Trailerable Big Water Boat? Which one?

[Beagler]

I currently have a Crestliner Raptor 1850 multi species boat and I have been satisfied with it.  I was aware of it's pros and cons when I bought it.

 

Over the next few years I would like to get a larger boat for lakes Erie and Ontario.  Because I like to fish both lakes and switch ports to stay on the fish, I do not want a boat that has to be slipped, but I may slip part time in Conneaut, OH as it is closest to me.

 

Here is what I'm looking for:

 

3-10 years old

8.5' beam maximum

Cuddy

Fibergass

Prefer a hardtop

Open to I/O or outboard, but not on bracket.

Tow with a half ton.

 

Getting some ideas as to what to look at.

 

Thanks.

Brian

[Get The Net]

Brian  for whatever it is worth I have a 2010 Hydrasports 2000WA with hardtop  It is perfect for the lake and is trailable.  21 ft long 8'6" wide.  Very High gunnels, 36" of freeboard.   It handles very well in rough seas.  When I bought it, there was plenty of this style boat out there but none that had as much freeboard and gunnel height as this.   Hope this helps. 

[mr 580]

Curious on why no outboard mounted on a bracket?  To me a bracket offers more cockpit room and makes adding a kicker pretty simple plus boat performs better.  Only downside is netting a bit tougher and you’ll pay more for storage.  Get in the back of a bracket boat and you may rethink.

[jmyers8]

What about upgrading to a little bigger boat like the one you have? A fishmaster 210 authority 2050 or 2150 or warrior boats? All have around an 8 ft beam and i think offer more fishing space then a walk around style boat and I think handle big water just as easy and will be easier to tow and store. You do lose the hardtop but can get an enclosure made

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[Beagler]

19 minutes ago, mr 580 said:

Curious on why no outboard mounted on a bracket?  To me a bracket offers more cockpit room and makes adding a kicker pretty simple plus boat performs better.  Only downside is netting a bit tougher and you’ll pay more for storage.  Get in the back of a bracket boat and you may rethink.

 

It seems to me, and for the record I've never fished off one, that the outboard on a bracket moves the motors so far back that they get in the way of netting fish.  Maybe I'm making more of an issue than it needs to be.  

 

My current boat has a rear casting deck about 2' wide and I really wish it wasn't there.

[Beagler]

21 minutes ago, jmyers8 said:

What about upgrading to a little bigger boat like the one you have? A fishmaster 210 authority 2050 or 2150 or warrior boats? All have around an 8 ft beam and i think offer more fishing space then a walk around style boat and I think handle big water just as easy and will be easier to tow and store. You do lose the hardtop but can get an enclosure made

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My wife fishes with me over half of the time, so a cuddy would be nice for bathroom would be nice.

 

I would also like to be able to sleep in it when on weekend trips.  The authority and fishmaster are nice boats though.
 

 

[Misdirection]

Pursuit 2470 Walkaround with twin Yamaha 150's check all of your boxes.

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[mr 580]

Netting fish with an outboard on a bracket isn’t that much different from netting on a transom outboard.  Just maybe need a longer handle on the net.  Many bracket boats have a door so you can have one foot on bracket other on the deck.  Like most things brackets have pros and cons- IMO the benefits out weigh the negatives.

[RodBuster]

Parker 2320 SL Over 8 ft of room from the transom to the bulkhead door. More fishing space than alot of 28 footers! (Of course I am biased)

[Misdirection]

Parker 2320 SL Over 8 ft of room from the transom to the bulkhead door. More fishing space than alot of 28 footers! (Of course I am biased)

Parkers are one tough boat. One hit the breakwall coming in after dark last year in Ashtabula. I was there when they pulled it off the wall. It still floated and one motor fired up, so they brought it in under its own power with a coast guard and local charter escort. She was pumping water and when they hauled it, water was draining out the hull. Did I say came in on its own? Yea, I would vote for a Parker too.

Photos I took that day.

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[RodBuster]

That could make a grown man cry!

[UNREEL]

17 hours ago, Misdirection said:

Pursuit 2470 Walkaround with twin Yamaha 150's check all of your boxes.

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There used to be a Pursuit dealer in Port Clinton OH. Should be some used ones around on Lake Erie.  My Pursuit 255 Offshore with a single 250 fishes very nicely on Ontario

[FishingFool34]

I have an 06 Trophy Pro 2352 with the Alaskan cockpit, I tow it with a 1/2 pick up. I slip mine in Mexico, but towed it for the first year (45 mins each way) and tow it to Olcott (4hrs each way) twice a year. My Ram 1500 tows it no problem, but I wouldn't go any bigger than that if I had to tow it frequently. 

[Sk8man]

I'm a Whaler guy through and through but you may want to look at a used Starcraft Islander. Unfortunately a Whaler hardtop in the size you desire is over a quarter of a mil new and very few are around used that haven't been in salt water.

Edited March 17, 2021 by Sk8man

[whaler1]

I sold my 22 Revenge with a fresh rebuild on the 225 Yamaha and a 9.9 Yamaha kicker a couple years ago for $12500. Complete with four Cannons, autopilot and planer equipment. Boat was never in salt but with an outboard it really isn’t a big deal.
Trailer was a little ratty but deals are out there, just need to figure out what you want, be patient and look online.
This time of year you will pay thousands more than in late fall or winter.


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[Sk8man]

Good advice

[Chuck Smth]

This is really a question of what you have for a tow vehicle.  Need to know the combined GVW,  vehicle weight and then towing capacity.  Whatever boat you select, add 1500-2000 pounds for trailer, fuel, gear, etc. 

 

Chuck

[Gator]

Our towable Wellcraft 24' Coastal hardtop with a 200 hp Yamaha F4 trailers like a dream, sips gas, has good freeboard, an 8' 6" beam, and a medium draft - it fits all your criteria. An outboard can greatly extend your season, IMHO. 

 

That having been said, I wouldn't part with it short of an offer that included a supermodel and world peace.

 

But they do show up on occasion, and would be worth a look.

Edited March 18, 2021 by Gator

[CK3080]

x2 on Wellcraft.  I would look hard at any 232 Coastal's that may be on the market.

 

I wanted a dual console, and went with the Wellcraft 220 Sportsman, and dont think I could get a better trailerable big water boat for what I wanted.  I too have an F200 and a T9.9 kicker.  Does everything I need it to and more, just no cuddy.  I currently tow with a toyota tundra (5.7L, 4.30 rear end), and not sure I would want to put much more boat behind it.  Wellcrafts run heavy.

[mr 580]

Towing with a 1/2 ton pickup the choice in trailers is important.  An aluminum trailer saves quite a bit of weight vs a steel trailer.  That weight savings gives you more leeway for weight of boat and gear.

[kalamari]

On 3/16/2021 at 12:19 PM, Beagler said:

I currently have a Crestliner Raptor 1850 multi species boat and I have been satisfied with it.  I was aware of it's pros and cons when I bought it.

 

Over the next few years I would like to get a larger boat for lakes Erie and Ontario.  Because I like to fish both lakes and switch ports to stay on the fish, I do not want a boat that has to be slipped, but I may slip part time in Conneaut, OH as it is closest to me.

 

Here is what I'm looking for:

 

3-10 years old

8.5' beam maximum

Cuddy

Fibergass

Prefer a hardtop

Open to I/O or outboard, but not on bracket.

Tow with a half ton.

 

Getting some ideas as to what to look at.

 

Thanks.

Brian

I owned a Sailfish 218 WA walk around cuddy. It had great freeboard and took the roughest Lake Ontario waves with stride . It had a 150  Yamaha and was rated for a 250 . If you look for one I would get the 200 to 250 on it although the 150 for two people was fine and economical. I had a port a potty plumbed into the cabin.

 

Peter