trying to figure out boats

[freeride]

I am looking for a smaller no frills boat just for the wife, dog, and me to enjoy. Lets see if I got this figured out... please correct me if wrong as I have always just rented a boat so far.

14 ft will be okay on bigger lakes like cold lake
10 or above hp and you need to register it. Its a 1 time fee
9.9 hp you dont need to register

boat insurance is optional regardless of motor hp
the boat when on the trailer is under the vehicle insurance towing it.

trailers are insured with a 1 time fee

[thumper]

Do you mean 'trailers are REGISTERED with a one time fee' ?

[freeride]

Originally Posted by thumper

Do you mean 'trailers are REGISTERED with a one time fee' ?

yes I did.

[brass410]

while a 14 may seem like enough you will probably find soon enough it isnt. I do a lot of boating started with a 14 shallow springbok 3 excursions was 2 to many. If I was going out on water bigger than the average slough I would recomend the following wide and deep (lots of free board) also high transom as oppsed to short (keeps waves out when back trolling or when you have to travel with the wind in a pinch) width makes a very stable boat ( your dog wont likely be the only one who does'nt stay seated all the time) and when you lean over the side to retrieve it ( the dog because it jumped out when a loon suddenly surfaced beside the boat) stability will be a must. A 16" would be minimum for space reasons fish gear beach gear diving gear whatever. Yes you wont be the fastest on the lake with a 9.9 but you will be comfortable. Boats I recomend would be Naden, (if you can find a good used one) an older Starcraft they have a very good hull design slips through the water very easily. Sorry for the long post

[Penner]

You can have a 24ft boat on Cold Lake and get into trouble. Regardless of the size/type of the boat you need to be aware of the forecast/conditions and monitor it often. A bunch of guys fish Cold Lake with Kayaks so anything is do-able.

14ft is a nice entry into owning a boat and can be fished on any water body in this province when the conditions are appropriate. Not to big so you can get into smaller water bodies easier and even switch to an electric for potholes. Can be launched solo. Nice and flexible won’t break the bank.

[Tfng]

16 foot Lund SSV with 40 horses on it. Done!

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Penner

You can have a 24ft boat on Cold Lake and get into trouble. Regardless of the size/type of the boat you need to be aware of the forecast/conditions and monitor it often. A bunch of guys fish Cold Lake with Kayaks so anything is do-able.

14ft is a nice entry into owning a boat and can be fished on any water body in this province when the conditions are appropriate. Not to big so you can get into smaller water bodies easier and even switch to an electric for potholes. Can be launched solo. Nice and flexible won’t break the bank.

Yup....had big....downsized for the simple reason of getting on the water made simple.....wife, dog and myself or just myself.....no issues at all...lots of space for gear too....the little 14 foot crestliner has been going strong since 2005....put a 15 Honda on the back and she goes perfect with two in it....putt putt all day trolling and still got half a tank of gas at the end of the day....not a bad choice...
IMG_3553.JPG
This little boat set up has many hours on cold lake and yes it has limitations as did my 18 foot fish and ski boat...eye to the sky and just don't risk it cuz these big open bodies of water can get real angry real quick...had 5 foot waves break over the bow on the big boat..lots of water real fast...thank god for the bilge pumps...

[Jims83cj5]

Originally Posted by freeride

I am looking for a smaller no frills boat just for the wife, dog, and me to enjoy. Lets see if I got this figured out... please correct me if wrong as I have always just rented a boat so far.

14 ft will be okay on bigger lakes like cold lake
10 or above hp and you need to register it. Its a 1 time fee
9.9 hp you dont need to register

boat insurance is optional regardless of motor hp
the boat when on the trailer is under the vehicle insurance towing it.

trailers are insured with a 1 time fee

There are a few issues with the above. The insurance vs registration was fixed. The 14 ft on cold lake is way off base. I just spent a week up there in some of the strongest wind I have ever fished in. I was blessed to have a tutor with me who has spent his entire life on big water. What he taught me in three days of bad weather is the most valuable fishing info I have ever learned. My boat is over powered and it was fantastic to have that power. I could not fish as I had to drive the boat but he did for over an hour before he said it was time to go in, the swells were starting to break on the top. I doubt a 14 ft tiller Would have made it back to shore so if a 14 ft tiller is your choice for big water then be very careful and don’t head too far from shore. Now if you want to fish normal sized lakes, then your good but slave, Newell, cold, even mcgregar need some care.

[SamSteele]

No one has asked, so I will. What kind of waters are you wanting to fish?

If you want to fish small HP limited lakes for trout, you will want something small enough to carry in and out for those lakes where the launch is poor. A 12’ rated for a 9.9 hp max would be great for this.

If you want to fish southern reservoirs or bigger lakes, you will likely want something in the 17-18’ range, or larger.

Everything else is on a spectrum in between.

I currently have a 12ft with a 9.9 and an electric for trout, a 16ft with a 25 for northern remote lakes, and a 20ft with a 250 for the “big stuff”.

Feel free to shoot me a PM if you have other questions. Happy to help.

SS


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[Jims83cj5]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

No one has asked, so I will. What kind of waters are you wanting to fish?

If you want to fish small HP limited lakes for trout, you will want something small enough to carry in and out for those lakes where the launch is poor. A 12’ rated for a 9.9 hp max would be great for this.

If you want to fish southern reservoirs or bigger lakes, you will likely want something in the 17-18’ range, or larger.

Everything else is on a spectrum in between.

I currently have a 12ft with a 9.9 and an electric for trout, a 16ft with a 25 for northern remote lakes, and a 20ft with a 250 for the “big stuff”.

Feel free to shoot me a PM if you have other questions. Happy to help.

SS


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We didn’t ask because he told us,,, “bigger lakes like Cold lake”

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by Jims83cj5

We didn’t ask because he told us,,, “bigger lakes like Cold lake”

I interpreted that as thinking a 14 foot is good for everything, even Cold Lake.

OP, please chime in with where you plan to fish.


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[TROLLER]

Interesting, I too have had the larger boats. Started with an 18 went down to a 16 and after 20yrs have gone done to a 14.

The 14 is a tiller but also a fishing boat not a tinny. It has all the stuff my 16 had, ie: live well storage ect. Handles the wind not bad but I no longer fish my favorite lake in Alberta. Minnewonka. If you have ever been on the far end when the wind comes up you will know wy I won't go with my new tiller.

I went down strickly because as i have continued into my senior yrs. I wanted something easier for me to load and unload by myself that being said it took me quite some time to get handle on driving the boat onto the trailer. Bit diiferent when you are at the back of the boat vs. steering wheel which I miss a lot but the 14ft side consuls are just way too small floor space for me.

As I have gotten used to the smaller boat I appreciate it more. Do I miss the bigger, you bet but I also have to be mindful of my limitations. getting older is not all that bad. Sure beats the alternative.

[freeride]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

I interpreted that as thinking a 14 foot is good for everything, even Cold Lake.

OP, please chime in with where you plan to fish.


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The idea I had is this.
Smaller waters and electric only i do have a pontoon boat that I can toss on a electric motor if needed. But I definitely dont want to be out on bigger stuff with it. But small/medium it's good.
Also I have to be solo in it. This would be the swiss army knife of boats. Can do smaller water electric only, but also be okay on larger lakes. I do know any boat can get into trouble as well. And I understand like a swiss army knife it can do it all, but isnt the best as a dedicated knife/boat would be.

Just feel like actually getting into some bigger lakes and taking the family to relax.

[Tfng]

Sell the pontoon; buy a canoe and a 16 foot tinner. A shallow narrow 14 will not be what you want. A deep and wide 14 would be too heavy to be suitable for potholes.

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by freeride

The idea I had is this.
Smaller waters and electric only i do have a pontoon boat that I can toss on a electric motor if needed. But I definitely dont want to be out on bigger stuff with it. But small/medium it's good.
Also I have to be solo in it. This would be the swiss army knife of boats. Can do smaller water electric only, but also be okay on larger lakes. I do know any boat can get into trouble as well. And I understand like a swiss army knife it can do it all, but isnt the best as a dedicated knife/boat would be.

Just feel like actually getting into some bigger lakes and taking the family to relax.

If you are wanting to take the family and go on reasonably sized lakes I would say the minimum length you want is 16 ft.


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