Saltwater small boat choices.
- Thread starter adamcu280
- Start date
True for any Whaler no matter how nice it looks on the outside!
So if one were shopping for a used Whaler, is there an easy way to check / inspect for that? Other than weighing the boat to see if it's crazy heavy?
If you can put it in the water you might notice the waterline.
In other news: Looks like that 16sl is already pending.
I love that boat!
The Minto "Little Wing" is a bit small for two people while sailing but she's super fun for one. I have to somehow fix up the ~40 year old plastic that enclosed the foam floatation under the seats. It's all cracked.
Of course a couple of days after I grabbed this one from my local friend I found another one in better condition up in BC for the same price!
I wonder what @Nick Clayton would say about this option? https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/boa/d/san-jose-triumph-170-cc-70-hp-suzuki/7770040551.html
Guessing Terrova + spotlock will become your best friend. After experiencing one I've bought mine and hoping to get it installed on my Stryker before Sept.
x2...urban myth is BW's changed foam at some point, whereas it has always been water permeable polyurethane.
read a thread about BW hull weight on a boat forum years back....highway truck scale reading minus known weight of tow vehicle, trailer and factory hull weight.
A less labor intensive method is to remove rail and fittings, see if any water oozes out of the screw holes, often a source of infiltration...flashlight the hull and deck, look for any cracks, especially where horizontal meet vertical surfaces. Any hull scrapes or gouges deep enough to penetrate the gel coat and expose glass weave should be carefully examined. BW's went to fiberglass transom's in 06' or so, the earlier wood transoms can be a major repair if water infiltrated.
I grew up sailing sunfish and a small sailing dory my grandmother named "The Brain of Pooh." It was loads of fun!
The general consensus on most of the big Boston Whaler groups that I've found is that all classic Whalers have water in them, just some more than others
. Some are very obvious from the water line in pictures I've seen, but anything that's been repowered with a modern 4 stroke will already sit lower in the rear due to the weight increase. I'd also check the through hull fittings in the transom. Those are a brass tube sealed with an o-ring on each side. I can tell mine are due to be replaced the o-rings are starting to crack. I've seen pictures where the o-rings are completely gone, that would basically be an open hole to the foam that's always under water.
If the motor checked out that's a pretty sweet boat for the price. I friggen loved mine. Super capable boat. That power is a bit older, but the price is pretty solid if the motor was taken care of. We paid that same price for mine about 8 years ago or so. With the boat market the way it is now, that price seems solid.
Arimas are fantastic boats. Swing way above their weight class. However, my biggest strike against them would be that they are tough to fly fish the beach with. In open water they are actually really sweet, Chris is spot on that fly fishing two people works reallt well, but for src and near shore coho where you are drifting the beach and casting towards specific areas, I found mine to be seriously lacking. A CC just can't be beat for that, so if you'd plan on doing a lot of that type of fishing, which Id have to imagine you would, I'd strongly lean towards a CC. The ability to control the drift just can't be beat. Open tillers or even a side console can shine there as well, but personally I prefer a CC.
Aluminum has its advantages, but personally I don't find beaching to be much different with a glass ride. Honestly I have never really found that I beach a lot anyway, but I know you may have different uses than I do. IME in the sound it's just not much different between glass and aluminum when beaching, unless you really plan on beaching a ton and absolutely need to be able to drag it up into the rocks.
My current boat is aluminum and while it looks like a bass boat it eats chop like no smaller aluminum I've ever been on. Fishing wise I almost never beach it, and when I have it's always been on sand anyway.
Jim in Anacortes
Life of the Party
I worked out of a 22 ft Boston Whaler. To me, they seem to be overpriced. Sure you can put an elephant on a 22 ft Whaler, and cut into three pieces and it will still be floating,,,,,, But they always seemed to be a "wet" boat to me. I would pass by a 22 ft Whaler, in my 22 ft Raddon, drinking coffee, while the people on the 22 ft Whaler were all "slicked up" and getting drenched. Years ago they made a deal with Mercury to only be sold with a Mercury outboard. Those outboards sucked and only remained in the market because of the deal with Bosom Whalers. That's just my 2 cents off the top of my head.
I'm looking to eventually upgrade from my 95 Valco 14 that has a 2-stroke 25 Merc. So this thread is interesting.
Does anyone have experience fly fishing the sound or big lakes out of a boat like this one?
https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/d/puyallup-reduced-165-ft-alumacraft/7766151065.html
I'm not a fan of the paint job, but the 16-18' Smokercraft, Alumacraft, Lund & Lowe boats with bow and aft casting areas that also include 3 or 4 seats is what I would like I think. It would need a bow mount motor for bass & musky. And even the sound. And it needs to be something big enough to take 3 or 4 people out for short cruises. Maybe even pull kids on a tube. I'm not opposed to the Lund or Lowe Fish & Ski models like this one.
https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/boa/d/ocean-shores-lowe-175-fish-ski/7771537649.html
And, I need the trailer and boat total length to be under 22' so I can garage it. I'm fully expecting I'll need to add a folding tongue.
Any real-life input on these aluminum 16-18' boats is appreciated!
Does anyone have experience fly fishing the sound or big lakes out of a boat like this one?
https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/boa/d/puyallup-reduced-165-ft-alumacraft/7766151065.html
I'm not a fan of the paint job, but the 16-18' Smokercraft, Alumacraft, Lund & Lowe boats with bow and aft casting areas that also include 3 or 4 seats is what I would like I think. It would need a bow mount motor for bass & musky. And even the sound. And it needs to be something big enough to take 3 or 4 people out for short cruises. Maybe even pull kids on a tube. I'm not opposed to the Lund or Lowe Fish & Ski models like this one.
https://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/boa/d/ocean-shores-lowe-175-fish-ski/7771537649.html
And, I need the trailer and boat total length to be under 22' so I can garage it. I'm fully expecting I'll need to add a folding tongue.
Any real-life input on these aluminum 16-18' boats is appreciated!
No real-life experience with an aluminum dual console like that but I've been looking at them too. The one thing that I haven't seen in a smaller DC like that (and potentially the Whaler 16sl that I posted earlier) is a stand-able helm. Most of the DC boats that I've seen in the teens sort of force you to drive while sitting, and I much prefer to drive while standing. I have operated a larger, low 20s Grady White dual console which was stand-able, but it was significantly more boat. Glad I didn't have to pay the operating costs!
And yes, that paint job is hideous.
The all time best non-RIB CC I've ever operated was a 26' (28' with bracket) Regulator. Fast, smooth, dry, zero pounding, even in the nastiest seas Saipan served up.
I've fished out of my friend's boat that is the same layout.
The bow has a lot of room to fish out of. You are able to cast easily in either direction.
Casting near the stem is a little more difficult, especially if someone else is driving. You may need to do some reserve casting depending on which side of the boat you're casting to. With no one driving, or the stern caster driving, this isn't as much as an issue.
Overall, I think that's it's a good set up for fly fishing. It does the job well.
nothing rides better than a Radon, spent some time on a wheelhouse 24' in the Santa Barbra area, running out to the islands and north to Point Conception. Dry fast and comfortable. They make some sweet 18's, as does Anderson Boats.
as to Triumph CC's..nice 17 already with a swing tongue
Triumph 17' Center console massive skiff - boats - by owner - marine sale - craigslist
Indestructible, stable, fishing/crabbing/exploring center console skiff with strong Mercury 4stroke 60hp All nav lights, auto bilge pump, built in bait/holding recirculating tank. Trailer tabs thru...
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I have a 1998 whaler outrage2 17' with 150hp merc optimax proxs. Awesome boat so far (had it for one year). It's not a wet boat. I'd consider it an inshore boat but I'd have no problem taking it ten miles or so out so long as the weather was agreeable. I have a Ttop and recommend one, not only does it give you shade and protection from rain but it also allows mounting a vhf antenna and gives you something to grab onto if seas get a bit rougher than you wanted. Also gets the rods up and out of the way. Fly casting off the bow or stern is still fine as long as you're a decent caster.
It's tough to find a good one, we looked for a good year before one just happened to pop up locally. The outrage2 is the hull most people seem to prefer over the original outrage hull, and they ride more like a 20' boat. Confidence inspiring boat!
It's tough to find a good one, we looked for a good year before one just happened to pop up locally. The outrage2 is the hull most people seem to prefer over the original outrage hull, and they ride more like a 20' boat. Confidence inspiring boat!
Coho
Steelhead
Great thread. I spent about 2 years looking for a PS/HC SRC and resident coho boat and just picked up this Scout 175 Sportfish earlier this year. Brand new to me, but really enjoying it so far! Repowered with a new Yamaha 90 4 stroke, added flush mounted cleats and a Riptide Terrova bow mount trolling motor. Great looking as well 
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Jim in Anacortes
Life of the Party
"Nothing rides better than a Radon" truer words were never spoken. They were designed to carry a heavy load at a high speed. I actually saw one with two souped up 454 engines. The history and folklore around this particular brand of boat is an interesting subject. I lived through a lot of it. My Radon would go 47mph with a 350 chevy (under a heavy load)............ The movie "Point Break the 2015 remake" has a final scene with a Radon out on Cortez Bank.
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