New to me boat journey - best time of year for used boats?

[Koleswrath]

Hey guys (and gals?), thought I'd make a whopper of a first post. I've been cramming my brain for a solid 3 months researching boats. It's been quite an interesting journey.

I've narrowed down what our perfect boat needs to be for next season. Right now we're in a 10ft Seamax inflatable with a 9.9 Merc 4 stroke. It's been surprisingly awesome the last 4 or 5 years but the kid wants to tube and ski and the wife wants to lounge in the bow.

We fish and camp at Cold lake (going on 3 yrs). We've had some sketchy rides back to camp in the Seamax. It doesn't exactly cut through the waves. Ventured across the lake ONCE and that was it.

However, now that we store our trailer 10 minutes away from the MD campground we can pull a real boat up from Edmonton.

So, I started the search with Lund of course. Always wanted a Lund. Kinda like Nike eh? Had the Crossover 1875 picked out and then saw the new asking price ......then we started looking at Impacts....then Adventure Sports... then....not Lunds.

Looked at Alumacraft and Crestliner. Basically same price point as Lund.
Mirrocraft, PolarKraft, now we're talking... nice thick aluminium even on the 17-18'. Definitely worth considering.

Finally, started looking at Princecraft. .110" aluminum. Double plated to .190" final thickness on the bow to midship. Similar fit and finish to the big boys, etc. Nice sizing in the Sport line. Not made in Mexico. Storage isn't as refined as the Lunds but not gonna be a deal breaker. I think the Sport 182 would fit the bill perfectly.

So that's where I'm at so far. Things do change from week to week though. I saw a 2018 Tyee 189GL go for $62,500 in Calgary about a month ago so you know...might push the budget for that.

Anyways, my question to the experts and experienced here is when do you buy a used boat? I'm looking in the 3-5 year old range and don't see any Sport 182's or 172's.
Used stock seems low across the board which makes sense in mid summer. Does the uptick start in August? I'll be looking for dealer inventory for financing. Does dealer vs. private have different spikes? I imagine when the masses are buying at the boat show and in the spring they'll be trading in a ton. I'd guess dealers would be asking top dollar at that time eh?
Share your experiences! Thanks in advance.
Greg

[Walleyedude]

Spring is always the time. That's when the boat shows are going on and most new boats are sold. Those people buying new have to sell their boats first, and that usually means a pretty good supply of used boats on the market. You'll have the most options in the spring, but maybe not best deals, prices can be hit and miss.

There is also a window around early September, where guys who know they have a new boat coming in the spring (Pro Staff, Dealer demos, etc...) are looking to sell their current year boats. That often creates a trickle down effect of people looking to sell their boats and upgrade. It's the end of the season too, kids are back to school, holidays are over, and there's always the guys that know they're selling and just don't want to have to store the boat all winter long and deal with another year of depreciation. If I was looking for the best price, that window in late summer/early fall is what I'd be focused on, and the closer it gets to freeze up, generally the better the deals get.

Know what you want (it sounds like you've done your homework), have your cash in hand, and be ready to travel. When the really good deals pop up, you have to be ready to strike, because they go FAST.

[fordtruckin]

I knew what I wanted (Lund) and just kept looking online in surrounding states. Finally decided last august on vacation that I was coming home with a boat one way or another. Fortunately for me I found exactly what I wanted for a decent price in Minnesota. I’ve bought and sold stuff over the years and found that knowing what you want, having cash on hand and being willing to travel are the 3 musts to getting a good deal. It always seems like what I am looking for never shows up at the opportune time or location.

[-JR-]

I ve got a Lund crossover and my next boat will be a welded aluminum boat over the 22 ft lenght mark
Most new boats that come over the boarder now you have to pay that big tax on them now ,just not worth it .Thats way when you went and looked at a new one they are $50,000 higher in price than what they used to be few years ago .
If you want a good boat check out Leos boat 2021 kingfisher in the for sale section.
He's a well know guy on here and you can trust him .

[elkhunter11]

When I was looking, the supply was still poor, but the best deals were in fall, when people decided to sell, rather than winterize and store for the winter. There were also late deliveries on new boats, that the dealers sold at good discounts on October, rather than store until spring, when the new stock was arriving.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

When I was looking, the supply was still poor, but the best deals were in fall, when people decided to sell, rather than winterize and store for the winter. There were also late deliveries on new boats, that the dealers sold at good discounts on October, rather than store until spring, when the new stock was arriving.

Agree and if I may add dont just settle for something your not really happy with just because so be a little patient and search hard.
Might have to travel a bit to get your new or new to you boat but will be well worth it.
Good luck.

[Koleswrath]

Excellent, fantastic info thanks so much! I set my search radius to 300km. Maybe I'll bump that up a bit.

[Koleswrath]

Hey, thanks guys, appreciate it.
JR - I looked at some heavy duty welded boats like stanleys, harbourcrafts and kingfishers but I decided that I wouldn't be in conditions that required that kind of bulk. The wife didn't like the commercial look they had either. C'est la vie...

Now, does that mean your Crossover is a little too small and light? Where you fishin?

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Koleswrath

Hey, thanks guys, appreciate it.
JR - I looked at some heavy duty welded boats like stanleys, harbourcrafts and kingfishers but I decided that I wouldn't be in conditions that required that kind of bulk. The wife didn't like the commercial look they had either. C'est la vie...

Now, does that mean your Crossover is a little too small and light? Where you fishin?

The Crossover is a larger,heavier boat, more than enough boat for any lake in Alberta, in any conditions that a person should be fishing..

[Koleswrath]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

The Crossover is a larger,heavier boat, more than enough boat for any lake in Alberta, in any conditions that a person should be fishing..

I would definitely hope so right! Even the Impact should be able to handle big water but I've heard a few contradicting stories, hull damage, etc. Tough to judge other peoples experiences and what they consider a rough ride or how they were driving in certain conditions. I think some folks might be under the impression that they can blast through 3 foot waves at full throttle and expect a smooth ride.
That being said I would definitely like to error on the side of caution and go with the heaviest gauge aluminium I can get even if I will be babying it a bit.
The Crossover, Tyee and Princecraft sport 182 are all within 0.010" of each other and would be my ideal boats.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by Koleswrath

I would definitely hope so right! Even the Impact should be able to handle big water but I've heard a few contradicting stories, hull damage, etc. Tough to judge other peoples experiences and what they consider a rough ride or how they were driving in certain conditions. I think some folks might be under the impression that they can blast through 3 foot waves at full throttle and expect a smooth ride.
That being said I would definitely like to error on the side of caution and go with the heaviest gauge aluminium I can get even if I will be babying it a bit.
The Crossover, Tyee and Princecraft sport 182 are all within 0.010" of each other and would be my ideal boats.

I was limited to what fits my garage, and still get stound it with the door down ,so I went with a Rebel 1650 Sport with a 90, and it is fine for what I use it for, but it is only comfortable for three people fishing, and I stay off of the water, when it gets rough. That being said, the little Rebel does well in a chop with 800lbs, I just back down the speed to where I feel comfortable. A friends Crestliner is a bit bigger, but it is rougher in a chop, but no faster, even with 25hp more, the Lund IPS hull is very well designed. I did price a smaller Crossover, but rigged the way that I wanted, it was almost double the cost.

[Nova]

I've watched the market a lot over the last decade. These things can be somewhat regional, but from what I've seen in SK and MB I think there are generally better deals to be had in fall and buying would likely be a bit easier. The sales volume just isn't there as most people are gearing up for winter, not buying a boat they won't be using much or at all for the next 6 months. So boats are generally priced accordingly due to less people shopping and those listing them are of the mind that they'd rather not bother with winter storage.

Volume and variety is far better in spring. But when you see a good deal, it will probably be gone in a day so you typically need to act pretty fast. Have the funds accessible on short notice.

I think you are off to a pretty good start as far as finding what is right for you. Considering needs and looking at layouts is really important, not everyone shares the same opinion on things like storage and floor space. For me, I've been a Crestliner guy since I bought my first boat. Really like the wide open layout of the Superhawk. But Lund's 1875 Crossover was the other boat on my list.

Unless your schedule is really tight I think your 300km radius is probably a bit tight to find what you want. Not to say that it isn't possible, the boat I bought ended up only being an hour drive, but like 85% of the boats I was interested in or inquired about were like 400km+ away.

[Koleswrath]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

I was limited to what fits my garage, and still get stound it with the door down ,so I went with a Rebel 1650 Sport with a 90, and it is fine for what I use it for, but it is only comfortable for three people fishing, and I stay off of the water, when it gets rough. That being said, the little Rebel does well in a chop with 800lbs, I just back down the speed to where I feel comfortable. A friends Crestliner is a bit bigger, but it is rougher in a chop, but no faster, even with 25hp more, the Lund IPS hull is very well designed. I did price a smaller Crossover, but rigged the way that I wanted, it was almost double the cost.

Great info! When I see a nice Rebel or 16-17 ft Adventure Sport in the $20-30k range I ask myself if a 19' boat is really necessary. How fun is it to fish in big chop and wind anyways right? The wife seems pretty adamant on those bow cushions and a ski pylon though...lol. Thanks for the first hand IPS hull feedback. Would love to hear how the Princecraft hull rides in comparison.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Koleswrath

I would definitely hope so right! Even the Impact should be able to handle big water but I've heard a few contradicting stories, hull damage, etc. Tough to judge other peoples experiences and what they consider a rough ride or how they were driving in certain conditions. I think some folks might be under the impression that they can blast through 3 foot waves at full throttle and expect a smooth ride.
That being said I would definitely like to error on the side of caution and go with the heaviest gauge aluminium I can get even if I will be babying it a bit.
The Crossover, Tyee and Princecraft sport 182 are all within 0.010" of each other and would be my ideal boats.

Thickness of the plate matters FAR LESS compared to construction and support of ribs and cross members. The grade of the Aluminum is also extremely important.

Think of this way - You can have tin HALF as thick provide 10 times the strength if the construction (supports) are closer together.

Buying a boat based solely on "thickness" of the tin is not something you should do.

Top notch construction will be found on Those premium brands like Lund, Princecraft, Alumacraft (most models) and a few others. Big box store package boats are JUNK.

[Koleswrath]

Originally Posted by EZM

Thickness of the plate matters FAR LESS compared to construction and support of ribs and cross members. The grade of the Aluminum is also extremely important.

Think of this way - You can have tin HALF as thick provide 10 times the strength if the construction (supports) are closer together.

Buying a boat based solely on "thickness" of the tin is not something you should do.

Top notch construction will be found on Those premium brands like Lund, Princecraft, Alumacraft (most models) and a few others. Big box store package boats are JUNK.

Agreed! I can't seem to find a lot of info on how close the ribs are spaced on anything except the CLiners though. I know Princecraft uses the H36 Aluminium which has about 25% more yield strength than the H34 that Lund and other premiums use but I would think thickness and rib spacing would have more of an impact on overall strength. I don't even bother looking at the Trackers or Legends, etc.

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by Koleswrath

Hey, thanks guys, appreciate it.
JR - I looked at some heavy duty welded boats like stanleys, harbourcrafts and kingfishers but I decided that I wouldn't be in conditions that required that kind of bulk. The wife didn't like the commercial look they had either. C'est la vie...

Now, does that mean your Crossover is a little too small and light? Where you fishin?

The crossover is the opposite of being light ,on the trailer at the scales its about 3000 lbs Some people like it because its also a ski boat . Just to much rug for me . Mine has a removable floor rug via snaps ,but full carpet on rear casting deck and front bow casting deck and on the sides. Nothing worse than removing fish slim or blood at the end of a trip . Its easy to pressure wash the carpet but it takes days to dry . I want a boat with no carpet !
The crossover is also build to come out of the water and just skim the top of the water . Sounds good when the water is like glass but very rough ride when you just get a little chop . The tyee with a deep haul or a kingfisher with a deep haul would be my next pick . My goto lake most weekends is Cold lake . Seems like I am always driving off at 10- 15 mph when there are whitecaps . Been looking at boats over 22 ft . The draw back is they sit to high on the trailer and will not slid under the garage door .
Hard to convenes wife we need to move so i can get a taller garage .
Cold lake would be my choice where to move to and have a slip .
Then i would get a boat with a hard top .

[EZM]

Originally Posted by -JR-

The crossover is the opposite of being light ,on the trailer at the scales its about 3000 lbs Some people like it because its also a ski boat . Just to much rug for me . Mine has a removable floor rug via snaps ,but full carpet on rear casting deck and front bow casting deck and on the sides. Nothing worse than removing fish slim or blood at the end of a trip . Its easy to pressure wash the carpet but it takes days to dry . I want a boat with no carpet !
The crossover is also build to come out of the water and just skim the top of the water . Sounds good when the water is like glass but very rough ride when you just get a little chop . The tyee with a deep haul or a kingfisher with a deep haul would be my next pick . My goto lake most weekends is Cold lake . Seems like I am always driving off at 10- 15 mph when there are whitecaps . Been looking at boats over 22 ft . The draw back is they sit to high on the trailer and will not slid under the garage door .
Hard to convenes wife we need to move so i can get a taller garage .
Cold lake would be my choice where to move to and have a slip .
Then i would get a boat with a hard top .

True statement about getting a deeper vee in the garage .... something people don't think about. I have a 1800 Tyee and the windshield clears the door by only a few inches. The motor must be 90% down to clear as well, so I have to stop short, drop the motor until it's only a few inches above the driveway, and back it into the garage. Same is true on the way out, lift it a few inches, clear the door, then tilt it up before the "curb" at the bottom.

Even with a folding tongue that fold right under the nose (nicely cut short) - my 18'6" boat takes up 21'-6' in depth as well - so an "average" sized depth garage isn't going to work in many cases.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by EZM

True statement about getting a deeper vee in the garage .... something people don't think about. I have a 1800 Tyee and the windshield clears the door by only a few inches. The motor must be 90% down to clear as well, so I have to stop short, drop the motor until it's only a few inches above the driveway, and back it into the garage. Same is true on the way out, lift it a few inches, clear the door, then tilt it up before the "curb" at the bottom.

Even with a folding tongue that fold right under the nose (nicely cut short) - my 18'6" boat takes up 21'-6' in depth as well - so an "average" sized depth garage isn't going to work in many cases.

In an attached garage, the landing and steps take up about 3' of the garage length, so a 24' garage with 23' inside dimensions becomes 20'. That allows a 1775 with a swing tongue to just fit, or 1650 to fit and allow enough room to walk around the boat in the garage.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by EZM

True statement about getting a deeper vee in the garage .... something people don't think about. I have a 1800 Tyee and the windshield clears the door by only a few inches. The motor must be 90% down to clear as well, so I have to stop short, drop the motor until it's only a few inches above the driveway, and back it into the garage. Same is true on the way out, lift it a few inches, clear the door, then tilt it up before the "curb" at the bottom.

Even with a folding tongue that fold right under the nose (nicely cut short) - my 18'6" boat takes up 21'-6' in depth as well - so an "average" sized depth garage isn't going to work in many cases.

Funny you mention this as we were getting our house built the builder sat with us and explained the value of a larger garage and higher doors etc
We listened to him and now looking back sure glade we did .

Now I want a heated shop




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Koleswrath]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Funny you mention this as we were getting our house built the builder sat with us and explained the value of a larger garage and higher doors etc
We listened to him and now looking back sure glade we did .

Now I want a heated shop




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Me too. I crammed a full woodshop into my double attached. Cabinet saw, 12" planer/jointer, full wall mitre saw built ins, drill press, 14" bandsaw, dust extraction, router table, outfeed/assembly tables, welding corner. It's a tight shop but everything is stationary and ready to roll. If I make the wife a cutting board or console table every now and then she doesn't complain about her car in the driveway.
Boat length or height won't be a factor.

[Koleswrath]

Originally Posted by -JR-

The crossover is the opposite of being light ,on the trailer at the scales its about 3000 lbs Some people like it because its also a ski boat . Just to much rug for me . Mine has a removable floor rug via snaps ,but full carpet on rear casting deck and front bow casting deck and on the sides. Nothing worse than removing fish slim or blood at the end of a trip . Its easy to pressure wash the carpet but it takes days to dry . I want a boat with no carpet !
The crossover is also build to come out of the water and just skim the top of the water . Sounds good when the water is like glass but very rough ride when you just get a little chop . The tyee with a deep haul or a kingfisher with a deep haul would be my next pick . My goto lake most weekends is Cold lake . Seems like I am always driving off at 10- 15 mph when there are whitecaps . Been looking at boats over 22 ft . The draw back is they sit to high on the trailer and will not slid under the garage door .
Hard to convenes wife we need to move so i can get a taller garage .
Cold lake would be my choice where to move to and have a slip .
Then i would get a boat with a hard top .

Man, thanks so much! That's fantastic first hand info. The glass 189 Tyee would be my dream boat I think. Now I need to know how the Princecraft Sports handle Cold lake in the chop.

[SamSteele]

The issues I have had with beaching my boat in the past have been entirely due to others not securing their boats properly, causing damage to mine. That’s a difficult variable to eliminate without pulling the boat from the water.

WRT the discussion around tiller, side console, and full windshield I often ask people if they company in the boat. If not, tiller or SC is great and very fishable. If you want to start taking others with you, a full windshield helps make it much more enjoyable for those that aren’t quite as “die hard”. I’ve had all three and I find that my wife and kids are far more comfortable in a full windshield boat.

SS

[Koleswrath]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

The issues I have had with beaching my boat in the past have been entirely due to others not securing their boats properly, causing damage to mine. That’s a difficult variable to eliminate without pulling the boat from the water.

WRT the discussion around tiller, side console, and full windshield I often ask people if they company in the boat. If not, tiller or SC is great and very fishable. If you want to start taking others with you, a full windshield helps make it much more enjoyable for those that aren’t quite as “die hard”. I’ve had all three and I find that my wife and kids are far more comfortable in a full windshield boat.

SS

Excellent point, I didn't consider that. A few weeks ago there was a Seadoo anchored a few feet off shore and it drifted a few spots overnight. I could just imagine it rubbing up against the nice new paint up and down with each wave, over and over.

[Duramaximos]

Rocna vs. Mantus - strongly suggest the Mantus. Both similar designs but the galvanizing QC on the mantus is far superior in my experience. Owned them both and experienced rust on the Rocna while the Mantus looks like new after 8 years. Both have seen fresh and salt water.

Interesting conversation. I myself chose an outboard Thunderjet as my crossover which sees a mixed bag of Alberta lakes, BC lakes, and some off shore. 90% fishing with a little play time thrown in. Jack of all trades but a master of none. Choose your best compromise.

Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G990W using Tapatalk

[Koleswrath]

Originally Posted by Duramaximos

Rocna vs. Mantus - strongly suggest the Mantus. Both similar designs but the galvanizing QC on the mantus is far superior in my experience. Owned them both and experienced rust on the Rocna while the Mantus looks like new after 8 years. Both have seen fresh and salt water.

Interesting conversation. I myself chose an outboard Thunderjet as my crossover which sees a mixed bag of Alberta lakes, BC lakes, and some off shore. 90% fishing with a little play time thrown in. Jack of all trades but a master of none. Choose your best compromise.

Good luck.

Sent from my SM-G990W using Tapatalk

Thanks, appreciate in the info. Those Thunderjets look heavy duty! Seems like a great option for a do everything boat.

[SamSteele]

I promised that I would share some photos from the Princecraft factory once I had my tour. Here you go.

Hull pieces cut and ready to assemble.



Drilling the holes for the rivets.



Riveting room.



Bracing structure.



Gunwale installation.


Post paint, getting dashes and interior installed.


Hope that helpful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tannerdog]

Don't know if it's been mentioned but Tracker has some great boats as well. I have a 2012 V18 Targa that is a great all round boat. I've had it for 11 years and no issues. It's spent a lot of time on Kootenay Lake like EZM's boat

[Koleswrath]

Originally Posted by Tannerdog

Don't know if it's been mentioned but Tracker has some great boats as well. I have a 2012 V18 Targa that is a great all round boat. I've had it for 11 years and no issues. It's spent a lot of time on Kootenay Lake like EZM's boat

Haven't looked at Trackers yet. Maybe unjustified but I just got a general feeling that they were 2nd class to the Lunds, Cliners, Alumacraft, Princecrafts. I looked at Legend recently and definitely got an economy feeling from them.

My nature is very flawed in that if I don't feel I've got the best "thing" I can possibly get for my money I'm not happy with it. This personality quirk will likely cost me more over my lifetime than I'd care to find out.

If I had inside info into the margins of each manufacturer I might rethink my philosophy.
Appreciate the feedback either way.

[Poppa]

Legend is definitely the K-Mart version of Lund. AB Marine tried to talk me into that one time and I was a hard no. Tracker is a really big deal when it comes to bass boats in the US, but I'm not sure about their all around deep hull boats. I was once told that Tracker prior to 2013 had a lot of issues, but they fixed them and the newer models are better. I'm personally still between Lund or Alumacraft, but that's just me. I'm sure there's people who have good and bad things to say about pretty much every brand...

[roper1]

[QUOTE=Koleswrath;4655576]

My nature is very flawed in that if I don't feel I've got the best "thing" I can possibly get for my money I'm not happy with it. This personality quirk will likely cost me more over my lifetime than I'd care to find out.


I happen to agree with this, to want the best value for the budget works for us also. If you truly get the best 'value' for your money, it will cost you less in the end. Good luck!