Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

[fiftiesoutboards]

I'm new to these forums, but I thought I'd throw out a line. Is it just me, or isn't a solid 14 footer and a sweet outboard just about all you need to have a blast on the water? My Dad had an 18' MFG with a 100 Johnson when I was growing up, but other than carrying more people (and sucking up huge quantities of 50/1), I don't think I had the sheer joy and ease of boating that I have today with my '59 Alumacraft and collection of outboards.
My newest addition is a 30 horse Mariner (Yamaha) from the mid eighties, and I think I'm in love. It's like a sports car; light, fast and nimble. I intend on towing adult skiers and kids on tubes this summer. I've already pulled kids on skis with my '56 Fastwin, and the boat handled that task very well.
With the price of fuel where it is, and heading, I don't envy the large boats that so many have. I'll just pop the little tin skiff into the lake or sound, and enjoy the essence of boating at its finest. Hope you all have a great boating season.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

Welcome to iBoats.

There are several of us smitten with your flavor of insanity. I still play with my 14" Appleby and a collection of engines under 10 horsepower. It is a hoot just to tool around or go gunking for fish.

Now, can I talk you into steam?

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

My father has a big Stratos with a 200 Merc Black Max .
It is large , a PIA for him to launch by himself at his age , will go insanely fast , and , sucks gas like nobodys business .
Something breaks every other month , and , it is 20 miles to the service guy he uses , then , a week for the parts to get there and the reapair to be completed .

I am more of a minimalist , having nothing so large .
Canoes , kayaks , a collection of kickers from 4 - 15HP , several electric models from 15 - 40 Lbs thrust , and , a 12' v bottom , along with a 14' jon boat .

I think nothing of paddling about in the river at night , in the canoes , or , kayaks , despite the barge traffic .

The small boats get me into a lot of pristine fishing spots , that recieve minimal pressure , and , do it very cheaply .

For a solo fisherman , they are perfect , and , tolerable if you bring a friend .
You can carry enough gear and supplies for a long weekend out , and , still do the whole trip for less than a lot of bigger boats spend on gas for a day .

 

[azlakes]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

... agreed, light, simple and portable. smaller boats and canoes get you onto waters where no larger boats are allowed or would want to venture. we love the connection this offers and still use rafts and canoes often.

cheers

 

[arks]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

Is it just me, or isn't a solid 14 footer and a sweet outboard just about all you need to have a blast on the water?

The short answer: Absolutely!

But I also like to spend weekends on our big, thirsty twin-engine-boat-that-always-needs-attention, too.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

I'm with you on this. I boat in an old 12' aluminum boat with a 6hp motor. I fish by myself most of the time, but my wife and I like to take it out, too. Generally we head for a small island in my favorite lake and have a picnic.

I had a bigger, faster boat, and sold it to buy this one. It's easy to tow, easy to launch, and I'm on the water fishing while the other guys are still prepping their boat.

That said...different strokes for different folks. I can't tow a skier or a tube. I can't take a whole party of friends on the lake. That's OK by me, but other have different wants and needs.

 

[silveraire]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

I hope to find out this summer. I am converting an old 14ft skiff to a center console. Will have her done soon. I find myself fishing in the bay most of the time, and the 21' cc isn't needed most of the time. Usually 2 of us fishing, no need to keep pumping fuel into the 125, it will be nice to feed a 25 horse instead. Just toss her in and go. Will get me into the shallows much better also. Simplicity is bliss.

chad

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

I sold a 24' CC a few months ago that had more gadgets on it than James Bond. TV, Bose stereo, coffee maker, blender, gas grill, hammocks, etc. Got a bare bones 16' CC now. Miss the room....but love the simplicity!

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

Love the lines on that AlumaCraft and those motors too! Welcome to Iboats...Considering these gas prices, maybe we should ask the mods for a name change to Ibroke...

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

The way boats are now, for some, a 30 footer is simplicity.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

For me, my boat is the perfect setup. It's big enough to handle decent sized lakes (Lake Michigan & Winnebago) and we can don't have to rush home at the end of the day (spent 20+ nights on the boat last year). Almost every weekend is two days on the boat.

It's still small enough to tow with a reasonably sized vehicle (Chevy Trailblazer) and is easy to launch and load by myself.

With the BBC it's fast enough (60mph) to get places in a reasonable time or outrun bad weather back to the lauch if need be and not to outragous on fuel consumption (2.5mpg), unless I run WOT alot.

For comparison, our previous boat was a 15ft trihull with a 50hp Merc outboard. If the wind was over 10mph we'd get beat to death by the waves, so we would stay home because of weather more often.

We had to run back to the launch every night and drive home. So our weekends were usually only one day of boating.

With a top speed of 28mph , it took a while to get anywhere and it only got about 3.5mpg. I ran it WOT more often than I do the BBC.

I loved that old trihull, but you couldn't pay me to go back to a smaller boat.

 

[F_R]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

I was recently checking for car rental reservations for July 4th weekend. Compacts are $500 per week. Or you can get a Ford Expedition for $108. People just can't afford to feed those big gas-eaters and I'll bet they will be a dime a dozen in a very short while. Same goes for those big gas-eating boats. Yes, I am stuck with a pick-up truck. But I do have a small boat and can spend all day on the water for less than 6 gallons of gas.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

Yes, I love small simple boats! Whenever I get the chance to go boating without the fam, I take either a canoe or small inflatable. Much more enjoyable in my opinion. I like exploring areas bigger boats can't go.

 

[tomh59]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

Sounds good to me. I bought a 14' starcraft tinny last fall. I plan
on using my 6, 9.9, 25hp depending on the application for that day.
I've got a 21' walkaround that I must part with do to my job being
outsourced to Italy. 29 years and I'm getting jacked. Man it's tough
to swallow. I don't live large but my family enjoys our time together
on the boat. I'm just hoping that I can get fair market for it. I appologise for whining but I'm disgusted.

 

[markofwisconsin]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

Big is nice, but cost $$$$$$$$$$ over the long run. Had a Lund SSV14, 15hp four stroke Yamaha. Traded in the Yamaha after one year, vibration through the tiller handle so bad put my hand to sleep. Put a new 25hp Johnson 2stroke on the boat, and loved it (no numb hand). Can fish about anywhere, (I don't fish on Lake Michigan). Cheap to run, cheap to own. During winter I just flip the boat over on the trailer (6 x 6) post across rear of trailer. Park it behind the garage of my house out of sight, and put the motor on a stand in the basement. Simple not flashy, I don't need to impress people with a boat, just how many fish I catch. Blue Gills, Crappies, Walleye, and I eat what I catch. So no live well. big ice chest works better for me and I think the fish taste better. Happy fishing everyone.

 

[dave11]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

My little aluminum boat & outboard is just about perfect for me. Simple & economical.

 

[lakelover]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

I like the way you think. When I was a kid, my father had a 14' Glastron Ski Flite with an Evinrude 33 hp on the back, and man was that a blast. To us, that was the "big" boat, we were probably lucky if it broke 25 mph with one aboard. That was the ultimate summer activity, tooling around the lake. Unfortunately, it fell into disrepair as he got older and we got rid of it. Too bad that was before I got into boating again, as I would have loved to attempt a restoration on it.

These days I'm using a 14' Starcraft w/ a Merc 20, and an old 14' aluminum Ouchita with a 9.9 Merc. I have a feeling that this year with the price of gas, I'll be using the smaller one more. The good thing for about these is that I can do the basic maintenance & repairs and it keeps the cost and complications affordable for me.

I often dream about having a bigger boat, but that's in the future...maybe...depending on how gas prices go...

 

[fiftiesoutboards]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

Glad to hear I'm not the only one. Being able to do your own maintenance is a major ingredient in keeping boating affordable, and for most people, a two cylinder outboard with a single carb is well within their capabilities. Nothing quite like the satisfaction you get when you solve a problem yourself.
50's

 

[BoatinFool]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

To each his own. Guess it depends on what you enjoy about boating .....

 

[INJUN]

Re: Bare Bones Boating. Is simpler better?

First time on this great site!
Agreed; simple is better and no need to impress.
When I think I'd like a larger more complicated boat, I imagine that my 18' boat is really an aircraft carrier battling a 2' to 3' chop as though those waves are 20' to 30'.
Or I go out on friends biigger boats.