Choosing the Boat That's Right for You By Tony Dean
Jason Lucas, the late fishing editor of Sports Afield magazine, was the owner of an acerbic sense of humor that he frequently displayed in his monthly question and answer section. Thus, it was, a lady wrote to ask about the size of boat required if two or more anglers would be fly-casting.
“Madam,” he wrote, “I suggest something on the order of the Queen Mary.”
Humor aside, the advice was sound. You should match the boat to the water and type of fishing you plan to do most of the time. And the best advice I can offer to anyone who plans to fish mostly Dakota waters with an occasional trip to Canada, Minnesota or Wisconsin, is to select something in the 17-foot range that can be powered by an outboard of moderate horsepower. It should have a deep V hull for that will work best in winds and the resultant waves. I also add this… about 90 percent of all boat owners…are over-boated. In other words, too many of them are running Queen Mary’s where something smaller and less expensive would adequately serve their needs.
I’ve covered this before. You do not need a 20-foot rig powered by a huge outboard to safely fish our biggest waters. But that’s what most are running, an unfortunate spin-off of fishing tournaments. That worked like this. If all of the hot dog tournament pros are running 20 plus foot fiberglass boats with a 225 HP outboard as the minimum power, what is it they know that we don’t? The truth is, just as tournament fishing bears only a slight resemblance to real fishing, in a tournament, speed is important. In yours and my weekend fishing, it isn’t. Besides, not everyone looks good in a shirt held together by manufacturer patches.
And though the profit margin is higher in such a boat, I think, deep down, most dealers still long for those glorius 1970’s when people traded boats every couple of years and could afford to do so. And if the marine industry ever figures that out, they will return to better profits because they’ll be building boats that are affordable to more boaters.
Truth is, if you do much of your fishing alone or with one other person, a 16-footer with a deep V hull configuration and an outboard in the 40-70 hp range, will work just fine. Go with a 17-footer if you will have a couple others on board. By boating yourself down instead of up, you’ll save a lot of money. And because the cost of a typical walleye boat these days often exceeds the cost of the first house most of us owned, I’d think in terms of ways to lower the price.
My pal, Dennis Kassube of Big Stone City, SD is an outstanding fisherman. He also has a nice fiberglass rig, but he realized that some of South Dakota’s best fishing during the 90s and beyond, was found in small, “new” lakes that formed following the record runoff of the 90s. Thus Dennis invested less than $7,000 in a 16-foot aluminum boat, trailer, a 20 HP outboard and trolling motor. He added a pair of flasher sonars and finds himself fishing out of this rig more than his much more expensive fiberglass boat. There are few places he can’t launch that rig.
There was a time I would have said, power a boat up to what the manufacturer recommends, and in some ways that’s still good advice because you will usually obtain better fuel economy with such a rig by getting it up on plane faster, and then running at about three-quarter throttle. But when I advised that, we were paying about 50 cents for gas and fuel economy was a non-factor. The downside is that almost no boat owner can resist the temptation to put the hammer down, though gas prices now often push a couple bucks a gallon. And remember, they’ll always be higher in the Dakotas than anywhere else but in California, Rapid City and Pierre.
Just as a passing note, just after Thanksgiving, I drove from Los Angeles to Pierre. I paid $1.70 in LA, and $1.69 upon arriving in Pierre. In between, gas prices ran $1.50 in Barstow, CA, $1.48 in St. George, UT, $1.45 in the middle of Wyoming along I-80, $1.43 in North Platte, NE and $1.32 in Valentine, NE. Go figure.
And the gas gouge has caused me to change my opinion on choosing an outboard motor. Power it up with enough outboard to handle it, in other words, to get it up on plane and run at a respectable speed at full throttle. That’s what I’ve done with a 17-foot console-steering boat. Though it’s rated for a 175 hp outboard, I’m using a less costly 130. It runs at 40 mph with the hammer down and that’s only about a half-dozen mph slower than it would run with a 150 and possibly 10 mph slower than with a 175. But it will cost a lot less too. You may spend slightly more on fuel because you will be running wide open during long runs but by selecting a 115, 125 or 130 instead of a 150, you’d spend significantly less on the outboard, enough to buy a good trolling motor and sonar. Choose a four-stroke and you’ll use at least 30 percent less fuel. And you’ll be able to carry on a conversation when you’re running wide open. At trolling speeds, you won’t hear it run.
Fiberglass or aluminum? Let’s weigh the pros and cons.
Fiberglass boats generally offer a smoother, quieter ride but usually cost more. Aluminum boats ride rougher, though they’re getting closer to fiberglass comfort all the time. Crestliner has always been the aluminum standard for smoothness but Alumacrafts 2XB hull rides just about as smooth. The point is, when the rest of the manufacturers figure out how these two companies do it with aluminum, the ride factor will disappear. If you trade boats regularly, the much shorter warranty of a fiberglass boat won’t be a factor but if the boat is going to stay in your garage for up to 10 years or more, the longer warranty of aluminum makes it a better choice.
If you pull up on shore frequently, choose aluminum. Fiberglass boats usually wear quickly in the same spot after repeated rubbings against rocks, sand, gravel, etc. Aluminum seems impervious to such treatment and is generally tougher than fiberglass which gives you more boat for the buck. I’ve run both and lean heavily toward aluminum as a better buy.
But if you like metal flake paint jobs, pick fiberglass. And remember, the single biggest advantage of fiberglass is that metal-flake paint is prettier. Contrary to popular belief, neither hull is drier than the other. That is more a function of hull design, as opposed to construction materials. I ran a fiberglass Fisher a few years back that was not only wet but leaned at every speed and it was nearly impossible to make it run straight. That boat would wander left and right even if you never touched the steering wheel. And it was the least fisherman-friendly boat I’ve ever run. The rod lockers were too short, and I broke several expensive rods while using it. The floor plan was so poorly thought out that you’d think the Vikings offensive coordinator designed it.
Aluminum offers one more advantage. It’s lighter and that means you’ll consume less fuel on long tows. Adding a boat cover will also conserve fuel while towing, and if you keep either a fiberglass or aluminum boat outdoors, year-round, a boat cover’s a necessity.
I mentioned the outboard earlier and that raises the question of two or four stroke, a non-brainer. In the not-too-far-distant future, you won’t have a choice because four-strokes will be mandated. They run cleaner, quieter and more efficiently. You’ll pay more at the outset but if you’re buying a boat you’ll keep a few years, go with the four-stroke.
If you choose a console steering boat, the full windshield’s a better choice than a single on a portside console. For the most part, single windshields are for little more than looks because they certainly aren’t functional. A full windshield gives you better resale value not to mention a lot more comfort on a chilly spring or fall day.
How about center consoles? I have a friend who has one and the big advantage is that you stand while running. Some might consider that a negative until they run one on a windy day with tall waves. It sure beats banging your butt every few seconds. The downside is that few center consoles are large enough to have a couple passengers standing alongside taking advantage of the improved way of suffering through rough water.
How about a tiller boat?
I’m running one this year, and I still consider it the most efficient boat to control. It’s slower but I’ve never caught a fish going much faster than 5 or 6 miles per hour. You’ll save money with a tiller choice, both on overall cost and the cost of filling the gas tank. Downside? You’ll get wetter and a good rainsuit is as important as a pair of splashguards. But you’ll catch more fish! And on the really windy days, you’ll go just as fast as the big 225’s and 20 footers, but when you get to where you’ll fish, it’ll be a lot easier to control your boat.
But just as each boat has an advantage, all have some downsides. And much of them are the result of boat designers who don’t fish. But they are getting better. A year ago, I spent a half-day crawling in and out of boats of various brands while attending a major sport show. I made notes. More boatmakers are now placing their batteries in a box amidships and under the deck. That’s fine for weight distribution, but the downside is that too often, it’s hard to get at your batteries and see them at the same time without tendon-stretching contortions. Some still persist in making things hard for the boat rigger. Some consoles still don’t allow enough room to mount electronics. Some rod boxes are too short for anything longer than a 6-foot rod while a goodly number of the rods we use these days are longer than that. It’s apparent that some designers have never checked the positioning of their casting deck seat in relation to using a bow-mount trolling motor. In some models, there isn’t enough room in front when using a bow mount to plant a size 10 shoe much less your leg. And why can’t boat makers come up with a simple system to bring a piece of the deck up to cover the open area to prevent air flow under the windshield after it is latched? Not a big deal unless you’re out there on a chilly day.
How about trailers? For years, boat makers, especially those who made aluminum boats, spoke against roller trailers. Turns out they were wrong. Bunk trailers do offer good support for a hull but a multi-roller trailer offers even more. A horse for each. Both offer good support for the hull. Bunk trailers are fine if you do most of your fishing on lakes with deep ramps but they’re a pain on lakes with shallow ramps, and given a choice, I’ll take a quality roller trailer every time. They load and unload easier and when you back down on a shallow ramp, you’ll be glad you have a roller trailer. I’m running a Shoreland’r roller trailer that loads and unloads like a dream, and the built-in brakes are wonderful.
Another bunk disadvantage is that frequent launchings and loadings followed by towing, especially on dusty roads, leave bunks dirty and sticky. You can partially solve that problem by washing your bunks the next time you unload, and then apply silicone spray. However if you launch a lot, especially after driving down gravel roads, you’ll have to repeat this monthly.
I also prefer a drop-axle trailer because it lowers the profile of your rig as you tow down the highway. I’d rather spend the money on gas for the boat than for the tow vehicle.
Choosing a good trolling motor is easy. If you use a bow mount, be sure it has a shaft long enough to remain in the water in rough seas. Most Dakota marine dealers can give you good advice. Over the past decade, I’ve run Motorguide and Minn-Kota brands and I’ll take the latter everytime. In my experience, the Minn Kotas are quieter, more reliable and user-friendly. More important, with few exceptions, it’s a challenge to find service for a Motorguide in the Dakotas.
The other piece of equipment you will need before your boat is water-ready is a good sonar. Truthfully, most of the cheap LCD’s are…junk. I am equally convinced that Lowrance and Vexilar are clearly at the head of the class, especially if you choose their top line models. Vexilar’s Edge may be the best LCD I’ve ever used but it’s on the spendy side and has never caught on. The price tag probably has something to do with that and few retailers have been stocking them. What a shame! This sonar is equipped with two transducers and provides a wide and narrow angle look at the same bottom, plus a sweep speed that’s fast enough to be nearly real time. And I guess I’ve been around long enough, that like many older anglers, I am still comfortable with a flasher sonar. Vexilar’s FL-18 is the finest I’ve used.
Regardless of the brand of LCD you choose, make it policy to shut off any automatic features. Learn to adjust sensitivity properly. That means turning up the power so you always get a bottom echo. And if you run your LCD at anything but the fastest chart speed possible, you deserve to get skunked on a regular basis.
What about the tow vehicle? Here we have another downside for the over-boated crowd. The bigger and heavier the boat, the more truck you’ll need. Yes, truck. Most of the cars of today aren’t designed to tow these boats. Priced tow vehicles lately? If you can get by for $20,000, you are fortunate. However, the odds are high you’ll be looking at a figure more like $30,000 to $40,000. So if you opt for a walleye boat in the $25,000 range and a tow vehicle in the same bracket, the kids aren’t going to get new tennis shoes quite as often.
In the end, you’ll serve yourself better by picking a boat that’s affordable, of moderate size and power, of aluminum and powered by an outboard of moderate power. You won’t need to spend as much on a tow vehicle and you’ll be able to trade up more often. So, avoid falling into the Queen Mary syndrome, even if it means you and your buddy can’t fly-cast from the same boat.
