16 or 17 ft boat.

[Chode2235]

I am looking at picking up a used boat, and was wondering how much the length will impact the performance of the boat on the water as well as having the room to fish out of it comfortably.

I am looking at wider boats such as an older Pro-v or Fishhawk etc, and do a lot of fishing all over from the Mississippi right out my door to big and small lakes all over the state. Looking for something versatile that will also fit in my garage.

Opinions welcomed.

p.s. Also, when looking at used boats what are some of the things I should really watch out for?

[heat checker]

I have an older(92) 16ft smokercraft with a 70 Yami 2stroke. Fairly deep boat, will do close to 40 on glass. Has walk thru windshield which is nice, but becomes a real bottleneck when fishing withe wife and three kids in boat. Comfort will depend on how many (and ages) with you.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Number one boat fact is that they shrink on the water.

I would get as big a boat that will fit in your garage. Getting a swing tongue on the trailer will allow you to buy a longer rig.

[Northlander]

Go as big as you can afford and have room for. I never hear anyone say I wish I had a smaller boat or less horsepower.

[Fishin Dan]

Go as big as you can afford and have room for. I never hear anyone say I wish I had a smaller boat or less horsepower.

I would definitly agree. Go with the biggest you can afford.

[marine_man]

I agree with all of the above comments.

Things to look for:

1) Do a compression or leak down test on the motor prior to purchase

2) If possible, take the boat for a test drive

3) Check the lower unit lube - remove the bottom screw only (have a rag or something to catch whatever comes out, shouldn't be a lot) - if it's milky or really smells (more than gear lube normally does) I would seriously consider moving on

4) General shape of the boat - if overall it's in good shape, then the rest is probably taken care of as well.

marine_man

[Ralph Wiggum]

I just bought a 16 footer. I went for a tiller because I wanted to be able to fit it in the garage without kicking both vehicles outside yet I still wanted a good amount of room to fish out of. It is a tight fit in the garage, but it fits. I've got a swing-tongue that I will be installing on a rainy day for a little more wiggle room.

I really love the space it offers over a console boat. This is important to me. I've got a 60 on the back and it'll do in the lower 30s on my GPS.

It gets a little chilly on fall nights without a windshield, but it's a sacrifice I will gladly make.

Good luck with your search!

[shmick__shmacky]

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[hydro]

One thing to consider is that for a given width and power, a longer boat will perform better. It will plane easier and you will get better cruising speed. Get the longest boat that will fit in your garage and your pocketbook can afford. You will be glad that you did!

I have owned many boats and found this to be true no matter the hull design.

[PerchJerker]

I agree with the idea to get the biggest boat you can. "2-foot fever" is pretty common among boat owners. If you have the space in your boat, you'll use it.

With that said, you are not going to notice much difference in performance from the extra length between 16 and 17 foot aluminum boats. Any difference would be noticable in bad conditions, but in nice conditions you probably wouldn't notice any difference at all from the length. I think the make/model and horsepower on the used boats you're looking at will make more difference than 16 or 17 feet of length.

Have fun shopping for your boat!

[marine_man]

Not sure if you've checked out the Boat For Sale forum, but there are some deals to be had there, given the time of year.

marine_man

[snoozebutton]

Number one boat fact is that they shrink on the water.

Ain't that the truth. My boat looks huge in the garage but with me, my wife, and 2 kids in it on the water and it's a whole lot smaller.

[Chode2235]

Yeah I would really like to go for a 17 footer, but not sure it would fit in the smaller stall. Our garage has one stall that is a few feet shorter than the other, I could easily fit it in the bigger one, but I like parking the car in that one.

I just want to be sure the 16 wont be like a tin can out there in the rougher water.

Thanks everyone, this board is so helpful.