Boat Recommendations for Columbia

Slacker · 05-15-2002, 02:43 PM

I am new to the Portland area and have been looking into getting a used boat. I have been looking into used boats and wanted to get some recommendations on what would be too small for the Columbia and what some of you think would be most versatile.
My friend is trying to sell me a 16.5 foot v-bottom, with 40hp OB. Is this too small for the Columbia or some of the lakes around Oregon?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Looking for something under 10k.

Thumper · 05-15-2002, 03:27 PM

15 foot Smokercraft Alaskan. 15-25 horse motor. Best starter set-up I know of.

husker · 05-15-2002, 03:50 PM

i use a 17' aluminum boat with a 30 horse in the columbia all the time.....no problems.....i used to use a 12' with a 10 horse...no problems......

rags · 05-15-2002, 04:38 PM

I think for the Columbia bigger is better. A windshield boat with a top is nice around 18-19ft. The more hp you can afford the better. Fishing Oregon lakes would be a different story. You can get away with a much smaller boat.

fish_on · 05-15-2002, 06:12 PM

I run my 15' all day long on the columbia, I have been at the fishery in 30mph wind and 4' waves and never felt unsafe. I have seen people in 20' boats almost sink themselves. Size is relative, stupid people can die in any size boat. 16.5 is fine just use common sense and stay out of the way of commercial traffic.

kampy · 05-16-2002, 02:50 AM

Anything 16' w/ 50 horse or larger will do you well.........As long as you leave the 3 sleeping bags, 2 tents, 3 coolers, 5 fishing poles, 3 tackle boxes, 2 50 x 50 tarps, 3 cases of beer, cook stove, laterns, not to mention a wife (125 lbs) 4 year old daughter with labrador,,,,,,,,HOME>>>>> CRABBAIT WHAT WAS I THINKING?

Vinny · 05-16-2002, 06:54 AM

kampy,

With that list, you're forgetting the TV & VCR combo. You'll also need a boat with a cover, backdrop and heater. :smile:

Pilar · 05-16-2002, 07:09 AM

I can tell you that you will make it work. :grin: While you are using that boat, start looking at the things you like about your buddies boats. When you re-up with a newer boat, shop based on your list of likes and dislikes. IMHO, The thing to look for is lots of room to put stuff. You can never have enough tackle and gear storage.

My first was the frog, a 14ft Beachcraft with a 40 Merc. We did just fine on the Columbia and in the bays, even a few mountain lakes. It killed many fish but I soon outgrew it. There was not enough room for all my stuff.

Pitch Pocket · 05-16-2002, 07:09 AM

You can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting an aluminum sled. The river is full of them attesting to their suitability for all the waters around here. Unless you plan to take extended voyages on the deep blue, a used sled (with or without a pump) will safely get you into almost every body of water and almost every type of on the water activity.

Watch the paper. If you have 10k to spend on a used boat, you're not too far from a 10-15 year old sled. Very few moving parts to break, so if the motor is servicable (or you are a mechanic), you can probably find something that you'll be happy with.

Phish_on · 05-16-2002, 07:19 AM

My boat is 16' and I fish mostly lakes and the Willamette, but also take it out of Warrenton in the fall. I don't get very close to Buoy "10" though ... except maybe in perfect conditions. Don't think about crossing the bar.

Love that V-hull when it gets "rugged" out there -

GoFish · 05-16-2002, 09:33 AM

I don't think its very easy to generalize about a boat for the Columbia. Sure, you can make a 16ft boat work. I do. But I'll tell you that the Columbia can get sloppy at times, either from the wind or from all the boat traffic. In a smaller boat, you have to watch the wakes, especially if it has low freeboard. I've fished the mouth in an 18ft boat and that was small enough for me!! Want to live to fish another day!! My boat is an open sled and I want a second boat in the 19-21ft range with a windshield, top and cuddy cabin since I like to stay on the river overnight. Deep Vee's will handle the heavier water better than flat bottoms. Its important to consider what you will have to tow with too, small tow rig means small boat.

Whatever you get, think safety ALL the time. People die on the river every year. Most of the time its from stupidity, taking chances and ignoring the rules. Follow this site and you will here some of the bigger horror stories about how to sink your boat. The important thing is to know the limitations of whatever boat you have and don't try to exceed them.

One things for sure, there's no shortage of used boats around. Best advice I can give is to determine how you will be using the boat, (day trips by yourself, with a gang of friends, overnighters, winter sturgeon, summer steelhead, Bouy 10, Bonneville dam, etc.) and then talk to a bunch of people to get differing opinions. Good Luck.

Seefood Man · 05-19-2002, 02:18 PM

My neighbor has a really nice 20-22ft (i think) bayliner with center consol, big o/b, front rails, ect ...The boat looks great, it hasen't been run for the past 3 years due to health issues, but he has keeped VERY good care of it and he's asking around 5000. I'll find out more for you. E-mail me your phone # and I'll get his while I'm at it. Really! this is a nice boat. also, I think he'll deal with you too :smile:

05-19-2002, 02:40 PM

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Mofish · 05-20-2002, 06:22 AM

My Motion Marine works very well.

web page

AngleThis · 05-20-2002, 01:31 PM

Under 10k you are limited. I think you can rule out a sled. Versatile..how versatile?... do you also want to ski with it? With that price limitiation, you can proably also rule out a high powered outboard as well.

I too had versatility in mind when I went boat shopping three years ago. I ended up with an old 18ft bayliner runabout for a grand and did a total rebuild. I do EVERYTHING with my boat. It can handle the river on the worst day of the year, and even the ocean on decent days with the deep V bow. I use it for fishing, water skiing, camping, even scuba diving in the brine.

One key consideration is open vs closed bow hulls. Assuming you go 16-19 feet, either is OK for the river and lakes, as long as the wind is not real heavy, but with an open bow, forget about the ocean. You loose a lot of seating with a closed bow, but you gain a great deal rougher water capablility and safety. One other advantage with many fiberglass boats, is that they are damn hard if not impossible to sink due to built in floatation foam.

If you need the speed and power to pull a skier, and given your price limitation, I have to suggest that a mercruiser I/O is the way to go. Mine is a Merc 140, which provides 35kts fully loaded and cruises at 30, gets 2.3-3 MPG (super efficient low cost operation), and with a lower pitch prop works just fine with skiers. This system is rated for at least 2,000 hours of operation and will last longer if you take good care of it.

Of course, you have to be a better boater to run an I/O as altercations with shallow bottoms can be very expensive, but you can replace the entire engine for $2500 and the entire outdrive for about $3,500. This means you'd have some $ left over for electronics and improvements...even a kicker and camper top (it RAINS here). You can spend 10k real quick on a little metal skiff with a decent motor which is good for only a few things, or you can get a great deal more uses and fewer limitatiions if you buy plastic and I/O.

So I'd suggest looking for an older fiberglass V or tri hull, but only if it has a sound hull and a mercruiser stern drive. There have to be a ton of them on the market for under five grand. Rebuild or replace what you need to, and then enjoy your boat often, year around, and in many places and ways, without digging $200 out of your pocket for fuel every weekend.

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