First boat help

Post Reply
Elo316
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:10 pm

First boat help

Post by Elo316 »

Hi. I've been a backseater in little bass clubs for close to 2 years now and I'm now thinking of buying my first boat. I've learned some new stuff and appreciate my boaters but it's really frustrating for the most part to be a backseater and living or (mostly) dying by the boater.

Anyways, I work part time and go to school part time so I only fish maybe 2-3 times a month on the delta or clear lake. I've done my best from the bank or renting 12-15' boats from marinas before joining my clubs and have gotten experience taking the front from time to time in club tournaments.

Long story short, I want to live or die by my decisions up front. I have saved in a short time around $2000 but can continue saving. I was thinking of maybe getting a 12-15' aluminum boat with foot trolling motor and any 9-15 hp motor and use it just to go out and practice when I want or should I save a little more and get a used 1990ish fiberglass boat with a big motorfor around $3,000-$5000 (numbers based on craiglist ads & classifieds)? I'm never gonna afford a $10,000-$60,000 boat with my budget & credit and don't plan on quitting my career to be a tournament pro. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.
Champion Jon
Posts: 369
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:59 pm
Location: Roseville, CA

Re: First boat help

Post by Champion Jon »

If your budget is tight, I recommend saving for the boat, and then saving additional money for boat repair before purchasing. Boats are a money pit. If it were me i'd spend 5K on a used fiberglass boat. Have boat/motor checked out by a marine mechanic. Clear lake with a small alluminum boat would be difficult and dangerous.
Whoopbass
Posts: 921
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 12:24 pm
Location: Modesto

Re: First boat help

Post by Whoopbass »

I fished out of a converted 15' aluminum bass with a 25hp for years. They are cheap to operate and they always seem to run with very few issues. They are limited and uncomfortable. The best part about these boats is you can fish them in any body of water as long as your sensible. I used mine from rivers to salt and everything in between. You could probably get one and outfit it the way you want for around $2K.
A 17' Basstracker type boat with a 50hp motor would probably be a better choice for you since you primarily fish the Delta and Clearlake and those boats can be had anywhere between $2500 and $4000. They are still fairly cheap to operate and are usually reliable.
You're going to have to be more careful buying a low priced glass boat but i'm sure there are good ones out there. If you go that route do have the motor and boat checked out by someone knowledgeable. Be prepared to spend a lot more on fuel but you will get to wherever you're going a lot faster, more comfortable, and it will fish a lot better and have a lot better storage then the other two choices.

If I were in your shoes I would probably buy a bass tracker type boat and upgrade in the future when your get more settled in with life. Just don't go running across Clearlake without a sleeping bag because if the wind gets up you might be staying a while.
Colebass
Posts: 1261
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:45 am
Location: Nicolaus, Ca
Contact:

Re: First boat help

Post by Colebass »

I was like you in the 90's and purchased a 1991 Bass Tracker with 75 HP Evinrude for $4000.00. It was a great boat for several years and I sold it for what I paid for it. Then moved to a Glass boat with 150 HP. Be selective but having your own boat to fish will make you better fishermen. Go for it!
Dave Cole
Elo316
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:10 pm

Re: First boat help

Post by Elo316 »

Thank you guys alot! The advice really helps :-)
reddog
Posts: 343
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:29 pm

Re: First boat help

Post by reddog »

I've fished out of Bass Tracker boats for a LLOOOONNNGGGGG time. Now have a 20' Triton and there are still times I miss that little Tracker. They are plentiful and for quite some time they were available with 4 stroke motors which in my opinion are a little more reliable long term. That means you could find one with a lot of hours a therefor less money but still have a reliable rig. Dont get to caught up in all the "add ons" you dont need. Solid hull, good motor, good trolling motor. Those are all you need. If you want you can buy various additional parts or gadgets and add them to the boat with a little creativity. Please dont forget to budget insurance its not just for the boat, it should also cover you if you have an accident or especially your partner if you fish a team event. Seriously remember, Break Out Another Thousand= BOAT!
Oh yeah, whatever you decide do yourself a favor and take it home pull the caps off the axles and put new grease in them BEFORE you take off to start fishing. It's easy when you JUST picked up the boat but we never find enough time after we get "used" to having the boat around.
Elo316
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:10 pm

Re: First boat help

Post by Elo316 »

Thanks reddog, those are things I didn't even begin to think about. I feel kinda silly not to think about factoring in insurance.
DarWise
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2015 9:10 am

Re: First boat help

Post by DarWise »

In addition to insurance (runs around $300.00-$450.00 per year) there is "Unsecured Property Tax" due every year. This is charged by whatever county you live in (not charged by the State of California). If you buy a used boat, it shouldn't be very much. I have a 1999 Champion and live in L.A. County, my tax was only $56.00.

There is also yearly maintenance on the impeller and lower unit. That usually runs around $500.00+ per year if you have a boat shop do it.

And there is also the upkeep of the motor, pumps, and basically anything electrical when something goes south.

My advice, take your time buying a good used boat. BUT don't make the mistake like I did of buying the boat, and not paying attention to the condition of the motor. That mistake costed me over 3k in repairs just to keep it running so I could use it. It finally blew up, and I didn't want to sink anymore money into bandaid repairs, so I had to re-power with a lightly used 175hp Mercury Pro XS.
Last edited by DarWise on Thu Nov 05, 2015 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Elo316
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:10 pm

Re: First boat help

Post by Elo316 »

Geez! You guys are now scaring me out of a boat lol. But at least you're truthful and I'm hearing it now. Bank fishing and backseating sounds pretty good right about now hehe.
reddog
Posts: 343
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:29 pm

Re: First boat help

Post by reddog »

Everyone here has always been very helpful. We all just want to make sure you make an informed decision. Now PLEASE think about ALL of this when youre in the back seat. All these costs are what owners pay every tournament, every year. Just saying something to keep in mind.
Trace
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 10:19 am

Re: First boat help

Post by Trace »

I think I will always own a boat. It will make you appreciate having the ability to fish whenever you want and how much care others spend on theirs. If you buy a older well cared for boat it should last you a while. Once you get the boat there are many of us who would be willing to show you how to maintain it and that will save you money. Insurance is a must for liability and is really cheap. Aluminum is light and easy to tow too. Good luck. Trace
Elo316
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 6:10 pm

Re: First boat help

Post by Elo316 »

Thanks all. I appreciate all your insights and comments; it also makes me appreciate all you boat owners a lot more now. Thanks again!
Whoopbass
Posts: 921
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 12:24 pm
Location: Modesto

Re: First boat help

Post by Whoopbass »

In Stanislaus County I don't think you have to pay property taxes on boats valued less then $5,000. You could buy a $10K boat and tell DMV you paid $5K for it and you shouldn't get sent a bill. I have never paid property taxes on a boat i've owned. These counties steal enough of our money as it is.
Insurance is optional as you probably know. Just sayin since you're only working part time at the moment.
roaddog
Posts: 37
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:42 pm

Re: First boat help

Post by roaddog »

Bought my first boat a year ago. An aluminum 14' Klamath. It was perfect "first boat" for me. Easy to handle, extremely light weight, and it taught me a lot about operating/ owing a boat. Super clean and solid little boat, but I realized real quick that it was not big enough for me and it did not have casting decks. I sold the Klamath and I upgraded to a 1984 16' Bass Tracker aluminum boat with a 25hp motor. Older boat, but super clean hull with new carpet. Still a small boat, but extremely easy to drive, runs forever on 6 gal of gas (besides launch fees, costs approx $15 a day to run) and gets me everywhere I want to go, within reason. The interior was redone (other than seats) and the motor runs perfect. Other than replacing the seats, adding a trolling motor up front, and a fish finder, it was another perfect "starter bass boat" for me and all for around $4000. It's aluminum so you can't hurt it and it gets me everywhere I want to go in the Delta. Due to its smaller size and small motor, I have to be careful in "bigger water" and big channels and I would never take it out in Franks when the wind is blowing and the water is rough. But, if you use common sense with a small "starter boat" you'll be just fine. I have a great running solid boat that gets me everywhere I need to go and because it was inexpensive, I'm not afraid to venture around in shallow areas to scope out areas that I'd NEVER take a $60,000 glass hull into. Don't get me wrong, if I could afford it, I'd have a 20' or bigger Triton or Ranger, but for now, this boat is cheap to run, cheap to maintain, a lot of fun to drive, and has pushed my fishing so much further than me fishing the back of someone else's boat. Some day when I can afford something bigger with more storage and all the bells and whistles, I will be more prepared to handle it and will appreciate it so much more after fishing out of my small boat, BUT, for now, this little Tracker suits me just fine. There are a ton of great deals on Craigslist so do your research and keep your eyes peeled. Sorry so long, but just wanted to encourage you to start smal, don't spend too much, and enjoy it. You will learn so much more when you have your own boat. Good luck!!!
mark poulson
Posts: 10370
Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 4:16 am
Location: Antioch, CA

Re: First boat help

Post by mark poulson »

My first boat was a Tracker 175, with a 50 horse four stroke.
I caught a lot of fish out of that boat.
A couple of things I learned by having an aluminum boat helped me be a better/safer boat driver.
First, you need to work with the wind, not fight it. In rough water, head into the wind when you're motoring, even if it means passing where you're going, and then turn and run back down to your spot with the wind. You don't want to run crossways to the wind and swells any more than you have to. That way, you stay dry.
Second, you'll learn to manage your fishing spots so you can stay out of the wind.
And get a strong enough trolling motor to let you hold in the wind, if you need to. Aluminum boats are light, and sit higher in the water than fiberglass, so they catch more wind, and can really sail on you.
If my Tracker hadn't been totaled by a hit and run driver on the freeway, I'd probably still be fishing out of it.
Attitude plus effort equal success
CLEAN AND DRY
Post Reply