My Boat Delima

[Boat Newb]

I'm sure this has been asked before and if it has been thoroughly discussed and I missed it then I'm terribly sorry, but I'll try to give the best scenario as I can. I basically want you to pick a boat for me, kind of. #1 below is what I'm looking for and #2 is how I've answered #1 for myself. I'd like to see what you guys suggest for #1 and your opinions of #2.

1. As I mentioned in my intro thread, my wife is pregnant, so boat time is going to be limited soon. On that note, I'm looking for a small lake (Fellows, Lake Springfield, Taneycomo), non-motorized (yet), but can be, under $400, boat. Not because I don't want a nice fishing boat or ski or pontoon, because I do, but the current lack of storage, use, and I change my hobbies like most of us change underwear, I'm wanting to start small and cheap. This won't be going up creeks or streams nor will I be running it across the middle of Table Rock or similar lakes. It's primarily for putting along, getting my boat fix without risking divorce. I don't want to set a land speed record. I just want something usable and "entry" level.

2. So far, I've found a 16ft fiberglass Pelican with a square stern that I can mount a small motor to. It looks almost dead on with the pictures of a Pelican Bayou 160. This could be paddled for awhile while I decide on a motor. I've also found a Minn Kota Endura, 40lb thrust, stern mount, trolling motor. I'm thinking about easy maintenance here. I can acquire both items for less than $400 which makes the wife happy, is easy to store, and can sit while the baby takes priority for a while if the need be. What do you think/suggest???

[Al Agnew]

The Pelican will be serviceable for what you want to do. So will any square stern canoe (aluminum?). If you're wanting to save bucks, it's an option. Another option might be a used 10-12 ft. aluminum johnboat. Bass Pro sells them for $500 new, so you might find a used one within your price range. With a small trolling motor it would be a fishing machine. I owned a 12 foot johnboat when I was a kid, and fished every small lake around as well as floating it many miles down the local river, sometimes with two other guys and a mountain of camping gear.

[Boat Newb]

The Pelican will be serviceable for what you want to do. So will any square stern canoe (aluminum?). If you're wanting to save bucks, it's an option. Another option might be a used 10-12 ft. aluminum johnboat. Bass Pro sells them for $500 new, so you might find a used one within your price range. With a small trolling motor it would be a fishing machine. I owned a 12 foot johnboat when I was a kid, and fished every small lake around as well as floating it many miles down the local river, sometimes with two other guys and a mountain of camping gear.

Thanks for the reply. The only reason I'm leaning more towards a canoe is that I don't have to register it if I only paddle it, for the time being. The wife is wanting to avoid having to pay fees and such before the baby comes. I'm dying to go play on the water, but I'm too cheap to go rent something and renting brings me to my certification rant in the general section so I can't rent anything , but a canoe anyways. Maybe I'll go rent a canoe at Lake Springfield for now and just save my money until this spring. I've got a friend with a pontoon that needs a small part of the floor replaced and the console rebuilt for a terribly cheap price. Thats the way that I really want to go anyways, but a small water boat has it's perks too. I'm worse than a woman in a shoe store. lol.

[moguy1973]

As long as a small jon boat only has a trolling motor on it, it also doesn't need to be registered...

**edit**

Eh, my bad, it is just if it's only rowed or paddled that it doesn't need to be registered...

[Boat Newb]

It's official. I just had a guy agree to buy my Mustang tonight, so I now have $600ish to put towards a boat as far as play money. I may start looking more towards an aluminum v bottom or flat bottom. Craigslist seems to have a decent selection of smaller, but bigger than a canoe, boats for under $600.

[RSBreth]

It's official. I just had a guy agree to buy my Mustang tonight, so I now have $600ish to put towards a boat as far as play money. I may start looking more towards an aluminum v bottom or flat bottom. Craigslist seems to have a decent selection of smaller, but bigger than a canoe, boats for under $600.

If it's only you out there fishing get a decent cheap solo - either a used solo canoe or one of the Ascend fishing 'Yaks that are always outside the Bass Pro outlet store for a few hundred bucks. Get a good pfd and you're there. You might be able to find a really good use solo for 500-600 or so.

[hoglaw]

For what you're describing, your best option is going to be an aluminum john in my opinion. A canoe would be the most versatile AND if you ultimately upgrade to a bigger boat, you would still get use out of the canoe. But if you aren't going to do that much stream and river stuff, just sit back and wait until the right deal comes along. I found a 14' flat bottom in decent condition for $200 bucks during the off-season in Ft. Smith on craigslist. I carry it around on a canoe trailer, and it's heavy, but not so heavy that I can't flip it upside down and slide it on and off the racks by myself. Add a 50lb trolling motor plus a battery or two, and you're up in your $600 neighborhood if not a tad bit higher. The ONLY downsides of the john are that it's a little heavier and can be tough to load and unload if you aren't in decent shape, and paddling them is not an option. Maybe you could install oars or something, but you aren't going to get anywhere with a canoe paddle. This is a job for a trolling motor.

There is absolutely no reason to pay good money for the boat you're describing. You need a flat-bottom john that you can clamp a trolling motor onto, and some day a small outboard if you really want (though if you ever get to that stage, you'll probably want a bigger boat anyway). You can't take your wife or child out in a kayak. The canoe is the most versatile option and the most likely to still be with you in the long run, but it's not as good for company and just not as easy to stand up and walk around in as a nice long john.

Keep an eye on the paper and on craigslist. This is the best time of year to find these boats. Lots of folks just want them out of the yard. I guarantee you can find a servicable aluminum john that doesn't leak for $200.

[junkman]

20 years ago i bought a 10 foot jon boat for fifty dollars. was the best 50 dollars spent for it got used hundreds if not thousands of hours. had a old trolling motor that I used most of the time but was able to oar it if need be. never had a license on it. thought I was in trouble a few times when the game warden seen me for back then you needed a license on a trolling motor as well. I now have a 12 ft. heavy duty aluminum v bottom with a 9.8 Mercury that I use. I have about $400 in it and figure it will suit my needs for some time. Was a wild ride out in the middle of Stockton though. And it seems pretty slow when out on Truman, but for what I got in it,I'm not going to change any time soon.

[Boat Newb]

Guys, thanks for the replies. The guy that was supposed to buy my Mustang Tuesday couldn't make it until Wednesday, then never called or showed and I haven't heard from him today either. Just so happens today, A guy I somewhat know texted me wanting to know if I would trade my rolling chassis and parts for his boat so I went to look at it. He said it was a 1975 Glastron, but it's a Glassmaster. The drivetrain is in pretty good shape. It's a I/O Mercruiser 120hp. I think it's a 3.0. It's a 4 cylinder. He says it'll run close to 50 and pulls a tube just fine. He did start it and it fired right up and sounded good. We're supposed to trade Saturday. The wife wasn't happy until she saw it and we talked and she has given me permission to trade as long as I wait until spring to get it out on the water. The interior is a little rough as far as the seats go. He said his dad put a new floor in it 3 years ago and it was solid with my 260 pound butt in it. I forgot to get the model number off of it, but it seems like it's going to be a good little starter for us and I won't have any money in it with the exception of taxes and tags. Anyone ever owned an old Glastron/Glassmaster/whoever else made this style? Here's a pic: