14’ fishin boat setup
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2rocky
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Folks, This intrigues me...
Point me in the direction of Resources for learning what I need to know if I were to buy a boat like this as my FIRST BOAT with NO EXPERIENCE.
Point me in the direction of Resources for learning what I need to know if I were to buy a boat like this as my FIRST BOAT with NO EXPERIENCE.
I'd start with the following:
1. What is your budget? Keep in mind the cost of convenience add-ons. (electronics, trolling motor, etc)
2. What kind of vehicle are you towing with?
3. What is your storage situation like?
4. What size lake are you primarily fishing?
5. Will it be used for anything other than fishing?
6. How many people will be on board?
I am by no means an expert, so take my advice for what it is.
This on was found on Facebook marketplace. About 8 miles from my house.
so far I’m in it for less than 600 bucks but I already had quite a bit of the stuff. Outboard, oars, seat, anchor, fish finder, trolling motor ect. If I didn’t have all of that it would easily have been $1000+
definitely think about towing and storage. My storage constraint was it had to fit under my garage…. And it clears by about 4”.
I also have a bit of constraints to deal with. Closest lake is 10hp max, second closest lake is pretty good size so outboard was key but I also wanted to stay small enough to move around lake 3 which is electric motor only.
so a big boat with a big outboard was out for me plus I like the simplicity of a small boat.
If I get to where I’m not using it, I can sell it and not loose money either.
2rocky
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I'm thinking of a lake that allows bow hunting with 50 miles of shoreline, and is roughly 4.0 sq. miles in area. The longest point to point in the lake is 6 miles. I'm thinking a boat that could fit a couple guys and a dead critter or two would be ideal...
Not knowing budget or anything, I would say something like a Lund Alaskan would fit the bill nicely. A little more than a bare bones boat with the ability for a bigger motor which is always nice if the weather turns.
Don Fischer
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Hadn't run in 15 yrs and it still ran? Lucky guy! My own boat is really old 15' Jon boat with a 2014 Honda 20 hp motor.There’s 2 on the floor. I wasn’t going to chance going out with a 54 year old motor that hadn’t run in 15 years without a backup plan
Don Fischer
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Amazing. Love seeing a boat like this that someone is talking about. Generally some guy says he's got a new fishing boat and it cost more than his house! Great fishing boat!
bullbugle307
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I'm running a 14 foot v style boat with a 15h Honda and to be honest the 15h motor seems woefully inadequate to me. Granted, I fish a few larger lakes and Wyoming is windy, and that has a lot to do with those feelings of inadequacy as far as the motor is concerned. That 15 horse barely gets me on plane with 3 people in the boat, and even with 2 or 1 and the boat on plane it's still slow as molasses.
shootbrownelk
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I had a Mirrocraft 14 ft. Deep Fisherman with a 35 hp. Evinrude tiller and it was just perfect. The boat was rated for 40 hp.
Don Fischer
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I got a 15' Jon boat with a 20hp Honda and it's more than adequate. I guess it just depends on what you call adequate!
bullbugle307
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It absolutely does. If I was only fishing smaller lakes where the wind doesn't blow like crazy, I probably wouldn't care. It wouldn't feel that unsafe to me. But I've been in some sketchy situations when I did seasonal fisheries work in AK and WY. Once that happens, it's always in the back of your mind. It's not about what's happening right now at that point, it's about what could this turn into. And I know what it can turn into, and how fast. That's where I feel inadequate with the smaller motor.
If I take on water, say a big wave coming over the boat, I know how inadequate my bilge pumps are at getting that water out fast. I wanna be able to get that boat on plane and pull the plug. And for that you need some motor.
Brittany Chukarman
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Keep an eye on those old rubber gas lines. I gave an old 9.9 merc to my brother. He put a new impeller in and it started right up, trolled like a dream. A few trips in and a fuel line split and the motor caught on fire. Just something to check out.
Bulldog0156
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Old Johnson motors are bulletproof. I grew up on a '56 Johnson sea horse 5.5 hp; starts first pull every time.
Good advice on the fuel lines. The inner liner can get brittle and separate and plug things up.
Good advice on the fuel lines. The inner liner can get brittle and separate and plug things up.
Don Fischer
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Probably go pretty good with that 25hp motor. My boat, 15' Jon with 20hp Honda runs a good as I need it to. Only problem is if I wanted to take it out on the Columbia River, just don't want to get far from shore! I think probably that 6hp motor was enough for fishing but a bit more can be better! Just watch the weather and if it starts turning nasty, head for shore on the closest route then hug the shoreline back in. Columbia gets real nasty with the wind, lots of times white caps all over! The boat is actually as unsafe as you make it I think!
