New boater here! Opinions please!!

[starcraft67]

Re: New boater here! Opinions please!!

I was intrigued by what hours folks put on their boats. If I was feeding a V8, I bet I would cut down my hours, or row, but with the little 16' pontoon with 9.9 Johnson that I have here on the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, I have been putting on, I'm sure, at least 160 and probably more like 180 hrs per season.

My boat is docked (dock space here runs about 400/yr) and I go down after work a lot and go out for 3 1/2 or 4 hours, plus probably one day every weekend. My season is late May or early June (after the high muddy water season) until mid or late Nov. (great sauger fishing then!). I write the outings down in my daily calender book so I will remember them, otherwise I wouldn't have any idea if I'd had any fun all year or not - just a little note like "out on boat w/dog, caught two catfish." There are always at least 40 trips, the after work ones typically 3 or 4 hours, the weekend ones typically 6 or 7.

Now I have the 15' Starcraft w/ 40 Big Twin too (plus my Michicraft Sportspal canoe (which can be used either "as a canoe" or fitted with an outrigger and trolling motor that turn it into a much more stable platform that any little fishing boat) and my Fishhunter inflatable. Worse come to worst, I can put on my PFD and float, but I'm goin' out on the water!!!

 

[cbavier]

Re: New boater here! Opinions please!!

I was intrigued by what hours folks put on their boats. If I was feeding a V8, I bet I would cut down my hours, or row, but with the little 16' pontoon with 9.9 Johnson that I have here on the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, I have been putting on, I'm sure, at least 160 and probably more like 180 hrs per season.

My boat is docked (dock space here runs about 400/yr) and I go down after work a lot and go out for 3 1/2 or 4 hours, plus probably one day every weekend. My season is late May or early June (after the high muddy water season) until mid or late Nov. (great sauger fishing then!). I write the outings down in my daily calender book so I will remember them, otherwise I wouldn't have any idea if I'd had any fun all year or not - just a little note like "out on boat w/dog, caught two catfish." There are always at least 40 trips, the after work ones typically 3 or 4 hours, the weekend ones typically 6 or 7.

Now I have the 15' Starcraft w/ 40 Big Twin too (plus my Michicraft Sportspal canoe (which can be used either "as a canoe" or fitted with an outrigger and trolling motor that turn it into a much more stable platform that any little fishing boat) and my Fishhunter inflatable. Worse come to worst, I can put on my PFD and float, but I'm goin' out on the water!!!

starcraft67
You should have started this post in a new thread. And CHOSE A TOPIC.

 

[cbavier]

Re: New boater here! Opinions please!!

I was intrigued by what hours folks put on their boats. If I was feeding a V8, I bet I would cut down my hours, or row, but with the little 16' pontoon with 9.9 Johnson that I have here on the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers, I have been putting on, I'm sure, at least 160 and probably more like 180 hrs per season.

My boat is docked (dock space here runs about 400/yr) and I go down after work a lot and go out for 3 1/2 or 4 hours, plus probably one day every weekend. My season is late May or early June (after the high muddy water season) until mid or late Nov. (great sauger fishing then!). I write the outings down in my daily calender book so I will remember them, otherwise I wouldn't have any idea if I'd had any fun all year or not - just a little note like "out on boat w/dog, caught two catfish." There are always at least 40 trips, the after work ones typically 3 or 4 hours, the weekend ones typically 6 or 7.

Now I have the 15' Starcraft w/ 40 Big Twin too (plus my Michicraft Sportspal canoe (which can be used either "as a canoe" or fitted with an outrigger and trolling motor that turn it into a much more stable platform that any little fishing boat) and my Fishhunter inflatable. Worse come to worst, I can put on my PFD and float, but I'm goin' out on the water!!!

starcraft67
You should have started this post in a new thread. And CHOSE A TOPIC.

 

[ramos45]

Re: New boater here! Opinions please!!

I'm not by it now but I believe it's an alpha. I remember the father telling me that he had to change the outdrive because of the gearing and how it didn't match up with the motor. I believe they did the proper research. After talking to the father and son I believe they did a good job.

I guess we'll see in the near future.

 

[starcraft67]

Re: New boater here! Opinions please!!

ooops -- sorry.

 

[cbavier]

Re: New boater here! Opinions please!!

ooops -- sorry.

No problem. Post this question in a new thread. it will make an interesting topic for discussion.

 

[Wassachu]

Re: New boater here! Opinions please!!

What ever you do, Hire a Marine Surveyor. He'll go through the boat and check it out good before you lay out any money. My brother in law almost bought a SeaRay that looked good and ran good but the surveyor said the area where the motor mounts to the boat was all rotten.

Also, It makes a huge difference as to where the boat was used. In Saltwater or Freshwater. The cooling system can be blocked with corrosion. A fresh water cooling system is best for those in/outs. In a fresh water cooling system the water that flows through the block is in a sealed system with an external heat exchanger. Water from outside the boat is pumped through the heat exchanger and back out of the boat so the engine block never sees the water the boat is floating in.

With fuel costs as they are now, I'd look at a boat with a 4.3L V6 in it. About a 20 ft boat. My brother in law had a Seaswirl with a 4.3L V6 and it sipped gas and had plenty of power to move his 20 ft boat. I've had two vehicles with that 4.3L motor and that was a good motor.

NADA or one of those blue books give blue book values for boats and you can find that on line. That 2001 Four Winns sounds like it's under priced as compared to the 1992's you mentioned but the the 1992's could be over priced. Four Winns is a good boat.

Good luck hunting. Don't be in a hurry.