haute
Active member
Hello Everyone!
After having absolutely no interest in fishing my entire life, my family and I went on a two week camping/fishing trip with friends who are avid fishermen, and we had a blast - so much so that my wife and I agreed we need to get some sort of tinny and get on the water with the kids regularly.
Here's the issue though - I know **nothing** about what to look for, or even what I should be buying.
I have read the buying guides in the forums, as well as on the main page to the site, but I am still at a loss as what to choose.
The people we went out with have a G3 1548MV jon boat with a 25hp Merc modified to 30hp with a custom floor, 50lb thrust electric, 4 rod holders. This is a wonderful setup, but it is both WELL beyond what I can afford, and also well beyond what I can physical handle by myself. My buddy is a massive man, standing 6'4" and 350(ish)lbs, so he lifts that motor off the boat and puts it into the back of his truck like you and I would move a lunch kit.
We are a family of 2+2, with the +2 being a 5yr and a 3yr old. My wife and I combine for around 275 lbs.
The trouble is we are getting very disparate advice from people. Friends who have been doing this for a long time tell us we only need a little 12' tinny and an electric. Friends with small kids insist we need a gas motor too, b/c getting stranded with little ones is not an option if bad weather comes out of nowhere (I would agree with this). Some say a 6hp is enough whereas some say 15hp should be more of what I should look at. Most all say 2 stroke b/c they are lighter and it doesnt matter about keeping them upright. If I talk to any marine dealerships, I need a 14', 48" jon or 67" beam V-hull, with a minimum 20hp in order to be comfortable for the next decade as the kids grow up. I would love to agree, but I just cant afford that.
Most 12's seem to be rated for only 3 people, and would have to move up to a 14' to get a 4 person rating.
A jon boat would seem like the ideal platform, but I can really only afford 36" bottom boats, as moving to a 42 or 48" not only increases the price a lot, but also the weight. There are lots of wide beam 14's which would fit the bill, but they are significantly more money. Also, even in my friends MV jon, the slightest chop was *seriously* uncomfortable to ride in - it felt like someone was literally kicking my *** - so a V-hull seems to be a better choice for anything other than flat/calm.
In a nutshell, I dont know who or what to believe, and its causing me a lot of grief - its tough trying to educate yourself when so many people say so many different things to you.
So here's what I would like to use the boat: Lakes primarily with rocky beaches, some not having a formal boat launch, which means getting the boat back up to the truck/trailer - this will be 90% of the use. My trailer is modified, ie, it is a dog trailer which we will be putting a rack for the boat on, so I need to be able to put the boat up myself. I live in a coastal city, so the ability to hit some of the inlets around here with a crab trap or two would be a nice thing as well.
Any and all help is **greatly** appreciated.
After having absolutely no interest in fishing my entire life, my family and I went on a two week camping/fishing trip with friends who are avid fishermen, and we had a blast - so much so that my wife and I agreed we need to get some sort of tinny and get on the water with the kids regularly.
Here's the issue though - I know **nothing** about what to look for, or even what I should be buying.
I have read the buying guides in the forums, as well as on the main page to the site, but I am still at a loss as what to choose.
The people we went out with have a G3 1548MV jon boat with a 25hp Merc modified to 30hp with a custom floor, 50lb thrust electric, 4 rod holders. This is a wonderful setup, but it is both WELL beyond what I can afford, and also well beyond what I can physical handle by myself. My buddy is a massive man, standing 6'4" and 350(ish)lbs, so he lifts that motor off the boat and puts it into the back of his truck like you and I would move a lunch kit.
We are a family of 2+2, with the +2 being a 5yr and a 3yr old. My wife and I combine for around 275 lbs.
The trouble is we are getting very disparate advice from people. Friends who have been doing this for a long time tell us we only need a little 12' tinny and an electric. Friends with small kids insist we need a gas motor too, b/c getting stranded with little ones is not an option if bad weather comes out of nowhere (I would agree with this). Some say a 6hp is enough whereas some say 15hp should be more of what I should look at. Most all say 2 stroke b/c they are lighter and it doesnt matter about keeping them upright. If I talk to any marine dealerships, I need a 14', 48" jon or 67" beam V-hull, with a minimum 20hp in order to be comfortable for the next decade as the kids grow up. I would love to agree, but I just cant afford that.
Most 12's seem to be rated for only 3 people, and would have to move up to a 14' to get a 4 person rating.
A jon boat would seem like the ideal platform, but I can really only afford 36" bottom boats, as moving to a 42 or 48" not only increases the price a lot, but also the weight. There are lots of wide beam 14's which would fit the bill, but they are significantly more money. Also, even in my friends MV jon, the slightest chop was *seriously* uncomfortable to ride in - it felt like someone was literally kicking my *** - so a V-hull seems to be a better choice for anything other than flat/calm.
In a nutshell, I dont know who or what to believe, and its causing me a lot of grief - its tough trying to educate yourself when so many people say so many different things to you.
So here's what I would like to use the boat: Lakes primarily with rocky beaches, some not having a formal boat launch, which means getting the boat back up to the truck/trailer - this will be 90% of the use. My trailer is modified, ie, it is a dog trailer which we will be putting a rack for the boat on, so I need to be able to put the boat up myself. I live in a coastal city, so the ability to hit some of the inlets around here with a crab trap or two would be a nice thing as well.
Any and all help is **greatly** appreciated.