New boater need help!

[boatkid9234]

Hello all so im new to the forum so if i am posting in the wrong thread just tell me.
well my family and i are looking into getting a boat just to fool around in a bay with. No hard core fishing. Maybe some here and there and go out tubing wit a friend or two nothing major. But what size boat would be good for a bay. I have been in a 16 ft wahoo (whaler knock off) and it wasnt very stable or comfortable. I was thinking something more along the lines of like a 17-18 foot sea ray or like a sea doo jet boat and it cant be overly expensive... lets just stick to the price off a 5 yr old or less boat... even new
thank you everyone for reading this,
Ryan

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: New boater need help!

Your kinda all over the place there, first lets start with a location as you state "in a Bay" so knowing which bay would be important, some bays get pretty big lumps. Sticking to the price of a 5 year old boat doesn't help either since that can be from $50,000 to $15,000 depending on the boat.


More info?

 

[boatkid9234]

Re: New boater need help!

barnegat bay New jersey if that even helps

and probably max of around 15- 20,000

any other questions im glad to answer to best of my knowledge

i have been on the bay maybe 10 times anywhere from it being glass into two ft

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: New boater need help!

I understand I'm just trying to get information from you for the guys in that area chime in, hard for me to give you any real advice since I am in Colorado and never see the ocean in my boat. You are asking some pretty common questions, I just don't feel comfortable answering them since well I have no idea. The more information you provide the more accurate answers you will get.....but from those who have better experience then I do

I do know that I have had my boat in 4' waves maybe even bigger on Lake Powell and with 25' of boat it wasn't fun but I wasn't worried either, I think your thoughts of 16' to 20' are very reasonable, we just have to get the type of boat figured out now!

Good Luck!

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: New boater need help!

I heard those seadoo jet boats are a real PITA.. Even I like the idea behind em but from what I have heard from people who have owned em they are running to the point of falling apart... For 20k you can buy a brand new sea ray..Will have a nice ride. Might wanta go with a outboard running around in that saltwater.. Close cooling I/O would work but the salt will eat on the manifolds...

 

[heyyou325]

Re: New boater need help!

As LippCJ7 says ,you need to be clearer on what you are asking. Been boating for several years in a 16 foot deep v boats. You need to watch the weather as it's no fun in heavy rain, wind, or hail. Or Lightning for that matter. Weather does pop up unexpectedly too. Makes a difference if you are in the ocean, river, or lake, and the size of river or lake. If you get caught out, you want to go with the waves, or against them, never sideways to them. Also find a boat you are comfortable with. Age doesn't matter as long as they have been taken care of. I have a 61 Crestliner 16 ft and it has been out in some big blows in good size lakes. It does get a little hairy when waves come over the bow tho. Had my wife and kids out quite often in 16 ft and smaller boats. I feel the heavier ones, to a point, are better in rough weather, and tri hulls get really bounced around. The deep v is best in my opinion. The whaler's I've been in and heard about are real light and either shallow v or flat bottom.

 

[Chris-R]

Re: New boater need help!

Great area to boat! Here's a couple of hints. First, go hang around a few marinas and boat ramps and see what boats are being used. Talk to people about what boat they have and what they use it for. Before you know it, you'll start to like and dislike certain boats due to your personal preferences. Second, go to area boat dealers and look at both new and used boat inventories. Tell them what your intended uses are for your proposed boat and see what they suggest. Third, go to manufacturer and dealer web sites to gather info. Fourth, you did the right thing by asking questions on a forum. You may want to try some of the other boating forums too. Some popular non-fishing boat brands are Stingray, Sea Ray, Crownline, Monterey, Cobalt, Yamaha, Larson, Bayliner. Some popular fishing boat brands are Whaler, Hydra Sports, Mako, Grady White, Contender, Sea Craft, Sea Hunt. There are a lot more boat companies than I'm listing but these are some of the more popular brands out there. Take a look at their web sites and visit their dealers. Lastly, don't skimp on size. My personal opinion is that a 16-18 foot boat on the bay is too small. When you're boating on salt water, even in the bay, the weather changes super quickly sometimes and a 16-18 footer might get you into trouble. My comfort level for salt water bays starts at about 20 feet. That's why I have a 22 foot Stingray.

 

[AgentJ]

Re: New boater need help!

how about the Tahoe Q7 ski and fish. it seats 9. i have a family of four and we have pleanty of room for more. its a 21 footer and does real well in the sea. on calm days i have been out 20 miles off shore. just make sure you have taken safty precautions..ie float plan, vhf radio. i have taken my in tampa bay and off the coast of destin. the v hull cuts through the waves, the boat has a great fishing package and a ski tow ring. Have fun!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: New boater need help!

chris has good advice--go look around and see what is being used, and try to discern who are the real boaters and who are the inexperienced.

The best all around general purpose boat for your type of area is a center console with built-in seats in the bow, and an outboard. Avoid inboards and bow riders. Even though you are in a bay (as I am) avoid the "bay boat" design (flat hull) and get something with a decent spoon to the bow, if you are going to be in the open bay most of the time. Bay boats are OK in sheltered water or if you go over 21'.

17-19 is a good starter size. For pleasure boating, you won't be going out on bad days in the first place, but you need to be able to deal with the surprises. But are you going to be out on the wide open often, or in the creeks and estuaries? If wide open water all the time, 17 may be small.

 

[spikeitaudi]

Re: New boater need help!

Barneget bay is shallow and for the most part pretty enclosed and sheltered. That being said it can still get hairy. You won't be going out in any bad weather for sure. My brother in law (28 foot Cruiser) had his boat in Barneget bay last year and we saw just about every type of boat out in that bay. Cruisers, open bowriders, CC, etc.. and just about every size.

We both will have our boats in the Raritan bay this year. Slipped at Morgan Marina, we both plan on taking trip to Barneget bay as well. Again be wary of the weather and just don't go if there is any hint of it being bad.