Re: Boat buying
Expidia,
... All the lakes around here are small. So that's about all I need.
Thanks to all the guys for talking me into get one.
Don
Thanks for that info Don. You actually are going the exact same route as I did to reach the decision to buy my Lund 1425 Classic with side console steering. I bought mine new in 2007. But then again, you are a lot older than I am . . . cause I'm only 61
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It's almost impossible to find the rig your are looking for used. Who would sell it, especially a Lund? If it's in great condition and the boaters moving up in size, his old rig will be grabbed up by a family member, office associate or fishing buddy.
I also worked my way up from two other aluminum rigs that's why I didn't want you to repeat the mistakes I made with the other two.
Lund just brought back the Rebel model. In 2007 they dropped it. That's why I had to buy the Classic. I was looking to buy the Rebel.
If I had it to do over again . . . I would be looking at which ever model gives me a "built in gas tank" and a passenger console with a wind shield. Your wife is not going to like bugs in her teeth and a cold wind. You will only have the windshield on your side. Sure you can always have her sit backwards so she will only get bugs in her hair and still freeze.
A few tips especially to ween the Mrs into enjoying boating.
Get a small porta potty. I stow mine up front with a bungee holding it in place. I bought 4 grey bath towels at Walmart ($8 each) to cover the boat seats on hot days. I use one to cover the PP and most don't know its there. I can use it as a seat too.
Your wife can just wrap a towel around herself to use the PP if there are other boats in the area.
Get a light colored bimini. Nothing worse for a women as to let her bake in the sun while "you" fish.
Don't take her out if it's windy (waves are rough on these small aluminum's) or looks like rain. If rain clouds appear get her back to the dock ASAP. My goal is always to get her in the car before the rain starts because you don't want to be out in the lightening. If that happens she will never get on the boat again. It's easy enough to just keep your eye on the clouds. An simple AM radio turned on will signal lightening miles away.
I don't know how big a lake you will be going on. But if you plan to trailer to bigger lakes after you become more experienced absolutely get a combo fishfinder with a GPS. Set a waypoint on the GPS BEFORE you ever move out of the launch area.
After you get some boating time in you can extend your season and make your wife happier if you go to a canvas shop and have them make a custom enclosure for you. You can go into my link in my signature and see pictures of what I did to my rig. It would actually be better to have the shop make the bimini for you too rather than the overpriced dealer. Get Sunbrella fabric for everything. My enclosure came to around $700 (plus $200 for Bimini online). I can use my rig from mid April thru late Oct.
If your wife drinks . . . bring a small cooler with some wine or what she likes. Women love anchoring in a quiet cove, reading a magazine, taking in some sun, listening to music and having lunch.
If you plan on trailering. Have the shop make you up a trailerable cover that snaps on all around. My shop uses a fabric called Top Gun. It's great stuff and does not stretch like Sunbrella does. With the trailerable cover you already have all your gear in the boat, pull off the cover and you're ready to launch.
Write down a check list of steps you need to take before you launch and visa versa. I can't tell you how many things I miss only to look like an idiot because I forgot to take off the transom tie down straps as I back into the water and wonder why the boat won't float off the trailer. Have your wife do a walk around, they like being involved.
Never . . . ever . . . yell at your wife (or anyone else) when you are at the launch and frustrated when something goes wrong. Mistakes happen, don't become a Captain Bly. You will see plenty of jerks at those launch ramps. For your first few outings go to the launch when its quiet and always get away from the launch area as soon as you can. Some of these yahoo types with their sh*tbox boats (and no teeth) will think nothing of banging into your new boat while your wife is holding the lines while you park the car.
It's actually better to let her park the car. It's usually a straight run to the parking area for her.
Many come to the launch area already drunk let alone when the come off the water they are ALL drunk. To most people, sadly that's what boating is all about to them, just another place to over imbibe.
In a small aluminum boat you really need to be aware of everything around you . . . all the time.
You will love this boat after you finally get it. It's worth the 3k higher price tag over the Alumacraft and you will get much of that back at the time of resale. The Lunds hull design feels and rides like a bigger rig, yet perfect for ease of trailering around. I really liked the wider top rails (the gunnels). That sport track system is great for attaching cup holders, rod holders etc without drilling any holes.
If you are going to be any sizeable waters I'd go with the max HP for the boat. It only cost me $500 more to move from a 30 to a 40 which is the max for my rig. Otherwise each and every day you are in the boat you are always going to be saying to yourself "I should have got the max outboard". Mine now jumps to plane full loaded with gear in a few feet. The 30 took the length of a football field. Definitely test drive the boat before you buy it with your wife onboard and gear such as an iced filled cooler etc. Once you throw on a trolling motor and another 50 lbs of battery and sometimes a 3rd passenger you are not going to be happy after you just spent 13-15k.
The dealers always try and sell you an underpowered package just to get the boat out the door. If you try and upgrade later on they will say it's a used motor now once you ran it. And you will probably have to pay them another installation fee.
Get the 5 year warranty if they don't have a deal early in the year that comes with it. I had to pay $300 for it because I swapped the outboard for the 40hp and I was now out of the month the offered the free 5 year warranty. Do you want to know what ONE REPAIR on these new outboards is going to cost you???
You will get most of the dollars back if you resell the boat for the hp upgrade. I started out only wanting to spend 8k on an Alumacraft 145 package. After I bought the Lund it was 13k and then more for having to upgrade my old trailer. Listing out all my accessories from past boats for insurance purposes I'm up to 19k. Still wondering what happened to that 8k I told my Wife I'm going to spend
Now I'm looking at keeping a 24 foot boat with a cuddy for overnights in a marina. But I'll still keep the Lund to trailer around to various lakes so I don't get bored doing the same routine every weekend on the same lake, same marina. I plan to trailer and keep the 24 foot aluminum at different lake each season.
Note: Don, I checked the specs of the Rebel. It's a 30hp max. That's really odd because mine is a 40hp. I would seriously consider looking at the Rebel 1625 XL. You won't be happy with the 14 foot one because just as with mine . . . you will pay "A LOT OF MONEY" and they are both just utility boats with steering wheels, upgraded rowboats of sorts with a few bells and whistles. You can't put 3 or 4 people on them because the seats are so close. The 16 will be a lot safer especially for a new boater.
That Rebel 1625 XS is the perfect starter boat. It can take a 75 hp, but you could get away with a 60 hp too if you want to save a few bucks. Double windshield and built in tank. 6 gal plastic tanks are a pain to lug around. The 1625 has a 19 gal tank. You fill it at the gas station and save at least $19 EACH FILL over a marina's pump.
Test drive them both! The 1625 is a "real boat" that you won't have to sell in a few years from now and take a big depreciation loss (the salesman's commission) on the 14 footer. If money is an issue, say it's 2k-3k more. Well, 3k divided by owning the bigger boat over the next 5 years is $11.50 more a week! If money still is an issue for a new boat, than you would be better off buying a 2-3 year old 16 foot used.
Enjoy
