Need help/opinions on the perfect family boat for me

[Timberwolf530]

Hi, newbie here, and I am just starting to research boats for family use. I am a fisherman who fishes bass tournaments, but I don't necessarily want a fish & ski bass boat. I've fished out of them, and they seem cramped to me. Not enough deck space. Also, they don't really have enough space for family acitivites either. They seem to make compromises in both applications instead of enhancing them. I think I can forgo the bass boat for now, and just concentrate on a general use family boat. I will be using it on indland lakes in the midwest. There are 5 people in my family, so I am looking at something that will fit all of us + a friend each for the kids, so around 8 comfortably. I will be trailering 95% of the time, so I don't want a pontoon. Plus, I hate the way they handle. I also want to stay away from jet boats. I want to stay under $20,000, so I'm looking at used obviously. A friend of mine has a boat with L shaped seating in the back, and I really like how this layout creates a lot of space in the boat. While I have seen some for sale, they don't seem to be that common. So, I guess after all that, what I am looking for is: a 19 to 21 footer ( I don't have the space for anything bigger), bowrider, L shaped seating in the back, good for pulling the kids skiing and tubing, and comfortable for general lake cruising. The brands I've seen so far with the seating configuration I like are: Mastercraft Maristar, Crownline, Tahoe, and (I think ) Four Winns. I'm assuming the Mastercraft is geared more toward skiing than the others, but will it handle the rough stuff as well? Also, any other suggestions on brands or models I should be looking out for would be appreciated. Oh, I also saw Tige has this configuration, but I am not familiar with that brand.

 

[oldjeep]

Mastercraft and Tige are ski/wake boats. I'd be looking for a deck boat with a fish and ski package since you said you don't want a pontoon.

Something like this (this is new but gives you an idea)
http://www.tahoeboats.com/boat/?boat=3632

 

[Slip Away]

Tighe and Mastercraft are ski boats, and will not be as good in rougher conditions as a deep V.

 

[Tnstratofam]

We bought a bowrider and tried to use it as a fishing boat as well, it wasn't well suited. I think Old Jeep is right a deck boat sounds better. For us a fish and ski worked out better.

 

[moosehead]

Other than the good deck boat suggestions above, you certainly are on the right track looking at bowriders as good if not great all-rounders. Your budget will also buy you a lot of boat in terms of quality and fitment.

We are a family of four and use ours for slalom skiing, wakeboarding, swimming, grilling, camping, and fishing. You'll be giving up some deck space and higher fishing chairs on a traditional bowrider, which a deckboat can address, but you can fish off a good swim platform and within the bow. Mounting a trolling motor can be a bit tricky but it's been done many times. No problem on a fish finder and rod holders, though you may need to stow a few rods below decks depending upon configuration. We use an oversize engine bay with wall mount to stow rods when not in use.

Good luck and let us know how your search goes, soon the season will tilt back towards buyer's favor as we get to Labor Day.

 

[Starcraft5834]

20ft range with Deep V, trailerable and you will appreciate the stability in less than calm days.. be patient.. condition, condition, condition...

 

[cjjjdeck]

Well, since you listed Tahoe, I guess I'll be the one to throw Hurricane deck boats into the mix. They have been building deck boats longer than any other manufacturer. The models over 19-20ft handle moderate chop well enough and they have models with fish packages. There are both outboard and I/O models. They are sometimes a bit hard to find used as Hurricane owners tend to keep their boats. I'm really pleased with mine. Here's a link to their website just so you can see what they are about.

http://hurricaneboats.com/

 

[java230]

I really like the look of the Robalo R207. Looks like a great mix of utility and cruiser to me. I haven't been in one personally, but it would be on my short list to look at if I were in the market.

 

[BRICH1260]

I suggest a deck boat.

 

[Fleetwin]

Perfect Boat

No such thing.

I will say that the more $$$ you spend, the better off your mind will be on its capabilities.

 

[thumpar]

A deck boat is probably the best for you however I do fish off my boat. It has a sunpad that I stand on so I can get a good view. You probably just need to get out there and look at the different things available. Keep in mind your first boat will most likely not be the boat you stay with for too long. We spent 7 years with our old boat as I made a list of the things I wanted in a new(er) boat. The boat we have now fits us perfectly.

 

[jestor68]

Let me put it this way; I bought a new 23 ft deck style boat in 1996. I still have it.

In all the years, it's the only boat I kept for this long.

The seating of a pontoon, with the performance of a regular boat, with space on the bow for a trolling motor. It does everything.

 

[aspeck]

I was in your shoes. Kept my eyes open and found a nice 19 ft Dual Console rigged with a 9.9 trolling/kicker motor, and electric trolling motor, set up for electronics, etc. Wife likes the ride on the lake since it is made with a deep V for waves and it has plenty of gunwale for the safety of kids/grandkids/passengers. I came with a pedestal mounted seat in the front for ease of fishing. Has a bait tank and live well in the back. Only thing missing was back seats and storage. Padded coolers solved that problem.

Kids love to ski and tube from her. Wife likes to cruise, and I have a boat that I can fish out of and is easy to clean up!

 

[redneck joe]

what part of the country are you in?

 

[crb478]

I would look at a 21 foot center console if you still want to do some fishing. Most will offer a dry ride, you can find models with seating for 6 plus and they are able to do water sports, skiing, tubing, ect. Other than that get two boats, one for the family and one for you.

 

[Texasmark]

Back when the kids were young we had the same problem; 6 of us. The tri hull was the only way you could get bow seating in a conventional boat and that is what we bought as it did have a lot of cockpit area for the size of the hull. It didn't take long to realize that you need a deep V, with heavier hull to cut through the waves while running at a decent water skiing speed (30-35 for us).

Problem with that boat was the freeboard at rest was inadequate and if you weren't careful when you made the loop to pick up/restart the skiier, the boat wake would come over the bow. It was an 18' Caravelle with a 125 Johnson. Open bow monohulls of today don't have that problem

I went through lots of boats over the years and wound up with several special purpose as "for me" there was no do all boat. The 18 was of conventional dual front to back seats with windshield and all and at the stern a pair of jump seats with a wooden "box" where an I/O engine would sit were it an I/O. On the OB it was a perfect place to lift the lid and put a large ice chest. The family did a lot of fishing from this boat and it was fine for a "bay boat" where you let the wind determine your direction of drift.

It seemed to me that on the water, the boat was never large enough and out of the water the opposite was true.

On your number of occupants, I think you are wise in going with the 20' and open bow on a deep V conventional hull if that's your choice.. I think the deck boats are a great idea IF you can get the right hull for a soft ride at the speeds necessary for water toys.

Loading up the transom area with occupants and trying to operate water toys can be a challenge with a potential stern heavy condition which an OB vs I/O can help to counter, with reduced weight, and possibly trim tabs. Sometimes it's hard to get the hull for a soft ride that is flat enough in the stern to give you good performance out of the hole and low speed operation. I think a properly pitched 4 bladed prop will prove beneficial.

Good luck.

Mark

 

[hungupthespikes]

I've been on center consoles, but never really had that much interest in them till my Floridian son bought one 5 years ago. It's bigger than your looking at... 26ft., but it is everything your looking for. With 8 people it was fine, lots of room for all. It rides the ocean just fine so inland lakes would be no problem. Self-bailing in a storm was sweet compared to having to rely on the bilge pumps for all the water on board. Lots of power to get back to port fast, and to pull tubes/skiers, With twins it can turn in it's own length. Outboards so working on the motors is done standing up not crawling around like I have to on my I/O. Clean up can be just a garden hose washing everything to the scuppers.
Winterizing would be sweet, pull the motor/s so you can work on them all winter long. Pull the vinyl pads from the seating to store/clean in the house. That just leaves the boat itself, shrink wrap, and your good, leaving easy warm access to motors and seats all winter long.

It's not as fast, dry, or as good as ride as the old cigarette Baja, but close. then I'm limited to 5 comfortable, fishing is challenging, and 26ft single screw can be hairy to maneuver. Make it a bow rider with I/O and you gain only the deck space and keep all the other downsides.

Deck/w OB or even a toon maybe more to your liking, but a center console is hard to beat for an all around boat, as others have pointed out.

Don't know if just because I'm more aware of the CCs on Lake Erie now or they are becoming more popular here, but the new boats I see, a lot are CCs.

If I was buying a new trailer family boat today it would be a CC. Take a good hard look at one, you might be very impressed, as obviously I am .
Still the ugly duck of boats.:facepalm:

huts

 

[mandmj]

My family and I were in the same situation last year about this time. Found an excellent condition 2005 Larson 248 LXi for low 20s, bought it for 20 on the nose. may be a bit large for regular trailering, but it can be done. Seems much better quality wise than my previous Wellcraft also. Around here prices tend to start falling off a bit in august. Ours came off craigslist.

 

[mandmj]

My family and I were in the same situation last year about this time. Found an excellent condition 2005 Larson 248 LXi for low 20s, bought it for 20 on the nose. may be a bit large for regular trailering, but it can be done. Seems much better quality wise than my previous Wellcraft also. Around here prices tend to start falling off a bit in august. Ours came off craigslist.