Advice on boat purchase

[ZJHoban]

I'm looking at buying a fishing boat and would like to have it when the ice is off or shortly after.
After a few days of reading I have decided on a 14' utility boat with a 20hp motor.

I'm not exactly sure what the majority of my use will be but am planning on myself and a partner for half the time. A ¼ of the time solo and the other ¼ with my family - total weight about 450 lbs + gear

With the family im not too worried about speed right now - I think the fishing with them will only be in 3 hr increments.


Anyways - to my question.
Do you folks think I will have more options to purchase in say March as compared to now?

I am leaning towards purchasing a motor brand new and boat/trailer used.
I'm just a bit unsure of the 25+ y/o motors that tend to come with the boats.

All input is welcomed on any aspects of my post - I am fully aware that I may want to upgrade the setup in a few years as the kids get older and I have more boating experience etc.

Thanks!
Zach

[fordtruckin]

Where will you be fishing? Lakes and ponds or rivers n streams? That will help you determine if you want a prop or jet drive outboard as well as a v hull or a flat bottom jon. I wouldn’t shy away from a 25 hp. My wife and I bought a used 16’ lund WS at the end of august. Nice deep
V hull and a solid 16’ boat. I want to replace the outboard this coming season. As for brands I’m very partial to Linda but alumnacraft crest liner prince craft lund Lowe all make an ok boat for what info you’ve given. another consideration for you would be welded va riveted hull. If you can find anything right now you probably could get a great deal as it’s product a dealer doesn’t haven to store over winter although it might be a year old model if that matters to you.

[roper1]

Being flexible on a potential future upgrade widens your options considerably. Try to find a good used one, less depreciation after you decide what you really want. Boats & boating & fishing one of the greatest pastimes as long as they're running. Enjoy!

[HL_transplant]

Get a lund 14' SsV you'll never regret paying the little bit extra. Will hold its resale value over time or you can keep it forever. If your buying used it'll be a lot easier to find something in Spring

[EZM]

Originally Posted by HL_transplant

Get a lund 14' SsV you'll never regret paying the little bit extra. Will hold its resale value over time or you can keep it forever. If your buying used it'll be a lot easier to find something in Spring

I agree that the Lund SSV is an outstanding solid boat with excellent resale - so if your budget allows for it - that's the tinner I'd get for sure.

If you have the room in your garage (or wherever you store it) a 16' gives you more room and more capacity for virtually the same price and very little added weight. You will appreciate the extra room (trust me on this one).

The SSV (both 14' and 16') also come in a 20" transom option (standard depth is 15") and this little bit of added transom gives you piece of mind in bigger water and when it gets choppy. This will, of course, require a longer leg model of outboard, but the price differential is negligible.

As far as an outboard goes - my choice for reliability and resale would be a Yamaha or Honda. Bullet proof, quiet, and easy to start.

That's my 2 cents ... from a guy who has owned more boats and boat motors than most people out there and learned many good lessons over the years.

[ZJHoban]

Just when I thought I had my boat all picked out in my head I've got more to think/read about lol.

I will be buying boat/trailer used - hoping to keep that under 4k - cheaper is better and was planning on buying a motor new so I don't have the nagging in the back of my head of a break down with the family.

I read good things of the 14' ssv, but I think it is out of my price range this season.

I had the idea to buy a good 20hp motor that would work on a less than ideal boat for this season then upgrade the boat next year. I didn't think about potentially different transom heights.

Most of my fishing will probably be medium/small lakes.

[Landshark]

I don't know if you're set on a tin boat or not but this one may fit the bill. It comes with a motor you could sell and make up some of the difference on the new motor. Take a look.

https://townpost.ca/marketplace/weta...or-and-trailer

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by EZM

I agree that the Lund SSV is an outstanding solid boat with excellent resale - so if your budget allows for it - that's the tinner I'd get for sure.

If you have the room in your garage (or wherever you store it) a 16' gives you more room and more capacity for virtually the same price and very little added weight. You will appreciate the extra room (trust me on this one).

The SSV (both 14' and 16') also come in a 20" transom option (standard depth is 15") and this little bit of added transom gives you piece of mind in bigger water and when it gets choppy. This will, of course, require a longer leg model of outboard, but the price differential is negligible.

As far as an outboard goes - my choice for reliability and resale would be a Yamaha or Honda. Bullet proof, quiet, and easy to start.

That's my 2 cents ... from a guy who has owned more boats and boat motors than most people out there and learned many good lessons over the years.

See the bolded, kids will grow and you will be out of that 14ft in no time. 16' are easier to sell as well. 16' with a 20" transom would be my choice, 30 hp motor and go fishing.

[eyeflyer]

Lots of good advice given, I to would go with a 16' and 30 horse. Some accessories can make your fishing day go much easier and more successful. Definitely a sonar (preferably with GPS), electric trolling motor, rod holders, rod storage.

[Frank_NK28]

You'll have a much easier time finding a 25 than a 20 even new and for the same weight have more power. There is no weight and not enough $ to be saved buying a 20 so run with a 25. Just mske sure you buy a boat rated for 25hp.

[fordtruckin]

Originally Posted by Frank_NK28

You'll have a much easier time finding a 25 than a 20 even new and for the same weight have more power. There is no weight and not enough $ to be saved buying a 20 so run with a 25. Just mske sure you buy a boat rated for 25hp.

With that mercury has a 30 that is the exact same size as a 25. I think the only difference is it revs 500rpm higher.

[DOGFISH]

I have 2 must rules I follow for boats. Longer the boat the better and always put the maximum hp rated for the boat. Dogfish

[Frank_NK28]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

See the bolded, kids will grow and you will be out of that 14ft in no time. 16' are easier to sell as well. 16' with a 20" transom would be my choice, 30 hp motor and go fishing.

This^^^

[npauls]

If you can find one, I would go with a 16' Lund Alaskan or something similar with a 50hp-60hp tiller. Its a well built heavy duty utility type boat that holds its value and can haul a yon of weight. I picked up a 2011 18' version and slapped my 60hp yamaha from my old 16' alumacraft on it. It gets up on plane real quick with a full tournament load of gear and my whole family in it. Tops out at 30mph. It doesnt have the benches or raised deck so it is nice and wide open for the family to walk around. My wife was very pleased with how comfortable she feels in this boat compared to the others with our kids in it.

[58thecat]

Yeah when we started out I went with a 17 foot fish and ski just so we all could enjoy the water.
Tubing etc tired the kids out and then I could fish.
When the kids moved on I downsized to a 14 foot crest liner just for the two of us to enjoy the water fishing.
So I guess what I am saying think about a growing family and what they would like to enjoy the outings.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SamSteele]

It's always easy to spend someone else's money and recommend larger than originally proposed, but I will hold back from that. Your original question was if you should look for something now or in spring and if your thought of buying the boat used and the motor new was sound.

1) You will find more stock of new outboard motors now, and if they are not in stock you will have a better chance of delivery prior to spring if you buy now. You will find more inventory of used boats closer to spring. Folks that wanted to sell to avoid storage will have done so already, or they will be in a 3 foot snow drift so they will hold off until spring to ask for more money.

2) Keep in mind that most used boats in the 14-16' range that have a trailer will also have a motor. I would likely go either all used (as they will likely be a package deal) or all new. It's possible to find a used boat without a motor, but a smaller subset of the market which limits your options.

I have a 12' with a 9.9, a 16' with a 25, and a 20' with a 250. I have had 17', 18', and 19' boats as well. All have their purpose. Get what you think you need and works for your situation.

SS

[ZJHoban]

Holy smokes, I didn't think I would get this many replies.

Part of what attracts me to the 14' with 20hp is that it is more portable. Also I think it is what will be 'decent' in my price range this year.

I can almost guarantee that my wife will be looking at pop-up campers come May when she wants to spend more time outside and not be in a tent. A 14' should be light enough to put on the top of the trailer. 100lb 20hp motor I can wrangle by myself - much heavier and it won't be 'portable' anymore.

What do you all think of buying a used combo with an older motor? I would of course take it to a mechanic before heading out. Is it even cost effective to have an old small engine like that rebuilt?

[Poppa]

Originally Posted by DOGFISH

I have 2 must rules I follow for boats. Longer the boat the better and always put the maximum hp rated for the boat. Dogfish

Seconding this as the #1 best piece of advice you'll ever receive on purchasing a boat. Get the biggest boat you can afford and ALWAYS (!!!) have the max HP the boat will allow.

[-JR-]

Thats a perfect starting boat a 14 footer with a 20 on the back .
You asked when is a best time to buy and its always on the off season in winter for the best price . The bad part is you can't take them for a test drive or even see if the engine runs if you are buying a used one out of a back yard sale So you just might want to hold off till open water to take it for a test run or take it into a shop that can fire it up for you .
If you are buying new i guess it does not matter ,but she will be sitting in your garage all winter and the new warrantee will be 6 months old before you even get it wet and will only have 6 months left to get the bugs out of her if any .

[HL_transplant]

Originally Posted by ZJHoban

Holy smokes, I didn't think I would get this many replies.

Part of what attracts me to the 14' with 20hp is that it is more portable. Also I think it is what will be 'decent' in my price range this year.

I can almost guarantee that my wife will be looking at pop-up campers come May when she wants to spend more time outside and not be in a tent. A 14' should be light enough to put on the top of the trailer. 100lb 20hp motor I can wrangle by myself - much heavier and it won't be 'portable' anymore.

What do you all think of buying a used combo with an older motor? I would of course take it to a mechanic before heading out. Is it even cost effective to have an old small engine like that rebuilt?

There's nothing wrong with taking it to reputable mechanic. You don't necessarily need a outboard rebuilt for it to be extremely reliable. Many 10 to 15 year old outboards run like new as many are low hours. If they've been ran every year and maintained they should be essentially trouble free. I would stick to Yamaha myself just because I've never has any issues with them.

[-JR-]

Go with a boat trailer and a truck camper or a tent if you are going to any local lake for a weekend . As your average boat dock will have 100 trailers backing down it every 4 hrs . You don't want to be that guy that will slow it down as you unload your truck with the
130 lb outboard ( they are not 100 lbs)
200 lb boat
30 lb fuel tank
20 lb starting battery
2 paddles
1 anchor
50 ft rope
1 pail
2- 4 life jackets
2-4 fishing rods
tackle boxes
lots of bait
snacks and drinks
Clamp on chairs
extra clothing
sonar
fishing net

Then do it all over again in 5 hrs

[HL_transplant]

I disagree. I don't own a trailer for my boat and fish lakes with no boat launches, no lineups. Having a portable boat gives a guy a lot of options. Trailers are fine but you are limited to where there are boat launches. Plus unless the OP has a 3/4 ton truck that pretty much rules out the truck camper for a family.

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by HL_transplant

I disagree. I don't own a trailer for my boat and fish lakes with no boat launches, no lineups. Having a portable boat gives a guy a lot of options. Trailers are fine but you are limited to where there are boat launches. Plus unless the OP has a 3/4 ton truck that pretty much rules out the truck camper for a family.

I ment to say if you are going to a local lake don't use the main boat launch .

[ZJHoban]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Go with a boat trailer and a truck camper or a tent if you are going to any local lake for a weekend . As your average boat dock will have 100 trailers backing down it every 4 hrs . You don't want to be that guy that will slow it down as you unload your truck with the
130 lb outboard ( they are not 100 lbs)
200 lb boat
30 lb fuel tank
20 lb starting battery
2 paddles
1 anchor
50 ft rope
1 pail
2- 4 life jackets
2-4 fishing rods
tackle boxes
lots of bait
snacks and drinks
Clamp on chairs
extra clothing
sonar
fishing net

Then do it all over again in 5 hrs

Lol, I'm much more considerate than that! I wont be unloading by hand on a lake that busy.
As far as weight of motors I was just going by what google told me - if they are in fact 130lbs and not 103lbs then I may have to rethink my potential setup.

[-JR-]

Yes they are 130 . You might have been looking at the older 2 stroke models .
And it happens every weekend at the boat launch
.

[Jayhad]

Originally Posted by ZJHoban

Lol, I'm much more considerate than that! I wont be unloading by hand on a lake that busy.
As far as weight of motors I was just going by what google told me - if they are in fact 130lbs and not 103lbs then I may have to rethink my potential setup.

most manufacturers list their outboard weights as DRY*.
That's no oil, grease and in many cases no prop. I've sold a few 20hp mercs they don't weigh 99lb, as their catalog/website states. I'd say 115lbs, but i've never put one on a scale.

Some good tips here. I've owned a few boats, I have a couple currently.

Your choice is solid for a first boat, the flat bottom is versatile.

[mlee]

Just to mess with your head a little....have you considered an inflatable? If storage and portability is a priority (as well as budget).....it may be in your ballpark. I have one and love it. A 14ft quality inflatable with a 20hp motor will haul you and your family anywhere .....they are beyond stable....and if you look after it they hold value as well as any tin.

[3blade]

I grew up doing what you are thinking about - 12’ tinner, 9.9 merc, camper and/or tent. Hand bombing stuff down to the water. Also done a fair number of trips in a 14’ tinner and 20hp (not hand portable). It’s a blast solo or with two adventurous, strong people. You can get into all kinds of places the big boats can’t.

BUT it’s an absolute mess with more than 2 or anyone who cares about comfort. Cramped, slow, sketchy in any waves, limited in all respects.

If you want to enjoy time on the water in places that have a launch (pretty much every place you can get a camper to), get a 16 foot boat with a deck, 20” transom, and max hp outboard with tiller, and trailer.

If you’re wanting to push the boundaries, tell the wife to put on her big girl panties and learn to like the damn tent. Survive that, and you can think about a smaller boat

[AlbertanGP]

I only skimmed the thread since this question pops up a couple of times a year. There is a big difference between a 12' & 14' and 14' & 16', in terms of size, comfort and portability. Yes a SSV will hold a higher resale (I have a '21 SSV-16), but honestly a tinner is a tinner...it's not rocket science. Get what you can afford that looks like it has been taken care of. Be sure to shop new as well, because they may not be much more and then you know what you're getting. For the outboards do your research online, checking displacement/weight from each manufacturer, price and availability in the rating you settle on. Running the maximum HP rating is a good idea for a variety of reasons if you can.

Take the advice you're getting here and do your own research. All the answers are out there online and you have lots of time to shop. Good luck.

[gdbccb]

I was kind of in your boat (sorry, I'll let myself out ) a few years ago i.e. looking for a "starter" fishing boat for personal & (young family) use. I had never owned a boat, so wanted something small, basic and easy to manage. Because I would be using it primarily at the family cabin, I didn't need a trailer and, because I'd be dealing with getting it in and out of the water on my own, it had to be light enough for me to manage that. I ended up getting a used 12 ft Mirrocraft with a used 9.9 Honda, which I upgraded to a new 9.9 Honda a few years later.

It provided us with hundreds of hours of fishing enjoyment over the years my kids (and I) were young enough to fit in/manage it comfortably. However, everyone has now grown up and it had become harder for me to get the boat & motor in and out of the water on my own, so I upgraded to a used 14 ft Lund & 20 Yamaha with trailer. It's still a small and light enough set up that I can get it in and out of the water without the trailer if I have help, but the extra size and power is great - it hauls 4 adults & gear in all but the worst conditions with reasonable comfort. I considered a 16 ft but ultimately decided the extra size and weight wasn't necessary.

In summary - going with the 12 ft/9.9HP as a starter boat, then upsizing to the 14 ft/20 HP when we outgrew it worked out very well for us. The only change I'm planning on making at this point as a concession to age and arthritis is to upgrade to something with electric start and power tilt so if you decide to go the 14 ft/20 HP route, my 20 HP Yamaha is available. It's a manual start short shaft with very low hours and it just got a full service from the dealer so feel free to DM me if you're interested.