HOW DID YOU GET YOUR FIRST BOAT

[Stonewall2002]

Here is that link...

http://www.rcbassjons.com/mycustompage0006.htm


Cool stuff....

[flippinstick]

My first boat was an 1987 astroglass 14' with a mercury 50hp. tri-hull, it was a great boat and for the year one of the cleanest too. I agree with most guys I cant see paying 30-40,000 dollars for a new bass boat for 12 years and after intrest paying 50-60,000 for it. I just might get suckered in one day buy the shiny glitter under the lights at the boat show but I sure hope I dont. My 98 ranger will do me just fine.

[DYNATRAK]

I bought my boat a few years ago. It's a 1991 Dyntrak 150 (red) with a 50 Johnson that runs like a dream. I paid 3500 cash for it. It's been a great boat. I redid some of the electric a couple of winter's ago. Never worked on anything mechanical before, but with a little sweat and websites like this and iboats.com, i've come a long way. It's great to own something that's a bit older...you can tinker around on it without worrying too much about shootin yourself in the foot.

Of course I'd like something bigger, now (i'm 6'3" and about 225lbs.) However, you always have to be thankful for what the Lord has blessed you with.

...may not be able to get to the hole faster than someone with a 225 optimax, but i can still catch the fish the same (or better).

just my 2 cents.

:)

[Fishhead]

Very first was a 12ft J-boat with oars for $65.00!!!! But the first bass boat was a 16ft Tracker with a 50 HP, used, paid cash. A number of years later upgraded to a 84 DynaTrac fiberglass bass boat, used, paid cash, bought for $4K sold for $5K. Then in 2000 bought a 97 Ranger w/ 150 Merc for $14K, put $10K down, paid the rest off in 2 years. Nice not having a payment on a boat. Now just have 1.5 years to go on the truck!!!

Buy used, take your time and shop wisely, don't be afraid to haggle, test drive and have a good mechanic evaluate, lots of good deals out there, bad deals too!!!

[tracker4stroke]

i got my first boat the same day i got my first truck i was 16 it was a 12 jon boat. that work for a few years of pond hoppin then i went to bass pro shops and saw the tracker proteam 175 and fell in love. i had them put a 40 horse four stroke merc. on it and drove it home. if i was you i would buy a used boat first and see witch kind you like befor sinking 10 grand or more into it

[FISHUMUP]

I bought my first boat 140v Ranger with a 175 Johnson seahorse in 1988 for $4500. Sold it in 2004 for $2500. This was a great boat

[peter]

About 15 years ago I was stanting around a camp fire with some friends at their camp on a creek near Bagdad KY. One of the guys mentioned that he had just bought 8 14' v-bottom boats with 9 HP Johnsonsform U-Haul and asked if anybody wanted one for $800. I put in my order.

[Devils Horse]

I built the first boat I ever owned at 13 years of age. I had lots of help, but we built a flat bottom wooden jon boat that I used extensively on a watershed lake near my boyhood home in Alabama. I broke the transom completely out of it when I was 16 showing off for some buddies. Running hard with a 10 HP Evinrude motor, lost control and ran it up on the bank. I laughed along with my buds like it was no big deal, but down deep my feelings were bad hurt about wrecking that ole tub.

[kreyfish]

My first boat is my new/old boat that's in my garage. It's a 14 foot 1959 jon with a V bow. It was my grandfather's boat and after having sat in his back yard for about 25 years, I asked him if I could have it. It was in horrible shape...painted green which was flaking badly, and the transom was rotting out.

It now has a new transom, new paint job with marine blue paint and I just bought a new 9.9 Johnson 4-stroke. It looks like a brand new boat...even better. Add that to the trolling motor, battery, battery charger, new seats, misc (anchor, rope, net, gas tank w/hook up)...Yes, I have spent some money getting her ready.

She has yet to be out in the water, but come Spring...look out!! I have spent all my life as a "bank" fisherman and the last 7 years wading in the Elkhorn with my fly rod. I'm looking forward to getting on bigger water, being mobile and fishing some cool smaller lakes. I also plan on fishing the Cumberland Tailwater quite a bit this coming year. Can't wait.

I have found as a "new" boat owner that you're going to keep spending money. Just be sure that you get what you want and justify the spending by keeping what you have. Good luck!!!

[elnutsmalljaws]

First boat was/is a 2003 Tracker Pro V17 with a 90 Merc. bought new off the showroom floor at Bass Pro in Cincinnati, June 2003. Took a road trip from Frankfort to Cincy to buy some new fishing rods, reels, tackle etc to use in the farm ponds that I usually fish. Wife tagged along to stop at a scrapbooking store that she heard about. I went to use the restroom, which you have to walk thru the boat showroom, to get to the facilities and I come out and my honey is talking to a boat salesman. She is looking at a boat that will barely hold my big behind and I tell her we were not there to buy a boat besides it is too small anyway. He then brings up the Pro V17 which is out in the parking lot and off we go. I am not interested for I never owned a boat before so I have her and the salesman both trying to sell me a boat. Yes I know I have the best wife on the planet and she proved it more that day. Saying that I deserve it, that I love to fish and it would be good for me to have one. Besides she say, "You have to spend you bonus check on something anyway, might as well be a boat" Bye Bye Bonus check(But at least it is paid for), Hello Black Hole. Picked up my boat 2 weeks later and had the guy that showed me the ropes tell me the only thing I ever heard in my life that has been 100% TRUE. He said "One of the 2 most happiest days in a mans life, the day you get your boat and the day you sale your boat, for the rest of the time you are just sinking money into a Black Hole" How true, $17,000 for boat, tackle box #1 then #2 then #3 all becuause I keep accumulating tackle, spinnerbait box, plastics bag, spinning rods, cranking rods, flipping rods, fnf rods, reels for all, Striper rods, planer boards, cold weather gear, night time gear, rain gear....... see the Black Hole that is developing. Started with 2 rods, small tackle box fishing farm ponds now 17 rods, 80 lb of tackle fishing Ky Lake, Cumberland, Dale Hollow big difference all for a HOBBY. Catch and Release everything except Stripers over 15lb and Walley (Table Food) but don't fish for either very often. Fished 2 tourneys in my life skunking in one, winning the other(very small tourney but massive $114 first prize money) Would not change anything.

Tight Lines

[bassin101]

I bought mine off of ebay. Luckily the person selling it was only 1 hour away. So I got to drive and look at it before buying it. It was a 18-1/2 skeeter w/150 yamaha. Only advise I can give you is buy the exact boat that you want the first time and don't settle for anything else. I still wish that I went ahead and bought a 21 foot boat because they're not getting any cheaper. Your best bet is find a good used boat that has been well taken care of and garage kept.

[DJD]

I bought mine from a repo lot and payed $9000 i had a mechanic check the motor and had a test ride before buying the boat, 10 years later i sold it for $8000...pretty good deal. One thing for sure make sure you get plenty of motor for the boat, Don't fall for the under powered boats because it will cost you an arm and a leg to upgrade the motor later on.