Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I've been fishing out of the old style (year 2000) Alumacraft Navigator 165 Tiller for about 6 years or so. I fish smaller water mostly: 800-5,000 acres for the most part. It fishes 2 people very well. 3 is possible but they should all be experienced casters if slinging musky baits with big hooks.
It takes the waters I fish very well. Some of the open, round lakes of 3,000+ acres can get pretty rough to fish in with the boat bobbing like a cork, but I haven't been in anything that made me nervous yet. Well, one day I experienced a downdraft with winds I'd guess to be well over 60 mph that knocked many area trees down. That was scary but actually the worst was sitting at rest waiting for the dock to clear. For the most part though, the boat will easily run in waves that are not fun to try to stand and fish in.
Anyway, I think that boat will fish a couple guys well and take on some pretty good size water if you pay attention. I think the next jump to fishing 3 truly comfortably and handling just about anything Mille Lacs dishes out is a whole different league and price range of boat (20 foot glass multispecies and 3 times the price).
My Navigator has a 50 4 stroke and does about 32 with a light load and just me. I'd guess you'd easily do 35 with you and a heavy load of gear. A couple guys you'd probably still be 32-35. VMS is the man when it comes to those numbers though.
I usually cruise at a little over 20. Fast enough for most lakes I fish.
Edited by curleytail 4/18/2014 2:34 PM
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