need the perfect balance

E

ewals44

Recruit
Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
5
I'm an older man who loves to fish the salt, mostly bay, and freshwater lakes. I looking for the boat that will do both for me. I also need something I can trail and handle myself. ANY SUGGESTIONS OUT THERE? ANYONE HAVE A BOAT THAT WORKS WELL FOR THEM?
 
JB

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: need the perfect balance

Howdy ewals.

Welcome to iboats. :)

I, too, am an elderly (71) gentleman who likes bays and lakes. My problem is manhandling, launching and retrieving the ideal boat so I am a size down from that now.

IMO, the perfect boat for that sort of fishing is the classic (pre-2000) Boston Whaler Montauk 17 with a Suzuki DF70 and a bow mount Minn Kota 55AP troller on a quick release mount. I had such a boat for years and she was near perfect. Pounded a bit in a chop, though. My cardiologist finally made me quit taking her out alone.

Now I have a classic Boston Whaler Striper 15 (1986) with a Johnson 48 SPL. I might hesitate to take her out on a bay if the water was standing on edge, but she is wonderfully more comfortable than the 17 with a deep V bow entry that does not pound.
 
mike176

mike176

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 18, 2007
Messages
202
Re: need the perfect balance

I've been lookin at a 21ft SeaBoss bay boat with 150 merc. Took it fishing on the flats with a 16in draft it did ok, but its big enough to take out deeper on a good day, also has enough power to take the kids out on a tube or ski. The wife likes is and I can fish off it in most of my favorit spots. Its still small enough for me to load and unload solo but i'm young and can still move pretty fast between the truck and boat. I pulled it with my GMC with a 4.3 and the trailer had sergbrakes. My truck stoped it fine but it was slugish getin up to 65 on the way to the ramp and it cut my fuel milage in half. My boss pulled it with me another day with his 05 duramax and the truck acted like it was pullin a johnboat.
 
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