Looking for boat recommends

[Otis357]

Hi All, first post and looking to buy my first boat and was hoping to get some ideas from you folks that will fit my needs.

My biggest restriction is vehicle... I have an 03 Honda CRV, 4cyl, manual 5 speed that has a towing capacity of only 1500lbs. Cant afford a larger vehicle and a boat, so the boat will need to fit into this limit. Hoping to do some bass fishing from it, as well as pull a tube, and maybe use it to teach my 9yo daughter to ski.

If it fits in the weight range, I was hoping to find something used like a 16ft or 17ft Legend or Bass Tracker with a 25 to 40hp motor with console steering and keep it under $6000.

Having some trouble finding weight specs for the older models posted on CL and Kijiji... Am I off the mark with this boat? Any other models I should be considering that will fit these requirements?

Thanks.... Jon

 

[pmillar]

Re: Looking for boat recommends

Well, considering your weight limitations I would say you're pretty much looking at an aluminum boat with an outboard. But skiing? That's pushing it. I suppose a 14 ft. Starcraft or similar with a 60 - 70hp outboard might work ok. For a single tube you could get by with less. Actually you could probably get by with a smaller outboard if you're really limiting the skiing to your daughter. Ask the starcraft guys for real world weights of their rigs.

I miss driving with a stick but not when towing. ;-)

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Looking for boat recommends

Welcome to iboats!!

16' starcraft with a V-4 motor and trailer is less than 2000 lbs actually is is right at about 1500. You would at the limit for towing but it is doable.

My boat as an example is in my signature

 

[southkogs]

Re: Looking for boat recommends

That 16' foot rig with the V4 will pull a tube or skiier - may not be the most exciting ride, but it'll get an adult up.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: Looking for boat recommends

My Father-in-Law has a Grumman 16' aluminum stick steer with a 40hp Johnson. It will pull a tube with two adults without straining and it's under 1500lbs. I'm not sure, but I think it's still under 1500lbs with the trailer. It's very similar to the Bass Tracker Pan Fisher. The stick steer is really fun to use, and it weighs a lot less than a steering wheel on a console. It also takes up no space in the boat.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Looking for boat recommends

I have a similar boat with console steering and a 40HP Evenrude. Top end with just me on it is about 31MPH. Weight without all my extra toys (trolling motor and D31M battery) is just over 1000 pounds including the trailer. I think it would pull up a smaller skier or pull a tube, but I have never tried it. The one thing to remember is to make sure the boat does not have any wet foam in it. Maybe you could make weighing it on the trailer a final condition of sale.

TerryMSU

 

[Otis357]

Re: Looking for boat recommends

Thanks for the replies everyone, seems like my plan may work out after all 

Here?s a couple of the boats I was thinking about:
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/yrk/boa/2536356293.html
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/boa/2554348423.html
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/boa/2502620175.html
http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/bra/boa/2549335384.html (a little too much $$, but worth talking to)


Any feedback on these particular boats? Sounds like I should be looking specifically at the 40hp motors.

Thanks again for the feedback!

Cheers..