Advice buying first boat

[mrkrsll]

Looking for some advice and or direction

I'm fairly new to boating and looking for some advice on buying my first boat.

Started last year when a buddy lent me his 15 foot G3 Jon boat with a 25 Yamaha 4 stroke for a couple weeks.

I borrowed his boat again this year and brought it in into the back country camping for a week.

We had the boat loaded to full capacity and even with the 25 hp on the back, struggled pretty bad. The hull it's self was out of the water quite a bit, so I'm guessing it's only the motor that was lacking.

The boat I'm looking for would have to be able to take a few trips a year like this one a couple times a year. I would like to bring more gear, so it would have to be able to handle 1200 lbs total capacity.
We also plan on taking it out on day trips with not as much gear. I live on Lake Ontario and would like the option to have it in rougher water, but at the same time take it up some rivers and smaller lakes.

I was thinking of an 18 to 20' Rough Neck Jon Boat, but a little more then I wanted to .

Any advice would be great, thanks in advance!

 

[Old Ironmaker]

A Jon boat isn't the type of boat one would safely use in Lake O, they simply are not rough water boats, I live on Erie and have never seen a flat bottom boat out on the lake, yet. I rented a 14 foot Jon boat on a small lake in Upper NY State, I nearly sunk it when I came around a bend and met a bit of wind, it was taking on water over the transom as the wind, and not a stiff wind nearly flipped over the thing. The first thing I did when I got back was starting to shop for a Deep V that would handle some wind on Erie.

I need to look at Rough Necks.

Took a peek at the 2070, that's not a Great Lakes boat and no way you are bushwhacking with that boat, minimum HP is 40 and max is 90. You aren't lugging that around in the woods.

 

[mrkrsll]

A Jon boat isn't the type of boat one would safely use in Lake O, they simply are not rough water boats, I live on Erie and have never seen a flat bottom boat out on the lake, yet. I rented a 14 foot Jon boat on a small lake in Upper NY State, I nearly sunk it when I came around a bend and met a bit of wind, it was taking on water over the transom as the wind, and not a stiff wind nearly flipped over the thing. The first thing I did when I got back was starting to shop for a Deep V that would handle some wind on Erie.

I need to look at Rough Necks.

Took a peek at the 2070, that's not a Great Lakes boat and no way you are bushwhacking with that boat, minimum HP is 40 and max is 90. You aren't lugging that around in the woods.

I agree. The Jon boat I borrowed was great for the water we were in, but would never take it out on any of the great lakes.

I am not sure what you mean by "lugging"... we were in the bush about 10 to 15 km. Brought the boat right to our camp site and off loaded what gear we had, set up camp and ventured around and did some fishing. We actually seen a couple camping from their pontoon boat on our way in!

But the more reading I have been doing, the more I am seeing even a 20' Jon Boat probably wont cut it.

 

[rallyart]

Maybe you could give a little more description of your use. If you are looking for a boat that can take you to a remote area with a lot of gear and then use from there for exploring and a bit of fishing perhaps you should look for a good quality inflatable with a solid floor and a centre keep tube. That might be not what you want at all, but it would also handle Lake Ontario. Price range you would like to spend is also important.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I misunderstood you when I said "lugging it around." I thought when you said you went "backwater camping." I pictured you carrying in the boat like we have many Moons and a few dozen pounds of muscle ago. We would portage with 14 foot tinnies over Beaver Dams and carry 9.9's, fuel and equipment into back lakes and rivers. In my late 20's then not early 60's.

 

[Scott Danforth]

read this http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gene...eeding-help-buying-a-boat-a-buyer-s-checklist

as for boating in the great lakes, no way in he# I would ever consider a jon boat on the lakes. a good deep vee hull with plenty of deadrise, maybe in a 18' or larger. something like a dual console Lund or Starcraft

I have been out where the lakes are dead calm, the wind shifts 30 degrees and now your faced with 4' rollers or larger. when the waves get to 7', even my 24' boat seams small

Jon boats are for pond and small stream fishing. originally intended to be thrown on the roof of the wood-grained station wagon.

 

[mrkrsll]

Maybe you could give a little more description of your use. If you are looking for a boat that can take you to a remote area with a lot of gear and then use from there for exploring and a bit of fishing perhaps you should look for a good quality inflatable with a solid floor and a centre keep tube. That might be not what you want at all, but it would also handle Lake Ontario. Price range you would like to spend is also important.

That?s exactly what I was looking for. Something I can bring into remote areas with lots of gear and still be able to get into some of the bigger lakes...
I have always worried about the durability of inflatables, but its definitely something I am going to look into!

 

[ahicks]

Thinking along the same lines as Scott. Fairly lightweight (aluminum mostly) fishing boats with deep sides and a V hull are commonly seen on big water as long as the weather is reasonable. Inclimate weather keeps pretty much everything in port!

A boat like that can make a trip into the back country easy as well. Length to suit your needs, but 16-20' most common.

If you're looking for inexpensive, Starcraft has a very popular lineup dating WAY back.

 

[mrkrsll]

I misunderstood you when I said "lugging it around." I thought when you said you went "backwater camping." I pictured you carrying in the boat like we have many Moons and a few dozen pounds of muscle ago. We would portage with 14 foot tinnies over Beaver Dams and carry 9.9's, fuel and equipment into back lakes and rivers. In my late 20's then not early 60's.

Ahhh ic, I guess I would have thought the same thing had someone said back country to me too! The only way way I have camped like that was portaging with a canoe.

 

[briangcc]

Just this week, out of Golden Hill State Park, 3 kaykers went out, 2 came back to tell about it a day later. Third was found dead 1400' from shore. All were wearing life jackets. Got my wife to the point where she's seriously not interested in going out on Lake Ontario and we have a 19' bowrider. Wouldn't even consider a Jon Boat for that.

You're looking at 2 distinct boats for your intended uses - welcome to MBS (Multiple Boat Syndrome).

 

[Stumpalump]

My requirements are the same so I only buy aluminum boats with outboards because they are lite and fast. Strong enough to beach in the rocks and require almost no maintenance. Look at some of the West Coast style boats like Klamath. I found an 18' Valco Bayrunner and love it. A 48hp pushes it to 33 mph but it will handle an 80. Here it is in the Colorado River about to dodge rocks and current to the Glen Canyon Dam. Next day we did 52 nautical miles to The Rainbow Bridge National Monument an Lake Powell. These type boats do it all except ocean bar crossings. Generally I use it in back county shallow water like a Jon boat but these type aluminum boats are much more useable.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

read this http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gene...eeding-help-buying-a-boat-a-buyer-s-checklist

as for boating in the great lakes, no way in he# I would ever consider a jon boat on the lakes. a good deep vee hull with plenty of deadrise, maybe in a 18' or larger. something like a dual console Lund or Starcraft

I have been out where the lakes are dead calm, the wind shifts 30 degrees and now your faced with 4' rollers or larger. when the waves get to 7', even my 24' boat seams small

Jon boats are for pond and small stream fishing. originally intended to be thrown on the roof of the wood-grained station wagon.

I have a 19.5' StarCraft Superfisherman 190 with a 115 Mariner and matching 15 horse kicker. It is deep and fairly wide. There are more days I can't or won't go out here on Lake Erie or Ontario than days I safely can. The perfect Great Lakes boat after boating out here for 40 plus years would be a centre council glass boat around 23' with at least a 250HP 4 stroke and a back up kicker/troller. There will still be days that you don't go out on Erie or Ontario in a similar boat. But if you get caught in weather that Scott mentioned it is big enough and heavy enough to get to land safely. There are hundreds if not thousands of bigger vessels sitting on the bottom of these lakes. The boat you want to go out on Ontario and is light and small enough to get into back lakes and rivers to fish and camp with plus take on a Great Lake doesn't yet exist. The closest would be a inflatable Zodiac such as our Coast Guard, rescue vessels and the military use. I have a solution, buy more than 1 boat. There ya go!

 

[Old Ironmaker]

My requirements are the same so I only buy aluminum boats with outboards because they are lite and fast. Strong enough to beach in the rocks and require almost no maintenance. Look at some of the West Coast style boats like Klamath. I found an 18' Valco Bayrunner and love it. A 48hp pushes it to 33 mph but it will handle an 80. Here it is in the Colorado River about to dodge rocks and current to the Glen Canyon Dam. Next day we did 52 nautical miles to The Rainbow Bridge National Monument an Lake Powell. These type boats do it all except ocean bar crossings. Generally I use it in back county shallow water like a Jon boat but these type aluminum boats are much more useable.

Nice rig. It reminds me of the old Newfie Dory's down east.

 

[Stumpalump]

Nice rig. It reminds me of the old Newfie Dory's down east.

The most sea worth small boat a hundred years ago and today are the Dory. When the Deep-V won't go out the Dory will. All the life guard boats on the Jersey shore were those old wood Dory's. It was a treat to see the guards row straight out into the crashing waves.
Today we get bow riders. Do what???.

We get rear dead rise that must run at 30mph to perform and rocks like a baby carnage at idle.
We get a cantankerous outdrive with multiple 90 degree angles and a rubber boot to keep the sea out.
We get yards of vinyl covered foam that sits in the sun to convince the wife....
Sad to go to a boat show.

The boat I have now does not need the one ton truck anymore so I yank it all over the state. It burned 19.5 gallons last weekend. 60 miles on the Colorado River and 175 on lake Powell. That's mixed use fighting current and huge lake Powell ship wakes.

Still want a bigger boat? They are out there without the "follow the herd" mentality listed above but sites like this, marinas ,freinds and bling get the best of most.

For now I'm sticking to Alaskans, Dory's or boats with a commercial potential for the most sea worth, useful and efficient design. That's because I want/need to boat ever square inch of this blue rock we are spinning around on.

Check out this funky canvas my rig came with. It's like a cavern inside. Want to spend a week or fight freezing blowing condition? I doubt I'll ever use it but this was an Oregon boat. Brrrr.

My old boat was an older 16' version with a 60. If that boat could talk...What a great boat for a little 16 it was. Would have been perfect for the OP.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I love your boat stump. The last thing I will ever own is a plastic tub full of plastic seats or as I say a living room on the water. Comfortable? Yes I'm sure it is but they aren't for me. Many here have them and I respect their choice, but I just don't find it interesting to run from spot A to spot B reverse and repeat. If I can't fish from it then it's just a living room on water to me. Ask me what I was in when I was in my early 30's? Yep, a shiny fast plastic tub all colours of the rainbow chick magnet flying around to the theme song of Miami Vice. And a muscle shirt on pointing the way to the beach.

 

[mrkrsll]

Looks like two boats would be the way to go. I should have mentioned that I don't plan on going far from shore when in Lake Ontario. Mostly cruising along the shoreline 1000 ft or so out.
I will focus on getting set up for the back country, smaller lakes and rivers first as that's what I will primary be doing.

​Thanks for all the replies and advice!

 

[REN3G8]

Whereabouts in Ontario are you?? I just got my first boat this year as well and when I first started I looked at Jon boats originally since small ones were fairly cheap, in my google searches I remember coming across some stories of people's Jon boats being sunk due to weight or other boat's wakes. So I switched my searching to V style boats.

So far I'm happy with what I got, works well for leisure trips and fishing as well. I've also spoken to several people, and when I mentioned about going on lake Ontario with my boat, they right away stated they rather drive up to Rice Lake or Scugog than go on lake Ontario. lol

 

[mrkrsll]

Whereabouts in Ontario are you?? I just got my first boat this year as well and when I first started I looked at Jon boats originally since small ones were fairly cheap, in my google searches I remember coming across some stories of people's Jon boats being sunk due to weight or other boat's wakes. So I switched my searching to V style boats.

So far I'm happy with what I got, works well for leisure trips and fishing as well. I've also spoken to several people, and when I mentioned about going on lake Ontario with my boat, they right away stated they rather drive up to Rice Lake or Scugog than go on lake Ontario. lol

I'm in Whitby. I hear you about the Jon the boat. The more reading I have been doing, the more I am seeing it will not suit my needs.
I don't plan on making a decision about this boat until closer to next spring, but in the mean time, I basically got a 12' fiberglass boat, trailer and motor for free!
It's a solid boat that beats my canoe and motor for now...

 

[REN3G8]

mrkrsll we're not too far from each other, I'm in Courtice.

I hear you though... I did a lot of research and checked a lot of boats, finally one day this one popped up and I went to see it and for the age and price, I couldn't beat it. I had to put a few things into it, but overall the condition it was in was top factor for me.