Advice need on boat selection.

[Growbug]

Howdy. I am looking at various boats of Craigslist, but can't seem to decide what i need.
Here are the basic specs as yet.,
1 - want to go boating and fishing with family of 4 (2 kids under 6)
2 - want to use it on lakes around here and on Willamette
3 - fish for trout, salmon and sturgeon
4 - would like to use on Tillamook and Nehalem bays

I think I have narrowed it down to at least outboard preferred over inboard (easier maintenance, etc.. etc.)

OK.. now looking for advice...
Length? Whats preferable between Tri-Hull and V-Hull? How much HP for the Outboard (i can get a 5hp for lakes)

 

[Thuggin4Life]

My advice is go aluminum.

 

[halibuthitman]

well, if you already have a 3/4 ton or larger truck, I would go with a glass boat... can't beat the maintanance, but if you have a 1/2 ton or car I would go alum. and the best piece of advice I have GET A BOAT WITH A ROOF. Ragtop hardtop whatever... if you want that wife and kids to enjoy it as much as you... make sure it has a top... you are in oregon... sometimes it rainshailsnowsleets.. and sometimes its worse. Don't underbuy a boat, get what you need, if you can't afford it, wait and save a little longer, it can be very hard to sell ANY boat, you don't want to get stuck with something that does not suite you. Good luck

 

[Bullitt]

21' would my minimum. It's not really that big and by the time you put four of you in there and all the "stuff" for the day, you'll wish is was a couple feet longer. With a family of four, I had an 18' er then quickly moved to a 22'er which was much better. I'd look for a vee hull and something with at least 115hp.

You mentioned a tri-hull, are you looking at older boats? Maybe give us some examples of what your looking at.

 

[Hawk]

You have a wife & small children so i would suggest a boat with a windshield. A bimini canopy that fits right above windshield, with side & back curtains, for some comfort when there is cooler weather . If younguns won't touch, you can have a small catalytic heater for winter.

If you choose an open bow boat you can have a bowmount foot control electric trolling motor. you can install a bass chair with armrests. That's what i did anyway...:lol:

Have some storage boxes so you can stow stuff away, without tripping on stuff.




Best of luck Bro on tour choice.

I would buy a used boat that has been loved...

 

[frodog]

Hard to beat the ride and maintenance of a glass boat but you can have a lot more aluminum boat for the same weight. Get 2 ft. more boat than you think you will need or you will need two more feet of boat, This is the case for me I have a 1700 bayliner capri bowrider it pleases the wife and is fun to play with but when it comes to fishin it sure would be nice to have two more feet and some more freeboard. I still love having a boat and made it work for fishing. A vee hull design is also smoother riding than flat bottom or trihull in rough water. Good luck and safe boating.

 

[Growbug]

Hard to beat the deal... so i went ahead an bought one. new thread for it

Thanks to ALL of you for the advice