WWJWPR?
Very interesting thread. Love the Drift/raft input, but they are not for our flat waters. Like Bob, I have been doing this for a long, long time. I currently run a Skeeter, 1850DV, walleye hull, w/175 Merc. I have a 15hp kicker and a 24V Terrova on the front. What would I change to if I was going to change. Most likely a 20ft hull, Lund, Wellcraft, or other alluminum DEEP V hull. I would put the largest allowable Hp motor on it and I would go with a Suzuki 4 stroke Outboard. From what I have read about them, they always get you home !! Walk thru wind sheild, 36V Ultera on the front, and 15hp, 4 stroke kicker w/power trim. I would have a Tandem trailer, w/ EZ Step on the front, and a Drotto boat latch. These last two accessories are indispensable for those of us that launch and recover by ourselves. The EZ step allows you to get in and out w/out having to climb over the gunnels and the Drotto boat latch lets you release the boat from the trailer when you are at the console and to drive the boat on the trailer and secure it w/out trying to balance on the tongue to attach the winch rope.
So that would be my ultimate Utah boat !!!
Lots of advice here, that I do not agree with.
I’ve owned a number of boats in my time, and spend probably 60 days a year trolling in Utah and in Washington on the Columbia:
To advise anything but Max rated horsepower is stupid. Full stop. We live at high elevation, where you lose 3% horsepower for every thousand feet of elevation. At Strawberry, you’re only operating with about 75% of your rated horsepower. Plenty of guys who tried to cut corners and cost on the motor, get to strawberry and can’t hardly plane with two or three people. Dumb.
As for Midwest style boats, Lund and Crestliner. Tracker is junk, cheap for a reason.
As for professional style boats: Duckworth, North River, Alumaweld, etc. I currently have a 20’ Duckworth and love it.
As for motors: I’m partial to Mercury, but it’s hard to go wrong these days.
In todays market, you are going to purchase the boat that you can FIND. I would start out with a few minimum expectations…such as length, material, horsepower, and most importantly, what EQUIPMENT do you want to have on it. That said, you are going to want to hold out for one with as many of your minimum requirements as possible , and as much of the equipment already on it as possible. If not, you will be settling, unhappy, and sell it within a year. Ask me how I know.
It would be very nice to have an unlimited budget and be able to order a new boat, get it in 3 months, then outfit it with all the equipment you want. But reality is that you likely don’t have an unlimited budget, it’s a year + to order a boat, and even then you may not get the one you want, and equipment is few and far between available on the shelves.
There are a LOT of good equipped used boats out on KSL.com right now.
For the lakes you mentioned…a nice 17 to 20 foot aluminum fishing boat with 115 to 150 hp main motor (4 stroke preferred), a kicker motor for trolling, downriggers (2 main brands: Canon and Scotty), Minn Kota front trolling motor with spotlock ( not just for the spotlock, it has other features that you will use for trolling) and a good fishfinder. 35k to 50k for something a few years old. More if newer, less if older (beware on older stuff…maintenance will nickel and dime you to death). Look at the trailer also. Make sure it’s got good rubber and has been maintained. Tip: Just change the wheel bearings when you get it then do it every year.
As mentioned above, I bought a “tweener” (an in-between boat, just to get me by while looking for a GOOD one) and used it for 9 months while I was looking for my “good” one. And it took 9 months before I found one that had the size, motor and equipment I wanted. Be patient.
I give the max horse power a one up, only because of elevation that you fish in Utah. With that said, prop’s for these motors is more important.
I have 3 different pitched prop’s for this state. If you can not turn your RPM’s more than 5000, you are not getting the rated horse power of your motor. I will add to the open bow boats out there, get a snap on cover for the front. This will shed the rough water you might encounter on the lake when a storm catches you by surprise.
Just a couple comments:
Mr Shane gave good advice. But the most important thing he did was post a picture of the best boat you can have in Utah: A Ranger Reata.
Skibum also posted a picture of great boat for Utah, to which therapist replied “not for flatwater”. I disagree completely. Hyside rafts are AWESOME on our flatwaters! WWJWPR? If he had the option, he’d have rowed a Hyside!