Recommend a boat

gpduxbak

Six Pointer
I’m interested in a possible boat purchase in the future. I’m pretty sure I want a center console. Mainly looking to bass fish with it but would like the option of fishing the ICW. Leaning towards aluminum but not opposed to fiberglass. How does aluminum perform in the salt? Looking in the 18 to 20’ range more than likely. I’m a newbie so any suggestions would be appreciated.
 

Wildlifer

Old Mossy Horns
Loaded question with many variables. You’re question should really be as specific as possible to intended use, exactly how you plan to use it and where. Budget is going to be a huge factor. As stated right now you’ll get options from Jon boats to bay boats.
 

TH80

Eight Pointer
I have an aluminum center console and I fish salt water a lot and see a lot of aluminum boats when fishing. I have no complaints with mine. I wash mine and flush the motor after every trip. If you go aluminum make sure it’s welded. You’ll regret rivets eventually
 

gpduxbak

Six Pointer
I have an aluminum center console and I fish salt water a lot and see a lot of aluminum boats when fishing. I have no complaints with mine. I wash mine and flush the motor after every trip. If you go aluminum make sure it’s welded. You’ll regret rivets eventually

What brand is your boat?
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
I have a 2016 maycraft 1800. Have been all over the country with it both fresh and saltwater. It’s the best all around boat I’ve ever had. When I got it there were still a few decent areas to duck hunt. Now it only sees freshwater and all I do is bass fish out of it. It will be up for sale soon as I don’t really have any saltwater needs for it now. That is a great make of boat for what you are describing.
 

Vannoyboy

Eight Pointer
I have a center console SeaArk and it is a good made boat. It is an older model but unless they have cut the thickness or welding in the last few years you will be hard pressed to find a better boat, IMO
 

Infamous1

Eight Pointer
I am a Carolina Skiff fan myself. I was wanting an aluminum boat to gig out of and fish ICW but got talked into a fiberglass boat. My mistake was going DLV instead of DLX but I loved my my 2019 198. It just would not float as shallow as my 2005 boat and was not quite as balanced. I just recently sold it for what I paid for it new. I will purchase another Carolina Skiff when the mood strikes me again.
 

dc bigdaddy

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
question: how big are you and how big are the folks that will be fishing with you.

I have a 20 ft Xpress and it's small with 3 or 4 head. I'm big and my teenage boys are big. The wife has basically quit going.

Some one will tell you that all manufacturers are good and then there's those that swear such and such isn't worth a crap.

Find a service department that you like and see what they sell.

Motor wise. I had a Suzuki and I have a Yamaha. At this moment I wouldn't pay the difference for the Yamaha and I had to have it on my current boat.

I went with the side console. It give you more room in the middle of the boat. It makes the boat lean while driving if you're by yourself. Plus you are sitting down lower in the boat so your view might be obstructed more. But you don't have to walk around that console.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I went with the side console. It give you more room in the middle of the boat. It makes the boat lean while driving if you're by yourself. Plus you are sitting down lower in the boat so your view might be obstructed more. But you don't have to walk around that console.

I really like the side console. It keeps the floor open.
What I found was the center console just has a spread thst takes up way to much floor. There is no room for a cooler and still be able to get around with the CC.

As for the lean only time I see it is loading the boat. It will lean a little but I found a cooler on the other side or some water in the livewell will help that when I fish on my own.
 

Deerhuntr

Ten Pointer
Sounds like an xpress or G3 bay boat would be right up your alley based on your intended use for a new boat. Both brands are good.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Every boat is a compromise. Aluminum is cheaper, lighter, less engine cost, easier towing, and durable for rough terrain, but the ride can get rough when it's choppy. Skiffs are also relatively light weight and can pushed by a smaller engine, less durable on rocks and oysters, flat bottom skiffs go very shallow, but also can be a rough ride . They hold a lot of people, and cost is comparable to aluminum. Fiberglass bay boats are heavier, take a bigger, more costly engine to push, bigger trolling motor, but the ride is much smoother than either of the other two, and they often have more features. They are faster, but draw more water and can get tricky at low tide with oyster bars, sand bars, etc. The cost is significantly more than the other two.

There are so many tradeoffs, just choose whatever you want for what you will use it for the most, and deal with the shortcomings for the other uses. There are some good options in all 3 categories now.
 

nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
I bought this one last March...It is a 19ft JLS Carolina Skiff...I wanted something I could fish these Piedmont Lakes with as well as put in around Manteo and catch speckled trout...It's not perfect but is better in larger waters than my Bass Tracker was...

I chose it because Carolina Skiff finally came out with a V-Hull...

It has a 115 Suzuki, 2 Hummingbird Helix depthfinders, one a 8 and the other a 7 and an 80 pound thrust Minn Kota with the Spot Lock...It costs around $32,000...

Is that a fortune???
 

Attachments

  • CE1CA774-58CD-499D-BC16-9D9C5B46D3DC.jpeg
    CE1CA774-58CD-499D-BC16-9D9C5B46D3DC.jpeg
    273.3 KB · Views: 39

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Define a fortune???

What is a lot to one fellow isn't to another...
True. A stranger at the boat ramp this spring was talking about the cost of a particular boat at the dock, and he said "That boat probably cost more than my house!" I replied, "That depends on how much your house cost." He seemed to get a little upset after that and let me know he didn't live in a dump.

It seems like sellers of all kinds have the upper hand over buyers at the moment.
 

nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
Don't you just love to piss people off like that!!! The older I get the more I can...

Honestly, I could have bought a used boat for 10-15k and been happy, but, we have grandkids and when I mentioned to the wife that I was thinking of buying a bigger boat, she was all in!!! :)
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I bought this one last March...It is a 19ft JLS Carolina Skiff...I wanted something I could fish these Piedmont Lakes with as well as put in around Manteo and catch speckled trout...It's not perfect but is better in larger waters than my Bass Tracker was...

I chose it because Carolina Skiff finally came out with a V-Hull...

It has a 115 Suzuki, 2 Hummingbird Helix depthfinders, one a 8 and the other a 7 and an 80 pound thrust Minn Kota with the Spot Lock...It costs around $32,000...

Is that a fortune???
Thats a good boat.
I went with a Seaark because it fit my type of fishing better.
Cost me about 5k less and still.does everything I want it to do. Been very happy so far.
You will be hard pressed to get a boat under 25k in these days. Most are in the 30 to 40k.
I looked at some 20 foot seaarks that the boat uses the same platform but more upgrades. They were 45 to 55k

On of the guys I know went from a 65k boat back to a 40k boat. He found all the built in extras were not what he wanted. It required larger motor, heavier boat less fishing room and not what he wanted for his type of fishing.

Funny all thess catfish guys have boats with 6 seats and when you talk to them it is a 2 or 3 man team fishing max. Thats one of the extras. More seats you never use.
 

dc bigdaddy

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
True. A stranger at the boat ramp this spring was talking about the cost of a particular boat at the dock, and he said "That boat probably cost more than my house!" I replied, "That depends on how much your house cost." He seemed to get a little upset after that and let me know he didn't live in a dump.

It seems like sellers of all kinds have the upper hand over buyers at the moment.

exactly, I'm in the commercial construction business. I've worked on pricing buildings from $10k to $100 million. It's all about what angle you are looking at it from. A million dollars is a lot of money to some folks, but to others, it's pocket change.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Look at a ranger intercoastal, those high sided skiffs are hard to fish out of in the wind
That's what my BIL has and it's a good compromise boat, does good in bay waters for the most part and is comfortable in fresh water. It comes with a lot of extras that some of the others that have been mentioned may not, or you'd pay extra to be outfitted for.
It's got alot of that "ranger" look to it and that appeals to some and turns other's off, they tend to be underpowered as a package unit.
 

kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
I bought this one last March...It is a 19ft JLS Carolina Skiff...I wanted something I could fish these Piedmont Lakes with as well as put in around Manteo and catch speckled trout...It's not perfect but is better in larger waters than my Bass Tracker was...

I chose it because Carolina Skiff finally came out with a V-Hull...

It has a 115 Suzuki, 2 Hummingbird Helix depthfinders, one a 8 and the other a 7 and an 80 pound thrust Minn Kota with the Spot Lock...It costs around $32,000...

Is that a fortune???
Looks like a fortune to me😃
 

JONOV

Twelve Pointer
Thats a good boat.
I went with a Seaark because it fit my type of fishing better.
Cost me about 5k less and still.does everything I want it to do. Been very happy so far.
You will be hard pressed to get a boat under 25k in these days. Most are in the 30 to 40k.
I looked at some 20 foot seaarks that the boat uses the same platform but more upgrades. They were 45 to 55k

On of the guys I know went from a 65k boat back to a 40k boat. He found all the built in extras were not what he wanted. It required larger motor, heavier boat less fishing room and not what he wanted for his type of fishing.

Funny all thess catfish guys have boats with 6 seats and when you talk to them it is a 2 or 3 man team fishing max. Thats one of the extras. More seats you never use.
It's the style of fishing as much as anything else. Bass boats are great for bass fishing, standing up casting all day. Catfishing, I'd rather not have the reels at foot level, that's why the guys like the bigger tub-style. Basically it's like a multi-species boat that's more impervious to stumpknocking.
 

JJWise

Twelve Pointer
I have a 19’ Aluminum Excel Stalker center console with a 90Suzuki on it. I bought it mainly for duck hunting but I’ve been fishing out of it a lot as well and love it. I take it on the sounds and the wider parts of the Nuese regularly and haven’t had an issue even in some rougher water. I rinse the motor out after each use and haven’t had an issue in the salt so far.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I'm hoping to buy a boat sometime next year or the following year. I'm hoping Covid to be over and people who bought boats during this pandemic will view them as expensive on-the-water clothes racks. Sitting there in the garage unused next to the treadmill.
I feel sure when people need to start back paying their own bills there will be a bunch of boats and other items for sale.
 
Top