Utility boat recomendations

[tramsdell]

Hi! Im looking to but a new duck hunting boat, the old jon boat really wasnt safe in churning waters and got traded away. New boat is too shiny to hunt from and honestly a 30 year old motor isn't a great idea being miles from a ramp in near freezing water and no help availible. Looking for a small v bottom that will take me a little further and carey more gear than the kayak. Main considerations are price, and new(financing). Secondary would be availability of camo/flat color. *looking for BMT combo that includes a 2 stroke engine.


this is basically the only option ive seen that kinda checks all the boxes:
alumacraft [h=5]YOUR V14[/h]
*MSRP with options

$9,703

• Khaki
• FLOOR
• STANDARD
• 20" TRANSOM
• EVINRUDE E25DRGL GPHT
• GROW BOATING INIT-EVN
• SHORELAND'R TRLR ALB10TM-03 BLK

any other companies that have similar or better suited for duck hunting? Maybe factory camo? Maybe cheaper (hard to imagine)?

 

[ahicks]

I don't know what kind of water you're hunting from, and personal choice might have a lot to do with what you are used to previously, but a 14' boat here seems kinda small. I would not feel secure in anything smaller than a 16-17' boat, and then it would have to have a fairly wide beam.

As far as shiny, a few cans of spray paint can take care of that issue. I have one painted with Ford tractor paint from Tractor supply (lt. grey) that's very easily touched up on occasion. Doesn't look bad at all!

 

[tramsdell]

I don't know what kind of water you're hunting from, and personal choice might have a lot to do with what you are used to previously, but a 14' boat here seems kinda small. I would not feel secure in anything smaller than a 16-17' boat, and then it would have to have a fairly wide beam.

As far as shiny, a few cans of spray paint can take care of that issue. I have one painted with Ford tractor paint from Tractor supply (lt. grey) that's very easily touched up on occasion. Doesn't look bad at all!

I rattle canned the last one, hours of prep. Hundreds in quality paint. And it wore off in a heartbeat under use. Had to touch it up twice per season. Maybe a vinyl wrap?

 

[Scott Danforth]

I rattle canned the last one, hours of prep. Hundreds in quality paint. And it wore off in a heartbeat under use. Had to touch it up twice per season. Maybe a vinyl wrap?

you really dont understand the $20 in misc paint needed to make a duck boat not shiny do you? the last boat painted for duck hunting was a 17 foot aluminum boat, scuffed with 3M scotchbright and hit with various colors of primer to camouflage it. the scotchbright was $4 and the paint was 6 cans of rustoleum at $3.30 each

 

[tramsdell]

As to usage are, its all rivers, lakes, ponds, reservoirs. So the biggest waves get is maybe 3 footers and small boats are easier to hide and easier to manipulate in tight waters. The reason flat boats are unsafe is that the waves can get big quickly, and your route back to the launch or any launch isn't going to be into or with the wind, so an 8 inch gunwale is soon taking water over the sides.

 

[tramsdell]

you really dont understand the $20 in misc paint needed to make a duck boat not shiny do you? the last boat painted for duck hunting was a 17 foot aluminum boat, scuffed with 3M scotchbright and hit with various colors of primer to camouflage it. the scotchbright was $4 and the paint was 6 cans of rustoleum at $3.30 each

Been there. It was even enjoyable the first time. I guess if you hunt twice a year and dont get in and out of the boat when you hunt it would hold up for a season.
Cost, i get that. Ever touch up a boat with a rattle can in moist weather when daytime highs are 40*f ? Sure you cover it with grass or whatever but bare alum or bright colors will shine through. 1 outing usually left sides scuffed up from decoys coming in and hunters hopping in and out. Oooooo maybe i should build a garage and heat it, so i can spray paint on my 50 dollar cragslist rowboat !


also, the color options were a secondary concern.

 

[tramsdell]

So, any recomendations on small utility boat packages ?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Ever touch up a boat with a rattle can in moist weather when daytime highs are 40*f ? .

Yes actually, the paint was sprayed on at about 35 degrees while drinking beer and whiskey the day prior to the first hunt of the season and took pulling next to the camp fire to get it to dry prior to night fall. however the primer didnt come off all season even running ashore, it simply changed texture from flat to matt. use acetone to remove the grease from the beef jerky and cheese curds on your hands prior to applying the paint.

same with my old trail-riding 4x4 that was rattle-canned after beating the dents out with a sledge hammer from rolling it while off-roading

 

[tramsdell]

Yes actually, the paint was sprayed on at about 35 degrees while drinking beer and whiskey the day prior to the first hunt of the season and took pulling next to the camp fire to get it to dry prior to night fall. however the primer didnt come off all season even running ashore, it simply changed texture from flat to matt. use acetone to remove the grease from the beef jerky and cheese curds on your hands prior to applying the paint.

same with my old trail-riding 4x4 that was rattle-canned after beating the dents out with a sledge hammer from rolling it while off-roading

That's good, man! Im proud of you and your accomplishments! Do you know of many utility v boat, motor, trailer combos that come new with a 2 stroke outboard? Preferably 12-14ft, maybe 16?

 

[Scott Danforth]

No, not with a new 2 stroke

 

[tramsdell]

No, not with a new 2 stroke

K thanks for your wisdom and insight, bub. Take care now and keep the slimy side down, bro.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

You are 100% right about Jon boats, they should be illegal. I/we have done many camo boats. One of the easiest to do. It can't be wrong. We will gather branches with leaves on them, some Maple leaves, a few lengths of vines. Do a rough sand, clean well and apply a base coat in Battleship grey, actually any natural colour like taup. Then lay the foliage on the hull and with a few other natural colours spray the hull in sections then remove all the twigs etc. You have camo, eezey peezy lemon squeezy.

No reason to spend hundreds on spray paint. Dollar General has all types of paint for cheap, they buy large lots of discontinued or colours not popular. Just make sure the can works before buying. Be discreet testing it in the store, actually I have asked a clerk for a big piece of cardboard and tested them. You want a lacquer or enamel based paint no acrylic based.

 

[tramsdell]

I'm really looking for suggestions on small utility boat packages of the 2 stroke flavor, so basically etec or ?? I looked into just buying a hull/trailer then engine separateley and it is a little more money and doesn't seem easy to finance.(dont lecture me about money)

 

[tramsdell]

You are 100% right about Jon boats, they should be illegal...

They have a time and place, marshes and swamps are ok, but any semblance of open water is straight up sketchy. The st. Lawrence river in november and wind coming down the valley is not ideal. You cannot swim if you are unconscious. Hypothermia leads to loss of consciousness. Hypothermia symptoms like loss of strength set in within 10 minutes in 40*F watter. Nobody uses flat bottoms out there.

 

[matt167]

as far as i am aware. No 2 strokes are available under 40 horsepower anymore aside from the Etec 25/30hp... But Johnson/ Evinrude 20-30hp 2 cylinder 2 strokes were built from '76-'05. There a pretty safe bet if you need to stay 2 stroke.

you will likely have a hard time finding a package with the 2 stroke Etec as they are more expensive than other 4 strokes, and not really popular in smaller sizes. 4 stroke has pretty much taken over the portable outboard market

 

[tramsdell]

Well that's a crying shame. I always had decent "luck" with small late 90s evinrudes. Maybe ill just wait and find a craigslist special to have my way with.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Have you looked at the Princecraft line? A neighbour picked up a 16 foot brand new Prince Craft with a side council and 90 HP 4 stroke, I'm sure they have tiller versions as well. It certainly isn't a deep V but does have a shallow V, perfect I would think for your hunting Duck trips. Princecraft is out of Quebec, yes some, not all, components come from China, that's a consideration but what doesn't come from China today. You might get a good deal because of the exchange rate. I don't think I would ever buy a new boat with new boat sticker price for a few trips a year. Not sure if you are close to the border. If you want to take a trip across check Kijiji.ca. It's Canada's Craig List. Transfer of ownership and title crossing the border is a simple process if you have all the proper paper work. You don't need a broker and it isn't expensive other than the 13% sales tax on the boat motor and trailer.

 

[tramsdell]

I was looking at the princecraft ungava 12 and the yukon 14L i cant see a price but didnt consider the exchange rate. I think there's a us dealer near me. One of the auto dealers also sells princecraft but fancy themselves as a pontoon shop. I might givem a call. Maybe buy a hull and trailer then find a craigslist kijiji outboard. My wheeling and dealing days are supposed to be begind me (or so i promised the wife :lol

 

[Teamster]

That's good, man! Im proud of you and your accomplishments! Do you know of many utility v boat, motor, trailer combos that come new with a 2 stroke outboard? Preferably 12-14ft, maybe 16?

Maybe try Alumacraft, They were bought by Evinrude, the only maker of new 2 strokes left,...

 

[tramsdell]

I figure ill watch craigslist for some underpowered v hull in the sub-500 dollar range. Then buy a shiny new etec 25 for it and i can clean up the old 9.9 or whatever comes on it and use that as a kicker on my fishing boat. Or maybe buy a brand new alumacraft