Can anyone give me their opinion on if this is a safe buy or not? Most worried about the engine? 2001 Johnson 50 hp 2 stroke. Also what I could expect burning in gas and oil. Dollars gallons in a days trip or any help you can give in advice is truly appreciated!
Think it can be gigged out of? Anyone know what they draft?
Bryant
Tarpon 120
Bgardner@ncgs.com
a 14’ with a 50 should have enough engine. I’ve got a 96 50hp Suzuki on a 17’ carolina skiff that still runs like a top. Age wouldn’t bother me as much as it’s maintenance record or lack of one.
From my experience when you get under 16’ unless you have a really wide boat gigging can get a little squirrely especially with more than one person.
No clue on the draft, but there used to be some you tube videos on that boat with a bit bigger motor running 70+mph.
If im not mistaken that’s probably the bug buster and that boat is pretty small for a 50hp and not to mention gigging. If I were you I’d hold out for a 15’ Carolina Skiff. Don’t get in a hurry, the right deal will come along.
'06 Mckee Craft
184 Marathon
DF140 Suzuki
I have a 1998 16’ with 60hp and it’ll run pretty dang good. I have a 17 gallon tank and fill up about every fourth trip or so. I rarely burn more than 4 gallons fishing, but it’s not like you’re going to run 25 miles a day in that boat, there’s no need to in my opinion. I seldom travel more than 5 miles from the ramp, but that’s me.
I gig out of mine and works great. We’ve gigged with three people and it works fine, but two is ideal. Pushes along just fine, tracks straight. The little vee is enough to handle a slight chop too, better than the true flat bottoms.
I use it red fishing shallow water too. 55 lb trolling motor pushes it well and it’ll draft probably 10 inches depending on how loaded down the boat is. We use a generator, so that certainly ads weight.
They are great little boats, light enough that if you get beached somewhere, you and a buddy can muscle it back into the water.
As with anything used, compression test and run it in the water before you buy.
I had a 15’ high tide with a 40hp Yamaha and it would haul arsenal for a boat that size. I had a buddy with a 14’ with a 40 Yamaha at the same time and his was much faster. The main difference was mine had the tall transom in it and his had the short transom. If he stopped too fast, it would swamp the boat. He almost sunk it outright one time in the congaree river. And 23, the difference between a 14’ and your 16’ almost is not comparable. Yours is way bigger all the way around. The 14’ is a good calm river boat, nothing you want to be in if it gets remotely rough.
'06 Mckee Craft
184 Marathon
DF140 Suzuki
It is probably the old 14’ super v. It is a wide boat and just like the 15’ most people recognize. I had the same hull with 50 Mercury and it would run well.
The Johnson 50 is about as bulletproof an engine you could get. I had one on a 15’ Stratos bass boat and ran great. Quiet, smooth, easy to crank, and very light on gas.
“Banana Pants”
Indigo Bay 170
90 Johnson
Wilderness Ride 115
14 ft 99’ hightide with a Johnson 2003 50.
I want to thank you all for your input and help. Y’all have proved how helpful and great this site can be. I hope to see y’all on the water now! Also any experienced shrimpers are more than welcome to come on board and show me what this shrimping is all about. I have everything except shrimping knowledge to be legit. Haha
Bryant
Tarpon 120
Bgardner@ncgs.com
I have a 99 14’Fastcraft, which is very simular to the Hightide. Looking at the two, you would need them side by side to tell them apart. I have a 60hp Mercury on mine, which is almost too much motor, but man will it fly!!! In my old jonboat, I used to get nearly swamped by the faster boats on the way to my duck hunting spot, now they can’t catch me… If yours is like mine, sits low in the rear, not good for rough water, yet fairly wide, so pretty sturdy.
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc