What would your ideal boat be for the Charlotte Harbor area be? (transporting, buy)

[MikeM8560]

Originally Posted by HarborRat

Speaking of trade-offs...Mike, test drive those deckboats. Some are adequate at a few things, others are just horrible at everything. Depends on the hull design. Most newer ones are just glorified bowriders, but they are the decent ones. Be very careful of the ones with a low bow.

HH I would never get rid of my seacraft even if I got one it would realy just be a harbor cruiser

[achildofthesky]

Thanks for the opinions and comments and keep 'em coming. As I drive and cycle about I see several possibilities and research is an hours long thing. Still need to find 2 or 3 guides with different types f boats and find out their likes and as importantly what they would do if they started again.

Be safe
Patty

[achildofthesky]

My back and knees are pretty well shot from unloading a "pod" into a more lond term storage facility. Hope to be back on the look see in a day or 2. We have been here for about 7 weeks now and with the offloading of the pod it really feels like we have finally arrived. Odd but there it is.

Again thanks to all that have taken time to post on this thread. I would greatly appreciate any and all comments, criticisms, ideas and general ramblings. The local area knowledge is especially good to have.

Thanks again,and to all here's high hopes of a fine evening and the prelude of a fine weekend.Be safe
Patty

[wpc691]

Originally Posted by achildofthesky

Thanks for the opinions and comments and keep 'em coming. As I drive and cycle about I see several possibilities and research is an hours long thing. Still need to find 2 or 3 guides with different types f boats and find out their likes and as importantly what they would do if they started again.

Be safe
Patty

A few months ago, I went off Sanibel with a group from work on 4 boats with guides. We ate lunch at St James City, and our boat was the last in, so I sat at the "guides' table". All we talked about for an hour was boats....used boats. Turns out, a guide's favorite boat is the one he can get the best deal on. Any second-tier boat will have adequate fit, finish and reliability - thehulltruth has endless discussions on what's a first v second v third tier boat. Parkers are great boats, but I've never seen a used one here - I've only ever seen one on a lift. Since I see cruising to Ft Myers on your want list, I guess my only advice would be don't give up too much heavy water capability to get extra skinny - slugging back from Ft Myers into a headwind in a solid washing machine chop is not something you want to do in a flat bottom skiff; you need some deadrise and some freeboard. When you want to get in 6 inches of water, throw a kayak on board, or consider adding a technical skiff to the fleet - they're relatively cheap, but you will need a piece of floating dock to store it.

[ArmyChief]

Well..I'm partial to the Glacier Bay's!

[dobiedog]

You can rent a boat for a few hours if you want to check out a particular style or length. When I fly in next month I am going to rent a Key West 17 or 19, maybe a 21 footer just to see how they handle in the harbor. I want one that will float in 1 foot but have the ability to go off shore (once a year or so)only in the best of conditions, but I want a boat that is trailerable if I want to. MikeM has a Seacraft that looks great, looks like a 23 footer but they made a 20 as well, very well made and hold their value. Bottom line is don't rush to buy the first one you see. Make a list of boats that you can live with and by all means do a sea trail. If the owner does not want to do this I would be very suspicious as to why not.

[redfish353]

Your Key West boat is beautiful, and another perfect choice for the harbor. To the poster considering the Panga, they do have several different models and unfortunately I can't remember the one I used to fish from. I just know from having spent a lot of time on other bay / flats boats, I was really unimpressed with it although it did have a really nice shallow draft. I do believe that they were more on the expensive end also, so I'm sure you can find a much nicer ride with a wider beam for less money. Just my two cents, I know that the guy I used to fish with swore by his boat and would never fish anything else but a Panga.

[HarborRat]

Originally Posted by redfish353

Your Key West boat is beautiful, and another perfect choice for the harbor. To the poster considering the Panga, they do have several different models and unfortunately I can't remember the one I used to fish from. I just know from having spent a lot of time on other bay / flats boats, I was really unimpressed with it although it did have a really nice shallow draft. I do believe that they were more on the expensive end also, so I'm sure you can find a much nicer ride with a wider beam for less money. Just my two cents, I know that the guy I used to fish with swore by his boat and would never fish anything else but a Panga.

Panga is a style of boat, not a manufacturer.

[MikMal]

Originally Posted by HarborRat

Panga is a style of boat, not a manufacturer.

There are at least three builders of Panga style boats in the Sarasota are: Mojito, Andros, and Panga Marine. Of course, I can't find exactly what I "think" I want; a 21' to 23' with the center console large enough to fit a head (as in a place to poop, not just stick your head in there to look around), shallow draft, and something I would feel safe in for an occasional trip in the Gulf.
That being said, I am still open to other boats as well and am keeping an eye on this thread and lurking on Thehulltruth. I've got an offer on my boat in Maryland, contingent on survey and sea trial, so hopefully it'll go through and I'll soon have the funds to pick up something else soon.

[ArmyChief]

Good luck..took me a few months to figure out what type/boat would satisfy the Admiral's needs and be able to fish. We ended up with that Glacier Bay 2240 SX. It has almost 6 foot of standing room in the port hull with a "pooper"