$25,000 JON BOAT?? Sea Ark 2072 custom order.... Am I crazy?

[danattherock]

Been searching for a boat off and on for 2 years. Wife and I got a small son and a german shepherd that goes everywhere we go. Want room to take a buddy here and there on certain fishing trips. Will be fishing lakes near home and shallows, creeks, and such at the coast. Bay boats for the most part are too expensive, and offer little open floor room in the boat. Flats boats are great for the fly fishing I am interested in, but are small and offer less room than the bay boats. Found a few boats I really liked, the Young Boats 20' Gulf Shore would be my dream boat, but I am having a hard time dropping $35-45k in a boat. A working man, but also, I got a few other expensive hobbies.

In the past few days I have been researching higher end all welded larger jon boats. Looking at Sea Ark currently, a 20 foot 72" wide (at floor) boat with 0.125" thick hull that would have a 115 HP Yamaha and side console. A custom order from Sea Ark in Arkansas, it would have gray hull, gray Gator-Hyde lining on the inside (truck bed liner), trolling motor mount and pre-wire, 0.125" tread plate flooring and optional side covers on gunwales to cover the ribs on the inside. This gives me a 145" side wall to mount my fly rods to, a very valuable thing to me personally as I fly fish exclusively. Three captain chairs on the back bench in matching gray and a Yeti cooler with cushion I can move to two locations with tie down brackets depending on if I need the extra seating for which it would accommodate two. If not needed for seating, would be on side of boat in front of side console, leaving a very wide open deck space.

Total is looking like $25,000, my max budget in recent months, of which most other boats of interest to me surpassed. It feels crazy and right all at the same time. As usual, looking for input here to gauge my sanity. First boat purchase and about to go nuts picking one out that meets my needs, yet I can afford. I have drove all over NC looking at boats, but at 6'6" 300 lbs, the ones I can afford seem like they are made for 3rd graders. Till I stumbled across this 20' jon boat with 95" beam and wide open floor plan.


Crazy to buy a $25k jon boat?


What say you?

#-o



This is a picture of the basic boat and layout, sans options listed above...

-Dan

 

[ol sarge]

You are crazy...but I think we all are in one way or another. Have you looked at the Tracker models? They have some pretty sweet semi v's for a whole lot less. But if you can afford the 25K, i say got for it and dont look back. Life is way to short.

Tim

 

[Ictalurus]

I wouldn't say you are crazy to buy a new boat, but all the options you list (yeti's, captains chairs, etc..) might be driving up the price a good bit. You could fish it for a bit before deciding on what is necessary instead of getting it all right out of the gate. Sea-Arks are pretty pricey too, you could also check out weldbuilt and allweld.

 

[bulldog]

Crazy? No. If you can swing it imagine how much fun you'll have and how much family time comes with the price tag.

 

[fender66]

Crazy? No. If you can swing it imagine how much fun you'll have and how much family time comes with the price tag.

+1

All comes down to need vs. want. My first real boat was used and about 2/3 of that price.

 

[lbhansford]

man i am going to catch hell for this but if you want a boat for coastal fishing and rivers lakes creeks, that big i would seriously look at bay boats.. they are a hybrid of saltwater and freshwater. Personally i would recommend this one... 22 Sea Pro SV2100CC Bay Boat... used they are around 15000 decked out and you will love the front deck for fly fishing. Just one man's opinion but i can say that i have personally been on one and they are SWEET!!!

 

[Jmox]

Check out the alweld boats. They have some sweet jon and mod v boats that arent all that bad on the check book. Im looking at getting a 18/72 with 29" sides and a 115 evinrude with a jet/prop kit. my friend bought one and that is the most stable and roomy boat i have fished on yet.

 

[Bailey Boat]

You say that you have driven all over North Carolina looking, did you hit AK McCallums in Fayetteville??? If not he's one of the largest Sea Ark dealers going and might be able to save you some $$$$$.....

 

[Country Dave]

A new 115 Yamaha 4 stroke with power tilt and trim is almost 10K alone. Buy it. It’s freaking cool. YOLO :mrgreen:

 

[Jim]

I think it is awesome!

 

[juggernot]

If I had that $$$$$$$ to spend I would buy this one after a test drive, the accesories are alot!!


https://raleigh.craigslist.org/boa/3661119890.html

A friend has a 2011 Rivercat 200sc and it is a fine boat, solid and very well made.

 

[chrispbrown27]

To me, Sea Arks are the ultimate tin boat....and the prices reflect that. If I had the means I would buy a 24' jon (for gods sake you can put a car inside the thing!) and slap a 90 horse tiller on it....and be the coolest one on the lake! Ha ha
If that's your budget go for it man! But I agree with the other poster that said to hold off on the accessories til after you take it out a few times. Factory stuff is nice, but most of the time you can find better quality at better prices aftermarket and if you wait you will know exactly how you want it. Wide open floor plan like that you can make that one bad fishing machine! Go get it then hit me up and I will help ya break it in!
Chris

 

[lbhansford]

here are i saw in the NC area that look nice..

https://outerbanks.craigslist.org/boa/3596099197.html

 

[Chief2]

Thats a LOT of cash for a jon boat! But, its YOUR money. Spend it and enjoy as you like. 8)

 

[Lowe 2070 CC]

Nothing crazy about it, I sunk $20k in mine.

Not knocking Seaark at all, but for the price you are quoting I'd look at Alweld, and Xtreme (a sponsor here) as well. $25k puts you in 150hp territory.

Xtreme quoted me a very good price for a 2072 with .190 bottom and .125 sides with a 150.

 

[Country Dave]

Nothing crazy about it, I sunk $20k in mine.

Not knocking Seaark at all, but for the price you are quoting I'd look at Alweld, and Xtreme (a sponsor here) as well. $25k puts you in 150hp territory.

Xtreme quoted me a very good price for a 2072 with .190 bottom and .125 sides with a 150.

X2 I think its well worth the look at Xtreme.

 

[Badbagger]

I've owned an Xtreme some years back. While they're a nice boat, they're no where near the beast a SeaArk is. As a poster on tht said, "that boat could take a direct hit from a hand grenade and keep going". I'd have to agree.

 

[Country Dave]

I’ve owned a ton boats in my lifetime but only 3 tins.

My 25ft Stardust pontoon, my 1448 Polar Kraft and my Lowe 1752. I’ve never owned a SeaArk or an Xtreme so I don’t have and firsthand experience with them. From what I’ve read about Xtreme and their manufacturing processes, well I’m impressed. I feel strongly about SeaArk as well. They do look like they would be just about indestructible. If I ever conceder purchasing a new Tin I would strongly consider and look closely at both companies and product. JMTC

 

[Lowe 2070 CC]

I'm not trying to swing anyone one way or the other, I looked around a lot before I bought and my choice came down to the fact that my old boat was sold and I didn't want to wait 2 or 3 months for a new one. So, I bought the best "immediately" available option.

My point being before you shell out $25k look at every option out there and make an informed decision. Don't take my word, or anyone else's word about what's best without doing your own homework, as this is a decision you have to live with.

In my opinion Sea Ark, and Alweld make some of the best tins out there, but Xtreme, Lifetyme, Rookie and other small local builders can custom build a fine boat too.

 

[shootandfish1]

Been searching for a boat off and on for 2 years. Wife and I got a small son and a german shepherd that goes everywhere we go. Want room to take a buddy here and there on certain fishing trips. Will be fishing lakes near home and shallows, creeks, and such at the coast. Bay boats for the most part are too expensive, and offer little open floor room in the boat. Flats boats are great for the fly fishing I am interested in, but are small and offer less room than the bay boats. Found a few boats I really liked, the Young Boats 20' Gulf Shore would be my dream boat, but I am having a hard time dropping $35-45k in a boat. A working man, but also, I got a few other expensive hobbies.

In the past few days I have been researching higher end all welded larger jon boats. Looking at Sea Ark currently, a 20 foot 72" wide (at floor) boat with 0.125" thick hull that would have a 115 HP Yamaha and side console. A custom order from Sea Ark in Arkansas, it would have gray hull, gray Gator-Hyde lining on the inside (truck bed liner), trolling motor mount and pre-wire, 0.125" tread plate flooring and optional side covers on gunwales to cover the ribs on the inside. This gives me a 145" side wall to mount my fly rods to, a very valuable thing to me personally as I fly fish exclusively. Three captain chairs on the back bench in matching gray and a Yeti cooler with cushion I can move to two locations with tie down brackets depending on if I need the extra seating for which it would accommodate two. If not needed for seating, would be on side of boat in front of side console, leaving a very wide open deck space.

Total is looking like $25,000, my max budget in recent months, of which most other boats of interest to me surpassed. It feels crazy and right all at the same time. As usual, looking for input here to gauge my sanity. First boat purchase and about to go nuts picking one out that meets my needs, yet I can afford. I have drove all over NC looking at boats, but at 6'6" 300 lbs, the ones I can afford seem like they are made for 3rd graders. Till I stumbled across this 20' jon boat with 95" beam and wide open floor plan.


Crazy to buy a $25k jon boat?


What say you?

#-o



This is a picture of the basic boat and layout, sans options listed above...

-Dan

Hi Dan, Last week I drove from my home in central KY to AK McCallum's in Fayetteville, NC.

And returned pulling my brand new SeaArk 2072 w/factory threadplate floor and side-console, a Yamaha 115. and a RoadKing Aluminum Trailer. Cost was about $20,100 before I started adding things like radial tire upgrade, spare, nav lights, bilge, and 5 ft glide on bunks. and a water-fuel seperater filter

AK treated me right, no 'buying' pressure at all. I really appreciated their attitude, focusing on what a 'jon-boater' needs and not a lot of high-dollar 'do-dads'. My salesman was Michal.

I too, am a heavier guy, well, I'm just fat, out-weighing you by 200 lbs, not a typo. I weigh in about 500, and was concerned about the SeaArk's strength. I discussed this at length with the dealer and SeaArk before I paid my deposit. So far my fears have been unfounded. At the lot, I was able to walk on the treadplate floor and try out the bench seat for strength. I haven't placed my weight in the bow yet, the step was too high and I was too unsteady to climb up. the seat is rock-solid and the thread plate floor will 'deflect' slightly when I had all my weight between the ribs. I was concerned, until it explained that Seaark leaves a 'air-space' between the floor and foam, thus no stress is transmitted to the hull.

Bottom line, SeaArk builds one stout boat.

Plans are to have a custom trailer mounted ladder made like pontoon have so I can get in/out of the boat when launching and loading when by myself, some steps for when docked and a bow step. Later on will be a super-strong seat for the bench and a base for casting seats once I figure out what I want.

Hopefully, I'll start my own thread (have to learn how to post pics) soon,

Good Luck, Fred