Question:
I'm looking for a basic 12' aluminum open fishing boat such as Alumacraft Fishing
Boat to use on smaller lakes in CT. Primarily it will be me and my 10 Yr old son.
We want a 12 so that we can carry it into smaller lakes without ramps. We
will power it with a trolling motor this year and keep an eye out for
a small outboard that is also "portable". We think we like the Deep V
hulls.
I've looked at several old 12-14' in the 600-1200 range and would like
to go fishing instead of refurbishing an old boat and trailer. To put
it another way, we have not found anything decent.
I'm thinking about a new 12' deep vee. They seem to be in the $1000
range. We can strap it to our utility trailer for now. Any
preferences for models and brands out there for this simple type of
setup?
Answer:
-Check into the Alumacraft T-14 or the equivalent Dura-Nautic(Grumman) or
Discovery Marine. A little extra $, but well spent on the extra room and
capacity. These boats will last forever too. They will hold their value
very well. Once in a while you will see new, but "tinny" boats at WalMart
in the spring, but you get what you pay for at about 50-60% of a great boat.
-Don't know what brands are in your area. Look at a 13 minimum and more
likely at a 14' boat. They weigh about 10-20# more, carry 160# more and
have much more room to fish from. Get a set of flip up wheels for the back
and you can roll it down to the lake without ramps. Look at the Eide
Industry wheels as they have a very convenient wheel latch system.
