Which Boat?

[sea trout]

I wanted new but prices kept jumping so I found a good used boat. I looked and argued with myself for over a year when I was looking for another boat. Skiff, vee bottom, length, motor size. I finally found a boat in my range that checks all my boxes. Drafts 13 inches, semi vee bottom, wide and 25 inch deep sides and came with garmen and trolling motor, live wells. I fish in rivers, inshore and out to ktk about 12 miles comfortably. It's a 2010 Tidewater 196 adventure with a yamaha 150 4 stroke and so far its been great.

Sounds great!
I'm 6 years in with my 1st Yamaha 4 stroke and I've been WAY MORE than satisfied with it

 

[GADAWGS]

That Rabalo 246 is really nice. I've been saving my money for a Blue Wave 2400 Pure Bay. I'm getting close but not quite there yet. I don't have a picture but it is purty too!! ???

That Blue Wave is my dream boat, one of the best thought out boats I have seen. I couldnt afford one, so I went with the Bulls Bay 2200. Excellent boat for the money and has seen a lot of time on the water.

 

[seachaser]

I had a 25 foot bay boat with a 250 Suzuki and I took that thing all over and way to far out.Just be smart and go when you should go and if things start to get a little bad get in.

 

[Gutbucket]

I just closed the deal on the Blue Wave and got it home on Friday!! I've been waiting a looong time to say that..... I can't wait to get it in the water. Just need to get it registered and set up.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

I just closed the deal on the Blue Wave and got it home on Friday!! I've been waiting a looong time to say that..... I can't wait to get it in the water. Just need to get it registered and set up.

I myself have been wanting a blue wave 2200, I just can't make myself pay 20k more than they were 3 years ago. Congrats!

 

[Gutbucket]

Yea, I know what you mean doom.... but I'm perty sure they ain't getting any cheaper. I found just what I was looking for while on vacation last Sat. My wife asked me if I was going to get it. I said no, I'll just wait till spring to see what happens. And she said.... Well apparently you don't really want a boat, your either going to buy it or stop talking about it..... so I called the guy back on Monday and told him to start setting it up. It's never a "good" time to buy anything. But you can't really put a price on memories. I ain't old yet but I'm getting close....

 

[perryrip]

I am looking at getting my first salt water boat, looking mainly to inshore fish, go the lake, maybe take it scalloping. Im not going looking to go out 10 miles or anything, I was wondering what you all thought would be a good choice. I have been looking at skiffs, bay boats, and flats boat and just wanted to hear from the guys with some experience and see what you all think. Any information would be appreciated!!!

Go with a bay boat in the 20' to 22' range, but wait till the market settles out. Within a year there will be a lot of nice lightly used bay boats for sale at very reasonable prices once we get into the recession.

 

[menhadenman]

I've had 4 boats in the 16-18 ft range, I won't have another less than 20. One of my best friends just bought a 22ft K2 and it's just about perfect for the lake, the flats, and short offshore runs.

But this is also me boat shopping

View attachment 1160397


And me at the boat ramp

Hey @doomtrpr_z71 any updates on that K2 boat that your friend has? I've got an older 21' CC and thinking of upgrading this season. I saw a few of those K2 boats when I stopped at Sports Center in Perry and they looked good. I can't seem to find much for reviews (I believe they're pretty new company). Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Hey @doomtrpr_z71 any updates on that K2 boat that your friend has? I've got an older 21' CC and thinking of upgrading this season. I saw a few of those K2 boats when I stopped at Sports Center in Perry and they looked good. I can't seem to find much for reviews (I believe they're pretty new company). Thanks for any thoughts.

Yes sir, he has a 22CRS that came from the sports center, they are just a budget Glasstream hull. His 22 has had no issues, I was surprised it does as well as what it does with a 115 zuke but his K2 is actually a little faster than my SCV1960 with a 115 Etec. I like the splatter painted interior myself and the only complaint I have about the boat is storage. The livewells are both in the back and are really more of a baitwell. The console opens which has a decent amount of storage but there's not a lot otherwise. There is a compartment in the front but everything in the rear has to be stored in the bilge. The 23 models are a little different as they have seats over the livewells and they look a little bigger but you loose the rear bench the 22 models have. It rides pretty well for a bay boat, my boat is slightly drier but its also a foot narrower. I will say that the 22CRS rides better and is a good bit drier than a 21 Sea Chaser SeaSkiff. The furthest we've taken it out was 22 miles. The best thing is to join the K2 facebook page because otherwise you dont hear much. He has managed to crack the gel coat in one spot that had a void when a oyster shell got caught between a livewell door and the deck but it was small and you cant even see the marinetex there.

 

[menhadenman]

Yes sir, he has a 22CRS that came from the sports center, they are just a budget Glasstream hull. His 22 has had no issues, I was surprised it does as well as what it does with a 115 zuke but his K2 is actually a little faster than my SCV1960 with a 115 Etec. I like the splatter painted interior myself and the only complaint I have about the boat is storage. The livewells are both in the back and are really more of a baitwell. The console opens which has a decent amount of storage but there's not a lot otherwise. There is a compartment in the front but everything in the rear has to be stored in the bilge. The 23 models are a little different as they have seats over the livewells and they look a little bigger but you loose the rear bench the 22 models have. It rides pretty well for a bay boat, my boat is slightly drier but its also a foot narrower. I will say that the 22CRS rides better and is a good bit drier than a 21 Sea Chaser SeaSkiff. The furthest we've taken it out was 22 miles. The best thing is to join the K2 facebook page because otherwise you dont hear much. He has managed to crack the gel coat in one spot that had a void when a oyster shell got caught between a livewell door and the deck but it was small and you cant even see the marinetex there.

Thanks for the info. We live in North GA and currently have a 21' Key Largo CC... it's good but a little big/deep for up here so I'm thinking of moving to a newer bay boat like the K2 or a Carolina Skiff that'll be a little more flexible for smaller lakes and putting up for the winter. The Sports Center is where I saw these. Seemed like a fair price. I've only had a handful of boats but lord knows you sure get a headache with some older/used ones.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Thanks for the info. We live in North GA and currently have a 21' Key Largo CC... it's good but a little big/deep for up here so I'm thinking of moving to a newer bay boat like the K2 or a Carolina Skiff that'll be a little more flexible for smaller lakes and putting up for the winter. The Sports Center is where I saw these. Seemed like a fair price. I've only had a handful of boats but lord knows you sure get a headache with some older/used ones.

My choice would be a scv 2160 stottcraft for the storage and their pretty similar in price

https://www.swflboatdealer.com/inventory/2024-stott-craft-scv-2160-punta-gorda-fl-33955-12007953i

It's a little shallower draft than the k2 but either would serve you well!

 

[menhadenman]

My choice would be a scv 2160 stottcraft for the storage and their pretty similar in price

https://www.swflboatdealer.com/inventory/2024-stott-craft-scv-2160-punta-gorda-fl-33955-12007953i

It's a little shallower draft than the k2 but either would serve you well!

Man I gotta say that’s a sharp boat. I’ve got three kids and a dog that like to join me on the water so the misses is big on bench seats and storage. Shallow isn’t so bad either we don’t get much chop on the lakes here compared to the ocean.

I was checking out CS website and clicked boat show link… looks like there’s a big one in Atlanta starting on Thursday. I may head down with the wife on Friday to see a few rigs in person.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

Man I gotta say that’s a sharp boat. I’ve got three kids and a dog that like to join me on the water so the misses is big on bench seats and storage. Shallow isn’t so bad either we don’t get much chop on the lakes here compared to the ocean.

I was checking out CS website and clicked boat show link… looks like there’s a big one in Atlanta starting on Thursday. I may head down with the wife on Friday to see a few rigs in person.

So a couple more things:

The SCV2160 has snap in cushions that go over the rod lockers in the front.

The new K2 CRS22 has a thin snap in cushion that covers the front deck, but on the older models you have to buy it separate I dont know if it comes standard now.

K2 also makes a CRX22 thats a fancier version of the 22ft that has a seating area up front.

Also, K2 is now ALK2 because people thought that the kenner family was making these K2 boats since their company is called K2 marine that makes Blackjack and Frontier boats, and that caused Kenner to sue to change the name.

Good luck at the boat show!

 

[Redbow]

16' Lund V hull, all aluminum with bench seats and 40hp tiller outboard.

There is no where I can't go. Except on a windy day

Yes sir I have had 3 of them a great boat for 2 people 3 is a crowd in a small boat for me that third person is always in the way. Aluminum boats are lighter using less fuel and 40hp is a good choice for that boat. With the ones I owned I fished inshore and sometimes 3 miles or so out into the Ocean. Watch the weather is the secret we always carried a VHF radio with us for safety. Aluminum boats are easy to launch and recover also not heavy like fiberglass and an easy pull for your car or truck on the road. Whatever you get have bearing buddies installed on any boat trailer that you will use in salt water. Grease them every time you use your boat, you won't get stuck beside the highway with a frozen wheel bearing which is a real pain in the azores to deal with.

 

[RHFisherman]

Needed something in the foreground for scale