Boat owners or those who almost pulled the trigger or want to own convince me

[glen]

If you use it nothing beats a boat. I’ve akwYs had at least 1. I have done everything from duck hunting to catching grouper and AJ our of mine

[jds247]

And the reasons you guys have stated is why I’m going with aluminum and New versus used and fiberglass. I do fish about 2-3 times a month. With a boat I’ll probably be out in the water more. Now for duck hunting do you guys think I should get the boat in cammo or just cover it? Wife thinks the cammo is ugly but the cammo would only be necessary a handful of times the boat is takien out. I like this not cause it has dry boxes for shotguns. Well they’re for rods but would work the same for the guns. Can run shallow 11”, doubt it would need a boat to run less shallow than that.

Camo isnt gonna make a difference really .. you will have to hide the boat regardless when u hunt. I actually prefer it because scratches dont show as bad. I just painted my jon boat camo .

[jds247]

[QUOTE=LivinADream;13906442]^^^id like to see how you rigged your removable lights and rails. im about to do the same and have not come up with a way that im real happy with yet to make it removable fairly fast. not really wanting to bolt it in.


I don't have pictures right now but I'll try to take some to PM you.. they are bolted on but the lights stay in the brackets . 3 bolts hold each side to the boat and it takes 5 min per side to remove them .. all that's left is 3 tabs they welded to my boat to hold the brackets and the plugs for the lights..

[Quackerbox]

Could not imagine life without a boat. Mine stays at home so storage isnt a big deal. Got out of an aluminum boat to a glass and havent really looked back. Id like to think its near as clean as the day I bought it, but I take care of my stuff.



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[SL1]

Ive had boats all my life and have recently gone to Kayaks for reasons of my proximity to large bodies of water. Previously we lived in the DFW area and could be on the water in 10 minutes. Not so now. I owned 2 new boats and personally would never buy another new boat, there are just way to many hardly used platforms out there at 1/2 the price. Yes they will be a few years old, yes they might need some work but a boat is only new once and will always need work. Ive had a bunch- bass boats, center consoles, and aluminum semi V's with tiller steer-my boat of choice for fishing. Everyone is different with different needs and desires based on use. I primarily fished and didn't do much else. If I only used a boat once a month I would get a guide, it would be cheaper in the long run. You have to really use a boat to justify a new boat and it will depreciate at an unbelievable rate. That said there are worse things to spend money on then fishing!

[az2tx]

I have two, my Shoalwater 23 Cat and a new 20' aluminum flounder boat I built this year
both are great to have depending on how skinny I want to get

[Elite13]

I have a 20ft Bay pro and while I travel a lot for work I look forward to fishing in it when I’m in town. If you’d like to take it out I’m in Crosby

[Azzy]

I have a 20ft Bay pro and while I travel a lot for work I look forward to fishing in it when I’m in town. If you’d like to take it out I’m in Crosby

How do you like it? I hear good things about them. Matt over at Genes offered to take me out on his 22, but thanks for the offer.

[joel45acp]

2 good days to boat ownership, the day you buy & day you sell lol

Dilly Dilly

[Old Bald Guy]

A man needs a pickup truck, a gun, a boat and a dog.

[rockyraider]

Boats are a love affair. You're either addicted to the water or you're not. If you don't really enjoy being on the water, don't do it. They are a lot of work to maintain and keep up properly. If you neglect them, they will be nothing but headaches. Expect for things to go wrong at the worst time so you have to have a good sense of humor with a boat, but that's one of the challenges that makes it all worth it. Another thing, as soon as you hook up to your boat, your IQ goes down 50pts. I always walk around mine three times just to make sure I haven't left something unhooked, hooked up, in the down position when it should be up, etc..... Believe me, I've learned the hard way, lol. I've had many great memories on my boat with friends and family, even though I don't get to use it nearly as much as I'd like. I'm a coast guy when I can and we enjoy cruising/tubing/anchoring up and swimming at the lake when we can only go closer to home. I guess you could say its my escape from everyday life being on the water. Give it a go, you can always sell it for what you paid for it if you buy right.

[Gulfcoastin]

Must do's when owning a boat in my opinion.
1. Keep up with the maintenance both for the Boat and Trailer. You need both to enjoy it.
2. Clean the boat, trailer and flush motor after every use.
3. Keep fresh fuel or a fuel additive in the tank at all times.
4. Buy good trailer tires and have a spare tire for the trailer.
5. Good set of starting batteries for the motor.
Enjoy it!

[SCREAMINREELS]

I was spoiled and got to use my dad's boat once I turned 16 and could trailer it myself. He bought me a small 16 foot aluminum for graduation and I've had a boat ever since except about 2 years and I hated not having one. Luckily I don't have to pay storage. My only regret on my boat now it that I couldn't afford a bigger one paying cash I didn't want a note and it isn't as shallow as I'd like but I bought my design because we had a baby. He's 3 now and once he's old enough to now walk off the side looking at a bird or something distracting I'll go back to a shallow running low side boat. Keep up with maintenance and they treat you right. I can't use mine as much as I like right now but I'd sure hate to not be able to go when I want to. My wife and kid enjoy riding on it as well.

[pervis]

I've got 2 and they are constant projects.
I've got a 01 mastercraft xstar wakeboard boat. It's being fully redone right now. I bought it when I was 22yrs old and in college. I'm 38 now and my kids wana use it. This past yr in redo parts and labor I'm prob close to 10k deep.

I also have a excel f86 mud rig. We use it to fish and duck hunt. It didnt give me too much trouble till recently. I just had the motor and transmission rebuilt, costing me 1300.

Boats are fun when everything works like it should, but they tend to be a constant project. Always needing something.

[stickman]

It took me nearly 5 years to buy a boat. Finding a steal on a used gem was what took me so long. Spending 70k+ on a saltwater boat was just out of my wheelhouse. If I went back to guiding full time I’d upgrade, until then affordable and practical is what I based my decisions on.