Would you buy a Boat or a Trailer?

[BLKBEARKLR]

I have both and they serve their own purposes. It does suck when you want to go gishing and camping and have to use two rigs to go there. Right now I have a 23 foot toy hauler and a 21 foot bass boat.


So what I am in the process of doing is finding a 14 foot aluminum boat that fits in the toy hauler with a lil 25 hp and have the best of both worlds.

Joe

[FC]

If you want a fishing boat but are worried about cost, get a smaller boat! I've had mine for about 8 years now and I can't imagine not having it, it's small, a 15' aluminum (Northwood) with a 25hp 4 stroke Mercury. It will only do about 30 mph but it will troll all day (8-10 hours) on about 3-4 gallons of gas, you have to pick your days when using in salt water (where mine gets the most use) but salt water fishing is very do-able even in a boat this size and it doesn't break me to take it out. Between truck and boat gas, a couple of bags of ice for the cooler and launch fee I spend about $25-30 for a day fishing and generally don't have too much trouble limiting the boat (usually myself and one friend). If you get yourself a basic fishing boat they really aren't much to maintain.

 If getting an outboard powered boat GET A 4 STROKE MOTOR!!! The cost difference will be nothing to what a 2 stroke will cost you regularly at the pump.

[PolarBear]

I just sold my 30' travel trailer because I couldn't haul it and a boat.  I say BOAT!  Iv'e got 4 of them and wish that I had more.  They are a lot more fun than trailers IMO.  The camper thing is a good idea that way you can still tow a boat behind.

[DeerHarvester]

Go with a boat, you can always get a camper for the truck later if you find you don't want to be in a tent.  Or buy both if you can afford it.  You can find some good deals on craigslist.  I think you will get a lot more use out of a boat.  Around here you can use a boat 9 or 10 months out of the year, between trout, bass, salmon and winter steelhead.  If you plan on fishing in the winter go with an outboard.  I just sold my boat last week to buy a bigger one and I'm loosing my mind not having one in my garage.  I have been looking non stop for a new boat.  I had a 16' fiberglass and now I want a 18 to 20 ft aluminum. 

[jeepasaurusrex]

Get both!  

[ICEMAN]

Nice! 

[Da stump]

The joy of camping is not found in a trailer.  At least it is not the same as tenting.  It is nice to go out and find someplace to pitch a tent and have a small fire for the evening.  A trailer is like going to a motel room, great for down town but you miss so much of the outdoors when in a rv.  The good and the bad.
 
A boat is great if you use it.  I have a 17 ft Alumnaweld and in a few weeks it is on its way to Alaska with Teacherman.  I will be following them soon.  You can reach so many different places with a boat and have all kinds of fun too.  Fishing is only one of many aspects of having a boat.  Sight seeing, tubing, skiing, swimming and just getting out away from the bugs are just a few of the things you can do in a boat.  A trailer you can sleep, play cards,stare out the window, watch tv, listen to the radio.  Why buy it, you can do all that at home.

Da Stump

[Magnum_Willys]

Does your wife fish?  You and just the kids could get by with a 12' aluminum in the back of the pickup with a trailer behind.  Kids are a little young for sking / wakeboarding maybe.   Had a 19' bayliner and that was a blast.  Have just a trailer now and we like that the best - camping all over the west - Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Tetons, Jackson Hole, Redwoods, Bryce, Badlands, Sturgis, Mt Rushmore, Great Salt Lake, Golden Spike, Dinosaur Monument, Pink Coral Sand Dunes - that kind of adventure is priceless with kids if you can swing it.  If I wasn't going to go on big trips I would get the boat if your kids like the water and swim well.

[cohoho]

Boat for sure.  The camping you get to do with a trailer is within ear shot of fifty of your best friends from wherever, never seen a trailer in a isolated location with true peace and quiet (if that is why your camping)...  Boat, get one that is dual purpose, one that you can water ski or pull tubers and also fish or explore the sound the next day...  With windshield and cover to get them out of the elements so they enjoy going back....  I learned the hard way my old fishing boat wasn't good for the family fun...  Kids lost interest in fishing due to having the rain, sleet and winds beat them every trip...  And the fishing was beyond good..   

[Blacklab]

Have to admit the memories I have of my daughters on our first boat are priceless. Lots of good times tubeing, skiing and a little fishing. A trailer is just basicaly for sleep and a boat is fun fun fun 

[NRA4LIFE]

Do you have a decent sized pickup?  Maybe a truck camper then and a boat.  If not, I'd get a boat before a camper.  I use my boat a lot more than I would use a camper.

[chrisb]

Buy the trailer and make friends with a guy who has a boat

[runamuk]

Boat......here is my reasoning.  We didn't have a boat but we had friends who had boats and jet ski's from the time my boys were born they were on boats and camping in the woods......both my boys love to fish love boating learned to swim at an early age loved the kneeboard and tube........from ages 2-teen my boys looked forward to our trips to chelan every year....the best memories of their childhood usually include "remember that time on Seans boat,  Remember when Al brought the wetbikes over"....they never mention the lack of luxury found in a tent     no I am the one who to this day who vividly remembers the trip in the tent with a baby only 6 weeks old and a damn bear that screwed with us for 3 nights until the boats showed up and we went uplake    stupid bears

[PolarBear]

Get a boat big enough to fish and camp in!  We do all of our "camping" by boat.

[whacker1]

Weigh the options and how many days you would use one vs the other.  We use our boat a lot from June - early september.  10-12 weekends per year, but we would use a trailer more.  

Tough scenario