What would your ideal boat be for the Charlotte Harbor area be? (Key West: home, buying)

[achildofthesky]

I have been looking at the "fishing Charlotte Harbor" thread posts on and off for quite some time now and enjoy it as well as CD searches and Googled the subject to near silliness. I used to live here back in the mid 1990's and left in about 2001 following a job out of state.

We finally got our move completed here (PGI) about 6 weeks ago (thank you Tamre and to a couple of others with recent local area knowledge) and the more I read, the more I look out from the lanai, he more I stand next to the unused 10k# boat lift, the more I reckon I need a boat for fishing and a bit of just, well, er, boating about the Charlotte harbor area, into the Peace and Myacca rivers and down to Pine Island and Ft Myers and out by the barrier islands area and other nearby locals. I do not for see water skiing or boarding....

Being realistic, I don't really need a massively big time offshore capable boat due to all the increased expenses that come with larger vessels. I need to hire a couple of local guides or whatever with both flats and bay boat center console styles to get a feel for the type of boat I "need".

A bay boat is a pretty easy baseline guess having owned that type of platform (albeit of the closed bow flavour) of that type when I lived in the Clear Lake/NASA and out into Galveston Bay area near Houston, Tx.

I will be at the smaller end of that scale and do not reasonably see anything over 19-20'. I know the sacrifices in length are exacerbated in the interior deck area, accomodations, features and narrower beam. Also, I have fished offshore in a mid 20 foot (walk around Cuddy Cabin) Grady White with twin 200+hp outboard engines but that is way too much boat for me both size and operating and maintenance expense wise so I have already ruled that sort out.

A hardcore flats type of craft, while attractive and very useful, is 'prolly not what I am looking for unless I have overlooked some makes (quite possible, actually pretty likely now that I reflect on it) and the compromise between something more or less all weather and the skinny draft stuff are seeming to really lean heavily one way or the other.

Perhaps a Panga style (ala Panga marine or Andros) is about the closest I have seen to what might be good all all'rounder and still not become a GIANT money suck. I do like the 16-17 Boston Whaler's though small of freeboard and also similar sized Mako or of that type with higher gunwales but obviously drawing more water... The conundrum continues. Oh, and budget really does matter so I am not adverse to putting the sweat equity into a not new hull with a new(er) light weight engine which means 2 stroke, perhaps a 70-90 horse Evinrude Etec, possibly a Yamaha.

Ideas, comments and suggestions are not just welcome but encouraged as I want to get it right the first time. Not trying to start a brand war, just looking for suggestions based on experience.

Be safe and have a fine evening to all.
Patty

P.S. - Though I am a very low round count person here on city-data boards, I am a multi year lurker and have read so much by so many here on a multitude of topics. I am EXTREMELY mechanically adept and well kitted out tool wise. I started posting this in the "Fishing Charlotte Harbor" mega post but didn't want to hijack that thread so I am posting anew...

P.S.S. - Yuengling is good, but a couple of fresh draught of Guiness at the 'Ray is my slice of heaven... Just to perhaps get the banter going... I live on the water so I don't need no stinkin' flame suit (;->)

[HarborRat]

I've had them all but keep going back to a pontoon boat. I don't travel far but I do normally carry a lot of people, both while fishing and cruising. They have a ton of room, not much draft, very stable, good on gas (at slow speeds) and I don't have to worry about rain or waves sinking it at the dock (I have no lift). A pontoon fits my needs perfectly but since you said "Ideal" I'll go with a tri-toon with a 200hp and lifting strakes.....same plusses as a pontoon but faster and more efficient at high speeds.

You mentioned 2-stroke but after having a couple 4 strokers down here I can't go back (except maybe an etec if priced right). You may want to do some canal cruising or trolling that can take hours at idle speed, and a two stroke just loads up and smells at those speeds (not to mention chugging, using more fuel and fouling plugs).

Sounds like you want a relatively high gunwale with little draft. I love those old Mako's but they draft plenty. How about compromise and get a cheap Carolina skiff? Use it for a while and sell it for more than you paid if you don't like it...but at least it's a cheap, safe way to decide if you want bigger/smaller/faster etc etc.

If you want to go offshore by water from PC/PG scratch both of my ideas. Get something fast with a newer motor .

[Big House]

My wife loves the pontoon boats HarborRat spoke of. And, I met an angler this year that fished marker #1 all the time, and had his rigged up perfectly for fishing a lot. It is conducive to partying and a good run about in good weather. Not so good in bad weather though.

My preference for an all good boat is my 21' Sea Hunt. It has a 115 yamaha 4 stroke. I agree about 4 stroke being much better than 2 stroke here. It has a pretty nice deep V bottom so it moves efficiently, and had pretty high gunnels which make it safe and easy to walk around. I have added a high bow rail on my boat which when I'm up in the front has kept me and others from falling in. It draws 12" but you have to trim the motor up a lot, but I generally can get in the shallows if I'm hunting Redfish or Snook. Weather pops up on you down here, and when it does you'll be glad you had this boat (or something a tad bigger. My boat is perfect for me because I fish a lot, and being a center console boat, with a T-top (also recommended because of the sun) its a great boat. The way my boat is set with the 115 hp motor - it will run 36 mph. It gets you where you want to go - especially down here, and it won't cost you a fortune to go.

There is no one boat that satisfies it all though. My wife would like a bigger boat in the 30-40' range with the cabin / living room, for overnights and weekend stays and longer cruises with friends. And, as I get older, and after I run my boat till it will barely float (I'm frugal - and love my boat), I will probably move up to a boat like that. But, I know it will sit at the dock, and serve more as a guest bedroom suite for our visitors than bet used day to day. It will have to have a messy corner where I can fish though.

I'd also like to have a shallow draft boat for fishing the back waters down here. The shallows hold a lot of great fish especially in the spawning months. That said, it is really a more single purpose boat. And, it isn't that good in bad weather. HR though you'd consider possibly a Carolina Skiff. A friend had one 21', and I would not recommend that for here. You can run great, but if your caught in bad weather, because they don't have a V-hull, they are really rough in the water. However, if your tough, and want a boat that you can use for working crab pots, and things like that - they can be a good boat.

That's my 2-cents. ;-)

[redfish353]

I've been boating and fishing on Charlotte Harbor since we moved here 8 years ago. What many people (like me) don't realize is that the Harbor can get really rough, especially in the afternoon when the winds kick up. Second, there is lots of shallow water out there. If you are looking for a great all around boat for fishing, cruising, running shallow, and overall a great dry ride that can accommodate many people...I'd look at a 23' Sea Pro. That's what I currently own and I can't say enough about them. I've had a 21' Carolina Skiff (great when it's like a lake out there) that will beat you to death, used my friends Panga which I also thought was a horrible ride when the waves kicked up, and routinely go out with another friend on a 22' Pathfinder. So, for the best all around boat for Charlotte Harbor I'd look at these boats in the following order:

1. Sea Pro - 23' bay boat
2. Action Craft - Coastal Bay 23'
3. Pathfinder - 23' bay boat

Those are by far my 3 favorites. With these boats you can easily take 8 people on canal "cruises" if they have the cushion package, you can enjoy fishing every day since they run shallow when you want to fish the backcountry and run great if you feel like hitting some deeper water, and they are the perfect blend of fishing boats and comfortable cruising boats. Hope that helps, if you have any questions feel free to message me. Oh, by the way the Sea Pro's and Action Craft Coastal Bays are no longer made.....but you can get a steal on a used one like I did. Just be patient and look for one that is senior / adult owned and well maintained. There are plenty of them out there.

[dobiedog]

OP I will be in the same position you are in a few months as I will be moving to the area as well. I have had a few Parker boats that I used on the Chesapeake. The 21' CC Parker I think was the easiest and the nicest for a bay boat. It would float in 10'' and with a 150 was not bad on fuel. When I finally get to the area I will look for a used 21' or even smaller Parker. These are not expensive boats or have a lot of frills but they are made well. They make a 21' with a deep V but I would go with a modified V. You can also go to www.thehulltruth.com and see what people there are saying. The boats already mentioned here are good to go as well. If you are looking for a used one maybe get a survey or I have heard that you might get some sound advice on this forum by buying someone beer, maybe not Guiness but if it is cold it's still good.

[MikeM8560]

I love my seacraft center console it serve me well in the harbor and I can get in abut foot of water with the trolling motor and its great in rough water it is mainly a fishing boat , are you nto fishing a lot? id like a to have a deckboat for general crusing and casual fishing




if I was to have only 1 to do bolth id like a 21 duel console

[JollyOgre]

The one I will never have Mako 212.

So I will stick with my kayak and beg with offers of beer and gas money to those who do have a boat.

[MikMal]

Originally Posted by redfish353

......, used my friends Panga which I also thought was a horrible ride when the waves kicked up, ....

This is a great, timely thread. I've been looking at Panga style boats now for a while and it's good to hear another opinion on them. Makes me re-think getting one. I'll certainly be keeping a keen eye on the recommendations made here, since I'll be (hopefully) in the market soon for a good, all-around boat for the harbor and occasional gulf fishing trips.

[HarborRat]

Originally Posted by MikMal

This is a great, timely thread. I've been looking at Panga style boats now for a while and it's good to hear another opinion on them. Makes me re-think getting one. I'll certainly be keeping a keen eye on the recommendations made here, since I'll be (hopefully) in the market soon for a good, all-around boat for the harbor and occasional gulf fishing trips.

Take it with a grain of salt, it may have just been one particular brand of panga with a rough ride, in the poster's opinion. I've only been on old panga's down in the caribbean. I thought they were great in the rough stuff...waves bigger than a boat that size should even be in. They had some trade-offs such as more draft and visibility over the bow while sitting, but all boats have tradeoffs.

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.

[Messing About]

This is my Key West 196 Bay & Reef...with a 150 two stroke.
It's 1' draft and 27* dead rise make it at home on the flats or 30 miles off-shore.