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[jettabambino]

Looking for my first boat and also looking to get some advice. 

I have a Toyota 4 runner that would be hauling the boat around.   Looking for something for local lakes and maybe the day trip. Kids will also be coming along.   I am looking for a 12 foot tinner....

Everyone tells me the boat they have for sale has no leaks but every aluminum cartopper I have been in leaks... so....

Wondering what do I look for in a boat.. .what do I look for in a motor.. do I do gas or electric... I would love to do electric but how many hours of trolling am I typically going to get...

trying to keep this under a budget so obviously a top of the line aint going to do...

I figured a bunch of you have done this already so looking for some advice...

[firstlight]

Whats your budget?

[jettabambino]

Around 500 to 700 for the boat.   

And then motor

[rootbeer]

I did a lot of shopping for a used cartopper last year and this year.  Expect that whatever any ad says that the boat probably leaks, at least a little bit.  In the end it all depends on how handy you are.  Transom wood can be replaced (I have heard that you should never used p/t plywood as it will corrode the aluminum), seats can usually be repaired, and there are multiple ways to replace and repair a leaky rivet or two.  Fresh paint always makes me a little nervous because you don't know what it's hiding.  I also found boats with lots of goop, great big gobs of goop (silicone, 3m 5200, etc) and rejected those.  You will be able to find decent boats in your price range.  For three people, I would stay away from the flat bottom 12 footers as the weight limit on those is considerably less than on a v-hull.  For small lakes an electric motor is fine.  I have pushed a 14' tinnie around for hours using a 30lb thrust motor with a maximizer and didn't worry about the charge on the battery.  The digital maximizer is the key to longer periods between needing to recharge.   However, if you need to travel a distance in a hurry you will want a gas motor.

[Ambassador]

The digital maximizer is the key to longer periods between needing to recharge.   However, if you need to travel a distance in a hurry you will want a gas motor.

x2
I had a non-maximized trolling motor for a while and got a fair bit of exercise rowing back to shore a few times when my battery died. For some reason the wind always picks up in the opposite direction you are heading right when that happens.

[jettabambino]

thanks for all the input so far.

if anyone on the board wants to sell one let me know. 

Also,   what are peoples view on the inflatable. They don't looks as comfortable.   I know the Hepalon is better than the PVC


with the tinners... I noticed some are 46 inches wide and some are 51.  does this make a lot of difference in stability...

Thanks again!!

[Damien]

Good info already posted.

It really depends on what lakes you're going to be fishing in.  Or, how far out on a bigger lake you plan on going.  Whatever boat/motor you choose.  Be safe and pay attention with how far out you go on larger bodies.

I will add that having two batteries can save a fishing day with the family.  Spend another $100 and bring two fully charged batteries.  If you are going electric only.

If your budget allows, have an electric and gas motor.  And if possible find a 14' if you are trailering. 

I have a 14' foot and even when I take my 20hp off and just use my 5hp and my electric it helps so much.

Especially with kids, when you need to get to shore out of boredom, hunger, poop break, bad weather etc.  It is so nice to 'zip' back to land.  Even the 5hp moves the boat 5x faster than just my 55lb maximizer MinnKota. 

I would keep an eye out for a small motor, 5 - 9.9hp.  Any will do.  The 9.9 is ideal but can expensive and heavy.  My 5hp Merc has an internal tank.  So when hitting the lakes I bring the 5hp with its 1 litre internal tank filled up, and a fresh battery with my Minn Kota.

I can get a weekend out of this arrangement without gassing up or charging the battery. 

It is nice not having an external tank and hose kicking around in the boat.  Especially with kids.

[typhoon]

Also,   what are peoples view on the inflatable. They don't looks as comfortable.   I know the Hepalon is better than the PVC

Inflatables are awesome for some things; not so good for other things.
Pros:
Massively stable compared to any tin boat. My 12 foot Achilles is untippable.
Safety: Aside from being more stable you can't fall and hit your head on a metal gunwale.
Storage and Transport: packs down into a small package

Cons:
Setup time: It takes longer to get on the water if you are starting from deflated. I arrived at Roche last weekend at the same time as a well known ex-biologist and he was on the water 10 minutes before me.
Teardown time: I find this one the most annoying since I like to fish until dark. It's a pain to deflate and pack up the boat in the dark with mosquitoes eating you.
Care and attention: You can't just go wherever you want without concern for what you are running into. I wouldn't let anyone smoke in my inflatable and I never beach it under power regardless of shore material.
Cost per year: PVC boats cost similar to tin boats but only last 5-7 years. Hypalon boats will last as long as tin boats but cost 2-3x as much.
Interior space: Tubes are larger than tin, so the same width boat will have less interior space. I have never seen a problem with it since you don't need to balance the load in an inflatable nearly as much.
I also don't use the factory seats - I sit on the tubes leaving more space for stuff.
Speed: I believe that the same motor on a tin boat will push it faster. Similarly it will take more HP to plane in an inflatable. I mostly use an electric motor so this isn't an issue for me.

[rootbeer]

thanks for all the input so far.

 I noticed some are 46 inches wide and some are 51.  does this make a lot of difference in stability...

Thanks again!!

Wider is generally better/more stable.  With little kids who may move suddenly, I would definitely want a wider boat.  My first cartopper was a 1032 (32" wide across the bottom) jon boat and it was pretty tippy.  I've since moved up to a 1236 jon boat (36" wide across the bottom), those extra four inches make a huge difference.

[jettabambino]

so would 46 have any issues.


I thought about hypalon but the issue with this is that I have a little dog which will be in the boat with me.    I don't want any issues with scratching....


if anyone has a boat they want to get rid of  let me know..lol

[wonder]

i have a 51 and my dad has a 46, mine is quite a bit more stable than his maybe just the boat but it definitely is

[Spawn Sack]

A lot of good tips thus far. I agree with Damien that if you decide to go just electric then having 2 batteries on board is a smart move. Nothing worse than draining your battery far from shore and having to row for hours! A back up battery would save the day.

We have a 12 foot aluminum on a trailer and it's been great so far. Not my dream boat by any means, but good enough for the time being. This is what I would buy for an inexpensive family boat and your first boat. They are always for sale and if you put your time in you will find a nice one for a good price. Down the road if you decide to upgrade you can sell it easily as someone is always in the markey for a cheap v-hull.

Our boat came with a 40lb thrust electric and that is all we used for the 1st year. It is fine on small lakes, most days we'd drain about 1/2 the battery putting around for 6-8 hours. However on bigger lakes when the wind picks up - not so good! Having the motor wide open and realizing you are barely making any headway is not a comforting feeling

Now we have a 5hp outboard and the electric. On smaller lakes we use just the electric. On bigger lakes we'll use just the gas if we plan to troll mostly, or the gas and electric if we plan to anchor up here and there and fly fish. The gas motor is great for zipping to/from shore, and the electric is nice for cruising through the shallows in stealth mode.

For $1500ish you should be able to find a decent 12footer on a trailer with a gas and/or electric motor. I would be cheking craig's list etc DAILY, or even serveral times a day as the good ones get scooped up fast.

[rjs]

with young kids all i can say is get the deepest widest boat u can for the $

[firstlight]

RJS has some good advice.

Width is the key and then stuff like metal thickness layout etc.
I prefer the vbows over the jons but jons are very popular amongst the flyfishing crowd.

Unfortunately width and thicker metal also means heavier and if planning on  cartopping then this a huge priority.

There is also a huge difference from taking the kids out on Rolley Lake for a spin or heading off to the far end of Sheridan Lake so all this is something to think about.

A 12 ft tinny and 9.9 was the standard fishing mobile for years and  can get you out there in decent conditions.

My favorite piece of fishing equipment is probably my Minnkota 40 lb with maximize.
I hook it up and it allways works flawlessly.
Variable speed for trolling is a must in my books.
A good battery is hugely important as well as a good charger.
I just bought a smart charger from Canadian tire this season and am happy with it so far.
Not sure if you want to run two batteries in a 12 footer though as the good deep cycles weight a lot to begin with.

As already said you can sometimes find a package deal for best price but this is about the worst time to be boat shopping.

Feel free to ask anything about small aluminums as I have had a few over the years and know a little about them.

When you do get it and need some good rope,track me down.

[jettabambino]

thanks so much for all this help.
I looked at a inflatable today but felt it was a little fragile as guards on the side were already starting to have gaps.  its hypalon but something about a tinner just feels better..