Thoughts on buy a 16' open silverstreak

JAC

JAC

Well-Known Member
Hey guys. Sold my boat again haha. I'm thinking of buying a smaller boat this time I would trailering it into bamfield or port hardy and fish inshore. Also lots of river and lake use. I'm looking at a 16' silver streak it has a 6'9" beam with 50hp tiller. Over the years I'm always working on boats and I thought a rig like this would be very simple easy to use light weight and small. Have any of you spent much time in a open boat with a tiller in the ocean. I know you will get wet and I don't like offshore anyways so don't care much about that. Thanks for your thoughts
 
I'm a big fan of smaller open boats. Easy to tow, launch and run. The tiller thing...not quite such a fan. Too much work for me. There is something to be said about simplicity though.
 
Never thought of the tiller to be a lot of work but I have only run a 15hp or smaller. I may put a small top over the front 2 seats. I also would like to fish the logger derby every year but I don't because I don't like pulling a big heavy boat over the hope princeton. With a little silver streak I could drag that through a foot of snow if I need to.
 
I have an open 16' Hourston. Sort of an open Whaler style. I like the fact that it is easy to tow and launch and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to run. I guess I could change to a console if I wanted to but I don't mind the Tiller steering that much. I have a rod that connects the kicker to the main engine that works well. Being low to the water is nice if the water is a little lumpy as I don't seem to be as affected as others that I see out there. I do have a plate attatched to the transom to minimize water coming in from the back which is helpful.
 
Seafever said:
Tiller steering gets old real quick......especially on the chuck.....
Click to expand...

X2 I fish in the chuck out of a 15' welded aluminum and i couldn't imagine a tiller and playing with the gear . Go for steering if you can :D
 
ya I'd so no - you're going to constantly wishing you had a bigger boat and a steering wheel. Hell I wouldn't fish a boat that doesn't have hydraulic steering, let alone a tiller.
 
Poppa Swiss said:
ya I'd so no - you're going to constantly wishing you had a bigger boat and a steering wheel. Hell I wouldn't fish a boat that doesn't have hydraulic steering, let alone a tiller.
Click to expand...

LOL Soon as finished working on my project boat i felt like Dam ! i shoulda went bigger . Small steps to the big guy haha
 
If you're only doing a few ocean trips a year and in select spots you'll be fine. Any boat can fish a place like Nootka if you stay inshore. You won't be very comfy with any type of weather though.

Your fuel bill and overall boat maintenance headache will be better than most.
 
Ya I have not decided yet but I was thinking man that would be sweet to trailer right no worrys about rocks and dirt! I may buy something bigger but sometimes simply and easy is nice. I may even fish the ocean more are the ferry cost and fuel would be less. There not cheap it will cost me about 25k to have it rigged out
 
I enjoy my tiller operated pseudo whaler. For actual fishing it is fine, I can fish both riggers and see them at all times, lots of room to play and land the fish. Anyone fishing with me is facing the stern, and ahead of me for easy talking and extra eyes.
Travelling-- not so much fun. Steering is fine but constant twisting of the throttle can become tiresome. Half an hour on the throttle is enough to cause me some pain the next day in the wrist. On the other hand sitting in the stern lessens the impact of waves, and while the bow is slaming I hardly feel anything. Launching and recovery is easy, trailering is no strain on my vehicle.
It is important to wear a pfd, when in a small open boat, way easier to fall over the side.
 
I found that with tiller steering, one is always sitting at the back of the boat and you can't see any debris in front of the boat as well as if you were sitting amidships.

Tiller steering your arm gets fatigued after awhile.

Plus when you sit at the back in a smaller aluminum by yourself the boat tends to be unbalanced and too light at the bow.

It's no biggy putting steering in.......did it myself on two aluminums.....

I'm sitting on the right....so I put the kicker on the left side at the back.....better overall boat balance.

I am NEVER going back to tiller steering....

Plus........lever throttle control for engine up by the wheel is soooooooo much more comfortable than speed control with a tiller.

Gets me how many smaller Whalers you see around with tiller steering though.....I like Whalers to a point.......but no likey tiller steering.
 
My best memories of fishing was with a 16 foot aluminum and a 20 horse tiller. Not so much a fan if using down riggers. But cut plugging, drift fishing, buck tailing, and lake fishing. It was the greatest. Easy to launch, clean, haul, store, maintain and inexpensive to operate.
 
Sounds like you miss the ol' rig, you need to get back to the dark(gray) side, once a tinman... well you know...
:)
 
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