One boat to do it all?

[Fletch_W]

Center Console bay boat with a T-Top and a yammy. The longer the better. They get real small real quick the further offshore you go. And as much HP as you can afford to outrun the random waterspouts. Most use the console to store boat stuff, but you can put a potty in there. It's not 100% privacy, more like 20% privacy. Something my buddy does in his bay boat is let the ladies do their business into the recirculating livewell back by the motor, the water recirculates so the urine is cleared pretty quickly, and for privacy men just have to go fish on the front of the boat for a minute. No #2 and No toilet paper though. You'd have to do a console solution for that. Of which there are many.

I must also recommend perusing the website "TheHullTruth" dot come, they have a panhandle section and more information and helpful friendlies than you can ever read. What this site is for GA deer hunting, that site is for panhandle boating. You should check it out.

If it were me... I'd keep a nice jonboat for my lake fishing and get on old 22 Sea Pro with newer power for the coast. And then charter 2 or 3 times a year for far-offshore, while I do my best to make friends with people who own offshore boats that are always looking for people to chip in on fuel/bait/ice and help cleanup and rig.

 

[Nicodemus]

Sometimes one just ain`t enough. Not counting my 14 foot jonboat for ponds.

 

[notnksnemor]

Sometimes one just ain`t enough. Not counting my 14 foot jonboat for ponds.





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You use velcro to hold the tag on when you switch it between trailers????

Just kidding!

 

[Hunter/Mason]

One is never enough.
I’ve ended up with:
Ranger bass boat
26’ cravalle hybrid offshore/bayboat
22’ wake boat
My sons 14/48 John boat.
I used to do everything out of that SeaPro.

 

[leoparddog]

Center Console bay boat with a T-Top and a yammy.

What is a "yammy"?

So I've been showing the Mrs. the boats that y'all have recommended and she does want me to not buy a small one just to save money. We're scuba divers and she's done some offshore fishing and she'd rather throw in some funds and have me get a bigger boat for inshore/offshore, plus she wants that potty. LOL. I told her she could just hang off the ladder but that got me some dirty looks.

So it may be I find a used Jon boat for fresh water and put some seats in it and devote the $ to something in the 24'-26' range. I do want to be able to trailer it and store it at home which means it needs to weigh less than 7,000lbs for my truck. I will check out that hulltruth site mentioned.

Thanks for all the input guys. It is appreciated.
LD

 

[Fletch_W]

What is a "yammy"?

So I've been showing the Mrs. the boats that y'all have recommended and she does want me to not buy a small one just to save money. We're scuba divers and she's done some offshore fishing and she'd rather throw in some funds and have me get a bigger boat for inshore/offshore, plus she wants that potty. LOL. I told her she could just hang off the ladder but that got me some dirty looks.

So it may be I find a used Jon boat for fresh water and put some seats in it and devote the $ to something in the 24'-26' range. I do want to be able to trailer it and store it at home which means it needs to weigh less than 7,000lbs for my truck. I will check out that hulltruth site mentioned.

Thanks for all the input guys. It is appreciated.
LD

Yammy ..... look closely at Nic's big boat and connect the dots.
there's a lot of jargon you're gonna have to pick up

 

[notnksnemor]

This is mine.
21' I go from 2' to 200'.

Just have to watch the water.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

You use velcro to hold the tag on when you switch it between trailers????

Just kidding!

You guys use trailer tags?

 

[Gator89]

If you plan to fish salt water, don't buy anything under 20 feet in length, not even 19 feet 11.75 inches.

 

[Jwsisson]

I just bought an Avid FS 21. They also have a fs23. Have fished lake Lanier and out of Keaton beach. Love it

 

[pottydoc]

If you plan to fish salt water, don't buy anything under 20 feet in length, not even 19 feet 11.75 inches.

Why? I catch a pile of fish out of a 18’ skiff. And if you’re talking about an offshore boat, a 20’ will still beat the crud out of you in a 2’ close chop.

 

[notnksnemor]

Why? I catch a pile of fish out of a 18’ skiff. And if you’re talking about an offshore boat, a 20’ will still beat the crud out of you in a 2’ close chop.

Agreed.
It's not about size of chop but duration in between.
I'll go 100 miles in 6' seas if they're 45 seconds apart.

8 seconds apart, no way.

 

[Gator89]

Why? I catch a pile of fish out of a 18’ skiff. And if you’re talking about an offshore boat, a 20’ will still beat the crud out of you in a 2’ close chop.

I have ridden in an 18 and a 21 in various conditions, I will take the 21, and will pay the diiference, any day. The 20+ boats handle chop much better than boats under 20.

A Louisiana shrimper once told me, length is the key to a good ride. Get the longest boat you can afford.

 

[pottydoc]

If you’re fishing offshore, you have to get to about 30’ to really make a difference. And there are plenty of over 20’ boats that the ride can be terrible in. Go jump in 24’ Carolina Skiff, and run it in 2-3’ close period seas. Come back and let us know how great the ride was. Run a 21’ deep vee in the same seas, and it’s better, but still not fun. Run it in a 34 Sea Vee, and it will eat it up. Is it’s 2-3 or more, very, very few 20’ boats will ride well. No matter what someone on the internet says. Obviously bigger is usually better, but hull design has a lot to do with it, also. (Carolina Skiff example above)

 

[jiminbogart]

34 posts and nobody asked your budget?

If we're gonna spend your money you could at least tell us our limit!

 

[leoparddog]

34 posts and nobody asked your budget? If we're gonna spend your money you could at least tell us our limit!

When I first asked I wasn't sure about my budget, now that I've been looking let's say $50-$60K for a 24-26' boat, with 24' being more reasonable for that price. It seems an extra 2 feet is often worth a whole lot

 

[leoparddog]

After a lot of online shopping, I think the right bay boat with a V hull would work but I've also been looking at Hybrids and Center Consoles in the 24' range. Seems many of them are in the 14-16" draft range.
One thing I have noticed is that many of the new boats are "family" boats with lots of seating. I'd give up bow seating for a better fishing arrangements and bow storage. In my old boat, no one really wanted to ride up front and this won't be a family boat. Me, the Mrs and maybe a couple of others fishing, not partying, hanging out on sandbars etc.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

I'm pretty sure shields marina has a lx24 seaborn with a console head that's right up your alley in st mark's.

 

[plumber_1969]

Like others have said, no perfect boat. I had the Xpress that Nick has.Loved that boat and caught many of trout and reds and gator hunted from it as well. Grandkids got older and wanted to fish more, upsized two more times to a Bluewater 23T. Those girls out voted me and they now have a head in the center console and momma got the boat with the high gunnels.

 

[CC Rider]

If I applied your parameters to a boat of my choosing.

It would be this, plus electronics, power poles and trolling motor:

https://nauticstarboats.com/xts-series/215-xts-sb/

I have the 231 Coastal and love it. Upgraded to the 250HP Yamaha