Which type of boat is best for me?

Tcrosby2011

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Apr 7, 2019
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So I am getting ready to buy my first boat. I am moving to the Florida coast around Saint Augustine so there is obviously the ocean but there are a lot of rivers around as well. I want to do mostly river boating for tubing and swimming but I also want the option to go out in the ocean a little bit. I just want a boat that can handle both types of water well if that even exists.
 

QBhoy

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Bit of a broad spectrum to answer and all depends on budget, where you keep it or tow it..size, intended use and how many you will have on board. Just for day trips or overnights too ?

just to answer the bit about handling the sea and inland. Generally bigger is better. But if it’s a smaller boat you are after..it’s likely there isn’t better for handling rough conditions than a high bow’d centre console fishing type hull or a Rib.
 

Tcrosby2011

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Apr 7, 2019
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Gotcha, yeah like I said I’m new so I didn’t know what all info to give. I want it to be able to be towed, I will keep it in my back yard I guess and I mostly want a leisure boat. I was wanting to be able to pull a tube and I won’t be doing much fishing with it. No overnight trips and i will normally have 7 or 8 on board.
 

ahicks

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Sep 16, 2013
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If you're planning on towing it, and want to have room for 7 or 8, I think your choices are pretty much limited to a pontoon (tri toon) or a deck boat.

I would suggest you keep 700 to 1000 in your budget for a good chart plotter too.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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River boating, ocean boating, tubing and hauling 7-8 people may be 3 different boats.

i suggest once you move to St Augustine, take a look at the style of boats most people use. Floridas east coast has some rough boating

Agree on the chart plotter. Also, get towing insurance such as Boat US or Sea Tow
 

tramsdell

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Jul 25, 2018
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River boating, tubing, towable, ocean boating, and store in the backyard all had me about to recomend a whaler, then u said 7-8 ppl. How big is your backyard? How big is your truck?
 

JASinIL2006

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Personally, I'm not sure a 'toon of any stripe would be high on my list for water sports, especially if there is a chance people might want to graduate from tubing to skiing and/or wakeboarding. Even just for tubing, I wouldn't rank it that high. For toting a around a crowd, though, it would be hard to beat...
 

garbageguy

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Nor would a 'toon' be on my list for going out in the ocean. I think a boat that will go into shallow water, will not be too good in the ocean. I think you'll have to decide which you want more of. Almost all designs, of anything, include a series of compromises - hence, design-basis evaluations with weighted design factors.

All this is certainly a reason we have different boats, for different uses.
 

Scott Danforth

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the best all-around boat is literally 7-10 different boats. in other words, not one type of boat fits all need. I have three of them

kayak/canoe - shallow water
jon boat / utility boat
small aluminum fishing boat
pontoon boat
jet boat
bow rider
inboard wake board boat
inboard ski boat
pocket cruiser
cruiser
center console
 

ahicks

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Sep 16, 2013
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I would add 2 more types to Scott's list, while maintaining reasonable trailer ability.

Bay boats, which have very shallow V's and will beat you to death in much of a chop. Super in shallow water. These boats are often equipped with a jack plate. I've seen 30+mph in 18" of water or less. Usually not a lot of freeboard/side height. Very stable with lots of room to wander around, but a little light on seating. Pretty popular for fishing on the Gulf side.

And deck boats, which are very similar to a pontoon as far as being roomy. They plane out and pull skiers easily as they have a full hull under them, but they are rough riding in the chop as well (due to the extra wide hull with a tri hull/bow rider type front end). Still pretty popular....

I'm thinking a salt water rookie has no business being in unprotected water unless he knows the weather is clear and it's going to stay that way (requiring a crystal ball). That's the reason for suggesting boats that are definitely not what you would want for venturing very far out (tri-toon and deck boat).
 

dingbat

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I'm thinking a salt water rookie has no business being in unprotected water unless he knows the weather is clear and it's going to stay that way (requiring a crystal ball).

Weather isn’t a big challenge out front

Pop ups are localized, short term threats. Batten down the hatches and ride it out if you can’t run from them.

The only real threat are frontal boundries which are forecast hours, if not days before hand

Getting through the inlet is the biggest threat to even an experienced Captain
 

ahicks

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Sep 16, 2013
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you need more throttle.

Nope, not for this old man. If I were to hit something while moving that fast in "skinny" water, I'm going to be wondering why I was even going that fast very soon afterward! To emphasize the point, I watched SeaTow pull a 20' boat up to the boat landing the other day, with no lower unit on it. I didn't have the guts to ask what happened...
 

cptbill

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Oct 6, 2012
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You'd be surprised what there doing with toons these days. I've had cruisers, trawlers and now a walkaround with outboards, it just depends on how well you pay attention to the conditions around you on the days you us your boat
 

Old Ironmaker

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Dec 28, 2015
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There is a toon out this way that a guy has modified and slapped twin 200 Mercs on the transom. That would pull anything and hold those 7 or 8 people. To venture out on the Atlantic you will need a second boat for that. And a big one too.
 

5150abf

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Aug 12, 2007
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A pontoon really is the ideal all around boat so exhaust that option before you move on to another type of boat

They party well, will ski, tube, go fast, pretty much anything you want to do..
 
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