08-13-2007, 07:38 PM
One boat will simply not do. There is no such thing as one perfect boat. I've owned as many as 3 at a time and currently own 2. When I owned 3, I had a 88 Reinell Cuddy for Lake Powell camping/cruising/etc., an 87 Supra competition ski boat for wakeboarding and waterskiing those early mornings with the buds, and an older 14 foot aluminum for fishing. The only thing that has changed is that I finally realized I wasn't going be be an international waterskiing or wakeboarding star, and got tired of the injuries and slowed way down on those activities. I still do them, but the big family boat is just fine for that.
I currently own a different 14' aluminum boat and and a 24' family boat. The 14' aluminum is a fairly deep model. Like others have said, get a deep 14' aluminum and a good motor (mine is 20 hp) and you won't have any problems.
The 24' boat is a cuddy and we take it to Powell and do the family trips, etc. and it has a trolling motor on it and pole holders and stuff so that I can fish out of it also. The difference between the two when fishing is that I can go places with the aluminum that I wouldn't dare take the family boat...and there are also places that I would take the family boat that I wouldn't dare take the aluminum! (Lake Powell for instance).
Also, I like to fish a LOT.
I can do a Berry trip with the Jeep Cherokee and the 14' aluminum for about $30 to $40 and that includes Jeep gas and Boat gas. Divided by 2 it ends up between $15 and $20 each for a day of fishing.
If I take the 24' Four Winns (454 fuel injected motor) and the Superduty diesel, it is a Benjamin for a day of fishing...but you fish in style!
Start off with about a $1500 aluminum boat, take it out and see what you like and don't like about it and go from there. I've owned 10 boats over the years, and some of those were very good for one thing only and very poor at most other things. The Supra for instance was really good for waterskiing...and nothing else. Boats are a big compromise. Kind of like being a Jack of all trades, but master of none. Any boat can do anything you want it to do, but will most likely do everything mediocre at best unless you buy a specialty boat, and then it will do one thing very well, and do everything else very poorly if at all.
Hope this helps...none of my boats are for sale right now, however, if I had more energy and time, I would like to upgrade the 14' for a 16' or 17' foot boat. Since I've heard they are putting in a boat ramp at Huntington, I won't need to hand launch anymore!
Randy
[signature]
I currently own a different 14' aluminum boat and and a 24' family boat. The 14' aluminum is a fairly deep model. Like others have said, get a deep 14' aluminum and a good motor (mine is 20 hp) and you won't have any problems.
The 24' boat is a cuddy and we take it to Powell and do the family trips, etc. and it has a trolling motor on it and pole holders and stuff so that I can fish out of it also. The difference between the two when fishing is that I can go places with the aluminum that I wouldn't dare take the family boat...and there are also places that I would take the family boat that I wouldn't dare take the aluminum! (Lake Powell for instance).
Also, I like to fish a LOT.
I can do a Berry trip with the Jeep Cherokee and the 14' aluminum for about $30 to $40 and that includes Jeep gas and Boat gas. Divided by 2 it ends up between $15 and $20 each for a day of fishing.
If I take the 24' Four Winns (454 fuel injected motor) and the Superduty diesel, it is a Benjamin for a day of fishing...but you fish in style!
Start off with about a $1500 aluminum boat, take it out and see what you like and don't like about it and go from there. I've owned 10 boats over the years, and some of those were very good for one thing only and very poor at most other things. The Supra for instance was really good for waterskiing...and nothing else. Boats are a big compromise. Kind of like being a Jack of all trades, but master of none. Any boat can do anything you want it to do, but will most likely do everything mediocre at best unless you buy a specialty boat, and then it will do one thing very well, and do everything else very poorly if at all.
Hope this helps...none of my boats are for sale right now, however, if I had more energy and time, I would like to upgrade the 14' for a 16' or 17' foot boat. Since I've heard they are putting in a boat ramp at Huntington, I won't need to hand launch anymore!
Randy
[signature]
I used to N.ot have E.nough T.ime O.ff to go fishing. Then I retired. Now I have less time than I had before. Sheesh.