Boat recommendations

C
coastalfisher
Hi all, brand new to the forum. I've been living in south west Oregon for about 4 years now and have been fishing from shore and small aluminum boats and kayaks since I moved here. I finally made the decision to purchase a larger boat and just want some experienced opinions on my size and style I want to go with. I am currently looking at a 16' 2010 hewescraft aluminum, with a 2002 60hp main and 5hp kicker. I'm sure that boat will do well in all the lakes and rivers around SW Oregon, but how about near shore ocean fishing? Any body have any experience with smaller crafts like this going out to catch rock fish and bottom fish? I've only been out on charters and my kayak. Any advice or suggestions are much appreciated! Thanks
 
Bake
Bake
The two Happiest Days for a boat owner are, the day they buy the boat, and the day they sell the boat!

Now I rent...
 
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fish4food
fish4food
found out years ago the money spent on boats could buy a lot of guided trips
 
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C
coastalfisher
fish4food said:
found out years ago the money spent on boats could buy a lot of guided trips
True enough! But unfortunately I don't like planning things out that far, more of a day before kinda planner and really want the freedom of my own boat. ?
 
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B
BrandonBeach
The thing to remember when buying a boat, bigger is usually better when ocean or rougher water fishing. Obviously, boat design is also a big factor in how well it handles big water.

When buying a boat:

Determine what and where you plan on fishing. The “where you fish” will help you decide the type and size required. Then buy all the boat you can afford, size power and quality.

Boat upkeep doesn’t have to be a budget breaker. Do all the maintenance yourself, keep it off the rocks and be sure to use fuel stabilizer ( ALLWAYS) and winterize/de-winterize it yourself. Boats tend to sit idle a lot, and the fuel WILL go bad. I spend one day in the spring and another in the fall on boat maintenance. Just like a car, keep the fluids and filters changed often and did I say USE GAS STABILIZER? Put it in every tank. Trailer bearings need love, don’t rely on those auto greasing systems. I see those go bad far too often, people say they work great, but I see them on he side of the road enough to say that I don’t trust them. Check seals and bearings every year, clean repack or replace as nessasary.

A 16’ footer in the ocean is a no-go for me these days, in my younger days.........well I like to think I’m smarter now.

I have been a boat owner for 40+ years, my current one I bought new in the early 90’s.

I have been over the Columbia bar in a 17’ jet drive boat, fished bouy 10 in a 15’ aluminum Jon boat.
WOULD NOT recommend doing either.

Good luck

BB
 
W
wils
That boat will work well in the mornings until the afternoon weather starts in. Get to know your boat on a lake a couple times then head to the bays and start poking your nose out to get acquainted. running sideswells are funky/fun. running with the seas are tricky, too. Just like learning on your kayak. It definitely has plenty of power. Have fun!
 
Irishrover
Irishrover
Owning a boat is not about a balance sheet of economic satisfaction. Owning a boat is about doing your own thing. If it were about economics, just go to the store buy your fish. There is something about making your own weights, tying your own mooching rigs, running your own boat, learning how to catch the various species of fish that holds it's own rewards. When you run your own boat you are the one responsible for the out comes. When you go with a guide, he is the one who is responsible for a successful trip. I have nothing against guides and if one just fishes once in a while it may be a good way to go. But if you are a hard core fishing addict and enjoy the intrinsic value a of do it your self life style, then by all means buy a boat.

As for the 16' Hewescraft in the ocean I'll be honestly blunt in my opinion. No way. Two reasons one the open bow and two the stern well. Sure on a calm flat day one might be able to get by, but one can not guarantee the ocean will stay flat. Then there is the problem of crossing a bar to get into the ocean and also the return. Just my opinion but an open bow boat on a ocean bar can place one in jeopardy if a wave should happen to fill that bow. The water forces the bow down and the stern up. With the stern up one losses not only propulsion, but also steerage. This creates a situation for disaster. The stern well is a problem for a following sea or a wave coming in on the stern. This is the reason most newer ocean boat have the offshore bracket.

I know of three capsizings that have occurred with open bow boat on ocean bars in Oregon. Two of those capsizings were operated by professional fishing guides. One cost a mans life. The third was a member of this forum and he along with his two passengers lost their lives on the bar at Bandon.

One can roll the dice and come up a winner, but it does not always work out that way. I fish the ocean, but only with an offshore boat. That boat has a six man life raft, radar, AIS system, epirb, three vhf radios, and all the safety gear.


This was a good question "but how about near shore ocean fishing?" The most dangerous part of ocean fishing is crossing the bar, no matter the size of your craft.
 
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B
BrandonBeach
Irishrover said:
Owning a boat is not about a balance sheet of economic satisfaction. Owning a boat is about doing your own thing. If it were about economics, just go to the store buy your fish. There is something about making your own weights, tying your own mooching rigs, running your own boat, learning how to catch the various species of fish that holds it's own rewards. When you run your own boat you are the one responsible for the out comes. When you go with a guide, he is the one who is responsible for a successful trip. I have nothing against guides and if one just fishes once in a while it may be a good way to go. But if you are a hard core fishing addict and enjoy the intrinsic value a of do it your self life style, then by all means buy a boat.

As for the 16' Hewescraft in the ocean I'll be honestly blunt in my opinion. No way. Two reasons one the open bow and two the stern well. Sure on a calm flat day one might be able to get by, but one can not guarantee the ocean will stay flat. Then there is the problem of crossing a bar to get into the ocean and also the return. Just my opinion but an open bow boat on a ocean bar can place one in jeopardy if a wave should happen to fill that bow. The water forces the bow down and the stern up. With the stern up one losses not only propulsion, but also steerage. This creates a situation for disaster. The stern well is a problem for a following sea or a wave coming in on the stern. This is the reason most newer ocean boat have the offshore bracket.

I know of three capsizings that have occurred with open bow boat on ocean bars in Oregon. Two of those capsizings were operated by professional fishing guides. One cost a mans life. The third was a member of this forum and he along with his two passengers lost their lives on the bar at Bandon.

One can roll the dice and come up a winner, but it does not always work out that way. I fish the ocean, but only with an offshore boat. That boat has a six man life raft, radar, AIS system, epirb, three vhf radios, and all the safety gear.


This was a good question "but how about near shore ocean fishing?" The most dangerous part of ocean fishing is crossing the bar, no matter the size of your craft.


All good advice.
Great post.

BB
 
R
Rudy2dogs
coastalfisher said:
Hi all, brand new to the forum. I've been living in south west Oregon for about 4 years now and have been fishing from shore and small aluminum boats and kayaks since I moved here. I finally made the decision to purchase a larger boat and just want some experienced opinions on my size and style I want to go with. I am currently looking at a 16' 2010 hewescraft aluminum, with a 2002 60hp main and 5hp kicker. I'm sure that boat will do well in all the lakes and rivers around SW Oregon, but how about near shore ocean fishing? Any body have any experience with smaller crafts like this going out to catch rock fish and bottom fish? I've only been out on charters and my kayak. Any advice or suggestions are much appreciated! Thanks
Hi I’m new here. I was just wondering did you buy a boat?
 
C
coastalfisher
Rudy2dogs said:
Hi I’m new here. I was just wondering did you buy a boat?
No, I didn't. After a lot of research and asking myself if I really needed a boat, I decided that I just don't commit enough time to fishing to justify buying a 20k boat. Maybe in the future I will buy a smaller more easily manageable boat. But right now my kayak and aluminum boats will work fine.
 
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TheKnigit
TheKnigit
For what it is worth I have spent a lot of years fishing the rivers and bay in a 14' open river boat with a little 9.9 hp kicker around Coos Bay. Even took it out in the big blue a couple of times on blue bird calm days. You can have some pretty good adventures in those little aluminum boats.
 
Bob Budesa
Bob Budesa
TheKnigit said:
For what it is worth I have spent a lot of years fishing the rivers and bay in a 14' open river boat with a little 9.9 hp kicker around Coos Bay. Even took it out in the big blue a couple of times on blue bird calm days. You can have some pretty good adventures in those little aluminum boats.

I'll bet 'adventures' is what he's looking to stay away from! ;)

Just a guess.
 
Bake
Bake
For my next boat ( It will be #6), the first thing I will be getting is a slip. I hate dealing with boat trailers. boat ramps, and all the other misc. fees involved moving a boat from place to place.

A few months ago I was riding in a guide's ( about 6-month-old ), 22ft bass boat. Everything was sweet, trim, engine, water was smooth. and no wind. We were running at about 60 when we hit a shipping container. The boat's Pad was ok, but the engine lower was a complete mess. Needless to say, I felt sorry for him and happier than "$hit" it wasn't my boat!!!
 
Last edited:
Bo Peep
Bo Peep
I have a 20' NR Seahawk and would not go with anything less, I like the 20' it allows me to fish the ocean when I want to be there, and still small enough for the Bay and local lakes. If you are looking for a all around boat and the ocean being the lower percentage of time 20' is the length I would be looking for.
 

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