I use my boat for fishing and not much else, but at my stage of life I don’t have to worry about taking the family out for a cruise, hosting business associates, spending the night on anchor, or rafting up for the weekend.
The first thing you must do is figure out exactly what you want to do on your boat. If, like me, you want to fish the open waters of the ocean and Bay, you will need a boat designed for that purpose. If you want to spend weekends partying with your friends, you will need a boat designed for that purpose. Long range travels in your future? Then look for a boat that will get you there and back in comfort with good fuel economy.
Let’s look at fishing boats first. There are many good boats on the market made for fishing. Personally I like a deep vee hull with at least a 24-degree deadrise carried to the stern. This hull will run best when the seas are rough, and you have to head into them. On the down side, a deep vee requires more power than a modified hull and will use more fuel.
Modified Vee hulls may not run as well in rough weather as a deep vee, but they are more comfortable at rest and use less fuel. Flat bottom boats are very stable, require less power, and will jar your fillings loose in any sort of a chop.
A well-designed fishing boat will have a live well, built-in tackle storage and fish boxes, a big cockpit or walk around access, good visibility from the helm to the cockpit, and perhaps a tower. Since fish tend to bite when the weather is less than ideal, some sort of shelter such as a hard top or enclosed cabin can come in handy. Rod holders, tackle and bait stations, outriggers, washdown systems, and comfortable seating are all important in a fishing boat.
Lots of boaters on the Chesapeake Bay wouldn’t know a pike from a porgy, so fishing is the last thing they have in mind when buying a new boat. What they want is comfort underway and at anchor. Plenty of dry storage for toys, clothes, food, and bedding. Lots of cold storage for food and drink. A well-equipped galley. A comfortable head and bed. Easy access from the water and the dock. In other words, a home away from home.
Long-range travel is usually done in a trawler-style hull. These are semi-displacement hulls that are efficient, and when combined with a diesel engine, will provide a very comfortable ride with excellent fuel economy. They are outfitted for long-range living onboard.
There are other types of boats from go-fast racing hulls to flat-bottom johnboats, and each is best used for a certain purpose.
Before you decide to purchase a boat, it is always a good idea to have a family meeting because all parties will want to have an input into this major investment. Explain why you want to buy a boat and what you plan to do with it. Will the kids be able to join you. especially if they have other interests such as soccer, baseball, dance class, or just don’t like the water?
The next thing to do is get all the information you can about the type of boat you want. Talk to owners of similar boats and ask for their advice on what to look out for in a particular model. This can be very helpful because a longtime owner of that model has experienced all the problems associated with that boat.
by Eric Burnley
Monday, October 30, 2017 - 09:46
All boats are a compromise. Everyone wants the perfect boat that will do everything and do it well, but that boat does not exist. Click to proptalk.com/category/boatnotes for recent reviews on some of the hottest boats on the Bay.
I use my boat for fishing and not much else, but at my stage of life I don’t have to worry about taking the family out for a cruise, hosting business associates, spending the night on anchor, or rafting up for the weekend.
The first thing you must do is figure out exactly what you want to do on your boat. If, like me, you want to fish the open waters of the ocean and Bay, you will need a boat designed for that purpose. If you want to spend weekends partying with your friends, you will need a boat designed for that purpose. Long range travels in your future? Then look for a boat that will get you there and back in comfort with good fuel economy.
Let’s look at fishing boats first. There are many good boats on the market made for fishing. Personally I like a deep vee hull with at least a 24-degree deadrise carried to the stern. This hull will run best when the seas are rough, and you have to head into them. On the down side, a deep vee requires more power than a modified hull and will use more fuel.
Modified Vee hulls may not run as well in rough weather as a deep vee, but they are more comfortable at rest and use less fuel. Flat bottom boats are very stable, require less power, and will jar your fillings loose in any sort of a chop.
A well-designed fishing boat will have a live well, built-in tackle storage and fish boxes, a big cockpit or walk around access, good visibility from the helm to the cockpit, and perhaps a tower. Since fish tend to bite when the weather is less than ideal, some sort of shelter such as a hard top or enclosed cabin can come in handy. Rod holders, tackle and bait stations, outriggers, washdown systems, and comfortable seating are all important in a fishing boat.
Lots of boaters on the Chesapeake Bay wouldn’t know a pike from a porgy, so fishing is the last thing they have in mind when buying a new boat. What they want is comfort underway and at anchor. Plenty of dry storage for toys, clothes, food, and bedding. Lots of cold storage for food and drink. A well-equipped galley. A comfortable head and bed. Easy access from the water and the dock. In other words, a home away from home.
Long-range travel is usually done in a trawler-style hull. These are semi-displacement hulls that are efficient, and when combined with a diesel engine, will provide a very comfortable ride with excellent fuel economy. They are outfitted for long-range living onboard.
There are other types of boats from go-fast racing hulls to flat-bottom johnboats, and each is best used for a certain purpose.
Before you decide to purchase a boat, it is always a good idea to have a family meeting because all parties will want to have an input into this major investment. Explain why you want to buy a boat and what you plan to do with it. Will the kids be able to join you. especially if they have other interests such as soccer, baseball, dance class, or just don’t like the water?
The next thing to do is get all the information you can about the type of boat you want. Talk to owners of similar boats and ask for their advice on what to look out for in a particular model. This can be very helpful because a longtime owner of that model has experienced all the problems associated with that boat.
by Eric Burnley
I use my boat for fishing and not much else, but at my stage of life I don’t have to worry about taking the family out for a cruise, hosting business associates, spending the night on anchor, or rafting up for the weekend.
The first thing you must do is figure out exactly what you want to do on your boat. If, like me, you want to fish the open waters of the ocean and Bay, you will need a boat designed for that purpose. If you want to spend weekends partying with your friends, you will need a boat designed for that purpose. Long range travels in your future? Then look for a boat that will get you there and back in comfort with good fuel economy.
Let’s look at fishing boats first. There are many good boats on the market made for fishing. Personally I like a deep vee hull with at least a 24-degree deadrise carried to the stern. This hull will run best when the seas are rough, and you have to head into them. On the down side, a deep vee requires more power than a modified hull and will use more fuel.
Modified Vee hulls may not run as well in rough weather as a deep vee, but they are more comfortable at rest and use less fuel. Flat bottom boats are very stable, require less power, and will jar your fillings loose in any sort of a chop.
A well-designed fishing boat will have a live well, built-in tackle storage and fish boxes, a big cockpit or walk around access, good visibility from the helm to the cockpit, and perhaps a tower. Since fish tend to bite when the weather is less than ideal, some sort of shelter such as a hard top or enclosed cabin can come in handy. Rod holders, tackle and bait stations, outriggers, washdown systems, and comfortable seating are all important in a fishing boat.
Lots of boaters on the Chesapeake Bay wouldn’t know a pike from a porgy, so fishing is the last thing they have in mind when buying a new boat. What they want is comfort underway and at anchor. Plenty of dry storage for toys, clothes, food, and bedding. Lots of cold storage for food and drink. A well-equipped galley. A comfortable head and bed. Easy access from the water and the dock. In other words, a home away from home.
Long-range travel is usually done in a trawler-style hull. These are semi-displacement hulls that are efficient, and when combined with a diesel engine, will provide a very comfortable ride with excellent fuel economy. They are outfitted for long-range living onboard.
There are other types of boats from go-fast racing hulls to flat-bottom johnboats, and each is best used for a certain purpose.
Before you decide to purchase a boat, it is always a good idea to have a family meeting because all parties will want to have an input into this major investment. Explain why you want to buy a boat and what you plan to do with it. Will the kids be able to join you. especially if they have other interests such as soccer, baseball, dance class, or just don’t like the water?
The next thing to do is get all the information you can about the type of boat you want. Talk to owners of similar boats and ask for their advice on what to look out for in a particular model. This can be very helpful because a longtime owner of that model has experienced all the problems associated with that boat.
by Eric Burnley