I need a boat

I don't know much about them. I am getting better at driving them and have had a little experience with them growing up. I want something that I can fish from in the morning and then ski in the afternoon. Then get out the poles or skis in the evening. Does anyone know which brands are good? Do you need a V8 or is a V6 good. I will probably start looking around to get some ideas on prices, features, motors, materials, etc. Any help would be appreciated. I am going to look for a long time and get real familiar before I pick one. :blahblah:

Boats are like cars. They run from cheap and crappy to super deluxe and mega bucks. I'm no boat guy, but I hear Malibu's , MasterCraft's, Cobalt's, SeaRay's, and Four Winns are all considered very high quality boats, depending on what style you're looking for. I also know there are some pretty cheap boats out there that do OK but aren't that good like Bayliners and Maxims.

Just get something with an open bow and a tower. There's a lot of people who put a lot of money into their boats, but now have to sell them. I'd definitely look for a used one.

I hear they have 15 year loans on boats, and you can get a very nice boat for about $50 a month.

There's some boats like Bayliner that aren't very good for waterskiing. They're just party boats.

The good thing about an open bow, is you can move everybody up front for waterskiing, and everybody in back for wakeboarding. There's getting to be a lot of different boats that have the same specs, and would be good.

I personally would look for the boat with the engine in the center of the boat, instead of at the back.

You know what 'b o a t' stands for, right? Break Out Another Thousand.

The actual definition of a boat is 'a hole in the water surrounded by wood and fiberglass into which you pour money'. :haha:

Okay, if your gonna' take the plunge, you have to pick the most important use, in your case it sounds like fishing or skiing.

If you want a real fishing boat, it will lack some of the features a ski boat has, like board racks and long ski lockers, but a ski boat will lack the bait tanks, fish lockers, rod holders, and fishfinders.

If it was me, I'd get a fishing boat, and rig it to ski as well. Anything with a tower will make this easier.

EVERYTHING is a compromise on a boat design, most only do one thing well.

I also would only consider a 4-stroke outboard, but that's just my bias, I drive one for a living, doing boat shows, ironically enough. That doesn't mean I know anything about owning boats, only driving them.

I love 4-stroke outboards, but they are obscenely expensive these days.

Research, research, research.

The in-laws boat that we spent all weekend on in Lake Powell is a Stingray. I'm not sure of the model or year, but it performed very well. Top speeds around 40 - 45 mph. Very smooth. It did very well on gas too. We spent all weekend on the thing, and it only burned up a half tank!

They got it for $5000 -- used -- which includes the trailer, and skis, life jackets, etc.

Acca: Way late on this thread, but did you ever buy a boat?

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Originally Posted by Rev. Coyote

Acca: Way late on this thread, but did you ever buy a boat?

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No. I am waiting for my two boys to get a little older. They are too young (1 & 4) to get much use out of it at this point. Prolly a couple more years? :ne_nau:

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Originally Posted by accadacca

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Originally Posted by Rev. Coyote

Acca: Way late on this thread, but did you ever buy a boat?

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No. I am waiting for my two boys to get a little older. They are too young (1 & 4) to get much use out of it at this point. Prolly a couple more years?

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Well, depending on your "war chest," you could have a lot of cool options. The brands that I'd look at for a good open boat in the 16-20' range would include Boston Whaler (even severely used are some of the best boats on the water), Mako, Wahoo. Then I'd go with a good 4 cycle OB if you can afford, or get a 2 cycle (they still make them). I've had a good experience with Merc and Evinrude, either one for 2 cycle. Yamaha, Suzuki or Honda for the 4 cycle. Avoid inboard/outboard like the PLAGUE.

There is no shortage of crappy boats out there, Bayliner being the worst. There is no economy in a cheap hull. Great thing about things like Whaler, Mako, etc., is they can handle choppy water real well and are very stable. I'd take a 17' Whaler Montauk in the ocean in a heartbeat. I've been in 6' seas during a squall in a 13' Whaler. Amazing craft.

Main thing is you want a safe boat for the kids. Thinking more about it, I'd say if you can get the 17' Montauk Whaler, it'd be ideal. Even used. Pic attached...