looking for first aluminum boat and have a few questions

[HANGTOWN FARMS]

First off thank you for any feed back.
Well heres what I am wanting and have questions on.

I am looking for my first Aluminum Boat.
I am married with 2 kids that say they want to go fishing with me. realistically probably half the time it will be me alone other half maybe my son , buddy or possibly the family. I have really been trying to wrap my head around what i want and need.
I have a ford ranger so i do not want to have issues towing it or launching it by myself.
I live in the mountains so all my boating will be in small to medium size mountain lakes. I live in the Sierras .
This will be a fishing boat.looking at spending around $2500 on the boat but can save more if i need to but winter seems like the time to buy around here as everyone wants spending money for xmas haha.

I am torn between side console and tiller. Frankly i do not want a tiller but I guess I could attach a console . I like the idea of pull start so i do not need a battery for the motor. Can I convert a tiller to a steerable pull start? I can weld a console on if need be or if I go with a console boat can I convert the electric start to pull start?
would i even want too?

Is 14 ft too small? I will be mostly trolling off the shore for Trout but would also like to go out in deeper water with down riggers.
I am concerned 16 feet is too big for my lakes and self launching.

do i want rivited? or should I continue to look for welded.
a few of the options I am considering are a
14 foot Sea Nymph 14M ( i think these are a little longer than 14ft ) in great shape no leaks looks almost new . This one has a side console and electric start. I would need to add a trolling motor. Riveted but no leaks and rivets look good as I can tell.

Or a very nice and very wide fully welded 14 ft Western Aluminum . This is a tiller but ready to fish. with this one I would probably want to add steering and convert motor to pull steering capable and keep pull start if can we done.

I have seen some 15 ft klamath or Gregor side consoles this year but most are either way to spendy for me or are along ways away.

Thanks for any advice.
Jason

 

[kmarine]

For small lakes and under 16 ft I recommend tiller. You use up too much space for a console in that small of a boat. Riveted boats have been around forever. Welded seams are nice, but I would rather spend my money on other extras .Like an electric trolling motor. If you like to sit further forward you can get a extended tiller handle or make one yourself.

 

[HANGTOWN FARMS]

I really like the console idea though unfortunately just seems easier to steer and i want to sit up in the middle of the boat

 

[dlngr]

I had a 14' Lund[actually 14'6"] Got tired of the tiller quick and added a small homemade console with steering wheel. It didn't seem any more crowded than before.You WILL be limited to 3 people either way. Could get by with 2 average sized adults,and 2 small kids I guess. Now I have a 16' Lowe Jumbo,wider and deeper than the old boat,but still too cramped with 4 people.

 

[drum23]

I have a '14 jon boat with the side console and I think there's enough space to fish 3 adults. I've found the console really only gets in the way if you're duck hunting from the boat, but that doesn't sound like an issue for you...Are you worried about your kids falling overboard? Wider boat will be more stable. I would get the biggest boat you could, especially since you want to add down riggers which add weight and just take up a lot of space. It sounds like you're on a decent sized lake if you need down riggers to troll it, so a 16' boat won't be too small to fish the lake. Both boat's will draft the same amount of water basically.

You don't need 2 people to launch/recover a boat until you get up around 22' and up. With a little practice, you'll be able to drive the boat onto the trailer with ease. Remember when towing, it takes at least 5 ft or so of going either forward or reverse to see the effect of your steering adjustments, so be patient and don't chase the trailer all over the ramp by turning the steering wheel sharply unless you absolutely have to. When recovering the boat, I leave the upper 1/3 of the trailer bunk out of the water, then drive the boat onto the trailer. Give it a little gas and it'll go all the way on the trailer or real close. Then attach the winch strap to the bow hook, tighten and you're ready to drive off. You'll be able to do it in 30 seconds after a while if you have everything planned out in advance whether your putting it in or coming off the water. Have your gear loaded in the parking lot at the ramp, straps removed, drain plug in (you'll only make this mistake once then back down the ramp until you see the boat float up off the trailer, get out and tie it to the dock (out of the way if other guy's are waiting to use the ramp) and park. Have fun!

 

[pckeen]

In terms of size, if you get a 14' boat, you will usually be limited to 3 people, maybe 2 adults and 2 small kids - but there isn't a lot of room in them.

If you want to be having 4 people in there, go with the 16' boat.

If you want to be able to get into very small lakes, that don't have a boat launch, then you will want a 12-14' boat that you can drag into the water, and you 'll want a motor you can easily carry - probably 4-6hp, 9.9 at the most. If you are going to be going to lakes that you can drive up to and launch from the trailer, then whether you get a 14 or 16' boat won't make much difference (personally, I prefer the larger).

In terms of side console vs. tiller, in your price range, I would be inclined to go for a simple tin boat, without a wooden floor, without things like a livewell, and a pull cord motor (probably 15-25hp). I had a side console boat - I found the side console took up a lot of room, but didn't offer the advantages of a boat with a full windshield. If I was getting a smaller boat again, I would get a tiller - simple, nothing to go wrong other than the motor itself.

 

[airshot]

I have been a boater for more than 50 yrs and most of them have been and still are aluminum. I did make the mistake of getting a glass boat once, but never again.
Riveted boats are no problem, rivets are easily replaced if you do have a problem. Welded boats are great also but some issues of cracking have come around so ???? For two people a 14 will do but it gets real crowded quickly with 3, a 16 is good for 3 adults or two adults and two kids, any more and you will run out of room quick. You may want to reconsider electric start, wit a 16 ft boat you will need a minimum 25 and preferable 35/40 hp motor and they get real tough to start if even a small problem arises and problems will arise afterall it is a boat!! With tiller steer all your weight is at the stern can make balancing a problem. I would reconsider a small steering console, as far as a battery goes you will want some electronics and they will need power unless you plan on cranking a hand generator, then you won't have your hands free to fish with...and probably some running lights in case it gets dusk and the fish are really biting. Some of the most beautifull sunsets occur on the water so an evening cruise will probably in order sooner or later. A 16 ft is no more difficult to load and unload than a big 14 ft so no worries there, proper trailer setup and experience is far more critical in boat loading/unloading than boat size...to a point.. Stay with something brandname like "starcraft, Lund, sylvan, etc as they have been around for quite some time and have good reputations, MY personal favorite is starcraft but woud never turn away on a lund.
Do let us know what you decide and give us some good reading material for the long

 

[HANGTOWN FARMS]

thanks for the advice everyone
im not worried to much about kids falling over just trying to make a good decision and have a good balance between what makes the most sense.
since it will mostly be me or me and 1 more I do not want overkill but want it to be safe and manageable if i have the family out there.
I have 12 lakes within a 45 minute drive from me. most my trips will be 4 hours at most .
I will probably have something soon though and Ill make whatever it is work haha

 

[64osby]

I would look for a 16' side console open bow. Kids only get bigger. 16 will have the capacity you will want. Nice boats for family outing or fishing.

Maybe something like this. It is overpriced by midwest standards.

http://stockton.craigslist.org/boa/4776703032.html

 

[steelespike]

I have had 2 18 ft bare utilities. A 57 Crestliner and a 77 Crestliner. both 50 hp tiller setups.
About 375 lbs dry weight.These big light hulls handle added weight better than any 14 and some 16s.
Our 77 with an old Gale 25 would plane easily with 6 adults aboard.Could pull a skier.
With a 50 it was scary fast but handled well.A big steady boat for fishing.
I think a console just takes up space and adds weight and complication.

 

[64osby]

extra post not needed.

 

[bonz_d]

This is what I'm using now.



This is the previous boat.




The Alumacraft is 16' and will comfortably fish with 3 adults. Rig weighs about 1000 lbs. loaded and I easily pull it with a GMC Canyon with the 5 cylinder engine. Loading and unloading by myself isn't too difficult. The Lund was an S14 DLX and the steering console is original to the boat from Lund. We could fish 3 adults in it put it would get a bit tight if all were casting baits. Fished in it many times with 2 adults and 2 children and it wasn't too bad. That rig weighed less than 750 lbs. and I pulled that with a Ford Ranger with the 4 cylinder. Also the 35hp Evinrude was pretty miserly on fuel.

Hope this helps some.

 

[HANGTOWN FARMS]

Bonz_d I like that Lund and Starcraft 64osby i think that is more than I want. Maybe what I want and need are different haha. there is a nice tiller Western 15 ft down by LA but i think its to far and I'm going to just keep my eyes out and save a little more

 

[HANGTOWN FARMS]

this is what I'm thinking

 

[HANGTOWN FARMS]

this is what i was thinking for a simple console boat

 

[bonz_d]

Yes that Lund was a very fine boat and at times I wish I'd have kept it. Did very well on very skinny water and handled bigger open water as well. It is a very stable boat for it's size. I spent many hours fishing in that boat.
Many people enjoy and swear by open tiller boats, especially in these smaller sizes. I myself still like a steering console and I have found that in these two examples it really doesn't take up that much room or limit movement. But again to each their own.

 

[HANGTOWN FARMS]

do you think 1950 is a fair price on that sea nymph?
I can probably talk him down some I think

 

[jbcurt00]

If its ALL 100% ready to go, just change title and registration and add gas, you could do worse.

In Reno, its not really 14ft fishing boat weather, so I'd offer $1600-1650 and hope to land on $1750.

But thats based on the trailer, jack, rims, tires, lights, seats, motor, fuel tank and aluminum hull dont need anything to be used...

Judge seller to decide if a $1600 offer will get a counter offer or not......

Not many northern NV iboaters posting ads/sales info as far as i know, so tough to accurately gauge used boat prices there from here in WV.

Just before xmas, several months before 14ft fishing boat 'season', not a lot of interest i'd bet, and $1700+/- now instead of a boat you want to sell sounds pretty good to me..

BTW: is this boat close or a drive to see?

good luck

 

[HANGTOWN FARMS]

yes I live in California between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe he's about 20 minutes east of Tahoe so ill be going Saturday am to check her out

 

[jbcurt00]

I've been on the Sacto S Tahoe route many times. Made it over the summit just ahead of it closing numerous times. Kirkwood wasnt the biggest or newest, but it was 1 of my favorite places to ski.

Placierville?

Also driven the Las Vegas to Reno route several times and west thru Donner pass more then once.