16' or 18'

[unclejoe411]

I want to get back to fishing again after few years... My boat is 14' and sometime I get nervous in windy days or when a large speedy boat send some wake towards me. My only interest is fresh water fishing. Mostly fish lakes in Minnesota. I am wondering if upgrading to a 16' or 18' boat is a good idea? I am 51 years old and want a boat that I can launch by myself. Your expert opinion is appreciated.

 

[lprizman]

Re: 16' or 18'

mines 21' and launch by myself with ease,,I would go with the 18' myself,,,big difference
best of luck!!
Lance

 

[sublauxation]

Re: 16' or 18'

If you get a 16 you'll want an 18. If you get an 18 you'll want a 20. Where in MN are you? Mille Lacs or Winnie vs smaller lakes? How many people do you usually go out with?

 

[roscoe]

Re: 16' or 18'

There are plenty of 16' boats out there that will give you the stability you desire.

Look for wider beam, 78" +. A nice deep wide aluminum hull.
Something with a 700-900' hull weight.
You won't have a problem launching, if the trailer is set up right, again, look for wider in the trailer too.

A wider trailer means the boat will sit down between the tires and will load soo much easier.

I switched my 18' Starcraft from the factory trailer, to a new wide, low Karavan bunk trailer. I lowered the height of the boat as it sits on the trailer, by over 10 inches. I can now float the boat to within 2 feet of the winch.

Are you looking for an older boat, a newer boat, or brand spanking new boat?

 

[crablegs]

Re: 16' or 18'

18' for sure!

 

[sschefer]

Re: 16' or 18'

If you go with a 16', go with a boat that's designed for fishing from the ground up. I just bought a 16' Jetcraft Falcon. I've had larger boats and smaller boats. The small 14' scared the heck out of me one late afternoon in 4 foot mixed waves. My18 was a deep V and needed too much water to launch easily and I was restricted from getting into low water when I wanted to.

The Jetcraft Falcon has a 12deg dead rise with a delta pad and a 80" beam. I looked at all the others out there and the Jetcraft was the only heavy gauge all welded aluminum boat that allowed me to rig it the way I wanted it. The price is right there with the others but theres none of the pretty stuff on this boat. It comes in both a 16 and a 18 but after looking at both I decided the 16 was fine for me. I fished 4 in it last weekend and it performed beautifully.

Oh yeah, last weekend I loaded it faster than the kid with the Jet Ski next to me.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: 16' or 18'

If you go with a 16', go with a boat that's designed for fishing from the ground up. I just bought a 16' Jetcraft Falcon. I've had larger boats and smaller boats. The small 14' scared the heck out of me one late afternoon in 4 foot mixed waves. My18 was a deep V and needed too much water to launch easily and I was restricted from getting into low water when I wanted to.

The Jetcraft Falcon has a 12deg dead rise with a delta pad and a 80" beam. I looked at all the others out there and the Jetcraft was the only heavy gauge all welded aluminum boat that allowed me to rig it the way I wanted it. The price is right there with the others but theres none of the pretty stuff on this boat. It comes in both a 16 and a 18 but after looking at both I decided the 16 was fine for me. I fished 4 in it last weekend and it performed beautifully.

Oh yeah, last weekend I loaded it faster than the kid with the Jet Ski next to me.

THAT IS a KOOOOL Lookin' boat !!!!!!!!!.... I personnally would go w an 18', unless you are gonna be runnin backwater, shallows etc..........

 

[sschefer]

Re: 16' or 18'

I'm not trying to push you into a Jetcraft but.. Top speed on this 32.5 with 35gals of fuel and 3 passengers. Granted the three girls were all just over a buck a piece but that still a good amount of weight. The combo of 35gals of fuel and the gas sipping 60hp 4 stroke gives you an incredible range. I've had it out 3 times now and just barely moved the needle off full. I watched it when I first filled it and it's pretty accurate.

 

[unclejoe411]

Re: 16' or 18'

thanks everybody for their feed back.To answer the couple of question the guys have asked:
1. I am in the twinin cities area and maybe couple of times per year I go to Northern Minnesota.
2. I will be buying a used boat. And based on your feedback I will probably go with 18'. What I like to have is a Lund Alaskan. The only boat I have had has been a tiller so I am leaning toward a tiller boat with no steering column, preferably long shaft transom (so I can use my 25hp Johnson that I am attached to).

depending on the finance and the wife agreement, I may keep my 14' for shallower water because it is an old boat (1978) and I am not sure what I will get for it.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: 16' or 18'

That 25 won't push an 18 very well.

 

[roscoe]

Re: 16' or 18'

A 25 hp is minimum on smaller 16' boats, like an Alumacraft 16 classic or LTD.
. Not nearly enough for a wide and deep 16'. Then you are looking for a 40 hp minimum.

No way you gonna make a 25 work on an 18'.

 

[DJ]

Re: 16' or 18'

"two foot itis" is well documented amongst boaters.

"If the boat was just two feet longer.....?"

You get the idea.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: 16' or 18'

depending on the finance and the wife agreement, I may keep my 14' for shallower water because it is an old boat (1978) and I am not sure what I will get for it.

As you have already realized there is no perfect fishing boat that will fit all fishing conditions. Too big, too small, hp restrictions, deep water, shallow water, ect. There are many different brands and models out there in the 16', 17' to 18' range so I don't see were you should have a problem finding something that fits your needs.

I personally think that it would depend on the type of water that I'd be using it on most would be my 1st consideration, which would help dictate size. The older 18' Lund Alaskan model with just bench seats which is no more than a very large row boat could probably get by with your 25hp on it, or the new model SSV or 18' WC type. Alumacraft also offered simular model though I don't recall which ones they are.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: 16' or 18'

Another thing to keep in mind is that somewhere around 17-18 feet is where it starts getting tough to fit them in a standard garage.