03-29-2013, 04:29 AM
Those are all great questions and things to definitely consider. Here is my opinion and it's just that, my opinion:
You are right to question what you would feel "safe" in during a wind storm...Strawberry can get nasty, but so can most other lakes that have wind and not a lot of areas to get out of it...Utah lake can be real bad and I have seen Willard about as bad as it gets. There's been times that I don't feel real safe on my dads 23 foot Trophy walkaround in the wind at willard. That being said, I have seen guys that are having the time of there life in a 14 foot aluminum in the same wind storm.
With regards to bringing the family, the wives and children love a place to get out of the wind or sun from time to time. There are many different ways to do this...I wouldn't rule out looking at a boat that has a cuddy cabin. They are tons of fun and storage is great and if you decide to spend the night it can make it a little more "luxorious." Cuddies may not be the perfect option however, I grew up with my family always having a boat and a 1970 invader with a windshield you can make some great "forts" with a blanket to hide out of the elements. I would recommend some type of walk through however, especially if you plan on taking the family. It's just a little extra added coverage that can make the trip a bit more fun for them in the weather.
The second boat I grew up on was a 20 foot sea ray with a cuddy cabin. The cabin was great but it was a bit of a challenge to fish for bass, crappie, perch...with more than two people. Someone always had to crawl up on the bow and fish up there. It was a great family boat though, tons of waterskiing, tubing, cruising, and my dad turned it into a fishing boat for the majority of the time...remote troll, pole holders, downriggers, fish finders...etc.
I then became of the age that I wanted to get out and fish more often and so my dad let me turn the 16 foot, flat bottom, aluminum duck hunting boat into a fishing boat for the summers. I put our old 10 horse honda motor on it and away I went. Trust me, if you want to take the family, this is not the way to go! It was great for me and my dog but that's about it. I could have used a bigger motor. It was just about perfect though for the weeds at pineview or even trolling for some rainbows at deer creek or rockport.
Anyway, I am starting to get a little long winded here but I LOVE talking about boats! Currently my dad runs a 23 foot Trophy walkaround with a 225 hp Merc and a 9.9 kicker. It is tons of fun for trolling and downrigging and can be a bit challenging for pan fish or bass. My mom LOVES the cabin and spending the night on it is a blast! I run a 17 foot Tracker Targa with a 75 hp merc, a 6 hp kicker, and a bow mounted electric. I have only had it for a year but it has been a blast. It is very stable and cuts through waves surprisingly well. Brand wise I think it is all personal prefence...I would have loved to got a Ranger walkthrough or a lund but could in no way afford one. Crestliner, lowe, alumacraft, G3, all make great boats and deciding of a certain brand is entirely up to you.
Good luck on your decision and have fun with it. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, as you can see I love talking about boats! Hmm, I never even mentioned anything about outboard vs inboard/outboard...
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You are right to question what you would feel "safe" in during a wind storm...Strawberry can get nasty, but so can most other lakes that have wind and not a lot of areas to get out of it...Utah lake can be real bad and I have seen Willard about as bad as it gets. There's been times that I don't feel real safe on my dads 23 foot Trophy walkaround in the wind at willard. That being said, I have seen guys that are having the time of there life in a 14 foot aluminum in the same wind storm.
With regards to bringing the family, the wives and children love a place to get out of the wind or sun from time to time. There are many different ways to do this...I wouldn't rule out looking at a boat that has a cuddy cabin. They are tons of fun and storage is great and if you decide to spend the night it can make it a little more "luxorious." Cuddies may not be the perfect option however, I grew up with my family always having a boat and a 1970 invader with a windshield you can make some great "forts" with a blanket to hide out of the elements. I would recommend some type of walk through however, especially if you plan on taking the family. It's just a little extra added coverage that can make the trip a bit more fun for them in the weather.
The second boat I grew up on was a 20 foot sea ray with a cuddy cabin. The cabin was great but it was a bit of a challenge to fish for bass, crappie, perch...with more than two people. Someone always had to crawl up on the bow and fish up there. It was a great family boat though, tons of waterskiing, tubing, cruising, and my dad turned it into a fishing boat for the majority of the time...remote troll, pole holders, downriggers, fish finders...etc.
I then became of the age that I wanted to get out and fish more often and so my dad let me turn the 16 foot, flat bottom, aluminum duck hunting boat into a fishing boat for the summers. I put our old 10 horse honda motor on it and away I went. Trust me, if you want to take the family, this is not the way to go! It was great for me and my dog but that's about it. I could have used a bigger motor. It was just about perfect though for the weeds at pineview or even trolling for some rainbows at deer creek or rockport.
Anyway, I am starting to get a little long winded here but I LOVE talking about boats! Currently my dad runs a 23 foot Trophy walkaround with a 225 hp Merc and a 9.9 kicker. It is tons of fun for trolling and downrigging and can be a bit challenging for pan fish or bass. My mom LOVES the cabin and spending the night on it is a blast! I run a 17 foot Tracker Targa with a 75 hp merc, a 6 hp kicker, and a bow mounted electric. I have only had it for a year but it has been a blast. It is very stable and cuts through waves surprisingly well. Brand wise I think it is all personal prefence...I would have loved to got a Ranger walkthrough or a lund but could in no way afford one. Crestliner, lowe, alumacraft, G3, all make great boats and deciding of a certain brand is entirely up to you.
Good luck on your decision and have fun with it. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, as you can see I love talking about boats! Hmm, I never even mentioned anything about outboard vs inboard/outboard...
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