Yep. He kept mentioning getting a bigger boat as you become more familiar with it... Not everyone can go from an 18ft to a 28ft lmao. That’s a 6 figure difference... Plus, if you have the money for an 28ft, why would you buy an 18 unless your going on a small lake?
I bought a roached 17 foot center console for $500. Rebuilt the transom, got a 1984 90hp mercury and slapped em all together. Rebuilt almost everything (thanks a bunch to this channel for that) and just got it out on the water for the first time yesterday!
I have a Rinker Fiesta Vee 266, and I find it VERY interesting that so many of these videos cater to the open bow / cuddy cabin walkaround / center console style fishing boats and there is so little mentioned of the express cruisers and weekenders. There's so much more to boating than just fishing and skiing and party boats. And, the express cruisers can offer tubing / skiing as well as weekending and fishing.
So I live in Puerto Rico and my dad had always had a fishing boat for the lake for years and a little bit more than a year ago we bought Trophy pro 2103 with a Mercury 200EFI (awesome boat they handle good, the hull is pretty tough and take waves amazing) for going out with the family and do a little bit of fishing and go to the small island that are on the coast, anyway so a couple of weeks ago we were on the water and on the way back the weather was a little bit bad with the waves being like 5-6 feet and the boat was jumping a little bit but it’s a perfect combination of small and agile but takes rough waters really good and doesn’t get wet inside as much as you would think. So I would recommend 21-22ft boats to begin with because their pretty easy to drive and pretty easy to maintain.
I have a 21’ CC that’s rated for 10 people. We load it up with kids in the summer time, I take it fishing 15-20 miles out in the Gulf, and we just cruise on it in the cooler months here in FL. It does it all.
I just bought my first boat, a 1995 Boston Whaler Dauntless 13. It needs a little work but big deciding factors were that I could afford it, I could tow it and I could garage it and my family fits on it. I can always upgrade later. The little Whaler will hold it's value, too.
Currently have a 22 foot Angler walkaround as my first boat. Upgrading to a Grady white 282 sailfish within a year. Update going to a 36 foot wellcraft sport cruiser yacht
1st boat, 1984 Procraft Fish and Ski. We called it the "Ugly Duckling" with the faded brown flake paint job. Have upgraded to a 2016 Key West 210 Bay Reef set up for inshore fishing and it's awesome.
I have a Triumph 150cc powered by a 50 HP four stroke Yamaha and the boat is only 14ft and 10 inches. I take it 12 miles offshore all the time as I cannot stand inshore fishing which is usually too buggy with not much action (at least that has been my experience)... Some people think I am totally insane for running offshore on a such a small boat! But I have been doing this for more than 10 years and I am still alive. That said, I did have few close calls, and this one time I seriously thought I was going to get hit by lightening when I got caught in a very nasty storm! I just like the low maintenance cost and the practically of a small boat. Boating can be a VERY EXPENSIVE HOBBY so, I like to make it as affordable as I can. As a buddy of mine told me, one step down would be a canoe! LOL.. I can be offshore all day, catch some nice snappers like the big boats do, but only spend less than 20 bucks for gas. You just can't beat that!! -:)
@@pino_7428 Even though I have a small boat, I have 2 chart plotters (one with an internal battery), sonar, 2 VHF radios (one handheld and one on the boat), 2 batteries, EPIRB beacon, plenty of water and ice and a full tank of gas, ALWAYS! As small as my boat is, it has a whooping 21 gallons internal gas tank and I have never managed to burn off more than half a tank! LOL... And of course, I always keep the engine in top notch shape along with everything else... Fishing is fun but going offshore is serious business, I never take it lightly!
I own a twenty five ft. Bayliner Trophy. This is the largest boat I have ever owned. It has a nine ft. five inch beam. I believe this boat will allow me more comfort in rough seas.
We have a Finnmaster Pilot 7.0 w/F225 Yamaha. Live in Greenland. We sail in the fjords for fishing and hunting and between citys because there are no roads interconnecting between citys.
Great vid! I live as an "alternative boater" but it's not a boat club per se...I live in Jacksonville, Florida, but love to fish offshore rather than inshore outside of my local area. The best boat for me is to simply rent what I want (usually 24-28' depending on the weather, wind and waves forecast) wherever I travel to in the part of the state I want to go offshore fishing when I'm able. Love the Stuart to Ft. Lauderdale stretch of water best, and I've been lucky to always find a rental somewhere in the neighborhood I'm heading to! Cleanup and maintenance have never been easier as well!
Scored a 1984 Chris craft scorpion 216 WA with a Johnson 235 for 1000 bucks rebuilt the transom myself thanks to your videos and had the motor cleaned up by a mechanic now I got a badass boat for very cheap❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
1966 Starcraft holiday I/o. 18’ with a 110 hp mercruiser and Mc-1 ABC outdrive. Picked it up 8 yrs ago as a basket case and spent two yrs making it useable. Have put roughly 150-200 hrs on it towing kids around on tubes, fishing, and just lake cruising.
Your video nailed it, it all depends on what you're doing and what size boat you need. We have a 24-ft shamrock center console fishing boat and live off of the St Johns River. When we're on the river the boat feels huge especially whenever going to some of the smaller marinas, but we also love visiting the Florida Keys and when we get a few miles out (Sombrero reef, ECT.) the boat starts to feel small real fast.
we started with a Stamas Sportfish with fly and did a restoration project for our first boat. Many of our choices in our most recent boat were influenced by that learning curve. While we had lots of fun and learning, we went with a 24ft CC that meets our needs for now as a family that does mostly near shore and some offshore fishing and also lake trips with tubing and such. I love the projects on your channel. Good memories.
Currently fully customizing my 1968 Bertram 25 express cruiser into a 28 island cab completely from the hull up big job but will be worth it in the long run
I currently have a 18.5’ Starcraft. Planning upgrading to a 36’-40’ saltwater fishing boat. You guys are great. Thank you for all the useful information.
I have a Grady white pacifica 22 ,in the planning stages,to lengthen hull,recess tabs, with pod to single outboard.,raise cuddy and mod to pilot house.. Thank you for sharing your insights, great contribution,to us all.Good job,mate
I started driving with a 30 ft flat bed at 18 as a tow truck driver😂they didn’t know I just got my license but I passed all the driving tests for the job needless to say it sure taught me how to drive vehicles ❤️
I have a 2005 Boston Whaler 305 Conquest. Perfect boat for me, its beamy, heavy, long, and powerful. I take it offshore fishing (off Northern Palm Beach County) for Tuna, Dolphin, and Sailfish.
Got my first boat brought a 1986 bayliner 2455 full renovation from top to bottom enjoying every second im on it will be going on the Thames here in London England your videos give me lots of info and ideas thanks
Started by borrowing a 15 foot boat my friend hadn't used for years. After using it two seasons and feeling comfortable with maintaining it. I bought a used 19 foot Grady White tournament. It has been a very good boat. I would like to upgrade to 2 foot larger just because the bigger size same model adds a toilet option. An important feature as a dad of two girls. But trailering and parking right now a 19 seems just right for our house.
I just purchased my first boat, a 1991 Sea Ray 200-OV cuddy, plan on cruising the near shore of the Great Lakes, and local larger inland lakes of Michigan
I'm new to boating and it has changed my life for the better, too much fun. I have a 16 foot bowrider and it fits my needs perfectly it is fast at 46 mph or 73 kmh, it is fiberglass so handles well and is quiet, I use it for fishing, water skiing and pleasure. I honestly would not want something bigger, I've been 6 on this boat and it still handled well. I think people underestimate how important engine power is. I'm at the max at 90hp merc 4 stroke, sweet engine. We were 5 adults and had no problem at all pulling a skier out of the water. Performance is very important to me, this boat has it. Instead of having a bigger boat that is underpowered would be a huge disappointment for me. Also towing a 16 foot is easy don't need a truck which I don't want. Have a x3 3.5 and no problem. Usually it's just my wife and I so tons of room. I would never ever buy an inboard, too much hassle and I live in Canada so an outboard is extremely easy to winterizing. Also I'm always on a lake, a large one, not the great lakes, surely if I was on the ocean I would have a minimum 26 foot with 2 engines, but I'm not on the ocean, I would go on the gulf of Mexico if the water was calm with my 16 foot, even 2 foot swells on my lake is manageable, but I see larger boats going faster in rough weather, so choose your poison guys, bigger is not always better and is so much more expensive, not worth it for me. A pontoon is a dock with a motor and are boring as %^&8 to drive and you need a big truck to tow them, they are massive out of the water. Be safe and have fun.
Also guys don't forget most of the multi million dollar yatchts have a tender boat for fun and transportation to the shore, they are 13 to 21 feet in length.
1st boat before I was born was a 1984 Chris craft... our 2nd boat was a 1998 proline 241... our current boat is a 2007 boston whaler 285 conquest. we also like the albemarle 36 Express
We would love to have a Albemarle 36 but there so expensive! there's a 2017 on yacht world for like 489,000 or something crazy like that... I really like it tho... im also only 13 so kinda cant afford that yet
First Boat: 3.80meter Yamaha 20HP Dingi Second Boat: 4.70meter Zodiac 60HP RIB New ordered for 2021: 5.40meter (18") 100HP Highfield Aluminium RIB Spot: Lake Constance Germany (and yes the new Highfield 100HP is a little bit oversized)
@Blasian Babies I don't like them that much, but that's my opinion... I'd say the Grady Freedom 325 is your best bet. New or used, they're the best 31-32' family cruising boat.
@Blasian Babies Formulas are the go-fast boat, for sure!! I don't really follow racing boats that much, because my primary mission on the water is ocean fishing for tuna, dolphin, wahoo, etc.
Very good video. I am one that started with an 18ft center console and then as we added kids to the family upgraded to a hydra sports 230 walk around. Great family boat but knowing now what I know and exactly what your video explained, I wish I'd have gone bigger cuz I'm always caught in between waves and on rough days offshore fishing is a no go or brutal to say the least. I'm sure lots of viewers will benefit from this information. Again thanks for your video.
All the lakes and rivers that I would boat on a 20-23' boat with an I/O is ideal. Either a early 2000s Sea Ray or four Winns is my dream boat. Plus launching and retrieving that size boat would be pretty easy to do. The cuddy cabin suits my needs the most. I can ski behind it. Have a cabin to take a nap in. Or just get out of the sun for a while. After being done waterskiing or swimming I can go into the cabin to change into my clothes. On a couple occasions i would have a boat full of people. The other times i would solo boat.
I currently use a modified Saga 27, as I'm 6'6" tall I had to raise the hull by a foot, on the occasion all the equipment was redone as well as all the electrics, now it's comfortable to live on, for one single big enough
I go boating everywhere in Florida, I have a 15' jet boat that drafts 8" when static and like 2" on plane! It can get through some INCREDIBLY shallow water! It fits in my single car garage and is easy to move around! It's perfect for me and my family and for what I do, which is pleasure boating/watersports!
I just bought my first boat a few months ago from its original owner, a 1989 14.5 foot open-deck style deep V-hull boat for 1,300$CAD. The owner kept the mechanics for his pontoon which had a blown engine, so I also found the mechanics for it for 700$CAD (a 1988 Johnson 50hp VRO with power trim, oil reservoir and controls). I found out that I needed to replace the power trim's motor and reservoir. I then found a complete power trim for a newer year for 200$CAD, which I'll put INSIDE of my boat right above the bilge pump and have the "brake lines" go to the cylinder of my original power trim. (which is what I wanted to do in the first place anyways). I need to add probably 700$CAD or so of stuff into it (EVA foam instead of carpet, a radio, a proper electrical system, and in the future redo the upholstery in my color scheme as well as I don't like the gray/red color scheme) but it'll still be below my 3,000$CAD goal especially if I resell the empty hull and trailer from which the 1988 Johnson engine came from.
As a sidenote; I have for about 600$CAD worth of stuff to put on the boat to make it fully functional (including electricals, radio, eva foam, etc). The only thing not included is the battery, because I'll probably just use a car battery... Unless theres a need for a proper marine battery, which I don't see why as I remove it every time I'm done fishing, it starts my engine every time with no trouble and my boat has a fabric covering up the area where the battery/bilge pump/electronics is... so no chance of water hitting it either.
Afflicted with the 2 foot disease. Over my years of having great times with a fiberglass hole in the water to put money in, Started with 16’ then 18’ then 21 then 23 then traded to 21’ pontoon (moved to smaller water) moved again to bigger water 23’ tritoon
Picked up my first boat, a used SeaPro 208Bay boat a couple years ago & I’m glad I went with the 20’. Small enough for me to launch and recover onto the trailer alone & learn how to handle it at the docks. Big enough I can fit 5-6 friends onboard for a nice day at the sand bar or just me and a couple of the guys fishing the bay or coastal inshore areas.
Just bought my 1st boat this summer. I live in AZ so I spend most of my time on local lakes. My family is young and not old enough for watersports so we bought a 14 yr old 22' performance boat to go fast (cruse ~ 35-45 and top out ~70) and hit the sandbars.
My first boat is a 2021 Bayliner Trophy 22CX. If you're looking for a boat to accommodate little ones' comfort along with fishing. This is the boat for you.
Moved to Savannah, GA 5 years ago from North Texas where we fished lakes. Bought a 1986 Wellcraft V-20 Fisherman in the early spring of 2019 and have restored it to near perfect condition thanks to your channel. We've taken it out about 40 miles on decent days but take a pretty good pounding as you mentioned in this smaller boat. A 20 minute run in the sounds around here isn't too bad but much more than that makes you wonder if you're actually having fun or just trying to prove something haha. Thanks for the great content!
I'm looking at getting a 21ft Boston Whaler Dauntless to pull double duty for fishing and family.. With a 14" draft she will get into skinny enough water for my freshwater needs, but handle the inshore and near shore trips in the gulf as well
I have a 21` ryds trimaster from 1974. 60hp single Johnsson from 88. Perfect for fishing. And the cost of about 1500$ purchase and a 200/year maintenance is amazing
Being a first time boater is definitely a factor and drives the make/model, size and cost. I have a 2013 21' CC Proline with a Yamaha 150 with 148 hours. Yes, that is correct. Due to my demanding job that pays for the boat i can hardly use it and that is becoming a problem. The way i see it. God willing i will use it more when i retire. Cheers..
The best size boat ís the one that fulfills your boating needs.The bigger the boat the more things to haul around and Repair cabins in the south rarely get used and end up moldy.Triple engines cost more to buy and use for small speed gains. The more you spend the less you will use it
Just started watching this channel, Great Job really good content. I have been a member of local boat clubs and boating since 1976 and your content I would recommend for anyone getting into boating. There are two things I would mention with regard to this particular video. And you kind of touched on them. If you're familiar with "Scope creep" then "Boat Creep" will make sense. I have witnessed this and participated in it so often I caution people on it. The tendency is the longer you boat and as funds become more available the evolution is to keep buying bigger boats. Most often the larger boats or higher investment boats tend to be less fun, more expensive, and more stressful. This is where we tend to downsize and actually find what we want. You kind of dodged this next point. Most of the recreational boaters I know want to Fish, Ski, Cruise, etc . . . I suggest, make your best guess what you will do the most. Then find an overall boat that favors a priority without completely overlooking the other aspects of boating.
I got von a small RIB to a 16ft boat, to a 21ft Cabin boat, Back to a 20Ft Sessa Key Largo Deck with a small Cabin and big Lay down area in the Front. You can have a great Time with 4-6 People and if you drink to much and you can overnight in the small cabin (with 2 people). For me it fits perfect. Most of the Time im one the Rhine River ( Germany) and on the Holidays in Croatia. I Think it also a Money Thing, when you re over 23~25ft you need much more Fuel ( Expensive in Germany) and even a Special Place to Store over Winter and so on...
Great video! I have a 32 Marinette that I am restoring on my channel. She is a cabin cruiser style and I am ready to hit the water in the spring once the interior is redone!
Neil hey check out OUT ON A REEF THE CROOKED PILOT HOUSE HIS FIRST BOAT WAS ON OF THOSE before he got the crooked pilot house his early vids are him going to the Bahamas with it you can asked him question he will answer you he goes by Capt Crooked JT 🇺🇸🇺🇸🐟🐠🎣🛥🌴⛱😊😊🙏🏻🙏🏻
My ideal size I’m looking at getting is a 17’ x54” semi-V jon boat with floatation pods and a 40hp surface drive lol Big enough to haul a few guys and hunting gear, get in shallow water but still be bigger lake and Missouri River running safely. But not too big like a 20’ boat that is hard to hide while hunting and a pain to haul around. But I’ve spent plenty of hours behind the controls of a 26’ Bayliner deck boat on the lake of the Ozarks!
I have a Nordkapp 705 R. It’s a Norwegian designed aluminium bow rider with a Evinrude G2 200HO. Perfect for Norwegian summers. 23 fot sharp V and 46 knots.
I based my purchasing decisions based on will it fit my garage and can I pull it with my vehicle. I did not want to buy a large truck or pay for storage.
Macgregor 26X. Needs only 9 inches of water, sleeps 6, sails all day or motors on plane, easy to trailer, cheap on gas. Absolutely perfect. Note it can't do all those things at once, for example if you're sailing you need the centerboard down so you need 5ft of water, if you have 6 people on board then you won't get on plane with the little 50 hp Honda (though some people put a 90 2-stroke on them...)
@@davidtangen9611 that’s what I have! I got a 2005, just repowered it with twin 350 Verados from the Original 250 verados that it came with. Used to do 18-20 mph at 4450 rpms, now I regularly do 28-31 at the same rpms. I beefed up the transom before the repower, and have had no issues with the structure of the transom.
I have a 97 16 fish master sportcraft center console with a 75 Mercury great little boat for the Barnegat Bay here in new jersey i love your channel keep up the great videos i learned alot from them⚓🚤
Another thing to consider is the size of the women you are hauling, makes a big difference in draft. If you're lucky and have a tight little spinner, a jetski is all you need. But if you have a big sea cow like me, then a container ship or bulk carrier will suffice.
18ft 'figlass warrior' here in newzealand first boat was cheap enough paid in cash and still safe on our rough lakes .being an apprentice marine tech great to learn on also
we had a boat just like the one you had in the video a mako 211 but we got very lucky and traded up for a 88' donzi 33 cuddy it runs good and will be ready for those winter sailfish
Definitely buy a boat that you can trailer without having to deal with permits. Look at mooring rates for different sizes also. $500 more for a 28foot vs 27foot at my lake.
i think the best size of boat is the one you can afford to buy and maintain
Yep. He kept mentioning getting a bigger boat as you become more familiar with it... Not everyone can go from an 18ft to a 28ft lmao. That’s a 6 figure difference... Plus, if you have the money for an 28ft, why would you buy an 18 unless your going on a small lake?
Smart man
I got the biggest boat my truck can tow (safely) ... Boston Whaler Dauntless 16’
@@mauifilms5767 I bet you also dont need 200 gallons of fuel either
And tow safely and economically
I bought a roached 17 foot center console for $500. Rebuilt the transom, got a 1984 90hp mercury and slapped em all together. Rebuilt almost everything (thanks a bunch to this channel for that) and just got it out on the water for the first time yesterday!
I have a Rinker Fiesta Vee 266, and I find it VERY interesting that so many of these videos cater to the open bow / cuddy cabin walkaround / center console style fishing boats and there is so little mentioned of the express cruisers and weekenders. There's so much more to boating than just fishing and skiing and party boats. And, the express cruisers can offer tubing / skiing as well as weekending and fishing.
I started with an 18’, moved up to 28’, then back down to 23’. It’s 100% all preference and based on what you do on the water.
Nicely explained. I would NOT recommend being a fractal owner of a boat. You either own it outright, or someone else does.
So I live in Puerto Rico and my dad had always had a fishing boat for the lake for years and a little bit more than a year ago we bought Trophy pro 2103 with a Mercury 200EFI (awesome boat they handle good, the hull is pretty tough and take waves amazing) for going out with the family and do a little bit of fishing and go to the small island that are on the coast, anyway so a couple of weeks ago we were on the water and on the way back the weather was a little bit bad with the waves being like 5-6 feet and the boat was jumping a little bit but it’s a perfect combination of small and agile but takes rough waters really good and doesn’t get wet inside as much as you would think. So I would recommend 21-22ft boats to begin with because their pretty easy to drive and pretty easy to maintain.
I have a 1994 20 foot Grady White walk around has some issues but its just fun to go out and work on it.
I have a 21’ CC that’s rated for 10 people. We load it up with kids in the summer time, I take it fishing 15-20 miles out in the Gulf, and we just cruise on it in the cooler months here in FL. It does it all.
I just bought my first boat, a 1995 Boston Whaler Dauntless 13. It needs a little work but big deciding factors were that I could afford it, I could tow it and I could garage it and my family fits on it. I can always upgrade later. The little Whaler will hold it's value, too.
Currently have a 22 foot Angler walkaround as my first boat. Upgrading to a Grady white 282 sailfish within a year.
Update going to a 36 foot wellcraft sport cruiser yacht
1st boat, 1984 Procraft Fish and Ski. We called it the "Ugly Duckling" with the faded brown flake paint job. Have upgraded to a 2016 Key West 210 Bay Reef set up for inshore fishing and it's awesome.
I have a Triumph 150cc powered by a 50 HP four stroke Yamaha and the boat is only 14ft and 10 inches. I take it 12 miles offshore all the time as I cannot stand inshore fishing which is usually too buggy with not much action (at least that has been my experience)... Some people think I am totally insane for running offshore on a such a small boat! But I have been doing this for more than 10 years and I am still alive. That said, I did have few close calls, and this one time I seriously thought I was going to get hit by lightening when I got caught in a very nasty storm! I just like the low maintenance cost and the practically of a small boat. Boating can be a VERY EXPENSIVE HOBBY so, I like to make it as affordable as I can. As a buddy of mine told me, one step down would be a canoe! LOL.. I can be offshore all day, catch some nice snappers like the big boats do, but only spend less than 20 bucks for gas. You just can't beat that!! -:)
Agree 100% Especially when you know what you are doing. A friend of mine go fishing offshore in a 17 foot whaler with no problems at all.
@@pino_7428 Even though I have a small boat, I have 2 chart plotters (one with an internal battery), sonar, 2 VHF radios (one handheld and one on the boat), 2 batteries, EPIRB beacon, plenty of water and ice and a full tank of gas, ALWAYS! As small as my boat is, it has a whooping 21 gallons internal gas tank and I have never managed to burn off more than half a tank! LOL... And of course, I always keep the engine in top notch shape along with everything else... Fishing is fun but going offshore is serious business, I never take it lightly!
I own a twenty five ft. Bayliner Trophy. This is the largest boat I have ever owned. It has a nine ft. five inch beam.
I believe this boat will allow me more comfort in rough seas.
We have a Finnmaster Pilot 7.0 w/F225 Yamaha. Live in Greenland. We sail in the fjords for fishing and hunting and between citys because there are no roads interconnecting between citys.
This is me right now, sold my 23 center console two months ago... saving up for a 28-30’.
GT 180 Glastron first time boat owner new to boating here and loving it whoohoo
Great vid! I live as an "alternative boater" but it's not a boat club per se...I live in Jacksonville, Florida, but love to fish offshore rather than inshore outside of my local area. The best boat for me is to simply rent what I want (usually 24-28' depending on the weather, wind and waves forecast) wherever I travel to in the part of the state I want to go offshore fishing when I'm able. Love the Stuart to Ft. Lauderdale stretch of water best, and I've been lucky to always find a rental somewhere in the neighborhood I'm heading to! Cleanup and maintenance have never been easier as well!
Scored a 1984 Chris craft scorpion 216 WA with a Johnson 235 for 1000 bucks rebuilt the transom myself thanks to your videos and had the motor cleaned up by a mechanic now I got a badass boat for very cheap❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I’ve got myself a 1976 Wellcraft deep-v project boat. If you remember, I commented a while ago that I had a 1966 Johnson 120 VRO OMC engine on it.
1966 Starcraft holiday I/o. 18’ with a 110 hp mercruiser and Mc-1 ABC outdrive. Picked it up 8 yrs ago as a basket case and spent two yrs making it useable. Have put roughly 150-200 hrs on it towing kids around on tubes, fishing, and just lake cruising.
Just bought a 2017 yamaha AR240, running it on the bays of Lake Michigan. It’s kinda good at everything. Love those Yamaha’s
Your video nailed it, it all depends on what you're doing and what size boat you need. We have a 24-ft shamrock center console fishing boat and live off of the St Johns River. When we're on the river the boat feels huge especially whenever going to some of the smaller marinas, but we also love visiting the Florida Keys and when we get a few miles out (Sombrero reef, ECT.) the boat starts to feel small real fast.
Thanks man
we started with a Stamas Sportfish with fly and did a restoration project for our first boat. Many of our choices in our most recent boat were influenced by that learning curve. While we had lots of fun and learning, we went with a 24ft CC that meets our needs for now as a family that does mostly near shore and some offshore fishing and also lake trips with tubing and such. I love the projects on your channel. Good memories.
Currently fully customizing my 1968 Bertram 25 express cruiser into a 28 island cab completely from the hull up big job but will be worth it in the long run
I currently have a 18.5’ Starcraft. Planning upgrading to a 36’-40’ saltwater fishing boat. You guys are great. Thank you for all the useful information.
I have a Grady white pacifica 22 ,in the planning stages,to lengthen hull,recess tabs, with pod to single outboard.,raise cuddy and mod to pilot house.. Thank you for sharing your insights, great contribution,to us all.Good job,mate
Very nice!
I started driving with a 30 ft flat bed at 18 as a tow truck driver😂they didn’t know I just got my license but I passed all the driving tests for the job needless to say it sure taught me how to drive vehicles ❤️
I have a 2005 Boston Whaler 305 Conquest. Perfect boat for me, its beamy, heavy, long, and powerful. I take it offshore fishing (off Northern Palm Beach County) for Tuna, Dolphin, and Sailfish.
Got my first boat brought a 1986 bayliner 2455 full renovation from top to bottom enjoying every second im on it will be going on the Thames here in London England your videos give me lots of info and ideas thanks
Right on!
Current boat is robalo r180. Love it ! 8 ft beam, high freeboard and wide gunwales
I’m on Florida intracoastal so its all i need
Perfect boat for you. If you want to go up and down the ICW, that's really all you need.
How is inshore fishing off that platform ?
Started by borrowing a 15 foot boat my friend hadn't used for years. After using it two seasons and feeling comfortable with maintaining it. I bought a used 19 foot Grady White tournament. It has been a very good boat.
I would like to upgrade to 2 foot larger just because the bigger size same model adds a toilet option. An important feature as a dad of two girls. But trailering and parking right now a 19 seems just right for our house.
I just purchased my first boat, a 1991 Sea Ray 200-OV cuddy, plan on cruising the near shore of the Great Lakes, and local larger inland lakes of Michigan
Was given a seanymph backtroller 165, replaced the deck, had a 9.9 Suzuki and now a df25 v-twin Suzuki. Love the boat great for lake and baie.
I'm new to boating and it has changed my life for the better, too much fun. I have a 16 foot bowrider and it fits my needs perfectly it is fast at 46 mph or 73 kmh, it is fiberglass so handles well and is quiet, I use it for fishing, water skiing and pleasure. I honestly would not want something bigger, I've been 6 on this boat and it still handled well. I think people underestimate how important engine power is. I'm at the max at 90hp merc 4 stroke, sweet engine. We were 5 adults and had no problem at all pulling a skier out of the water. Performance is very important to me, this boat has it. Instead of having a bigger boat that is underpowered would be a huge disappointment for me. Also towing a 16 foot is easy don't need a truck which I don't want. Have a x3 3.5 and no problem. Usually it's just my wife and I so tons of room. I would never ever buy an inboard, too much hassle and I live in Canada so an outboard is extremely easy to winterizing. Also I'm always on a lake, a large one, not the great lakes, surely if I was on the ocean I would have a minimum 26 foot with 2 engines, but I'm not on the ocean, I would go on the gulf of Mexico if the water was calm with my 16 foot, even 2 foot swells on my lake is manageable, but I see larger boats going faster in rough weather, so choose your poison guys, bigger is not always better and is so much more expensive, not worth it for me. A pontoon is a dock with a motor and are boring as %^&8 to drive and you need a big truck to tow them, they are massive out of the water. Be safe and have fun.
Also guys don't forget most of the multi million dollar yatchts have a tender boat for fun and transportation to the shore, they are 13 to 21 feet in length.
1st boat before I was born was a 1984 Chris craft... our 2nd boat was a 1998 proline 241... our current boat is a 2007 boston whaler 285 conquest. we also like the albemarle 36 Express
I have an 05 305 Conquest from Whaler. Great boats. The Albemarle 36 is indestructible.
We would love to have a Albemarle 36 but there so expensive! there's a 2017 on yacht world for like 489,000 or something crazy like that... I really like it tho... im also only 13 so kinda cant afford that yet
I just bought a 16 foot princecraft haven't had a boat for 20 years looking forward to going out with the family and fishing again
My first and current boat is a 1984 Carver Monterey 2687. I love my boat but I want bigger now that I'm comfortable with boating
First Boat: 3.80meter Yamaha 20HP Dingi
Second Boat: 4.70meter Zodiac 60HP RIB
New ordered for 2021: 5.40meter (18") 100HP Highfield Aluminium RIB
Spot: Lake Constance Germany (and yes the new Highfield 100HP is a little bit oversized)
One of your better shows yet!! Size does matter!!
Thanks!
Just moved up to a Formula 31PC this year. Big upgrade from the Fourwinns 225 sundowner that I had previous!
Congratulations!
@Blasian Babies I don't like them that much, but that's my opinion... I'd say the Grady Freedom 325 is your best bet. New or used, they're the best 31-32' family cruising boat.
@Blasian Babies Formulas are the go-fast boat, for sure!! I don't really follow racing boats that much, because my primary mission on the water is ocean fishing for tuna, dolphin, wahoo, etc.
@Blasian Babies If you're willing to spend the money- the build quality and design are top notch for the type of boat they are.
Very good video. I am one that started with an 18ft center console and then as we added kids to the family upgraded to a hydra sports 230 walk around. Great family boat but knowing now what I know and exactly what your video explained, I wish I'd have gone bigger cuz I'm always caught in between waves and on rough days offshore fishing is a no go or brutal to say the least. I'm sure lots of viewers will benefit from this information. Again thanks for your video.
Thanks for sharing!
How long is the hydra?
@@xd-metal9026 23ft
@@josecapablanca2351 👍
All the lakes and rivers that I would boat on a 20-23' boat with an I/O is ideal. Either a early 2000s Sea Ray or four Winns is my dream boat. Plus launching and retrieving that size boat would be pretty easy to do. The cuddy cabin suits my needs the most. I can ski behind it. Have a cabin to take a nap in. Or just get out of the sun for a while. After being done waterskiing or swimming I can go into the cabin to change into my clothes. On a couple occasions i would have a boat full of people. The other times i would solo boat.
I currently use a modified Saga 27, as I'm 6'6" tall I had to raise the hull by a foot, on the occasion all the equipment was redone as well as all the electrics, now it's comfortable to live on, for one single big enough
I go boating everywhere in Florida, I have a 15' jet boat that drafts 8" when static and like 2" on plane! It can get through some INCREDIBLY shallow water!
It fits in my single car garage and is easy to move around! It's perfect for me and my family and for what I do, which is pleasure boating/watersports!
what boat is this? I haven't seen many 15' jetboats typically the 19' and 21'
@@youtuber19435 seadoo speedster 150. I had one
@@youtuber19435 probably the Boston whaler rage series.
I just bought my first boat a few months ago from its original owner, a 1989 14.5 foot open-deck style deep V-hull boat for 1,300$CAD. The owner kept the mechanics for his pontoon which had a blown engine, so I also found the mechanics for it for 700$CAD (a 1988 Johnson 50hp VRO with power trim, oil reservoir and controls). I found out that I needed to replace the power trim's motor and reservoir. I then found a complete power trim for a newer year for 200$CAD, which I'll put INSIDE of my boat right above the bilge pump and have the "brake lines" go to the cylinder of my original power trim. (which is what I wanted to do in the first place anyways). I need to add probably 700$CAD or so of stuff into it (EVA foam instead of carpet, a radio, a proper electrical system, and in the future redo the upholstery in my color scheme as well as I don't like the gray/red color scheme) but it'll still be below my 3,000$CAD goal especially if I resell the empty hull and trailer from which the 1988 Johnson engine came from.
As a sidenote; I have for about 600$CAD worth of stuff to put on the boat to make it fully functional (including electricals, radio, eva foam, etc). The only thing not included is the battery, because I'll probably just use a car battery... Unless theres a need for a proper marine battery, which I don't see why as I remove it every time I'm done fishing, it starts my engine every time with no trouble and my boat has a fabric covering up the area where the battery/bilge pump/electronics is... so no chance of water hitting it either.
Afflicted with the 2 foot disease. Over my years of having great times with a fiberglass hole in the water to put money in, Started with 16’ then 18’ then 21 then 23 then traded to 21’ pontoon (moved to smaller water) moved again to bigger water 23’ tritoon
Picked up my first boat, a used SeaPro 208Bay boat a couple years ago & I’m glad I went with the 20’. Small enough for me to launch and recover onto the trailer alone & learn how to handle it at the docks. Big enough I can fit 5-6 friends onboard for a nice day at the sand bar or just me and a couple of the guys fishing the bay or coastal inshore areas.
1:42 love hearing you say boats in that accent over and over. Another pearler.
2015 170 montauk. Super easy trailering, launching, sips gas fits in my garage, and has landed 2 tarpon solo up to 125!pounds by the Sanibel bridge
Just bought my 1st boat this summer. I live in AZ so I spend most of my time on local lakes. My family is young and not old enough for watersports so we bought a 14 yr old 22' performance boat to go fast (cruse ~ 35-45 and top out ~70) and hit the sandbars.
My first boat is a 2021 Bayliner Trophy 22CX. If you're looking for a boat to accommodate little ones' comfort along with fishing. This is the boat for you.
Moved to Savannah, GA 5 years ago from North Texas where we fished lakes. Bought a 1986 Wellcraft V-20 Fisherman in the early spring of 2019 and have restored it to near perfect condition thanks to your channel. We've taken it out about 40 miles on decent days but take a pretty good pounding as you mentioned in this smaller boat. A 20 minute run in the sounds around here isn't too bad but much more than that makes you wonder if you're actually having fun or just trying to prove something haha. Thanks for the great content!
Thank you for sharing your feedback!
I'm looking at getting a 21ft Boston Whaler Dauntless to pull double duty for fishing and family.. With a 14" draft she will get into skinny enough water for my freshwater needs, but handle the inshore and near shore trips in the gulf as well
I have a 21` ryds trimaster from 1974. 60hp single Johnsson from 88. Perfect for fishing. And the cost of about 1500$ purchase and a 200/year maintenance is amazing
1978 wellcraft V20 with a C150 yami pre-mix
Being a first time boater is definitely a factor and drives the make/model, size and cost. I have a 2013 21' CC Proline with a Yamaha 150 with 148 hours. Yes, that is correct. Due to my demanding job that pays for the boat i can hardly use it and that is becoming a problem. The way i see it. God willing i will use it more when i retire. Cheers..
First boat 1979 19' glasply with 175 Suzuki 4 stroke does awesome in the waters of southeast Alaska
i operate and co own a 85 foot WWII army air core crash boat the p-520
I have a 17foot tri hull boat its a 1968 boat we restored it and I put a 2018 150hp mercury on it and we use it to tube a ski with we love it
The best size boat ís the one that fulfills your boating needs.The bigger the boat the more things to haul around and Repair cabins in the south rarely get used and end up moldy.Triple engines cost more to buy and use for small speed gains. The more you spend the less you will use it
AquaSport 175 - great first boat
Have 23’Ft KEYWEST Bluewater and it’s a great boat for both sandbars and fishing.
Just started watching this channel, Great Job really good content. I have been a member of local boat clubs and boating since 1976 and your content I would recommend for anyone getting into boating. There are two things I would mention with regard to this particular video. And you kind of touched on them. If you're familiar with "Scope creep" then "Boat Creep" will make sense. I have witnessed this and participated in it so often I caution people on it. The tendency is the longer you boat and as funds become more available the evolution is to keep buying bigger boats. Most often the larger boats or higher investment boats tend to be less fun, more expensive, and more stressful. This is where we tend to downsize and actually find what we want.
You kind of dodged this next point. Most of the recreational boaters I know want to Fish, Ski, Cruise, etc . . . I suggest, make your best guess what you will do the most. Then find an overall boat that favors a priority without completely overlooking the other aspects of boating.
I got von a small RIB to a 16ft boat, to a 21ft Cabin boat, Back to a 20Ft Sessa Key Largo Deck with a small Cabin and big Lay down area in the Front.
You can have a great Time with 4-6 People and if you drink to much and you can overnight in the small cabin (with 2 people).
For me it fits perfect. Most of the Time im one the Rhine River ( Germany) and on the Holidays in Croatia.
I Think it also a Money Thing, when you re over 23~25ft you need much more Fuel ( Expensive in Germany) and even a Special Place to Store over Winter and so on...
Great video! I have a 32 Marinette that I am restoring on my channel. She is a cabin cruiser style and I am ready to hit the water in the spring once the interior is redone!
I bought my first boat last month. 21 ft Yamaha jetboat. It's a blast!
Neil hey check out OUT ON A REEF THE CROOKED PILOT HOUSE HIS FIRST BOAT WAS ON OF THOSE before he got the crooked pilot house his early vids are him going to the Bahamas with it you can asked him question he will answer you he goes by Capt Crooked JT 🇺🇸🇺🇸🐟🐠🎣🛥🌴⛱😊😊🙏🏻🙏🏻
My ideal size I’m looking at getting is a 17’ x54” semi-V jon boat with floatation pods and a 40hp surface drive lol
Big enough to haul a few guys and hunting gear, get in shallow water but still be bigger lake and Missouri River running safely. But not too big like a 20’ boat that is hard to hide while hunting and a pain to haul around. But I’ve spent plenty of hours behind the controls of a 26’ Bayliner deck boat on the lake of the Ozarks!
I have a Nordkapp 705 R. It’s a Norwegian designed aluminium bow rider with a Evinrude G2 200HO. Perfect for Norwegian summers. 23 fot sharp V and 46 knots.
2020 Bennington tritoon 23sx with rear fishing seats and 200hp yamaha
I based my purchasing decisions based on will it fit my garage and can I pull it with my vehicle. I did not want to buy a large truck or pay for storage.
What boat did you get that fits in your garage? I've been thinking about doing this but haven't seen much people talk about it.
My boat is a 1991 Scout 17 CC , my first bay boat. It follows your advice in size, price, and beater status.
Love my 92 sea ray Sundancer 300 on Lake Erie! Keep it up,love the videos
I love my Sea Ray 200BR with the 5.7 Mercruiser!
Macgregor 26X. Needs only 9 inches of water, sleeps 6, sails all day or motors on plane, easy to trailer, cheap on gas. Absolutely perfect. Note it can't do all those things at once, for example if you're sailing you need the centerboard down so you need 5ft of water, if you have 6 people on board then you won't get on plane with the little 50 hp Honda (though some people put a 90 2-stroke on them...)
Just got my first boat a few months ago. It’s a 1979 Sea Nymph 14 foot v bottom with a 1987 Mercury 25hp outboard. Family and I named her Lil Guppy.
Went from an 18 foot key west to a 30 ft Boston whaler
Nice! I got a 30 foot Boston Whaler as well!! What model do you have?
@@benjigans1419 305 Conquest
@@davidtangen9611 that’s what I have! I got a 2005, just repowered it with twin 350 Verados from the Original 250 verados that it came with.
Used to do 18-20 mph at 4450 rpms, now I regularly do 28-31 at the same rpms.
I beefed up the transom before the repower, and have had no issues with the structure of the transom.
Must be nice
@@benjigans1419 I have twin 225 optimax. We get 25 to 26 mph at 4250 rpm
I have a 97 16 fish master sportcraft center console with a 75 Mercury great little boat for the Barnegat Bay here in new jersey i love your channel keep up the great videos i learned alot from them⚓🚤
Currently have a 17 Mako Pro Skiff
Absolutely love it!
Another thing to consider is the size of the women you are hauling, makes a big difference in draft. If you're lucky and have a tight little spinner, a jetski is all you need. But if you have a big sea cow like me, then a container ship or bulk carrier will suffice.
I have a Starcraft Offshore 18. Love it
18ft 'figlass warrior' here in newzealand first boat was cheap enough paid in cash and still safe on our rough lakes .being an apprentice marine tech great to learn on also
I have a 2005 Sea Fox 22 I got it years ago. I think i am ready for a largest boat. thank you for the video i’ve been learning a lot.🤙🏻
Glad I could help
i building and designing a 12ft wooden boat with 28hp suzuki. can't wait to take it out to the waters
My first Boat Edge Water 158CS. Still have, and I love it.
My family has a 1966 Starcraft jet star. With a 1986 Yamaha 50ELJ outboard on it.
I have a 13.5 foot boat with a suzuki 25 fourstroke on the the boat. It runs with 1 person 33 mph and with 4 persons 28 mph. Hoga rodd 410s
I have a Norwegian Fjordling 18HT with 24° V hull with a water ballast system that drains when going up on plane.
I bought a 19 ft bayliner capri new back 1994. Still have it, it does everything I want it to do. Does good in ICW of VA.
shoot, i drive a 12' whaler with a 30 horse on the ocean almost every day.
i love that boat its fun.
save on boat yard fees with a trailer makes a yuuge difference
Save on trailering headaches with indoor high and dry storage! That’s what’s made a yuuge difference to me. 😀
Little 1991 16’ Redfin with a 1989 88 spl on it beats me to hell on a rough day but I ain’t worry about scratching it or bumping things
I got a 8 foot speed boat with a Yamaha 9.9 2 stroke. I payd 3k for it and i have so mutch fun, so you dont need a 30 foot to have fun:)
Funny. I took my 1999 23foot Kencraft into the ocean for the first time, and realized, I really want my Robalo R305 WA with twin Yamaha 300s...
I have 22" deck boat that I use to go fishing and diving up to 7 miles out shore when. weather is good
is good
My deck boat kinda does it all fish , ski , dive cruise it's set back is it sprays hard but that is not a big deal unless it's real rough
Robalo R200, upgraded from Boston Whaler 17’ Montauk - use in Northeast -Cape Cod ocean / We keep it on the trailer & can launch anywhere.
My wife and I consider our boat to be a cottage without grass. Yeah, it never leaves the slip and when we do leave the slip we take the inflatable.
I have a 2020 Wellcraft 262 Fisherman With scarab offshore and twin verado 250 v8’s
we had a boat just like the one you had in the video a mako 211 but we got very lucky and traded up for a 88' donzi 33 cuddy it runs good and will be ready for those winter sailfish
Definitely buy a boat that you can trailer without having to deal with permits. Look at mooring rates for different sizes also. $500 more for a 28foot vs 27foot at my lake.