Best Fishing/Rec Boat 16'-20'

[csamson]

I will be purchasing my first boat this spring. I am looking for a freshwater boat under $20K and under 20'.<br /><br />Because my wife is not much of a fisherwoman and I have two boys under 5 years old I am looking to kill 2 birds with 1 stone... Get a decent boat I can fish from and also get something that can be used for recreation/relaxation as well.<br /><br />So far I am leaning towards either a new Tahoe Q4 SF or a Monark King 170. <br /><br />Any input on these two boats or others that would fit the mold would be appreciated.<br /><br />Thanks.

 

[Bass Runner]

Re: Best Fishing/Rec Boat 16'-20'

Now don't get mad this is just my opinion, I would look at the classifieds and find a boat, You can find a good bow rider or fish and ski fairly late model for around 5 or 6K, the upside to this is sure it's a used boat but all the bugs that come with most new boats will be worked out, what if in a year you loose interest which I doubt, you can then go out and look for a new one, another plus is you can buy a lot of gas and beer(pop for the kiddos) for 15K. Welcome to the boating clan, remember this is all about having fun

 

[bluewater19]

Re: Best Fishing/Rec Boat 16'-20'

I would go with the monarch. They are nice boats with good welded hulls and great waranty.<br />The guy who live down the road from me has one of the late 90's models and takes his out in the pacific all the time. All that wave banging loosened a bunch of rivits and when he called them about it they said take it back to the dealer and we'll pick it up from them. 2 months later he got his boat back with a free new vinal interior new paint and new bottom! Thats standing behind your product.<br /><br />My best friend has a starcraft superfisherman 17'<br />same layout as you are talking and other than being a little underpowered with a 75hp it is a great fishing/toy towing, sking boat. We were going to buy a monark also last year but them my wife fell in love with the glastron.<br /><br /> I wish we would have bought it from a fishing standpoint cause the runabout sucks to fish out of.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Best Fishing/Rec Boat 16'-20'

Inspector - Another thought would be to keep the 20K in the bank this season and rent several different styles to get an "on the water" experience of what is best for your family. A lot of folks spend a lot of money on either new or used only to find out that what they bought is not what they really want.

 

[csamson]

Re: Best Fishing/Rec Boat 16'-20'

All good points... Thanks for the feedback.

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Best Fishing/Rec Boat 16'-20'

http://www.iboats.com/boats/marine--1/boats--10/power_boats--100/fishing_boats--1016/10693-ad.html (I see you are in Minn. but this gives you an idea of what you can save)<br /><br />I personally am not a big fan of buying a boat new. (Bass Runner) Warranties are not like a car and depreciation is steep. Many people think they want to get into boating, pop the big bucks for a new boat, and find out the wife gets sick standing on the dock. There is the good deal. Drive everything, fiberglass, aluminum, brand A, B, C and D. In this way you can narrow your selection based on performance, features, layout in addition to cost. You may be surprised what you end up with. I really like the center console rigs, just get a cooler/seat with safety belts. If you you have smaller kids taller freeboard might be a good idea safety wise. <br /><br />With respects to the two boats you have inquired about, I know little or nothing about them specifically.

 

[quantumleap]

Re: Best Fishing/Rec Boat 16'-20'

I agree with Solittle, If you can, spend some time trying out several different styles before you buy. A few years back I had an older Lowe bass style boat and wanted to upgrade to a boat that was a little bigger that I could take people out on for fun. The wife fell in love with the Crownline bowrider which was indeed very nice. We ended up buying one but it wasn't a fishing boat and I ended up selling it after a couple years. We now have a fish and ski model with a 125 on it that seats 7 and it is for me, the best of both worlds. Decide what your primary use will be and go from there. There are many good mutli-purpose boats on the market the last few years, some lean more toward fishing and some toward pleasure. Being patient and researching will pay off in the end. Good luck and enjoy!!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Best Fishing/Rec Boat 16'-20'

Inspector, I recommend you choose a bowrider in the 18-20 foot class. They are very versatile. I recommend you target at least 150HP. You can take 4-6 people out at once, the kids love to ride in the bow (also it tires them out), you can fish from the bow(allows 4-6 fishermen to coexist), the boat will water ski, and is relatively easy to trailer and drive.