18 or 20

[Darwin]

Ok, I'm shopping for my firt boat.<br />I feel I have a fair amount of boating experience, since I grew up in a boating/fishing family. We had a 16 foot starcraft that was a great boat. Now I want my own. I want at least an 18 but am thinking about a 20. Here's why.<br />I tend to like fishing big lakes, and if you do that enough you'll end up in big water. I am married with no kids (yet) so I am also prone to go out by myself or with one other person.<br />Here is my question: I don't want a boat that is too hard to handle by myself, but I want plenty of boat in case I get caught in rough water. Thanks

 

[Darwin]

Re: 18 or 20

Doesn't make me look too smart when I can't spell "first" properly does it :]

 

[ajp]

Re: 18 or 20

It depends. 20' will cost more, have bigger motor, use more gas, more maintenance. 18' is bigger thatn what you are use to. You will want to buy another later and a 22' will be too much jump at one time. <br /><br />Twofooter disease has kicked in. <br /><br />Buy the 18'. save your pennies.

 

[JerseyJim]

Re: 18 or 20

nothing wrong with a solidly built 18 footer.. easy to trailer, easy to launch, easy on fuel...<br /><br />but what the hell do i know either, as I can't seem to find a boat i like enough to buy under 20 feet... except a BW montauk =)

 

[snapperbait]

Re: 18 or 20

Howdy Darwin... Nobody "splits hairs" over spelling around here... <br /><br />Back to the question at hand... Well, actually I have a question.. Darwin, do you have a specific type of boat in mind? Center console, small cabin, side console, bass boat? What? Some are easier to handle than others.. Tell us more.. <br /><br /> In most cases I'll say the bigger, the better... If you can handle an 18 footer then a 20 footer is'nt much difference, most of the time... Like anything else, with a little practice at the helm you'll have no problem at all...

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: 18 or 20

Boats seem to take a big jump in overall size and weight at 20'. When my human winch and general boat muscle [my son] left for college, I found I just couldn't handle a 20' by myself with any ease. Dropped down to a 17' on my next one and can handle it OK. It's big enough to take about anything I'm likely to be out in, too. Just my 2c.

 

[philtheskipper]

Re: 18 or 20

I would go for the 20 cuz, as said before, you'll always want something bigger. If you do a lot of boating alone you might want to consider the smaller one then.

 

[Darwin]

Re: 18 or 20

I've pretty much decided on a Crestliner with the walk through windshield. Our old starcraft was a workhorse and never had any problems, but I really like the warranty on crestliners.<br />I need something that can troll for walleye one day and cast for northerns/bass the next.<br />My dealer says go with the 18 with a 135 evinrude and a trolling plate.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: 18 or 20

hell with a trolling plate, get a lil guy to take care of the little stuff ... burn the hours on that 135 makin it FLY<br /><br />an 18 Starcraft is a HUGE 18 footer, deep, wide, if I ever get a motor to behave, the first place I am going (once I am SURE the motor rocks!) is "out front", right thru the Cape May Inlet out to McCrie Shoal, usually nicely packed with weakies, or out by Brandywine in the middle O de Delaware bay (down where the ocean is) to get some weakies or fluke or black bass, whatever is biting is fair game!<br /><br />of course, as my mother always said, the first 18 feet is the hard part .... if you want that extra two feet, give in to the twofer bug and up the ante ...<br /><br />as for me, I just might get the SeaCraft running, sell it, and get a Starcraft Chieftain, 23 feet with a cuddy, and hang duals off the back .. something along the line of 85 - 115 johnny rudes, aluminum built for lightness, massive hull for seaworthyness, and OMC to make sure I get back to the dock!!!<br /><br />I love the lines of the SeaCraft, and I hand built that engine, but it IS only ONE engine ... I want to take a poke out to the mud hole and some of the closer canyons ... and that beast is a hell of a lot of boat to tow down to Hatteras!<br /><br />Whatever size hull you get, remember its how well you capitalize on the potential that decides if you live to sail another day<br /><br />and dont forget the plug!