Ever Miss your Smaller Boat?

Tinman · 02-26-2008, 05:59 PM

I love my dory, but sometimes I miss my old 15 foot Bayrunner skiff with the 25 hip Evinrude. It was so easy to tow and launch. I just don't go crabbing and gunkholing as much with the dory because it is a big rig to tow and launch.

I wouldn't trade down for a smaller boat, but sometimes I do miss the old simple days.

How about you guys?

tomictime · 02-26-2008, 06:10 PM

...sure...when the sun is out and the water is..FLAT..I miss that LiL sportscar Whaler 17'.....that thing could carve a turn

))

little doc · 02-26-2008, 06:12 PM

Who said I ever got rid of it? (I've got a little problem letting go)

namu mac · 02-26-2008, 06:17 PM

Yep. All the time.

Weather or Knot · 02-26-2008, 06:18 PM

You shouldnt be limited to ONE boat. My 26'er doesnt duck hunt very well(hard to hide) and my 16'er wont float down the river through the shallows for steelies and smallies! My wife still doent buy it but shes a good sport.

I told her a guy wanted to trade me a boat for some labor around his house and I almost had to sleep in one of the boats!

Brandon

KeyWest · 02-26-2008, 06:22 PM

I keep wanting to upsize, but then notice the continuous climb in gas prices - I'm keeping mine (22') at least until my daughter is out of college. I'm also very concerned about my carbon footprint

Steelie28 · 02-26-2008, 06:26 PM

Well, I have access to a 16 ft klamath with a 25 horse Merc in PC that we use for crabbing, fishing the river, clamming/crabbing up at Netarts. I had the opposite feeling you have, sick of not being able to fish the ocean in the summer and sick of watching you guys come in loaded with all sorts of fish, so a couple of buddies and I picked up a 22 ft. dory. Can't wait to get out there with you guys!

Steelie28

Mypursuit · 02-26-2008, 06:28 PM

...nope...I really like my 17, don't miss my 16 and never owned one over 19'...I consider it an honor to make all you bigger boat guys feel good about yourselves...

especially when I'm still catching fish

, 'course some days the run to the 124.00.00 is dicey

stream · 02-26-2008, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by little doc

Who said I ever got rid of it? (I've got a little problem letting go)

I have this problem my self told the wife i want a bigger boat she sed get rid of two and i could have one more

Taylor's viewpoint · 02-26-2008, 09:01 PM

Every time I pull up to the fuel dock.
TV

PIR8 Hook · 02-27-2008, 05:17 AM

I had a 16' salem dory made of 3/8" ply & a 20 Hp merc. WHAT A DREAM TO HANDLE IN THE SURF, Charles! I DON"T miss watching the bottom rise & fall though. Somebody still has it..it's called DOA now.

KKM · 02-27-2008, 05:34 AM

Never...........

Liquid Asset · 02-27-2008, 05:39 AM

Tinman,

She's all ready to go springer fishing.....why don't you come over one afternoon? You can get caught up!!!

It's a great little boat...my daughter sure love running around in it.

I put my 15 horse on in the spring for trolling and then for summer-winter run your 25....works out nice.

LA

Maverick Maxcat · 02-27-2008, 05:50 AM

Sure, when there's only 2 of us lounging around the cockpit, sitting in lawn chairs on a dead flat day, waiting for a bite. A good 17'er is plenty on a day like that, and much more intimate with the ocean.

Those days are pretty rare, and more than offset by the times I have a crew of 5 or 6 out past the 125 line and an uforcasted weather event comes through. 6 on 8 and 40 knots of wind 50 miles out makes one wish for more boat instead of less......

More important is what becomes "normal" or "comfortable" with a bigger boat. It generally takes 20+ knots of wind and 4' windchop to make fishing on Maverick "uncomfortable", and much of that is from spray. It takes a LOT more to become "unsafe". Once you're spoiled, it's hard to go back.....

Something Good · 02-27-2008, 07:12 AM

I miss my 22' Searunner for near shore bottom fishing or salmon but I wasn't about to take it out after tuna. When I bought my 26' boat I also had to get a second 17' sled for river use.

KillerBeee · 02-27-2008, 07:29 AM

I miss my 14 ft. Duroboat.
Just because I could tow it easily with my car and I like to fish lakes and smaller bodies of water sometimes.

retaliate · 02-27-2008, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinman

I love my dory, but sometimes I miss my old 15 foot Bayrunner skiff with the 25 hip Evinrude. It was so easy to tow and launch. I just don't go crabbing and gunkholing as much with the dory because it is a big rig to tow and launch.

I wouldn't trade down for a smaller boat, but sometimes I do miss the old simple days.

How about you guys?

No! not yet, I hope to someday.

DriftR · 02-27-2008, 08:13 AM

Well let's see-a 24' for offshore, a 15' for lakes and a 16' driftboat for rivers. Plus a couple rubber kyaks and throw in a 24' pontoon boat-I'm prepared for about anything.
Never have enough boats.

Herring Problem · 02-27-2008, 11:10 AM

Restoring a 1960 16 ft BellBoy Runabout.

Gotta 9.9 four stroke for her. Should do fine for the lakes arounf cCentral Oregon.

Gotta get a hitch on my mustang to pull her first.

The Trophy for the ocean will just have a little more sitting time with the higher gas prices.

ICHTHYDEMON · 02-27-2008, 11:38 AM

Its funny this thread came up. I had a 15' Smokercraft and 25hp Yamaha I bought as my first boat in '97. I ran it for about 6 years and sold it to my brother. I went to a 17' SuperVee then to a 20' Seahawk which I own now.

I'm buying a 14' Lund today. There are 10-15 small lakes around my house that don't allow gas engines,or don't have a big boat type launch.

I don't care to fish for trout much but my 6 year old doesn't care as long as hes catching fish.

Hes been begging since last Spring for me to buy a little lake boat.

I told him he needed to sweet talk his mom into letting us get another boat. It didn't take but an hour and she was ok.

That boys got the gift of persuasion.

Onokai · 02-27-2008, 01:05 PM

My little boats still in the yard so thats a big NO-you guys must have sold yours for some reason?? Two boats is still not enough, Mark

Phil Layer · 02-27-2008, 01:14 PM

Boats are always too big when you are gassing them, towing them and launching and retrieving them.

Boats are never big enough when on the ocean.

Hunt'nFish · 02-27-2008, 01:20 PM

In my circle, we have an agreement......I'll take care of the small boats for ducks, bass, slamon & walleye and they'll focus on the big offshore stuff. Hey, works for me!

Truth be known, I can't afford the two I have.
Hunt'nFish

Thunnus · 02-27-2008, 01:24 PM

"Who said I ever got rid of it? (I've got a little problem letting go)"

I've got that same problem. My 19' Arima has a hard time running w/ a 12" draft and my sled has a hard time cruising in 6' swells!

boutdoorhunter · 02-27-2008, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weather or Knot

You shouldnt be limited to ONE boat. My 26'er doesnt duck hunt very well(hard to hide) and my 16'er wont float down the river through the shallows for steelies and smallies! My wife still doent buy it but shes a good sport.

I told her a guy wanted to trade me a boat for some labor around his house and I almost had to sleep in one of the boats!

Brandon

You just need to get em all wet when you can.

Irish Pennant · 02-27-2008, 06:31 PM

I've lived a life with only one regret and that was selling my 15ft Alumiweld Guide Model Drift Boat. I still shed a tear. woe is me

backlash442 · 02-27-2008, 06:43 PM

I downsized to more freshwater use with my North River Seahawk. I miss my Davis. Yeah I miss it a lot. But there hasn't been a real good tuna run off of Morro Bay since I sold it either. What a coincidence.

Moldy45 · 02-27-2008, 06:48 PM

I miss mine all the time as I used it year round.

colbachlaw · 02-28-2008, 05:18 AM

Only at the fuel dock and when I am trying to stern my boat in when the wind is blowing off the dock.

In 8' seas and crossing a bad bar, I wonder how I was ever crazy enough to do it in a 23' with a single engine.

Back to back trips used to really beat me up. Now only my wallet gets beat up when I run back to back trips.

I will probably miss my 35' when I jump up to a 42' or 46' and have a heart attack every time I try and stern it in or fill up a 600 gallon tank.

Mike C