TOTAL Newbie caught the Fever!

Hi all,

Went in to our local Bass Pro shop looking at fishing gear and came out wanting a boat ? we definitely caught the fever. All they had at BP were Tahoes (from the limited posts that I?ve searched for here they seem not to be a preferred brand??), but they sure did look nice in the showroom (We particularly liked one of their deck boats, I believe it was model 215). We are in no rush to make a purchase and we?re planning on going to some local boat shows over the winter to see the different makes, models, styles, and prices?.

Like the title says, I?m a total newbie ? besides bugging you all daily with questions is there a website I can go to that will describe the differences between a deck boat, a bow rider, and a cuddy cabin? I?m sure it all depends on what you?ll be using it for, so here goes. We?re a family of 5 (and would like to be able to also squeeze in some occasional guests), and while skiing is probably not something we?ll be doing, tubing may be. My son wants to be able to fish, and my daughters just want to cruise around. We live in Northern VA and have access to lakes, as well as the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. I don?t really have a budget in mind yet, however realistically I won?t be looking to spend a fortune while at the same time I don?t want to buy something too cheap that I?ll need to trade in after a few years.

Any and all advice you all can throw my way is much appreciated!!!

Thanks!
Pete

Re: TOTAL Newbie caught the Fever!

we definitely caught the fever.

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cool, it's easy to catch..

from the limited posts that I?ve searched for here they seem not to be a preferred brand??

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personally, i like the look of tahoes. that said. there was one post on iboats that a poor tahoe owner had a brand new boat and a stringer started coming out the side of the boat. he got a lot of grief before tahoe fixed it. that soured me on tahoe..

besides bugging you all daily with questions is there a website I can go to that will describe the differences between a deck boat, a bow rider, and a cuddy cabin?

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your not bugging anyone here. best i can tell. we all love boats here. any kind of boats...

deck boats are usually low deadrise vhulls w/configurations similar to a pontoon boat. designed to get as many folks aboard as possible. wide open spaces. usually used on lakes that don't get to wild weather wise..

bow riders have a place to sit in ft. of the windshield. they have walk through windshields.

cuddys cabins are closed bow boats, usually v hulls. from the windshild fwd., under the deck is a small cuddy area to hang out in. usually just a vberth (beds on ea. side). under the bed usually resides a porta potty. sometimes they have potable water and a small stove. some do, some don't they make good overnighters but take up seating space for people. they're usually hot inside the cuddy on a hot day.

bow rides seem to me to be the most popular. the most versitile of most boats sold.
that said. i have a closed bow vhull. i like it too. helm is usually further fwd than a bow rider but no seating in ft. but there is storage under bow which i like.

closed bow boats are usually more sea worthy than open bow boats. if in heavy seas, closed vhulls won't spoon up a wave and sink the ship.

come back often and ask lots of questions. enjoy the boat shows. many of us go to them. buying or not.

boating is a great hobby, albeit a shade expensive.