Buying a boat, need some advice

[steelhead_fishn]

The time's finally come for me to purchase a boat, but I want to research it thoroughly before I make any rash decisions. I'm looking for a sled. Somewhere between 18-21 feet. I have no idea what size jet to get, where to look etc. I'll give you a breakdown on what I like to fish... I spend alot of time on N fork lewis, Kalama, Cowlitz, and the mouth's of all of these rivers. Once I get comfortable boating(right now im just an experienced anchor puller [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] I will probally want to check out some fishing like Tillamook, Nehalem. Any advice, links, pointing me towards a good store is appreciated. Is it better to purchase your boat from a dealer or a private party?

Thanks Alot,
Jeff

[Killertraylor]

Jeff - check out the North River boat thread on this website. When you are done, become good friends with someone with a boat and put your boat money in your retirement account where it belongs. It should take you several days to review the NR thread - if you still don't have the answer you are looking for then you need to go look at boats and decide what you like. There are many quality boat builders in the Pacific Northwest and you should be able to narrow your choice down to about 5 and then get some quotes. Good luck. You should definitely consider North River, Northwest Jet, Alumaweld, Boulton, Thunderjet, Weldcraft, Willie, Motion Marine, Duckworth, Woolridge and Almar, to name a few.

Good Luck!

[Tilla]

Don't forget the boat specifically built for those rivers you listed....Thorbuilt in Toledo Wa. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Hookset]

I really like what KT said about keeping your money in the retirement account, very sound advice.

When your shopping for a boat you have to remember this formula.....cost = lenght x horsepower x options. Set a price for your new toy before treking to the dealers/manufacturers. You can buy some inexpensive sleds under 20k or spend over 50k. Somewhere in the middle you'll be guaranteed a great boat. If this is your first sled, don't discount the used boat market. If you shop around, a reasonably priced good conditoned used boat makes it a little less painful when you add your fist scratches and dents. Used boats are a great way to learn and help you sort out what you want in your second boat.

You mentioned your not sure about size. How many people will you transport? Is this just a fishing boat or a all purpose recreational watercraft (APRW)? A few more questions need to be answered first.

For starters, bigger boats mean more fishing room. You'll have more options where you can fish. A properly outfitted 21 foot sled can fish anywhere a equally outfitted 18 foot sled will. The difference in size allows the 21 foot boat to fish better and handle more weight, plus, it's just more comfortable.

If your just mostly fishing the rivers, a shallow 10 degree sled with 26 to 30 inch sides works well. What about motor options. Inboard or outboard? If you want lots of space in the back for fishing, choose outboard, if you want lots of power choose inboard. A boat is always about trade-offs. There is no one perfect boat, some come closer then others. It's really a personal choice.

When you start looking, check the welds, fit/finish, standard options, construction, metal thickness (side and bottom), aluminum alloy type, trailer options and the list goes on.

What helped me decide is visiting every manufacturer I was interested in and take a tour through the shop. I wanted to know how each boat was built from the ground up. Ask lots of questions. By doing this, some boats were eliminated right away.

Shopping for boats is fun, just take your time and don't be in a hurry.

Gregg

[SandySteel]

I would have to say that the following does not apply to me as I own a drift boat.
I have been happy every day that I have owned it.

The two happiest days for a boat owner are the day he buys it and the day he sells it.

[fishchaser]

Remeber this when you buy a new or a used boat. If it fits you when you look at it and sit in it. But the boat always shrinks two feet, when you put it in the water. Say you buy a 16' boat. You add the kids, wife, tackle, food, cooler, clothing, heater, rods, porta potty, ALL SAFETY GEAR etc. You just lost 2 feet in size. If you think you feel comfortable with an 18 foot boat, order a 20' that way after you load it up you will have room to fish.

[springer_97011]

luthian, ill be back sat. so we can go look next week.give me a call.

[Pirate]

Luth
A good source of info on all kinds of used boats is at: www.boattrader.com
Good luck.