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We are looking to purchase an older used boat for fishing and skiing. We were looking into paintball, but at $150 for 2 people per game, plus the $2k in start up costs....it just seemed ridiculous. We are looking for a small fish/ski boat, take it out 12 times a year. All ivr heard of boats is that they are giant money pits. Is this true of the smaller, cheaper boats? Not many features to break on these. Boat will only be used in freshwater
I think I added to your fishing paintball hobby question...
Fishing boats and Skiing boats are different things. I have owned boats for 25 years or so and have done alot of skiing and fishing. I have always liked a comfortable boat to float around in and comfortable boats usually have nice seats and carpet. What I have never been excited about was hauling a slimey fish out and laying it on the carpet in my boat if the hook needs some work getting out.
Fishing boats for fresh water are called bass boats, they are low long and wide for stability and feature high seats and a trolling motor on the front, they usually have big horse power outboards to get you to the fishing spot quickly.
In salt water the preferred fishing boat is a center console with outboard and a deepe V hull to cut through the waves.
Both boats feature rod storage, live wells, and fish finders.
Top Skiing boats have inboard engines usually V8's for lots of power ot pull skiiers out of the water.
I still think if you are just getting into fishing you should get a canoe. Adding a motor to anything adds cost in fuel, and upkeep/maintenance plus you will need to register the boat and the trailer. Do you have a truck set up to pull a boat?
If you can do the maintenance yourself on the boat then that will help you cut costs.
you can fish out of any boat but skiing you need power of at least 75 horse, whether it is outboard, inboard outboard referred to I/O or inboard. A 18' boat is a good beginning and try ot get something that is no more than 10 years old.
I think I added to your fishing paintball hobby question...
Fishing boats and Skiing boats are different things. I have owned boats for 25 years or so and have done alot of skiing and fishing. I have always liked a comfortable boat to float around in and comfortable boats usually have nice seats and carpet. What I have never been excited about was hauling a slimey fish out and laying it on the carpet in my boat if the hook needs some work getting out.
Fishing boats for fresh water are called bass boats, they are low long and wide for stability and feature high seats and a trolling motor on the front, they usually have big horse power outboards to get you to the fishing spot quickly.
In salt water the preferred fishing boat is a center console with outboard and a deepe V hull to cut through the waves.
Both boats feature rod storage, live wells, and fish finders.
Top Skiing boats have inboard engines usually V8's for lots of power ot pull skiiers out of the water.
I still think if you are just getting into fishing you should get a canoe. Adding a motor to anything adds cost in fuel, and upkeep/maintenance plus you will need to register the boat and the trailer. Do you have a truck set up to pull a boat?
If you can do the maintenance yourself on the boat then that will help you cut costs.
you can fish out of any boat but skiing you need power of at least 75 horse, whether it is outboard, inboard outboard referred to I/O or inboard. A 18' boat is a good beginning and try ot get something that is no more than 10 years old.
Good luck
My husband is a mechanic by trade but not a boat mechanic. He's nervous about how much work he can handle and how much we will need to pay someone else to do. We have a 2005 navigator with a hitch. We are experienced with fishing, some boating experience. This hobby isn't as new to us as paintball in would be. We have 3 kids under 5, we would like to take on the boat occasionally. The Insurance, taxes etc is not of worry. They have a lot of "fish and ski" boats listed online, what makes these stand out from strictly a fishing boat or strictly ski boat. I'm a super clean person, hate for a boats carpet to be ruined....but it's just part of it I suppose. Alot of boats in out price range are the 60s sea sprites, early 1990s bayliners, chaparral 20 ft. Bow riders.
At that price range ($2K?), you will end up with an older fiberglass boat with an outboard motor. I suggest that you try to find a boat that has been stored indoors.
For your usage rate, you are looking for something trailer-able. If your husband is a mechanic, he knows about things like check the tires on the boat trailer, check for rust and damage, check the trailer brakes and the axle bearings.
The motor has to be in water to be tested. Either lowered into a barrel of water, or there is a hose attachment that will run water through the engine while it is run on land.
You might not get an engine that is really suitable for water skiing in your price range, so I suggest a boat for your family to use fishing and then get one of those towable floats for the kids to sit on while you tow them around. That's a lot safer and just as much fun for the kids.
Unless you have time constraints you might have that boat out more often than you think you will. Boating is enjoyable. We gets ours out for the day if there is just one day available but take it camping with us if we have two or more days available.
Please set the rule and enforce it: the motor doesn't start until everyone has their life vest on. The new inflatable PFD's (personal floatation device) are so comfortable that you won't even know you have it on. There is no excuse not to wear one.
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