Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

I need a boat.

For packing gear, waterskiing, travel, get around the lake.

economical with a fairly light motor and good mileage, honda.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Fishing, too, right?

Survival tool.

Salt or fresh? Great Lakes? Any rivers?

Car or truck to tow how much weight?

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Boats are like guns, there is no "all around" boat. Each kind has a specific purpose and is generally not suited for other purposes. A ski boat is nothing but a ski boat. It must have a flat wake and good tracking.
You either have to define your intended purposes or settle for a compromise.

A seaworthy boat has tall sides and is heavy. Will you be out there in choppy water? If not, maybe a bass boat or a bass/ski boat would do. The hondas are workhorses but not fast. Yamahas are OK.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Fresh water.

Rivers down to 2 feet.

Fishing.

Water skiing capability.

No great lakes.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Prpbably a "fish-n-ski" type outboard, aluminum or fiberglass hull. "Down to 2 feet" and skiing is cutting it close. If you are just pulling kids skiing a 40 horse or so might be OK. Men doing real skiing need about 150 HP or more. You might tilt the motor up and use a trolling motor for shallow water. That way you can have a boat that will pull skiers out of the water effectively....

How heavy a skier you gonna pull?

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

A good 90 horse Merc with an 18 foot boat will be fine for skiers under 175 lbs.

Get a 4 stroke Honda motor if you think gas will go up (I do) - and I probably will do that if I can't find a great price on a Merc.

For boats, I love the Ranger line but they are pricey. Nitro is a super alternative and I love mine for fishing and skiing.

If you are a cheap bastard like me, look on ebay and do an advanced search in your area for boats to see what they are going for used. New ones seem way overpriced. Make sure you test drive the boat you want used and check the engine with your hand for "heat" before you start it up. I had an engine that nobody could fix - 5 minutes of cranking before it would start. I am a 45 year old "I want it now" dude.

Yes, get a Fish 'n' Ski. Modifications are a pain in the butt.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Boat: Hole in the water surrounded by wood or fiberglass into which one
pours money.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

My grandfather has a boat. He has had it for like 6 years maybe more. Its been sitting there for the last 5 years. He took it out about a total of 5 times.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

2 feet draft is a killer -

essentially leaves you no option but a jet of some sort -

River runners out West use specially built aluminum tunnel hulls with Jets - probably around 20 to 25 grand of more - run up rivers in prolly 6 inches of water taking guides and hunters.

if you could live with 3 feet draft - an excellent compromise would be a 16 to 18 foot aluminum hull pushed by a outboard of 65 to 95 hp. Modified V hull, can probably be picked up used for not much more than the cost of the out board - not sure what kind of area you're in -

Put _any_ used boat in the water and run it, or don't buy it - unless you're paying salvage -

Prices of outboards, even used are well worth running a compression check - Generally, most problems with a small boat can be seen if carefully looked over - but some things won't really show up except under load.

The modified V aluminum hull - starcraft or Grumman or whatever - will be reasonably fuel efficient durable - easily trailerable without a tandem trailer

For a number of years I owned a 16 foot Starcraft aluminum with 85 horse Merc - did a lot of skiing fishing - running up creeks off the lake.

You didn't say - but we're talking protected water here - inland lake

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Oh yeah

Almost every outboard boat between around 15 to 18 feet has the foot of the outboard sticking down 18" below the bottom of the hull. so you've got 18" plus however deep the hull sits at the transom. Most are rated at a 36" draft.

Problem is, when you dig off the prop pulls the rear of the boat down another 4" to 6" or more, when you intially take off until you plane off depending on how hard you hit it, and your load and trim, etc

My 16 starcraft when lightly loaded would probably pull a skier in 24" of water - but only after you had planed off - _not_ when starting off.

I dropped a skier one time, went back and he was standing in what had to be no more 24" of water - we had to raise the motor and paddle over to him to pick him up - too shallow for the boat to run at low speed - but he was fine until he fell _grin_ and the boat ran fine over it at speed.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

18 inches is to much. i just want a ski boat , small and efficient , fishing and get around rye patch RES in Nevada. And Lahontan.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

and that is just the foot, gonna be at least another 10 to 12 inches of boat below the waterline, even on aluminum hull - fiberglass will weigh more and sit deeper in the water, stern drive will sit deeper due to more weight in the rear.

Ski boats aren't shallow draft -

Only thing left is jet powered - takes more HP and fuel - but you can get by with a light rig - just depends where you want the compromises to be _grin_

Most of the jet ski manufacturers make a small boat also - will run in a foot or so - twin engines have enough to pull a skier - actually, you can pull a skier behind most good sized jet ski's

with a regular aluminum hull and jet outboard, probably not enough oomph to pull a skier due to power loss thru the pump, unless you get a large motor

Leaves you looking at jetski manufacturer - boat model instead of ski

Something like

http://www.jetski.com/article.cfm?id=456

or something like aluminum tunnel hull with jet outboard - less wetted surface on the tunnel hull makes it more efficient -

http://www.seaarkboats.com/models/catdisplay.asp?type=3

Gonna be pricey if new - probably can find one of the seadoo boats or similar used - I would be surprised if you could find a used aluminun tunnel hull jet outboard at much of a discount - Prolly the best solution - if you have the FRN's

If you could accept 36" draft - and run in 3 to 4 feet of water - lots more choices and cheaper choices, but you could stll pull a skier

Or give up the skiing part and get a smaller aluminum boat with short shaft outboard -

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Would like to take the old lady skiing. All 30 32 34 of her. thanks.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

The smaller they are, the easier they are to pull out of the water.

Years ago, I knew a couple of girls that used to take a small, like 13, 14 foot aluminum fishing boat with a 35 horse motor hung off the back - used it just like you're describing -

When I saw the rig, I said you're kidding, right? She said not at all, grinned real big and said - they've gotta know how to get up_grin_

Hey NH, do you see other people skiing on these lakes? Hey, man if there are other people out there sking with outboards - don't worry about the 2 feet of water part - it's deeper further out- trust me, if there are other people out there skiing, it's gonna be deeper in the large bulk of it.

2 feet is too shallow to ski in - if somebody falls, they could hurt themselves - I know people that take off from the shore, and I hold my breath every time - good way for an accident to happen.

Don't try to do too much - get a 16, 17 foot aluminum hull, modified V hull, fifty to 65 HP, buy the rig used - get one with power trim on the outboard (trims the engine angle in and out)

Go skiing, have a blast, you'll have fun, the lake is a great place to be _grin_

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

You hit the specs I have basically AU-AG. Thanks for the Confirm..........

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

I have an inflatable w/a 5hp Nissan, but want to eventually get one of these:

http://www.porta-bote.com/

Here is my boat now:

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

If you are going to pull a skier who is wearing two skis (if you call that skiing) then it can be done with substantially less than 150HP.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Oh, I didn't say anything about skiers. I just need to be able to haul my gear and beer!

:beer:

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

He's right. If I dig into a slalom ski edge, my 150 lbs. will slow down a 90 hp considerably.

Don't ski in 2 feet of water. Raise the engine if you want to fish skinny.

If your fishing holes are 2 miles away or more, a 35 hp will chew up fishing time.

My opinion, 90 hp minimum. 150hp, best choice. Good call, Hoarder.

Now, if you've ever ridden in a boat with a 225hp Opti-Max and a crazy driver, on a river, you soon realize that there has to be some upper limit.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

All boats will go faster, carry more, and will run more efficiently if they're not dragging dead weight.

Plus.... The fish won't get as spooked. This is a survival forum after all.

Re: Any Boat experts in GIM?
 

Faster if not dragging dead weight? Are you implying something? :haha:

You don't go over your fishing spots with a 150hp full bore.

Electric trolling motor, solar panels for recharge if you think survival.
Gasoline: 5 hp kicker