lower estuary areas. Drift boats are made to ride high and row easy, Livingston’s not so much.

[Night goat]

I would think you would be asking for trouble if you tried to row a Livingston down the river. Unless you are talking the lower estuary areas. Drift boats are made to ride high and row easy, Livingston’s not so much.

Yea I figured…. I was thinking like the skagit and maybe the stilly, from concrete/Hamilton down and on stilly from Arlington down to like silvana, nothing more than a class 2/what I’ve seen guys do in inflatable pontoon boats…. Fishing the bay/sound near shore it would be fine, I was more or less considering it’s stability for easy mellow drifts, maybe even bring an outboard… not true river territory more or less water that moves, conceptually a boat that could do 3-4 things okay- rivers scare me so it isn’t something I’d take lightly, rivers scare me more than even sekiu or neah bay would in something like that

[Alchase]

In the late 80s, I had a 10 ft Livingston with a 10 HP Merc, with center mounted controls/steering wheel. It was a great fishing boat for two max. One person was perfect. Spent most of it's life at Point No Point catching salmon.
I would have never taken in a river as a drift boat though. They do tend catch the wind a bit.

[metlhead]

Honestly, I'd sell the 15hp for cash and put it towards a slightly larger boat with a 25 to 40hp. A 14' light boat with two people and any amount of gear will quickly feel underpowered. There are some great 15-16' boats out there that can do about anything. Loading onto a flatbed trailer gets old real quick. Now this is if you plan to take it out more than once a month.

[jeffro]

I have a 14’ 1964 Glaspar 35 hp Johnson with trailer and titles for both.
I’d let go for $1000
Hasn’t been on the water in 2 years
But ran good then