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G.S. advice on buying first boat

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    #16
    I love boats…..Almost as much as I love fishing.

    I’ve bought and sold 5 different boats in the last 8 years and looked at another hundred that I didn’t’ t buy. In addition, I’ve fished off of dozens more.

    The first rule is all boats are a compromise. No boat is perfect.

    My advise to you is to fish with as many guides as you can. Preferably on the lakes or bays you intend to fish. Tell them that are thinking about buying your first boat and let them tell you about theirs. Guides generally love to talk about their boats and how they ended up with it and what they love and or dislike about it. You should get an idea after a few trips what you want.

    I highly recommend buying used. Boats like most toys loose a lot of value when you drive it off the lot. Lots of people sell 1 year old boats with less than 20 hours of use for huge discounts. Guides do this too. Many buy new boats every year.

    Warranty’s on boat motors are mostly transferable and extendable usually up to 6 years. I bought a boat a couple years ago that was less than a year old and was only used for one weekend. It had 6 hours on it and I paid $20k less than original owner. I took it to the local Yamaha dealer and extended the warranty to 6 years and now have no worries about motor issues.

    Other than the motor, the stuff that quits working on a boat is cheap to replace. Things like bilge pumps, aerators, and lights are maybe a hundred dollars to replace.

    I could go on for hours, so PM me if you want to discuss.

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      #17
      1. How many boats have you been on? Ever spend a lot of time on a boat?
      2. What will you be fishing for?
      3. You looking to peter around or blast across the lake?
      4. Any chance you will tow a wake board or skier?
      5. Big lake or small?

      There are huge differences in 1-2 hour morning bass fishing trips versus all night catfishing trips versus just boating and swimming.

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        #18
        Make sure you get the biggest, fanciest, fastest boat that you can't really afford. You need at least 300 hp, 2 power poles, more lights than a casino, and the loudest stereo you can find. Then make sure you NEVER practice backing the trailer in. Don't worry about loading it or cranking it before you're on the ramp either. The closer and faster you can burn the shoreline the better.

        Seriously, figure out your needs, wants, and don't wants. No one boat will do anything, you'll have to compromise somewhere. For instance: My jon boat was cheap and will run shallower than most any bay boat, but is slow, small, and beats the heck out of you in any chop. Go used if possible and budget well. Keeping things simple and taking care of stuff will prevent lots of headaches. A test drive will tell you more than anyone on the internet. Show us what you get

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          #19
          Acronym for Boat- bust out another thousand…. Been there.

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            #20
            In 2004 I bought a 1993 and fished it for 7 years. Paid 4K, sold for 2200.
            In 2011 I bought a 2004 and fished it for 7 years. Paid 8500, sold for 6000.

            The way I look at it, I basically paid 4500 to fish for 14 years.

            That's the way I'll keep doing it when I move back to fishing country from this barren wasteland. Buy a solid used boat, fish the heck out of it, sell it, repeat.

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              #21
              Bass boats took a steep jump in price in the last few years. Can buy a loaded truck cheaper than a loaded 250HP Skeeter....

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                #22
                And there it is. Ironic, not so much

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                  #23
                  Originally posted by Quackerbox View Post
                  And there it is. Ironic, not so much
                  Lmao, I was thinking the same thing. Took 19 post though. I was expecting it sooner than that👍

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                    #24
                    Hire a guide.

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                      #25
                      Best advice: Don't buy one!

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                        #26
                        I've had 4.

                        My favorite looking back was the 16' bass boat wanna be aluminum that had a 50 on the back. My others were larger, but also more costly to own.

                        When the boat is so ugly it will only impress other catfishers, you don't have to sweat keeping the looks up so much.

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                          #27
                          Originally posted by gingib View Post
                          Best advice: Don't buy one!

                          I agree! Get a couple so you have all your bases covered!


                          Originally posted by tps7742 View Post
                          Hire a guide.
                          Also sound advice! I could do a couple trips for just what I spend in tires alone annually!

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                            #28
                            Originally posted by gingib View Post
                            Best advice: Don't buy one!
                            Boats are like swimming pools. Way cooler when when it’s your friends.

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                              #29
                              Look really hard at what you want to do with it. Buy the boat you need for what you do 90% of the time and make do the rest. Be very honest with yourself about what those uses will be.

                              In general you need a boat that is small enough to handle easily, trailers well and fits in the garage but big enough to take lots of people with you to the sand bar. Shallow enough to access shallow areas but not so shallow that it rides too rough in big water. A big enough motor to run fast but not so big you can't afford to feed it. You need tons of storage to carry all the gear you never really use and seating for 10 but at the same time a nice open floorplan with lots of fishing space. Its gotta have all the bells and whistles but kept at a very reasonable price. You need one that will get up in a foot of water on the shallow bay flats but also low profile and fishable on the bass lake yet maneuverable enough to chase down jug lines while also able to take on 4-6'ers offshore in the gulf. If you can find all of that you've found the perfect boat. None of us have found one like it yet. So you just have to figure out which of those things you'll do the most and are most important to you and go with it.

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                                #30
                                Originally posted by tps7742 View Post
                                Hire a guide.
                                THIS!!
                                From some one who grew up on the coast and owned "a few" boats and who know more boat owners than I can count, I SAY HIRE A GUIDE...
                                Most only use a boat 6-8 times a year and then they set the rest of the time and that ain't good on boats. I currently own 2 now, both used, one runs great(18foot flat bottom tunnel with a 90hp Yamaha) and the other was a project when I bought it 4 years ago(21 Ft Explorer with a 150hp Ocean Pro)for a VERY good price.. I'm considering selling both.. Coastal fishing ain't what used to be.. Not even close!!! I don't care what any young buck says.. They never saw the days of good fishing..
                                Last edited by PondPopper; 05-23-2022, 10:48 AM.

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