Boat buying process

[Blackcat Outdoors]

Well TC, Boot is right in a general way but his idea of a boat is not necessarily everyones idea. He fishes the Delaware and similar places and his figures aren't far off for a more heavily built boat. If I were you I'd start tromping around and study the different construction types. At many of the areas that you fish at you just don't need much boat. For the areas you regularly fish a 12' - 16' open, floorless, aluminum hull is all you need and is where average fishermen have gotten their start since WWII. Most of them are plenty stable for average PA lakes (save Raystown, Paulpack, and Allegheny Res.
You see what my boat can do at 12'. If it had a transom there would be know end to where I'd take it. I've been Weakfishing in Chesapeake in 20kn winds, I've drifted the Delaware and now I fish a lake that is a mile wide in both directions. That little boat I posted above is a very stable boat like many others made over the years. Find one that is 20-25 yrs old and has a title on a minimal trailer, with or without a motor. It will not weigh much and will be a nice start. Personally I'd not shy away from no motor. That little trolling motor I have will push a rowboat for a day and a half on the half shot battery I have. Many a tranquil day/evening have I witnessed and there is more to come.
Look at your quest for a boat as a tutorial. Pay attention. Read about them. To learn about stability read the back issues of Small Boat Journal. Read the works of Phil Bolger, Reel Parker.
Look at this:

Boat Plans and Yacht Designs -- Chesapeake Marine Design

Chesapeake Marine Design offers a wide range of products and services in boat design and engineering including stock boat plans, custom yacht design services, computer aided design, and boatbuilding and yacht construction support.

www.cmdboats.com

After crawling around some of these site you'll know allot more about weight and balance and materials. You'll know more about what youre looking at when examining the potential of old boats.
These kayaks you have are also tying up your resources and when read you can cash them in. Once you have a boat you can buy a cover and store your gear and coolers in the boat and push it all into a storage facility.

For years Dad had an aluminum 12' from bass pro (don't remember which brand) that weighed maybe 100-150lbs. It was light enough we didn't need a trailer and would just pick it up into the bed of a pickup. If you had a trailer and a gas motor on it you'd probably only have 500lbs all together with something like that and many fish were caught out of it.

 

[Bootfoot]

How did you determine the values?

Great question. You have to pay attention to the market. I’ve owned boats for 30 - 35 years. My Father owned boats, my friends own boats, I look at other peoples boats and I look at boats and their prices almost every day. Right now the used boat market is off the hook and it has been for the last 18 months. in this market that boat would get 4K easy. In a pre-covid market that boat still would have been worth 2K. 800 is playing to one’s emotions and in no way a realistic price. Like Don says you have to educate yourself and keep current with market values. The value of used boats change frequently but I think the high prices are here till at least the end of this year as well. As others have said there are many different configurations of boats even with the same hull so you have to know what your looking at and what your comparing it to.

As for weight that boat, motor and trailer with seats, coolers, gas, batteries, trolling motors, electronics, fishing gear, anchors, ropes, fire extinguishers etc…… is nearing 1500 lbs. nobody cares about empty weight since it will never be empty. I’m pretty sure that boat has a floor in it. Doesn’t matter since it was a scam.

Let’s assume the boat is only a thousand pounds. towing is more than pulling something. it’s stopping things that want to push you when your trying to stop. It’s also pulling up hills and stopping going down hill. Towing puts considerable strain on brakes, transmissions, engines, suspensions and every other major component of a vehicle. It’s causes vehicles and to run hotter than normal as well. It maybe a small boat but a rav4 wont be up to the challenge for long. Can it pull it. Sure it can but that doesn’t make it a good choice for a tow vehicle. Hell I could tow it with a motorcycle but that doesn’t mean i would want to.

at least we all agree that a Corolla is out.

 

[pabassman]

Haven;t we had this same conversation before......in a different thread? I remember discussing a boat purchase.

 

[Bootfoot]

And we will probably have one in the future. Maybe by the end of this exceptionally crappy weekend.

 

[Solitario Lupo]

Well, if another vehicle is going to be involved then I'll definitely be out of the looking for a boat game, and back into the kayak game.

Most of the time the boat stays in the garage and I run around with the kayaks more. Boat takes more money also.

 

[Don]

Haven;t we had this same conversation before......in a different thread? I remember discussing a boat purchase.

LoL PA, Best way to avoid having this over and over again is if we all keep an Eye Out for a basic TC boat. Under 16' you don't need a fire extinguisher, throwable device or electrical system. If I fish after dark I use battery powered navigation lights. I keep a dry bag with the lights and spare batteries as well as a hoodie and rain gear. TC has zero instinct on this subject and did not grow up in daily boat culture. So he has to rehash and rehash it all over in his head until he gets it. He may never get it but it won't be for not having tried.
Like Boot Said....its all about Comparative Physiological finances. Look, compare, read, look compare, touch, look compare, buy. It takes a long time.
Have you ever perused marinas at places like Beltzville, Wallen Paupack or Raystown?
Lastly have you taken your boaters safety course yet? Call the Power Squadron and do it. Before you do read Chapmans Piloting.

 

[pabassman]

You're probably right. I'm of the old nike philosophy. Just do it!. Buy the truck, buy the boat. Live, enjoy.

 

[Don]

You're not from Texas and don't carry all the baggage that texans carry. So much baggage.

 

[truecrimson]

You're probably right. I'm of the old nike philosophy. Just do it!. Buy the truck, buy the boat. Live, enjoy.

The "buy the truck" part adds years to the project, or possibly scuttles it entirely. So I think I am out of the trying to find a boat game. If I can't pull one with the Rav 4 then it isn't going to happen for a long long time.

You're not from Texas and don't carry all the baggage that texans carry. So much baggage.

Yes, we have to help damn yankees find pickerel

 

[Melvinp]

Jeepers you have a 18 ft yak just power I’ve been thinking of it on mine just haven’t been willing to do all the paperwork yet

 

[truecrimson]

As far as I know mine isn't any longer yours

Power isn't the issue. Power boaters making big wakes in no wake zones was the real drive. Places I was trying to go just don't seem doable in the yak with the power boaters zooming around.

 

[Bootfoot]

show me lots of power boats and I’ll show you where you won’t catch fish. power boats zooming around is the reason I don’t fish on the weekends from a boat. Weekends are made for wading.

 

[Melvinp]

As far as I know mine isn't any longer yours

Power isn't the issue. Power boaters making big wakes in no wake zones was the real drive. Places I was trying to go just don't seem doable in the yak with the power boaters zooming around.

Lol I’m a little guy with only 13 ft of plastic really from tip to tip is like 14 but plastic in the water 13 and I have been seriously thinking of a motor but just haven’t got off my butt to do the paperwork and aaa I bought a boat so cash is tight right now

 

[truecrimson]

Well officially my big one is 13'6" accorsing to the manufacturer and my little one is 10'.

I wouldn't be any safer on Blue Marsh in a motorized kayak than a peddle or power kayak. They would still bounce me out.

 

[Don]

Don't give up on the boat Idea. Just keep learning for now.

 

[Bootfoot]

I agree. Your day will come. Until then use the time to learn and make future car buying with a future boat in mind.

 

[pabassman]

You're not from Texas and don't carry all the baggage that texans carry. So much baggage.

If youre a Texan you already have a truck and a bassboat!!

 

[Don]

See what I mean PA? He got baggage!
Well he can ride in my boat here and there. I'll vouch for him if any of you want to invite him aboard your truck boat. Little exposure here and there will help his educational process.

 

[Melvinp]

Perfect

 

[truecrimson]

Perfect

I think I'd be safer in the old Pelicans