Bay Boat?????

[Meeka]

By the way, mine floats in water mid-shin deep. If you are already up, then it will run in that. Its the sittin down and gettin up that are hard. And it is easier to push aluminum off a flat than it is fiberglass.

And though I have been to all the islands, and made one return trip that had me beggin and prayin the entire 6 hours back, Jeff is right - bay boats aint made for gettin out that far. Heck you can go in a 12 aluminum boat in great conditions. But its the changes in weather that get you, and weather is made to change. Anyway, those return trips across open water made me decide years ago not to do it. So I stay inside and fish lakes and bays and bayous and Breton Sound and Black Bay. And a bay boat is good for that. You can troll inside ponds for reds and troll under the birds and scoot to the rigs too.

Bay boats are the most versatile thing around, and most first timers get into one. But to do over, I would either get a true v-hull and forget shallow water and trolling (which I will never do) or get a wide long deep aluminum boat.

And do not expect to maintain a boat if you have kids AND dog train AND work AND hunt AND watch and play sports AND go to church, cause it aint worth it. The boat has to be number one, or else in the top four at least.

And about wood . . . it rots when it gets wet. Boats get wet. Now if the boat is number one on your list and you fool with it all the time AND you have had a boat with wood before, then get another. Or if you are only gonna keep the boat 3-5 years, then get one. If you are a firstime bigboat owner, definately get composite.

[stang67]

You just outlined why I wised up and forgot all about the dream of owning a nice expensive bay boat

[Hole Hunter]

Check out the Blazer Bay.
I saw one at the lake last weekend. Looked fast and had a lot of floor space.

[kris Schaumburg]

Do you have a particular price and size range you are looking for? I have run or ridden pretty much all the good ones. Do not get a "flats boat", the kind you sit down and drive w/ decks covering 90% of the boat unless you fish protected water 99% of the time. If you expand on your original message, I would be glad to make a suggestion or two. Unlimited budget and on the up-side of the size range I would go gravois (custom aluminum) followed closely by Pathfinder 22 or 24. The P-finder is fast, stable, shallow, and well laid out. The gravois covers most of the above w/ the added advantage of being indestructible.

[South Woods]

Kris, as far as size and price, 19'-24' and somewhere around $15-$16k, granted if it was something worth a little more for a deal might go a little more. Of course would love to be less. I am going to look at a few tomorrow. Please suggest away.

Meeka, thanks for offering your boat, but right now I want to stay away from wood.

Jeff, you didn't mention, or i missed, what boat you have.

Thanks all, and keep em coming, and if anybody else has a boat, please post up what you like and don't like about your boat. Andy

[MudHog]

Jeff owns a BayStealth.

Nautic Star is a good boat (layout wise) from what I've seen. I haven't personally rode in one though. Everglades is a boat comparable to the BayStealth far as hull design. I haven't rode in one, but followed one out in the water to a fishing hole and it seemed to handle the water very well. They seem to have a great layout as well.

I'd personally go with something around the 21' range, more so 21'-24'. Shop around and be pickey. Don't just buy the first one that looks good. Also, with summer starting to wind down, you may want to hold out until winter time to actually buy one. You may get a better deal during the "off-season" of boating. Only 'bout a month left of summer and then all the childern will be going back to school.

[photoshop]

My brother-n-law has an ActionCraft flats boat.It,s 19 foot with a 115.Seems to be a great all around boat.Tons of casting deck.Good price too.

Jeff(photoshop)

[Jeff]

Another point along with mudhog, you may wait till summer fishing season is over and see if you can get a "new" used boat. In my mind that is the way to go in purchasing a boat. THey are worse than cars with depreciation. If you look long enough, you will find a boat that someone bought that they couldn't use enough so they are selling it with low hours on it and under motor warranty. THen go have it cheked by a OB mechanic, test ride it ETC and then buy it. THat is how I bought my current boat and I literally saved $20,000 on it.

[South Woods]

Jeff and Mud Hog, your idea on end of summer is what i am shooting at. That is why i am getting geared up on educating myself a little from ya'll and fishing buddy or two.

Thanks again for the input, please don't hesitate to post back up with any more tips, or even leads. I will post back when I get one bought. Andy

[jtdumallard]

andy i see what your doing with your time and $$$ now. dont wanna duck hunt with us poor boys anymore. tell that bride of yours i said hello. you need to get up and shoot a few with us this year, fishin is for guys who cant hunt. always remember that. J?K

[mshunter77]

i will say this i just got back from cat island, we went out in a 17 foot polar and i was wishing the whole time we had abotu a 24 footer, it was pretty rough out there today and i am hurting now

[Jeff]

17' (or even 24' sometimes) at cat island this time of year and the wrong T-storm = Peein blood for a while.

[stang67]

Ouch -- my buddy here at work doesn't talk too fondly of going to Cat Island in his Contender much less a 17' Polar.

[Johnboy114]

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/3/8/85060338.htm

[MudHog]

andy i see what your doing with your time and $$$ now. dont wanna duck hunt with us poor boys anymore. tell that bride of yours i said hello. you need to get up and shoot a few with us this year, fishin is for guys who cant hunt. always remember that. J?K

Fishing is for hunters during the off season. So if you don't fish, then you must not hunt.