Looking to Buy A Small Boat/Outboard

riden · #1 03-02-2014, 11:01 AM

Have to admit, I know little on this topic. I would like to have a better idea of what I am looking for before I start shopping, new or used.

I want a small boat for moose hunting. The river I am hunting is shallow and has some very shallow sections. I have been paddling, but I want more mobility.

I really am not a fisherman, the fishing where I live is poor and I stopped going. But.............my grandson turns 5 this year and I think it would be great to take him fishing a couple of times a week this summer. I really don't care if I bring a rod, but it would be fun to take him. The river I will be fishing is large and I would like to be able to get off it if the weather turns.

I am really thinking 4 stroke, I like the quiet.

Advice please???

bobalong · #2 03-02-2014, 11:16 AM

I would go with at least a 14' with a jet drive. Should be lots of units coming up for sale over the next 2 months or so. There is a local company that seems pretty popular for these kind of boats, I have never owned or rode in one but they seem to have a pretty good rep.

http://www.explorerindustries.com/in...p?area_id=1001

riden · #3 03-02-2014, 11:47 AM

Thanks. I was really thinking small kicker, not a jet boat

bobalong · #4 03-02-2014, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riden

Thanks. I was really thinking small kicker, not a jet boat

Just my thoughts, but a "small" kicker will probably not get you off the river quickly, or be very handy for transporting a moose. Also shallow, and very shallow water and a prop drive motor, don't go well together. Good luck, hope you find what your looking for.

bloopbloob · #5 03-02-2014, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riden

Thanks. I was really thinking small kicker, not a jet boat

I don't think he's suggesting a full blown 'jet boat', just an outboard motor with a jet drive. You can convert almost any outboard propeller driven motor into an impeller jet drive, which is what you'd want for rivers. Expect about a 25-30% power loss with the conversion.

jungleboy · #6 03-02-2014, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloopbloob

I don't think he's suggesting a full blown 'jet boat', just an outboard motor with a jet drive. You can convert almost any outboard propeller driven motor into an impeller jet drive, which is what you'd want for rivers. Expect about a 25-30% power loss with the conversion.

I don't think you can get a jet leg on anything less than a 30hp I could be wrong

silver · #7 03-02-2014, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jungleboy

I don't think you can get a jet leg on anything less than a 30hp I could be wrong

I went and checked Mercury's website and they list a 25 and 40 horse 4 stroke Efi. I don't know if that is actual horsepower or calculated horse power. Let me explain. I bought a 16 foot Lund and a 65 Mercury jet last summer. It is actually a 90 horse power head but the jet drive reduces the power output so it is called a 65 jet.

silver · #8 03-02-2014, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riden

Have to admit, I know little on this topic. I would like to have a better idea of what I am looking for before I start shopping, new or used.

I want a small boat for moose hunting. The river I am hunting is shallow and has some very shallow sections. I have been paddling, but I want more mobility.

I really am not a fisherman, the fishing where I live is poor and I stopped going. But.............my grandson turns 5 this year and I think it would be great to take him fishing a couple of times a week this summer. I really don't care if I bring a rod, but it would be fun to take him. The river I will be fishing is large and I would like to be able to get off it if the weather turns.

I am really thinking 4 stroke, I like the quiet.

Advice please???

If you are thinking of moose hunting, a 16 foot boat at least or maybe an 18 foot. By the time you add up the weight of a moose, your hunting partner, your weight and the motor, you wouldn't have much freeboard left. Read the tag on a prospective purchase.
A jet drive is handy but it isn't all gravy. A jet drive sucks fuel and it doesn't handle well at low speeds so it is difficult to troll with.

TimeOff · #9 03-02-2014, 02:13 PM

Yes, a Mercury 25jet will have a 40hp powerhead and the 40 jet will have a 60hp powerhead.
Might be best to buy a used outboard (a lot cheaper) and order the jet pump from the source.
http://www.outboardjets.com/index.php
Find a good used motor and match up the proper Jet pump from this site, or call them. They'll recommend a HP you would need for the type of boat you are getting. Then you can have the pump ordered through one of there local dealers in you're area.
I have a 1981 35hp johnson with jet pump, so approx 21 hp at the pump. Can push my 16' Zodiac about 35 km/hr in 4" of water on the river.

riden · #10 03-02-2014, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silver

If you are tusing it hinking of moose hunting, a 16 foot boat at least or maybe an 18 foot. By the time you add up the weight of a moose, your hunting partner, your weight and the motor, you wouldn't have much freeboard left. Read the tag on a prospective purchase.
A jet drive is handy but it isn't all gravy. A jet drive sucks fuel and it doesn't handle well at low speeds so it is difficult to troll with.

I know hauling him out will be trouble......I am prepared to make two trips. Three if needed.

I also don't plan to sail up and down the river either. I just want the mobility to go to a few calling spots in the run of a day, without having to paddle the canoe. I will be using it for moose during the heart of calling season.

I should have been clearer about that. I won't spend all day cruising.

Hunter Trav · #11 03-02-2014, 02:38 PM

You will need a jet drive, you will beat the crap out of a prop on a shallow river whether your cruising or just putting down the river...

silver · #12 03-02-2014, 04:05 PM

I don't know your skill level or experience, so it is hard to know what to say. There are people on the North Sask river with prop motors on their boats and they seem to do ok. A prop drive would be more versatile and cheaper to run but sooner or later you will have problems on a river. I would guess with a river like the NSR that is mostly mud and sand for a bottom your main problem is you will get stuck. On a river with more rocks, you could knock your leg off.

Flatlandliver · #13 03-02-2014, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silver

I don't know your skill level or experience, so it is hard to know what to say. There are people on the North Sask river with prop motors on their boats and they seem to do ok. A prop drive would be more versatile and cheaper to run but sooner or later you will have problems on a river. I would guess with a river like the NSR that is mostly mud and sand for a bottom your main problem is you will get stuck. On a river with more rocks, you could knock your leg off.

X2 But, a zodiac with a short leg prop raised up a 1-1 1/2" gets you down a lot of rivers and has a pretty large hauling capacity. Knowing the river would help. Carry a extra prop.

rodgerskr · #14 03-02-2014, 04:21 PM

Merc made a 20 hp 2 stroke with a jet. I had one on a 1448 Lund Jon boat, jet boats are really weight sensitive.

riden · #15 03-02-2014, 04:23 PM

I know nothing about Zodiacs, but I have been thinking that may be a smart option for me. The only boats I see on the river now are Zodiacs and jet boats.

A zodiac can haul a lot of cargo?

Flatlandliver · #16 03-02-2014, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riden

I know nothing about Zodiacs, but I have been thinking that may be a smart option for me. The only boats I see on the river now are Zodiacs and jet boats.

A zodiac can haul a lot of cargo?

I have a 12ft. and it's rated as a 6 passenger. It's not, but four large adults comfortably. I think it's rated about 1600 lbs? Not sure,. Aquamarine in Calgary is the dealer here, Yamaha outboards too. http://www.automarine.ca/

And you don't need a trailer.