What size boat?

[smittyballz]

I just got a 17.5 foot 1988 larson with a 125 hp force engine on it. I bought it for 600 bucks down the cape and have so far since I am new at this put 600 dollars into fixing it up.. and also forgot to put oil in the gas and now have had to put a whole new head on it. Which is costing me 700 bucks. It was a total cost with a couple other odds and ends of about 2000 bucks and its perfect for fishing and heading out anywhere....

[Circlehook]

Thanks guys, awesome response. I don't have kids, I have a Chevy Trailblazer 4X4, so I was trying to find a large enough boat to be able to chase fish, yet still be able to tow it home. I beleive a 9' beam is the max for towing? Anyway, I really like the 23' 's I have seen, and I am hoping to get it under $20-25K. If I can get a good enough deal, i might look into getting a slip. I am not married, so the only hooks I have are on my plugs............What better way for a 27yr old to spend his money???

[tide hunter]

Look into a used 23' Sea Craft (if you can find one). Best 23' hull ever. Like one of the earlier posts, I agree, Used boat, new power. If you can get hold of a nice hull and repower with a Suzuki 250 4 stroke, you will have a SWEEEET boat. 25K should be doable. I also like the idea of taking a few charters for the reasons mentioned. Here's a link to a finishd one Saw this at the boat show last year. AWSOME http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1671905/0 Also Check Out http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...=Stern&photo=2

[capesams]

20'er's are the best all round bay/ocean,and this depends on how your mind set goes as far going offshore[miles].

semi-v bottom...great stable fishing platform, but will beat you to death in any chop.Easy on gas as it doesn't take allot of power to get it to move and stay on top.

deep-v....cuts chop/slop/white caps like it's even not there, but takes more power to move it.some say they roll more, but I dought you even notice after a few trips.

once you cross the line from a 20' and go to a 23', be warned , you'll need twice the truck to pull it,,much larger trailer, twice the gas use.

I'd stick with a 20'er....deep-v.....after owning 20-23's,semi and deep-v's.

[JohnR]

Hi Steve - based on your comment - you didn't sell the Sinkcraft, did ya?

Junior graduate college yet?

[JoeyM]

just remember these words, "buying the boat, is the cheap part"

i wanted to move up, and moved up less than i originally planned too. i'm glad i did. even though we have boated for a long time, you still can't believe the bills and repairs that come up (and i do most of the work myself).

please budget a lot of money for repairs and upkeep (even if you get a brand new boat). and dont forget the crazy gas prices.

i got my bigger boat right when prices when up, and my fuel bill last year was into the 5 digit territory.

did it hurt, yeah it did. but because i bought less boat than i thought i could originally afford (and bought a good used boat), it was manageable.

[capesams]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Hi Steve - based on your comment - you didn't sell the Sinkcraft, did ya?

Junior graduate college yet?

Hell no on both accounts....jr. wants 2-3 more years on top of the 4 he's already got[god help me] and I'm to stubborn to give up my petrel...although buying fish at the market would far cheaper for shore then hanging on to it.

[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by capesams

20'er's are the best all round bay/ocean,and this depends on how your mind set goes as far going offshore[miles].

semi-v bottom...great stable fishing platform, but will beat you to death in any chop.Easy on gas as it doesn't take allot of power to get it to move and stay on top.

deep-v....cuts chop/slop/white caps like it's even not there, but takes more power to move it.some say they roll more, but I dought you even notice after a few trips.

once you cross the line from a 20' and go to a 23', be warned , you'll need twice the truck to pull it,,much larger trailer, twice the gas use.

I'd stick with a 20'er....deep-v.....after owning 20-23's,semi and deep-v's.

T'is what I did. Over four to five years, I looked at probably forty some hulls. (all used) I did not want a project boat, and patience was well worth it. I found a beautiful 1993 Grady White 209 Escape center console, with a '93 Yamaha 200. Survey backed up what I thought of it, that it was hardly used, and well maintained. Trailer and electronics were a bonus, Garmin 188c was new last year, with full NE chip. Some guys on the board saw it last weekend.
My seatrial was a run from Marblehead to Cuttyhunk and back last weekend, and that hull was solid. (Not that it was a comfortable ride home in a 20k NE blow with 2-4ft chop....) Engine has low hours/yr and boat had 7+ years of maintenance records from Ryan Marine and Baerts.
Previous owner moved up to a 24' Regulator. So knowing boat owners is as important as knowing the boats and the brokers. He was anal and it shows in the details of work he had done. Timing is everything. After educating yourself by looking at a lot of boats, you'll know when to pull the trigger.
As for costs, it is what it is. And it's always more than what you expected it to be.