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Posts: 294
| Next spring I will hoepfully purchasing my first boat. Dad sold his and doesn't want to buy another one. He says it's my turn to buy the boat. I am wondering what you guys think would be a good starter rig. I dont have tons to spend, but am not super cheap either. I would like something decent.
I fish some big water so I am thnking a deep v hull is neccessary. If anyone has any insight on this matter it would much appreciated.
-Tyler |
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Location: Twin Cities | I'm shopping for similar requirements and have settled on the Tuffy 1760 boats. Now to save up and find one next spring! |
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | Tough compromises have to be made to get the best rig for you. I fished quite a bit on Lake Michigan over the years and out there a good deep V was great, not an absolute nescessity, but really nice to have. They handle the bigger Canadian waters like LOTW, Eagle and Lac Seul just fine too. The most trouble I had was on Winnebago with the short distance between wave crests. I ran an Alumacraft 18.5'er for 17 years, which was a real stable fishing boat for casting muskies too. But it was just overkill when I stopped fishing the Great Lakes as much as before, so I went to a glass boat that had less freeboard in order to get a little more performance in the speed and gas economy departments and better fishability in casting presentations by being lower to the water. It's something you need to be sure of before you buy, what your priorities are. Then you can compare different brand boats to find the one best laid out for your use. When you compare, you will find some have a lot more room in back which is great for running riggers and netting fish while trolling big spreads, and others have more room in front to lay out more rods while casting muskies. If you do a lot of backtrolling then the higher sides of the deep V are working against you in the wind. Always a compromise. Don't think that a deep V is a ticket to stay dry because it isn't. When you get into 3-4 footers and have to make a turn running sideways to the wind you better have a rain suit on because even a windshield can't stop the spray. I've hit some weird waves comming around islands on windy days where it looked like someone took a five gallon bucket of water and threw it over the top of the windshield.
You have to ask yourself, how many people are going to be in the boat most of the time, then size it accordingly. Saving money by getting a smaller boat isn't such a good deal if your are packed in like sardines on most trips. The opposite is true also, wasting extra gas hauling around a boat that is too large for most trips. If you are willing to fish a few less days each year a smaller boat can be good on big water. I first started chasing salmon from a 14' deep V with bench seats and a tiller 35HP. Then I ran a 16 foot modified V glass boat with a 50 HP tiller for many years and was in waves to 7' when I was young and stupid but the boat could take care of us even if it was pretty wet and pounded a lot in the waves running on plane.
I suggest getting the biggest motor you can put on the boat if cash allows. A kicker is worth it's weight in gold on a larger rig if you troll. I have never been in a fishing boat yet where I thought that it was over powered. You can always cut back on the throttle setting and get better mileage with the bigger motor, but a smaller motor might not even plane the boat with a full load and reduced throttle setting.
The last thing to worry about is when you have the boat, don't put in needless things just because you have the room. Every pound counts against your top end and mpg. Hope this helps a little bit. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I'd also second the Tuffy 1760. I ran a 1760 DW with the full windshield last year and loved it. I'd still be running that boat if I weren't running the Tuffy X-190. Only thing I miss is the full windshield. The 1760 handled big water beautifully, good on fuel economy with the 150 Optimax and had more than enough room to fish three people comfortable. Definitely take a look at one.
Edited by Merckid 7/17/2008 9:43 PM
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Location: Twin Cities | Merckid - 7/17/2008 11:42 AM
I'd also second the Tuffy 1760. I ran a 1760 DW with the full windshield last year and loved it. I'd still be running that boat if I weren't running the Tuffy X-190. Only thing I miss is the full windshield. The 1760 handled big water beautifully, good on fuel economy with the 150 Optimax and had more than enough room to fish three people comfortable. Definitely take a look at one.
Stop that, you're gonna make me spend money I don't have! :D
If you fished bigger water only a handful of times each year, how high on your priority list would you put the full windshield? I wasn't going to do that, but thinking about fall fishing, maybe i should. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | JRedig - 7/17/2008 10:38 PM
If you fished bigger water only a handful of times each year, how high on your priority list would you put the full windshield? .
Well if your going to do it, better off going all out.
I personally didn't mind the full windshield all year. The thing I really liked is you get absolutely no spray hitting you in the face with the full windshield. At times I fish a couple lakes where with a strong cross wind slapping the side of the boat the water would get thrown up on the windshield. If I spent any amount of time on Lake Michigan like I have in the past, I'd have a model with a windshield. I haven't spent much time on Lake Michigan since the higher gas prices so I haven't found the windshield to be absolutely necessary. In my opinion, there isn't much downfall to a full windshield. The windshield didn't take up any more usable room than a dual console. No reason not to have the full windshield in my opinion. Only if the X190 was offered in one, hehe.
Edited by Merckid 7/17/2008 10:55 PM
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Posts: 294
| Thanks for the info guys. I have been looking at everything. I guess i need to decide what I will concentrate most on. The Esox Mag would do fine in about 80% of my fishing situations, but then when I want to tackle a big lake on a windy day I'm kinda screwed. The 1760 is great and would most likely be perfect, but I dont know that I am ready for that kind of investment. Well I know I'm ready, but that is a lot of money. I have been trying to find some late 90's, early 2000's models but they are very few and far between. This wouldn't be such an issue if money was limitless, but of course it is not so I am trying to get the best bang for my buck so to speak. |
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Posts: 412
Location: Waukesha, WI | guys love the old Ranger 681s or thereabout. |
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Posts: 294
| When you say old, how old are you talking about? I have considered that, but was told by someone you don't want a Fisherman series before 1997 because of transom design. They told me anything earlier was an ill handling boat. I have seen some early to mid 90's out there for some decent prices. |
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Posts: 412
Location: Waukesha, WI | hoping folks like BN, JJ, or jdsplasher can comment. |
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Location: Des Moines IA | If you don't want to spend the big $, look at a Tuffy 1700, it's only a couple inches shorter than the 1760 in length, and beam. It handles big water pretty well also. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | The problem with boats before 1997 are there far and few between, fiberglass rigs I'm talking. At least the ones that are in good condition. If you look hard enough, you can find something 2000 or so for a pretty reasonable price. I just looked in the classifieds and there are a few rigs in there that might be worth looking at. I know I saw a couple Tuffy 1760's.
Edited by Merckid 7/18/2008 12:46 PM
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Posts: 294
| That is a nice rig also, but still not very cheap. At least not as inexpensive as an older 1760 or 681 at least from what I have seen. |
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Posts: 734
Location: Watertown, MN | TR if you can't find and old 681, I would look at the like of Alumacraft of Lund 18' tiller model big enought to handle big water. I ran the tournament pro 175 tiller for several years, great boat, had on eagle, mill lacs handled big water no problems. I guess you should be able to find them for 5-7K
Troyz |
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Posts: 72
| Tuffy sure does make a nice boat. I just wish they were in MO. |
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Posts: 457
| In my, albeit limited, experience the Fisherman series boats pre-'98 were a bear on rough water with any speed. For that matter, they were a little scary on flat water with anything over about a 125. The trouble with them is that they chine walk terribly, and unless a guy really knew how to handle it, the ride could get dicey in a hurry.
I'd have to second the 1760. I know of a 1760 that just sold for a lot less than one might think. Was in really good shape, 75 tiller, and rigged. Little under $9k. I find myself wishing I'd have bought it myself. I keep debating whether to hold out for the X190 next year, or look for an Esox used to get me by another year or two... |
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| tr7, what kind of budget are you working with?
I have a Ranger 690 and LOVE that boat..love the interior layout, just the right size for big and small waters... Many who have owned them still rave about their old 690s even though they now have 620-621s...there have been some smokin deals on those I have seen of late...one guy sold one for about 5k under value recently...
You can find a good 690 for mainly the 15-19k range... there have been some very nice 681s out there recently for 12-14k..great boats too with the same type of layout as the 690 just a bit smaller overall...
Ranger made a 690 tiller as well that are far and few between but I have a friend who has one, a 2000 I believe and I have fished out of it a few times and it is a great rig as well....
Lund tillers are great too..had one for 10 yrs and loved it but from a guy who had a Lund for 10 yrs to now owning glass....if you can afford a glass boat, get glass...they handle the wind/waves and just don't get pushed around nearly as much in the wind as aluminum...
guess it depends on your budget and where you fish...if you fish any big water I'd shy away from an esox mag....
my 2 cents.. |
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Posts: 294
| Thanks for the info. Any model years of the 690 or 681 to shy away from? I have noticed some that have been under $10k for 1996 year. Like stated above though I was told to stay away from anything older than a 97. |
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Posts: 621
Location: Seymour, WI | There is tons of great info in this post if you're considering an aluminum boat.
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=40... |
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Posts: 294
| Thanks for that Grass. There is some really good info there. What did you end up with? Were you able to stay under that $10k mark? |
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Posts: 90
| I may kick myself in the head later for this, because I have been trying to no avail to get my wife to go for it, but there is a beautiful fully rigged 1998 Tuffy Rampage with a 130 Mariner on it at a maina here in the Chicago area by me, Tanglewood Marine in St Charles, IL for about $6500. If you do go with it, you have to take me out. |
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Posts: 621
Location: Seymour, WI | tr7,
I ended up buying a 1750 Fishhawk with a Yamaha F80 for $11,000. I'm very happy with the way the boat handles and fishes, although the boat was heavily used, not at all "clean" as they say. But I think it is a very good musky boat. Perfect for fishing any WI inland lake.
Grass,
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Posts: 294
| I wish I was ready to buy right now, that Rampage is nice! |
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| 1750 Fishhawk is a tremendous value, and a versatile boat. Look hard for a good used one and you should easily stay under $15,000 and probably closer to $10K, even with a 4 stroke. These are awesome boats to fish out of, and while they're pretty rough in big water they can still generally take it. I wouldn't choose one if I made multiple trips to Mille Lacs every year, but it doesn't sound like that's your situation.
One thing to be concerned about is looking at older Rangers is that the old EFI engines are big time gas hogs. And Opti's are expensive. 681 with a 135 opti is a great boat, but I agree that it's difficult to find one in good shape for a good price. 690 with an Opti is a tough boat to find. Plus, those that have them have 150 horse engines rather than the 175 that they're rated for.
You should not have to spend more than $15,000 to get a great rig. |
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| tr7
I bought Merckid's Tuffy 1760 and I am extremely happy with it. It is a great musky fishing boat and the full windshield keeps the wife happy. |
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