so this comes up fairly often in casual conversation… “so you fish a lot?”… “yeah when i can… i have decent luck sometimes”… “oh cool you must own a boat”… “ummm no… but i have a few friends…”… “OH THAT"S EVEN BETTER!!!”
I cant even explain how many times that happens. anyways i bring this up because i really am considering purchasing a boat when the spring comes around.
disclaimer- i love my friends who are gracious enough to take me fishing. ive always had great times.
…unfortunately most of the time our schedules do not match up and i like to fish a lot more than that! i do enjoy pier/surf fishing but its very hit or miss. there is definetly something to say about being able to run and gun
anyways i think i will be in the market for a 17 or 18 ft bayboat type. something i can comfortably got to the jetties or troll off the beach for spanish and such. any advice would be much appreciated.
after fishing this area all my life everyway possible from piers to surf to family or friends boats, I finally just bought my first boat about two months ago
sounds like you’re thinking a lot like I did, I wanted something I could run the rivers and get in the shallows but still be comfortable out in the jetties or even further weather conditions permitting
looked at a ton of bayboats, because that seems to be the going thing these days, but I ultimately decided on the same basic kind of boat we fished out of 30/40 years ago because I know it’ll take some bigger water if neccessary but still get just as shallow as the bays
ended up with a SeaHunt because I liked the setup and they have a little more roaming room on the deck compared to the others I looked at in the same size, and got the Triton 177 CC because it has plenty of deck to fish/shrimp or whatever and has fold down rear seats that act like a rear deck when folded down as well but also stays out of the water a little higher than their bayboats and that Carolina flare on the hull that keeps you extremely dry
the wife feels safer in it than a bayboat too, that says a lot because she seems more interested in fishing than me! this thing handles extremely well, it drafts in the same water as their bayboats so I didn’t sacrifice a thing other than more topdeck and a few more storage bins which IMHO I don’t need…
to each their own, but I’m real happy with my decision! it’s about 17’10" overall, with a 115 Yamaha… it gets up on plane real quick, had it up to 45mph with 3 people and a couple of big coolers packed full of ice n drinks… wasn’t full throttle yet but that’s as quick as I need to go…
My advice is buy one before spring. You’ll get a much better deal from now until February than you will after that. Find something you like and start looking now. Don’t get in a big hurry and the right deal will come along.
Having owned a boat since I was eight, can’t recommend it strong enough. GET A BOAT. Best deals from Nov. to about the 2nd week of December. They go back up slowly after that, then shoot back up in March.
There are a load of thread for different boats for different uses. We have a 20’ dual console, because about half the time it’s filled with kids and family just out for fun, the other half fishing with a few friends. The windshield makes it comfortable year round. Later on we got a 2nd boat, a 16’ jon boat for gigging and local creek fishing and oystering. Lots of choices. Establish a budget, then get busy if you want one before next year. Best time to start is right now. Good luck!
If you’re thinking used and keeping it inexpensive to start…Charleston Marine (www.teamcharlestonmarine.com) has a good starter boat posted on their website - 2006 24’ Sea Pro bay boat listed for $13,500. Has trailer and 225 Merc 4 stroke on it. You’ll have a little more maintenance cost on a used boat but that boat will also hold close to that value for a few years if maintained well should you decide to “upgrade”.
i appreciate the input fellas. im definetly not going to rush into anything and will be patient in my choice. looking for a used boat for sure so im thinking going through a repuabtle dealer is probably the way ill go.
gonna keep planting the seeds with the wife. they should grow
IMO, if you live in Charleston and don’t have a boat, you are missing a huge part of the lifestyle. Get a boat!
I have an 18 ft Sea Pro and a little 13 whaler, and I use the whaler 95% of the time. But I would not take it to the jetties…
My 2c is to keep it simple, get a jon boat. See if you like it, will use it a lot, and are ok with the maintenance and upkeep.
Get a friend to take you to the jetties, offshore. So many boats in my neighborhood that sit in the driveway and waste away…
opti- your comment about boats going to waste in someone’s driveway really hits home with me. that drives me absolutely crazy. ive worked very hard to be in the position where i could actually swing a boat financially and i GUARANTEE it won’t be gathering dust while i own it
it’s a whole lot cheaper to own a new boat these days and with the warranties you won’t be spending more time and money fixing the boat, you’ll be spending that time fishing and that money on rigs
watched my dad make that used boat mistake, his two boats spent more time and more of his money in shops than they did in the water
as much as I work I don’t have time for that, when I want to go fishing it’s time to go fishing not fixing
I’m a wrench for a living, can’t stand to have to work on my own stuff everytime I want to use it…
Lots and lots of good deals on good used boats out there, don’t be afraid of a boat a few years old or even more if it was properly taken care of. Don’t be afraid of a used boat whatsoever that looks like it was properly maintained.
Some folks just expect to be able to hook up to thier boat once a year and it will start and run just fine, not so, takes routine maintenance to keep them going and lasting a long time. If not properly maintained they can spend a lot of time in repair shops.
Russ B. www.joinrfa.org
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
I know hulls can have problems, my Proline up there is an ‘97 stalker, which is 8.5’ wide, 18’10". It doesn’t adn is capable of a wide range. When I got it in 2007, I put a new 2006 yamaha 115 4stroke which now has 200 hours. The motor and foot oil changed every year, water pump changed every two years and never found a thing wrong with it, threw good impellers away again and again. I’ve changed the plugs twice in it. My dad uses it periodically on Russell now because I got a boat better made for little ones, with higher gunnells and he lives over that way.
Anyway, it is a great boat and very affordable. I am no expert, but thinking about buying boats I worry about the motor first, then the hull. This hull has no wood, so no rot potential and the motor is great. Again, affordable wide range of capabilities with this bad boy.
New trailer axle, tires, rims, sea star hydraulic steering last year.
It has a nice T Top, great stereo, radio. It’s wired for an HDS, but the HDS is on my newer boat now. It has a garmin 441 I believe. I had the HDS tied in with the motor.
I will give you a good deal on my Scout. A few extras to go with this ride as well. Needs to go as I am getting a 23’ Key West next week. Don’t need two! Thanks Adam for bringing this up on this thread.
you know i sat down and crunched the finance numbers more closely last night and im probably going to have to hold off for a bit…
actually found out that my buddy who just moved in next door has a brand new john boat up in kentucky that we are going to bring down soon and i will be able to use whenever so that’s a positive
i definetly appreciate all the info that was shared.
