what boat to buy?????

[stevietangles]

Hello guys,

I have been fishing lake o for many years from my Lund Pro V with no issues. i sold my boat to my father inlaw recently and im in the market for a new boat. i need your advice as to what type of boat is superior on the water for rigging only as well as a family friendly boat. over the years i have seen more and more 21 to 26 foot walk arounds like TROPHY and STRIPER is this the boat of choice ? i have around $35000 to spend. all the advice would be great. i would like a small cuddy and possibly just leave it in the water all year. Also, i have never owned a I/O (inboard/outboard? boat before. is it possible to hook up a kicker to a I/O and have steering at the helm?

I have been looking at the Bayliner Trophy and Seaswirl stripers and there are some decent deals in the states just never rode in one nor fished from one to have an opinion.

I appreciate all the replies,

thanks

[mr 580]

Walkarounds make a great family boat, I 've been running one for 20+ years. Cuddy is great to store your gear. You can run a kicker with an I/O by tieing the the two motors together. I 've had both I/O and outboard, outboard allows for more cockpit space and I think is easier to service. If you are looking out of state be sure to watch for boats that have been in saltwater. I would suggest you decide on power choice and size before you lock in on brand. Important to have a vehicle big enough to move it around too. Have fun looking, should be some decent rides in your price range.

[times two]

IF you are serious about a Striper, I would highly recommend Happy Days

Boating in Port Clinton, OH. Ask for Jim Burroughs. He was great when I

bought mine in 2008.

John

[rail bird]

If you are going to leave a fiberglass boat in the water make sure you have it bottom painted so figure that cost in when you buy the boat. An I/O may be less expensive than an out board to start, in the very long run it may cost more for service but that depends on how lucky you get with an out board. A brand new 250hp outboard is close to 30k alone so do your homework on the motor. Every walkaround you look at will float and you will be able to fish from it, some are made for rough duty off shore fishing but if you are buying a family boat for the finger lakes are you going out in 4 foot waves all the time? You will be able to get by with a lighter hull if you are a fair weather boater. Good luck and no matter what enjoy what you buy.

[YodaMage]

I own a Trophy W/A. A few thoughts...

I miss the extra cabin space of a real cuddy more then I utilize the advantages of a W/A. If I had to do it again today, I might go this way http://www.campionboats.com/explorer/62 ... /specs.php

Outboard is so much easier with our seasons then an I/O.

Karavan trailers that come with Trophy's are complete junk. Dealers and Trophy dealers run the other way when issues with these trailers arise.

Trophy build quality is better than it was...but compared to a Four Winns or Searay, the boat just does not instill confidence when you are 10 miles off shore and surface temp is 50 degrees.

Eat the weight and get a 4-stroke.

[momay4000]

Steve,

I have an '08 Trophy 2152 walkaround with an extended hard-top. It has a 4.3L Merc I/O (190 HP) and is the best boat I've ever owned. Some of this may be b/c I bought it new and it's too early to see the faults, but my previous boats have been an '01 Sportcraft 23' Fishmaster and an '85 Bayliner. I have never had any trailer issues with the Karavan trailers like Yodamage had/has.

I often look at these posts "with a grain of salt" b/c people who have had the worst experiences typically post a comment as do those with the absolute best experiences. However, here's some of my objective feedback which might help you:

Pros:

- great fishing boat, yet it can be adapted for family activities like water-skiing, tubing, or cruising

- Great gunwale access for mounting rod-holders, riggers, etc.

- Get the I/O - it gives you more room and much better "fish-ability" on your transom for landing fish compared with an outboard

- The walkaround is one of my favorite features. It provides storage for dock poles, fenders, and my landing nets. It also is a nice access point for cleaning the boat, docking, etc.

- Handles rough seas with no problem

- Good expandability for electronics, auto-pilot, GPS, FF, etc.

- Multiple hard-top options

- Good dealer network of parts

- very simple boat to maintain, clean

Cons:

- Very little "cabinet" style storage space

- Local Rochester dealer support is located in Churchville (i.e. not on the water)

- Walk-around cuts down on cockpit area space

You are welcome to test drive my boat or fish with me at any time and give it a try for yourself. I only trailer my boat twice per year and leave it in the water the entire summer.

P.S. - I've been in 4-6 ft. seas 10 miles out, I've fished in hail, I've been caught in downpours in this boat and I've always had the confidence in the boat no matter what.

Good luck,

- Chris

Disclaimer - I have no financial or personal ties to Bayliner, Trophy Fishing, or Karavan trailers

[Pike Hunter]

Steve,

I was on Chris of Momay4000's boat. Very beautiful and a sea worthy boat!

I have a 2003 Wellcraft v21 - 150 HP yamaha Outboard with soft top and I am happy with it. Indeed, we always keep our eyes for something bigger and better!

If I am to upgrade today with $35K, I would go to Penn Yann 24' to 26' with a hard top. I saw many boats at the recent tournament, Scotty Oswego. I was most impressed by the Penn Yanns for their excellent riggins, their spacious cabin and plenty of room to fight the fish.

best of luck!

[Has Been]

I have a 21'Bayliner I/o w/ a hard top. It is a great Ls boat for you & a few friends. Cuddy is nice for a nap or Head & storage . Hardtop is great year round for both cold & brutal sun. If you are going to keep it docked I would go 24' . With A heavy boat a big kicker would be needed in my opinion for optimum control. For Family make sure It has Comfortable seating If they will be with you trolling & A good swim platform for wife & kids. You have lots of options with your budget. good luck!

[Sealegs]

I have a Trophy 2503 Center console with twin 150 Optimax.

The boat is a beast, very solid, handles lake Ontario without problem. I can do 4 footers at 25 mph. The deep V and carolina flare keep you dry. I had a Wellcraft walkaround, but like the extra fishing square footage the center console provides. The hardtop is great, rocket launchers everywhere, baitwell, washdown etc. Very well thought out and engineered. You can enclose the helm if you need to.

I went for the Opti's rather than the four strokes simply because the optis are light, powerful and basically bulletproof...cheaper too.

[TrollThruLife]

www.aerocatboats.com

[GAMBLER]

I'm a big fan of Penn Yan boats. Yes they are out of business but there are still some great finds around. They were made in the area and are built to suit the salmon angler. No matter what brand, make sure you get a marine survey.

[stevietangles]

Well guys thanks for all the help. I have narrowed it down to a 2001 sportcraft 252 sportfish. with a 5.7L bravoIII dual stainless prop, 200 hrs, w/ trailer for around 22,000 USD. from all the digging i believe its a good deal. I will be looking for a certified marine surveyor in the area to look over the boat if that goes well i will be a proud owner of a new boat.

wish me luck

[traveling man]

nice choice.

[Gill-T]

I would look at the new Thompsons coming out. Penn Yans are an excellent platform as well. Consider what the future is going to look like.....you know gas prices are going to go up again. Despite some recent oil finds offshore of Brazil and the middle east, "experts" have said that from the year 2020, the amount of oil in the world will peak. So from 2020 on availablitiy will start a slow death decent and prices will only go the opposite direction. With that in mind, the Striper with a gas-sipping outboard may be cheaper to run. There are pro/cons to each engine type. I/O's are easy to maintain and cheaper to replace. You also get more fishing space out the back than outboards. You can help the gas-guzzling problem by getting a small kicker and have the best of both worlds. If you are using the boat to go offshore deep, ocean fishing, or pulling skiiers occasionally......maybe the outboard platform is what you need.

[stevietangles]

the boat is going to live on lake ontario. only uses will be salmon fishing and the ocasional joy ride with the wife. i intend to put a new 4-stroke kicker on the back to help with fuel economy. there will be days i might have to run 40 plus miles to get to decent fish but thats fishing. i have had outboards my whole life and love them but i also know first hand that when something goes on the new computerized outboards your wallet bleeds green. nothing beats a gas guzzling v-8. parts and maintanence are cheap and if you have mechanical knowledge on engines half the work can be done yourself WITH A CLYMERS MANUAL OR SOMETHING SIMILAR

THANKS

[Gill-T]

If you are looking at a 22-25' boat then you will want a 9 hp or greater kicker.