Your are pulling the trigger, what must your boat have?

[dawgaholic]

The collective sharing their recommendations would be appreciated. I seek to have commissioned an heirloom to pass down to my Grandsons. Not unlike any other, I seek the biggest bang for the buck, so it is to you, those vastly more knowledgeable and possessing the hands on gnosis of what works and what doesn't that I seek. Electronics appears to be the greatest threat to an alloy, so that issue is a concern since battery power is the 99% of inland fishing.

TIA.

[JETTYWOLF]

#1 - SELF-BAILING....100% MUST

It's not "electronics" that is a doom and gloom. It's how they are hooked-up.

#2 - ADEQUATE STORAGE

[dseng]

The answers lie largely in the where and how the boat will be used. My needs for a week-long cruiser and sport fisher in SE Alaska are probably worlds apart from what is optimal in your part of the country. Having said that, the first thought that went through my head when I read the subject line was, "self-bailing deck".

[dawgaholic]

To clarify: Inland fishing boat, 18' (20' loa) shallow draft. Lakes and Rivers for local species. Things like a bimini vs. a hard top, fresh water washdown, or how many batteries as trolling motor, two fish finders, night lighting? Removable tow post, rod holder rack across the transom, two removable holders for the bow, circular bait tank, holding tank, seat cooler deal should be fine in front of the CC.

Looking at OB brands at 150, think I will ask about 175 and just go Zuke as they now have a 6 Year Warranty. No replacement for displacement and I highly prefer a timing chain. No services closer than 50 miles, so I'll go with the guys closest to the waters I fish in case the inevitable happens. Trolling motor, charging system, might even put some tunes on her as it can get long between bites some nights and the cats don't care. leaning post, portable deck chairs over fixed, and anchoring system for River fishing.

The backbone items like bilge & water pumps, electrical panels, charging system are some items where I will pay up for the peace of mind and advice on such things coming from first hand use is invaluable.

[Gundog]

Myself I do not like vertical rod holders on or near the stern or anywhere in the fishing area unless when you reach the fishing grounds all rods are being fished. Where we fish in the Northwest we fish for species that can run you around the boat and under the boat anything like a rod sticking up creates problems. If you fish small species like bass and small trout this probably is not a problem. On my boat extra rod storage is done in horizontal rod lockers or on a rack above the cabin. The rack above the back of the cabin has the rods at an angle just less than vertical so as not to block the fishing cockpit if I want to cast.

I have built a business around making boats more fishable by creating products to hold rods bait fishing scents Etc. I have a line of rigging and fillet tables designed around rigging and storing everything a guy needs to rig his rods. I have a sliding rod holder system to allow your fishing rod holders to be completely adjustable anywhere you mount the track. I also have many accessories that fit the rack cup holders, scent & leader holders Etc. I am not trying to sell you anything just throwing out some ideas. Each fishing boat is different in the way the owner likes to fish and use the boat. I suggest giving the planning stage a lot of thought before you start drilling holes and mounting things.

Mike

[dawgaholic]

Good ideas Mike and I have admired your work as shared on this site. A rig I can put up once we reach the fishing hole is precisely what I have in mind. Don't need twenty fishing outfits frankly and I don't use but three max when trolling for crappie, hybrids, and white bass. Small boat anyway so it's more about casting for our style of fishing. Catfishing is where the removable rod holder comes into play.

[goatram]

Dawg;
You are in the same Hot and Muggy Climate as Dave is in. Canvas to keep the sun off of your back the higher the better so you can stand under it. T Top? Self Bailing Decks are hard to come by in a 18 or 20' Boat. Ya Know? No Marine Carpet in the Boat. Either Rubber mats or Vinyl for the decking easy to hose off. The Bed Rug stuff
http://www.bedrug.com/
might be the cats arse for you.

Wash down pump and hose along with one of Mike's Cleaning Tables would be killer mounted on the stern in front of the motor. Slide it back over the motor to gain fishing space and for a table to set your bait and scents on. his cup holders work as well

Folbe Rod Holders and the quick mounts and extensions are sweet
http://www.folbe.com/

As to your choice in HP your in the money with the Zuke 175. 16"Dia. Prop can scoot the boat around Real Well. My Friend Dragonballs has one on his 22' Custom Weld. He beat me with my 150 Yami. The F250; we had a race.

Electric Trolling motor and the Batteries and Charger is what you need for freshwater fishing. The one that can be turned by your feet thru the switches. Mounted on the bow.

Bang for the buck in electronics is Lowrance. Get the Structure Scan module for it as well. Hook up your engines and fuel Tanks and add in a EP-85 memory module and your fuel burn and Quanity will be displayed and remembered.

[JETTYWOLF]

BUY A BOAT FROM A BUILDER WHO USES TEF-GEL ON ALL FASTENERS, RIGHT OFF THE GIT GO.

IF NOT......BUY HIM A TUB AND TELL HIM TO USE IT, "ALL".

Goat,
you're not running a new boat build on a budget are ya?
I'm thinking a hole and a dip stick, is the best fuel gauge.
He ain't talkin' some offshore tuna chaser. he's talkin' sweetwater Kitty-cats, and maybe a redfish twice a year.


Since ya seem to be asking Dawg, I'll elaborate.
I operate this way;

* Less is more. Less to break, and keep as much as possible "manual". The last fancy trolling motor equipped boat I was on, the fancy trolling motor caught on fire! That fire cost $800 in repairs, the cost of a "turn the biotch yerself" Troller. Buy a Pro-Con-Troll handle and go fish.

* No protruding "stuff" for lines, coats, shorts, or fish to get hung on.

* the ole K.I.S.S. kicks in every time I see some kind of fancy stuff. Saves $$ and fix-it, finding parts, time when it's go time.

* but then again, to quote Kramer on Seinfeld... "I enjoy depriving myself of things." Expect less, so you're not disappointed.

[Katoh]

I will throw my 5c in also.
Firstly I would be looking for a Plate Boat not a pressed boat, even thou there are some very good pressed boats and some very ordinary plate boats. The self bailing deck in that size boat I think could be a mistake, for the deck to work correctly its needs to be at a good deal above waterline. In these smaller boats two things happen, if there up to high the boat feels flirty and unstable as the smaller hull can not cope with the weight in that position, if the deck is lowered you will find that once you put more than two people on the stern the scuppers will be actually below waterline and instead of draining you'll be a filling.
Anodes use either Magnesium or Aluminium for fresh water.
I agree with Jettywolf the "KISS" principle is always the best, he also talks about TEF-GEL, we use a similar sort of thing called Duralac, creates a barrier between dissimilar metals. It is a very good thing.

Good Luck!

[dawgaholic]

Keep them coming guys, like Peezer with his fantastic build, I too hope to achieve what is for me as ideal a vessel as is practical. Regarding the SBD, that isn't such a biggie given the application and the size of the boat along with its design, which is almost all deck.

Much as generations of advancements have occurred since my last boat, KISS is at the very top of my list. We haven't needed anything super sophisticated to catch them before but I will avail myself of the fish finder tech available. No need for power poles, I-pilots, radar, or even a chart plotter. Just a stable, uncluttered platform to fish around and definitely some canvas to block the blistering Sun or sprinkles. Pretty sedate by the standards for those plying the Seas where much greater attention to detail and such are mandatory.

To refresh things, the boat I'm interested in is a plate boat from Endurance Boats from their Shallow Water Series, shared by Jetty in his "I'm not alone" thread.

[JETTYWOLF]

which if I wasn't in the 1400 lb. fishing crew carrying business, in ROUGH water Florida . And solo'ist, and a flat water Gulf Coaster I'd seriously think about either one like this:

Sportsman's Fabrication, Morgan City, La. (YA MAY WANT TO TALK TO THIS CUSTOM SHOP TOO DAWG)



What dawg's talking about:
[BBvideo 560,340]http://youtu.be/ee7_4675jhw[/BBvideo]


The choices you have in a boat of that style Dawg is Wild. Ya have Hankos, Scully's, Sportsman's, for thin lighter weights you have SeaArks.
I'd even get with WelderBob and see what styles and price ranges he can come up with. Unless you're dead set on the Endurance boats.

[MacCTD]

Pacific 1925, super capable for it its size and still very usable in shallow water or lakes. Simple proven design, will perform great with a 150.

[dawgaholic]

Yes Jetty, I have checked out all of those builders too and no, no fixed or firm decision yet. Proximity to me will play a part though. Still not giving up on maybe finding a good used one and with Winter on the way, maybe some of those guys fishing the bayous will be looking to move up!

[JETTYWOLF]

Yeah the 1925 Pacific is a good looking choice and very very hard to find used. And I have never really seen one up close and personal. But have seen the Bayou boats those Gulf Coasters use. Which are of "bay boat" style inwhich the Pacific isn't really.

A bay boat is a low profile boat, with stern and bow casting platforms and livewells, and closed storage. Which the 1925 is lacking, because it doesn't have huge raised decking.

The low-pro designs are for less wind drag when on a trolling motor......Ya know Mac, many of us inshore south fisherman in saltwater do the same as bass fisherman, do.

It's a real toss-up. But I know Dawg you can have a boat built along the Gulf Coast probably pretty reasonable.

If my life was different I'd of course be fishing from a Gulf Coast State (NOT Florida...too Tree-huggerish) and probably have a different boat built if my credit allowed it. Things are so "down-hill" here right now I'd be better off selling off everything giving up the fishing biz after 17 long hard years, move to La. get a J-O-B working 9-5, and get back on my feet and get a boat like the Sportsmans Fabrication bay boat, and give this charter shet up for ever....

But, I'm going down with the ship instead. Some day the USA has to spring back to some kind of leader in the world for it's OWN people. Either that or move to Canada..... Because, the land of opportunity ain't shining here right now