Boating Information
Information on buying a boat and boating
Getting Started With Boating
Reasons To Buy A Boat
Costs Of Owning A Boat
Finance a boat
Financing A Boat
Cash Or Finance For Your Boat
Buying Boat Insurance
Types and Sellers
Types Of Boats Available
Types Of Boat Sellers
How to find a boat
Finding The Perfect Boat
Inspecting Your New Boat
Choosing The Right Boat
How To Test A Boat
Buying A New or Used Boat
Buying A Used Boat
Types of Boats
Buying A Yacht
Custom Built Boats
Buying Inflatable Boats
Buying A Fishing Boat
Buying The Right Fishing Boat
Misc
Choosing The Right Motor Buying The Right Anchor
Trailers and Storage
Buying A Boat Trailer Towing or Trailering a Boat After Your Boat Purchase
Storing Your Boat
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Buying the best and right fishing boat for you
This is pretty much a no brainer but first you need to figure out what you want to do with your boat. Obviously the primary purpose will be fishing but what kind of fishing. Obviously if you are only going to be trolling you need a different setup than if you are going to always be anchoring and sitting.
If you want to be a tournament fisherman, which can be quite exciting even in small local tournaments, you should consider a boat with a motor no less than 150 HP and probably shorter than 19 feet. For those of you who plan to fish on deeper water regularly you might find that a 200 HP motor and a boat at least 20 feet long or more will be ideal.
If you don't plan on doing any tournament fishing but instead want to go after fish like bass, walleyes or crappies you'll want a smaller boat. Perhaps in the 17-18 foot range with a minimum of 115 HP for the motor. With that boat you can enjoy it on lakes or rivers.
If you like to fish for different types of fish you may want to look for a boat that's a bit more versatile and has lots of walking around room. Higher sides and a different seating arrangement for instance. This kind of boat can be ideal for a trip with several persons of even a trip out with your family.
If you only plan to fish now and then and cruise with your family the rest of the time you should probably look at a boat setup for fishing and skiing. This is a kind of hybrid fishing/cruising boat, a cross between a fishing boat and a pleasure boat. I've had a couple of this type boat and changing the seating arrangements from fishing to pleasure was very easy. The underfloor storage also held all my rods or the equipment needed for skiing.
The most important thing is getting the boat you want and being able to afford it. Lucky for you there are a lot of new boats that gives you a choice of quite a few that may fit your budget better. Otherwise you can always take a look at used boats and find one way cheaper than a new fishing boat because, like cars, new boats lose about half their value in the first two years.
Boating information you need before you get a new boat
Help in choosing the right motor and type for your boat
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