Fishing Boat advice

Aridhol

Aridhol

Active Member
Evening, I have recently come into some money and after debts and savings I have about $16k that I would like to sink (hah!) into my favourite hobby.

Right now I have:
-15ft Sangstercraft fibreglass which is in "fair" condition.
-There are some dings and dirty gelcoat outside. The top color is completely faded but in decent condition (no cracks/broken hardware).

-The interior is pretty basic but the deck is pretty worn down.
-No top
-90 johnson as the main with an old 1950's 9.5 Johnson kicker (both 2 stroke obviously).
-Trailer is a piece of crap custom job. I believe the previous owner added a big cement pad to the front of the trailer to counterbalance the heavy butt engine on the back.
-Finally, I have had only minor mechanical issues and basic maintenance with the boat in the 4 years I've owned her.

Gear wise:
-I have a good finder/sonar/gps and ok rods/reels.
-I have manual riggers which are tiring as hell but technically work just fine
-Good tackle out the wazoo

The boat catches fish no problem.

Things I don't know about it
-Condition of the stringers/foam (boat is from 82, was a lake boat for 20+ years) always trailer'd in/out. Always washed down and flushed every trip.
-Condition of the transom (heavy power back there but no cracks or any indications of issues)
-True condition of the main power. It runs well and has never let me down. I follow all "normal" maintenance for a 2-stroke.


My dilema is I don't know if I should invest in fixing the current rig or purchase something newer and in better shape. I fish almost every weekend from Feb to October so it's not a whim hobby :)


My new (really used, but new to me) considerations
-I ideally want to stay around 16-19ft
-Prefer aluminum for durability (I am not terrible with care but I don't baby things either...)
-4 Stroke will save me considerable money on gas
-Would like a hard top or good quality soft-top
-New trailer would be a godsend
-Needs to be able to be pulled by a 96 4runner (3500lb capacity)

Ideas to fix up the old
-Re-gelcoat the hull and repair as needed (I will likely need to pay someone to do this)
-Re-power with 50hp 4 stroke (hopefully lighter as the boat sits butt heavy)
-4 Stroke kicker
-Re-do deck and stringers + foam (will again need a shop/professional to do this)
-Find a way to reinforce the gunwale's as the riggers flex the top rail when hauling in and don't seem adequate to support much weight/hardware.



Dream boats would be a 17' Arima in good shape or a Lund/Hewescraft I can beat up for the next 20 years.
It should be noted the 16k can be used for a down payment but I'd rather not go higher than 25k if it can be helped.



So, wise people here, what should I do?
 
Parksville boathouse has a 17' silver streak aluminum for 20k but it says deal pending on their website. Haven't seen the boat in person but looks decent in the picture.
 
I would say that it's not much of a dilemma really? I personally wouldn't put any money into your current rig. Based on the amount you fish investing in a newer probably better set up boat would be the only way to go. There always seems to be good quality boats around if your ready to buy. Take your time and stick to your want list and I think you will be happy with getting a different rig.....IMO Good luck! And of course post some pictures of what you decide.....
 
if your current boat does what you need it to do,,, newer power and some tlc! still have some dough left over!
 
To answer noluck and Trophy I am not happy with my current setup due to gas consumption, deck space and a general feeling that it needs work to feel "solid"
That said, it absolutely does what I need it to which is to get me out of the house with friends to catch salmon :)

It sounds like the consensus is to keep an eye out for deals and snag a newer rig when one comes along.

Thanks everyone for the advice and if you see or hear of something drop me a message on here :)
 
Were l you, l would continue to use my present boat for this year, ( you know what you have), while looking around at different boats in both your price range and needs. Buying a boat close to boating season often costs more, and can be an impulse buy. No mater what boat you eventually end up with you will want to make modifications (improvements) to suit your own needs. Over the winter is the best time and you will not feel as rushed.
As you do not feel comfortable doing a lot of the work (stringers etc.), you should know that having it done is quite dear and the work will easily exceed the total worth of your present boat.
Let people on the forum know what you are looking for and (as you are doing) is a good way to find out what is available, and there are a lot of knowledgable people on here. Be patient, what you are looking for will turn up.
 
Good advice from everybody. My 2 cents is buy an aluminum with newer 4 stroke power. Like you said " beat it up for the next 20 yrs". Lots of aluminum boat manufacturers have lifetime warranties on the hull.
 
Most aluminum boats have a lifetime hull warranty to the original owner and it doesn't cover corrosion which is going to be your number 1 problem with it. I love my aluminum boat but it isnt care free and they have there own issues. At your price point you wont find many aluminum boats unless they are much older 20+ years so make sure you get a good marine surveyor that knows aluminum boats or check it out carefully and if its got a removable deck pull it up and see if you can spot any problems below.
 
Looks like it's already gone!
I think the advice to wait until winter might be the best bet. It will give me time to save up :)
I think for now I might just look for a good 4 stroke kicker and decent trailer.
 
Thanks guys.
I spent some time looking at boats in person today and I really liked the Raider boats, specifically the 172.
Maybe a miracle will happen and one will show up used for a good price :)
 
Your doing right thing is you have a 15ft going up to something at least 18ft you will see a big difference in ride and comfort. It make a huge difference. I ran a 16ft double eagle for years and just found it way too small.
 
If Arima is one option - check out the Arima forums, lots of advice and info if you find one coming up for sale. I really like mine - 16 foot. Can fish with one if wanted, or 3 very confortably. Biggest benefit is really cheap on gas (50 hp main) and stable in rough conditions - light, and rides over all the waves vs through. Not great for speed in rougher conditions though.
 
I saw some arima's at sherwood and walked around and inside. They seem great, tonnes of deck space.
It just seemed like for the price the aluminum's fit my needs better (I have zero use / need for a cuddy).
How durable would you say yours has been? I don't drive into things or slam up against the dock or throw/drop cannonballs but I would like to have a boat where a good hose down and brush wash will keep things in pretty good shape.
I found with my current glass boat no matter how careful I was I'd get knicks and dings in the bottom gelcoat. Granted the boat is over 30 years old at this point...
 
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