Help Needed w/ aluminum boat!!

[bayareafisher408]

Hello to you all here at this great site. I am in need of some help with a boat that I have recently was given as a gift. I am fairly new to boating and do not have much experience with boating, equipment ,ect. I can't seem to find much information about this boat except that it is made in 1980 it holds 6 people and it has a max weight limit of 725lbs with a 25h.p max size outboard.The boat is a Western Shasta 14' aluminum boat model # 144. My primary interests are fishing lakes ,reservoirs ,and maybe rivers and an occasional light saltwater. I would like to get some opinions on what type size ,and brand model,outboard ,shortshaft or long shaft, should I look for and what type of trolling motor , what is a good fish finder and any other info you can add so I could get this boat going and ready for some fishing . Thanks any information is much appreciated.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Help Needed w/ aluminum boat!!

Sounds like you found all the info there is on the boat.
Alot of small companies aren't around long so the company itself is probabaly out of buisness but you got all the info you need.

Jon boat and v bottoms, you don't say which, 99% of the time take short shaft engines and which engine you get depends on your budget, measure the transom,20'' is short 25'' is long.

You listed alot of stuff that could cost $8000 new or you could get the same stuff for $1500 if you really look for deals so I would get a budget first so you can figure out how much you have for each item.

Obviuosly the motor is the biggest expense and a 25 shouldn't be too hard to come into.

Any Evinrude/Johnson from the early 80 to 97-98 are good and there are a ton of them.

Fishfinders I prefer Eagle/Lowrance again what ever your budget can take.

Trollers, you shouldn't need one super big for that boat and there aren't really any "bad" ones, here again do you want hand operated or footpedal, new or used, a new wireless troller can run $500-$600 bucks a hand steer at Wally world is @$200.

Get a motor and go fishing and decede what you really need, you may think you have to have something and then find you never use it so fish first and figure out what you really need then hunt it down, good luck

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Help Needed w/ aluminum boat!!

motor shaft length, you need to measure your transom, where the motor sits, the the keel of the boat. 15 inches, short shaft, 20 inches long shaft. i agree you cannot miss with a Evinrude or Johnson motor.

BUYING A USED MOTOR

overall condition, condition of the place you are buying it from, usually tells you how they care for things. compression 100 + psi, and within 10% of each other, good strong blue spark, no water in the lower unit oil. look for discolored paint, (sign of over heat at
one time, also scarred up bolts, as why. have them start it. if they fail to put it in a barrell or tank, or on muffs, or in the water, to start it they don't know what they are doing. best yet is to take it for a 30 min to 1 hour test run. also if remote controlled motor, the controls should come with it.