1st Boat

[wayne]

Never owned a boat, so I thought I would ask the TnDeer experts. What would be a good starter boat for 2-3 people for under $10k? Fishing only. And what accessories would be "must-haves". I don't care for water sports(skiing/tubing) and really don't want to have the ability for it. Links to ads would be helpful.

 

[HogHvn]

G3 makes some good aluminum boats

 

[smyrnagc]

Here is a good deal for a first boat:

http://nashville.craigslist.org/boa/4382894561.html

 

[MickThompson]

For 3 people, you really want at least a 17' boat. I would go aluminum because you can get a whole lot of aluminum boat for 10k. Get an all welded boat (no rivets to leak) and one with no wood in the transom. Get one with a real, plumbed livewell. Even if your catch goes straight to the cooler, you can use it to keep bait alive. Most any aluminum bass boat style hull will come with a depthfinder and trolling motor already on it, but hold back $200-$300 for new batteries.

Focus on the motor. You can easily rebuild an aluminum boat however you want it, but if the motor isn't reliable, you will never enjoy it. Don't buy without a test drive, and have a good boat mechanic check the lower unit, compression, etc before any money changes hands.

 

[rem270]

I agree with aluminum. If i was to buy a boat I would look for an older one and spend most of my money on a brand new 4 stroke motor. I would look for a 17/60 and with 3 people i wouldn't go smaller than a 16/52.

Your boat is only as good as the motor. But if your budget is $10k then you'll be able to get a nice boat with a nice motor.

 

[shelbydeer]

Look for a used bass tracker or g3. They are hard to find but great boats for what you are looking for.

 

[easy45]

I like my express, if you get a bass tracker make sure it's all welded and not riveted