Hi guys...I finally have scraped together a small amount of money for a boat! I DON'T want to make a bad purchase and I am coming to you in hopes of some advice, wisdom, or help!!! PLEASE!!! It's a pretty big deal to me!!! Fishing is a HUGE part of my life and keeps me whole and sane!!!

First off...as much as I love the beauty of the Rivers, I would STILL be fishing 90% of the time on the South Sound!!! The launch is only 2 blocks away, and the fishin' is AWESOME!!!

Last year I fished all the Chinook and Coho season on my little 12 foot
aluminum boat, that really shouldn't have EVER found it's way off a lake! I
had a few hairy times when the SE winds would blow, but for the most part
did alright out there! SCARY, but alright!

I don't have a whole bunch of money to spend on a rig, but I need something
that's safe and dependable! I am a woman, I usually fish alone, and I tow with a Dodge Dakota, so, obviously I can't haul a cruiser!

I've fished on a friends boat a few times and it seems to be small enough to
manage, but big enough to stay fairly safe! He has a 16 1/2 footer, the
brand I can't remember though! It has a nice open, uncluttered deck
area...a walk through window, a 70 HP motor! I THINK the bow would be
called closed but I'm not sure! It covers the front 1/4 to 1/3 of the front
end of the boat evenly, ending at the walk through window! His dog usually hangs out there!!! I KNOW I don't want a
motor OVER 70HP for just the expense of FUEL to fish! I'd be out every day
I could possibly be out!!!

I don't have a father or big brother, or ANYONE much in my life to help with
advice on this, my husband doesn't fish, and because my budget is so tight,
I DON'T want to make a bad investment! I just want to fish and fish some
more and then again...but in some dependable SAFETY!

It's pretty
overwhelming when I read ads on Classified 2000 or the Little Nickel...I
have some BASIC familiarity with brands, but very limited! I don't know
WHAT I can expect to find for $1,500-$2,000! I'd LIKE a boat that could
haul up to 4 people, for just poking around with family members...and fish 2
comfortably!

I'm sure you're as busy as the rest of the world, but, I thought I'd take a chance and ask for any advice you
may be able to offer! Do you know anyone that's HONEST that has a rig like
I'd be needing or do you have any thinking on what brand or type or size???
I already own a 9.9 Mercury engine...late model for kicker
(DEPENDABLE)...and a long shaft Minnkota (2 years old)!

Thanks for all the time it took to READ this long novel I've written...and
thanks for any advice you can offer! Feel free to forward my letter to
anyone that you think might be able to help with advice!

Hope your day is a good one!

P.S.-I got to go Ling fishing the other day! What fun!!! I pulled up a 36"
Ling and released it!!! Boy, I can't BELIEVE how tough they are to get
up!!! Kept a 29"!

Wishin' to be Fishin',
L




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"Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds!" Albert Einstein

Farmgirl,you are looking in the right places,problem is you never know what you are getting,unless you buy from some one you know ,I spend my days just across the water from you,Tacoma and spend a lot of evenings out on the point,so I'll keep my eyes open for you...remember the definition of a boat :a hole in the water to throw you're money ,hang in there now is the time to be shopping Tight lines

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Row Quietly and fish a Cataraft
( formerly Steelheader boy) ----<'))>>{

[This message has been edited by Osprey (edited 05-31-2000).]

For what you want to do, sounds like you need something in the 15 to 18 foot range. Look for a runabout with a V configuration. Stay away from the tri-hulls and boats built as ski-boats. Take that advice from a person with a tri-hull, it will kill your kidneys.
In fact, the greater the angle of V the better. Walk around inside of any boat your looking at testing the floor. If it has any soft spots, walk away. Make sure to check for soft spots around the seat bases or anything else that is bolted through the deck. Closed bow or bow rider is your prefrence. A bow rider is easy to dock and anchor while you are alone, but the closed bow is nice to keep things stowed out of the elements. If you find two or more boats that you like: Higher sides are better than lower sides, remember that you may need enough space to mount downriggers, fishfinders and the like, a canvas bimi is a huge plus for fishin in later months. As far as the motor goes, it will probably be older, so have a compression test done on it and change the impeller. And I almost forgot, get a galvanized trailer if at all possible. If it has to be a painted one, try for one built with chanels instead of tubes so it does not rust from the inside where you do not see it.

Also, if you want to look at pictures of boats that may fit your needs, go to www.bargainboats.com.

Fished out of Narrows Marina for a couple seasons. Ran from Dalco to Toliva Shoals in a 14 foot kicker with a 20 hp outboard. Could fish all day on a 6 gallon tank of gas, BUT no way to get out of wind, rain, or sun. Hard to keep gear dry. Also, I risked an indecent exposure citation everytime I answered nature's call. A sixteen or seventeen foot boat should handle that area of the Sound very comfortably. A removable canvas top would help keep the weather out. A covered bow creates a dry and secure storage area, and would probably shed water better than a bowrider in a rough water situation. With an aluminum hull, you could get by with an outboard smaller than 70 horsepower. Less weight means easier towing, fewer handling problems, and better fuel economy for boat and tow vehicle. Check the "nickel" ads, local papers, moving and estate sales, store bulletin boards, and storage yards for "Boats for Sale". Good luck.

Farmgirl
I have a open style moocher I use on the straits that is 14.5 ft long with 25hp &4.5 kicker. It is a touch small at times, so I have to watch the weather carefully. It is a awsome boat for close in fishing and the lakes. I see some real nice boats that are around 16 ft that still fish real nice for motor mooching.
When you start to get bigger than that the wind will push the boat and the size will make it less manuverable. Now if your a troller this is a mute point. Here is a link to my site that lists boats for sale. Lots to choose from. When hauling 4 people you will want at least a 50 hp or you will have trouble getting out of the hole. So my advise is to find a boat you can use a kicker on so gas isn't a big deal...And the big motor for getting you out of trouble if need be. Also be sure to look at the trailer....that can be a quick way to spend 1000 bucks if it is shot.
http://www.steelheader.net/boats/trader.htm

Tight Lines
Marty

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Marty
www.steelheader.net
marty@steelheader.net

A 16ft Kalamath with a 35-40 horse engine is a pretty sound bet. It's a mass production boat, so there's lots around, and they're fairly cheap. Another thing you'll want to consider is whether or not you want a boat with a steering console or just tiller control. A steering console's a lot nicer, but not a nesecity, and can be in the way on smaller boats. Whatever you get, a galvanized trailer will probably be well worth the extra cost in the long run.

FarmGirl,

My wife and I, for several years, cruised Puget Sound and the San Jauns in a 16' Alaskan with a 25 Evinrude. We were out for as long as two weeks staying at the many State of WA camp sites. Wonderful times!

That boat is still around, on loan to a friend who uses it for sturgeon on the Columbia. I'll check with my kids and if they don't want it, and you haven't found something else, I'll make you a deal within your price needs.

E-mail me if you are interested.

John

Boy, you guys are wonderful! GREAT info! I found out my friend's boat is a NEW BAY Moocher model! That's why it has such an open deck I guess!

I have some other wonderings...is it okay or NORMAL to want to field test a boat??? On the water??? Is this usually done, or is it a trust thing??? Do most people let you trailer a boat to get a compression test??? I know when I bought my Mercury, the motor guy had a garbage can with water that he let me check it with! (I used that method to clean MY motor every night when I'd come in from fishing, to flush the motor!!!

My MAIN method for fishing Chinook is to JIG...although at THIS time of year I would probably troll to cover more ground! I haven't learned how to Motor Mooch yet but would want to try! For Coho season, I trolled with a Deep Six, cause I don't have a Downrigger yet! SO...MOST of my fishing time is STANDING UP IN THE BOAT! I like the hands on part of that!

Looking forward to any other advice from my newly adopted "Big Brothers"!

Thanks so much...again to you all! You're the greatest!!!

L

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"Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds!" Albert Einstein

Yes it is "normal" to field test a boat, especially a used one!!! I highly encourge you to do that and to take it to a mechanic you trust and have the motor checked out. Power head rebuilds can get spendy. Personaly I perfer to troll as I think that it is more productive than moochin' in the salt. Good luck in finding the boat.
Tight lines, Jeff

It is very normal to want a on the water test run if you are serious about buying the boat. I know of many people who have bought boats without one. Some of them are happy with the boat, alot of them are dissapointed with it not performing up to there expectations.

A compression test is a simple procedure to do. You can usually find someone who will loan one to you. If not, Harbor Freight Tools sell them for $20. You might be able to rent one. Anyway, when you find out what motor you are looking at, call a outboard mechanic and find out what the compression is supposed to be for that motor. Then remove all the spark plugs, screw the compression test kit into each spark plug hole and crank the motor over a few times to get the highest reading. Compare the readings to what the compression is supposed to be. If they are way to low or the there is a big difference between one cylinder and another, then stay away from that motor.

[This message has been edited by thinker (edited 06-01-2000).]

several points to consider,
ffgal
i looked for and reseached boats just under 2 yrs, talked w/ boat owners and your situation sounds similar to mine; easy to launch, light, versatile, one person operation and the best deal out there.
i choose a 16 ft aluminum for lightness & durability, open bow for casting and pulling crab traps, galvanized trailer for salt water is a must and most importantly, a 70hp Yamaha outboard for reliability!
i fish the sound, tidewater on the snohomish, crabbing and sking. i tow it w/ a 3.0 v6
i went to traderonline.com and entered key words yamaha and aluminum.
mine came from oregon and when i registered it, i had to provide a total weight to the d.o.t. it weighed 1980 lbs. i found out that if it is under 2000lbs, it is registered like a utility trailer vs like a car. it cost me $13 this year in tax.
be patient your boat is out there. if you search daily you will become familiar with the market and know your boat when you see it. when you do see it, make the move fast.

Fishin farmgirl here is a couple of model you might want to look for I have friends that fish the s/s almost every day and they put their boats to the test one of them is a 16ft lund open with a 30h/p honda 4 stroke and he can fish from point Gibson to dalco then back home to fox iland and still have plenty of feul left. the other model you might want to look at is a smoker craft !4,15ft open with a 25 or 30 h/p honda 4 stroke.But both of these boat are the tiller type with windshield and no place to get out of the weather.hope this helps.I will be out tonight to try my luck!!

Hey, this is the UPS guy out in Gig Harbor and I had some info for you. I don't know if it's still posted, but there were several boats in your price range listed for sale on the bulletin board at Longbranch Mercantile. I'm not sure if they're still up or not. Some were in the 5000 up range but I did see a couple that were around 2000 and they were definite Puget Sound boats. There's also a Marine repair shop off of 3rd St/Ave in Home that can probably help with the check ups. Heck, he could probably even point you out on where to find boats. I think he's at 17208 3rd Ave in Home. Just take the street near Lulu's Homeport and it'll lead you up to his place, you can't miss it, he has tons of boats in his back yard he's fixing. Hope this helps, I've been checking on boats on my routes but most of them are in the 4000 range but I'll keep looking.

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say i know some one that has a 14 or 16 foot lund in his back yard with a 12 hr motor, thats right a 12 hr on it. his kids have gone off to school and does not use it any more. he says it is in real good shape done up on the inside and repainted. let me know if you are interested and i will talk to him. i would consider it but i already own a smokercraft. ray j

The Lund is a nice boat as is the 16 foot Glassply. The Glassply will handle alot of water and only takes about 50 horse to move it. You can steer it from the back and save bucks on a steering console. The fewer the parts the less there is to break. Not sure on cost but have fished out of one and loved it. The one I fished out of had no windshield and was a bit chilly, but nothing some wool and a Helly Hansen couldn't handle.