How Not to Buy a Bigger Boat

[MathGeek]

Everyone who has seen Jaws probably remembers Roy Scheider's line, "You're gonna need a bigger boat." We've been happily fishing from the 16 ft aluminum boat for almost a decade now, and we're probably not the first to entertain similar thoughts after moving to Louisiana and having a few bumpy rides in or near the Gulf of Mexico. Even though the picture shows me giving my daughter a boating lesson on a calm Colorado reservoir, when the wind picked up there, it could get bumpy too.

Late last year, my wife and I worked out a budget, I picked a boat I liked and started looking for a local dealer. Unfortunately, purchase, fuel, and maintenance costs don't scale linearly with length of boats, they scale more closely with the weight or horsepower, meaning that upgrading from a 16 ft boat to a 20 ft boat entails about 4-5 times the purchase price and annual operating expenses. (Much more if one needs to upgrade the tow vehicle.) I began to rethink our plans after Duckman invited us to join his family surf fishing one day, and they showed us how to catch some of Louisiana's finest fish from the shore. Bank fishing is much more relaxed than boat fishing. You get to experience the sounds of the surf, the sand, the sun, the drag, and the fish, without the bouncing of the boat or the bills of boat ownership.

We hit the Bass Pro Shop Friday night and bought a couple more surf rods, and I'll soon be cutting some more PVC rod holders and possibly putting together a PVC bait cannon (like a spud gun) to launch frozen mullet 200 yards or more from the shore. Southern151 has also hinted at showing us how to catch big catfish in the Mississippi when the pulse of water from the midwestern snow melt pushes the water up into the trees that line the banks inside the levee. I think about how the disciples of Jesus would have probably been thrilled with a 16 ft aluminum boat and 20 hp motor. When the fishing was tough or the waters got rough, they needed something other than a bigger boat, with faith and prayer and Jesus himself providing for their needs.

[duckman1911]

Nice read MG. Surf fishing is addicting. Its a great way too relax and spend the day with your family. The big reds just add to the fun. Good luck and good fishing brother.

[southern151]

You're gonna need a small boat for the river, for sure. It's likely the only reason I still own mine! BTW, I was looking back at last year's fishing out there and, we were fishing well into April last year in the trees so, your schedule should be ok.

[AceArcher]

Whatever you do, don't get rid of that small boat MG, There are too many situations where a larger boat just wont work properly.

In example i wouldnt dream of taking a nice bay boat up in a place like rockefeller.... The levee's are wind sheltered so even on very windy days there is little or no chop, and all the rocks / concrete around the spots you park your boat will eat up a pretty boat.

If you do get a bigger boat in addition to your current one, I would make a strong suggestion for buying a lightly used one rather than brand new. Depreciation hits boats so hard that for a small cost compared to new, you can get into a boat that with good PM can last you a lifetime. Just plan on an doing a full PM rundown of the boat as soon as you get it, even if you think the previous owner did do the work as well.

I bought my current boat new, and have no regrets about that. But in hindsight could easily have got something that would be more versatile and that i would be more content with if i had gone used.

[Gottogo49]

Think smaller not bigger, get a nice used kayak.
Low purchase, maintenance, fuel costs.
I can go a long way on a honey bun an some chocolate milk.
Try one out and if it works for you, you can give the first one to the kids
and get another one for yourself.