TALKING BOATS

[chevy01234]

Justin, another thing to think about is what you will be towing a large boat with! Most folks with big boats have big trucks for a reason! Just don't forget to take in truck fuel mileage as well as wear and tear into consideration when getting a boat designed!

This is coming from experience!

[Chuckle12]

1860 center console with a 90-115 on the back. Anything bigger and you'll get almost no use out of it here. This size is big enough to get you "offshore" within site of land, as long as you're smart abou the weather, with minimal electronics. Like what everybody else said, there is no "do all" boat. If you want to hunt the river, ox bows and marsh anything over 18' gets to be a real pain to hide in most locations. Conversely, if you really want to go "offshore" you're gonna need 24" with twins or at least a kicker. Have you checked out Bankes? The Freedom would be a good choice for you. It will do what you want, especially diver and sea ducks. Also, Lynn's Custom Welding in Vicksburg can build whatever you want. The build boats for wardens and the coast guard. He builds one hell of a boat.

[Chuckle12]

Jack plates don't really hinder performance, they actually help with top end speed. But they're usually not needed with the type of boats we're talking about here unless you have a long shaft on a short transom or vice versa. More of a creature comfort than a necessity. They can actually cause cracking and structural weakness of your transom if used incorrectly.

[H20fowlkiller]

Im with Kris on this, there is no such thing as a shallow water boat that will go offshore conistently. Now not really knowing you personally but following your posts and threads on here I believe this is kind of what you need assuming your going to be doing more undguided hunts.
http://www.refugeforums.com/refuge/show ... p?t=815473

Also remember this: Its better to go bigger and drag pirogues or canoes behind to go skinny, that going with too small of a boat.

[Denduke]

Here's a White Water 21' wit 200 horse(2.5mpg?) with double jackplates(can raise 10"). Has double bottom but not double sides if that makes any sense(guess I mean that's rolled gunnel vs lined). Anyway, lighter for towing/speed(58mph). Goes purdy shallow. Canopy was added later. Justa thought...


Can't believe all the seriousness here for this gator character....
Here's the deal...a combo! You can even hide the midgets!
Later DL

[Kealhofer]

get a Skeeter 22' Bay Boat or around that size with a 250 4-stroke. That is a close to a do it all boat you will find. It is what most of the guides in south La use b/c they can fish anything with it.

[quack_a_tack]

My personal opinion is you sound kinda like me except I want somethin to fish out of on the coast instead of hunt divers. I do however want somethin I can hunt, fish and pull a knee board for the family. I have decided on an F&F when my finances allow. I like the 1864 center console mod v hull. It is small enough to negotiate some timber, yet big enough to run in the river and in the Delta and shorelines on the coast. On calm days of coarse. I have been out in the gulf in 6-10 ft swells in a 54 ft sportfisher and it was not a fun ride, so an aluminum boat= hell naw. But get 26-30 in sides and it would be fine on moderate days close to shore. Also the bigger the less fuel conservitve it will be, I would prob. go with a 115hp four stroke. may get 4-5mpg out of it cruisin. Like I said just my opinion and thoughts. Oh and if you gonna do alot of towing go ahead and get a tandem axle trailer you can thank me later.

[Jeff]

Gator, first off in my opinion the perfect boat to do everything you listed doesn't exist.

A boat that will handle Pat Pitt's stories of sea duck hunting and at the same time drafts less than 8" of water isn't in existince.

However there are several boats that will come close. My reccomendation...........

FIrst bring Magellan and your other two decoys and spend a few days in Venice with me during duck season. You can see what I run which is just a standard bay boat with a few modifications. Then I have three freinds that you need to see their rigs as they will likely show you what you want. I have a freind that lives on the coast thats a Machinist that built his own boat and it's likely what you want. He hunts in Venice when he isn't chasing goats.

Anyway, buy the longest boat you can store. I have never been in 5' seas and said I wish my boat was smaller. If you are going in big water get twin motors. Shallow water get a jack plate (I don't have one and rarely have I wished I have one and I am in 1' or less a LOT). Go Aluminum but get heavy aluminum as if you get in sloppy stuff heavy boats while not going 70 mph will ride better. If strictly a duck hunting adventure boat consider something you can enclose even if it's just plastic around a center console it's much nicer in the winter. Lastly again decide where you will use it and consider radar.


Do come down and hunt this year if I ever get to hunt any..