On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 19:24:56 -0500, "David Ruff"
wrote:
I'm looking to buy my first boat. I'll put in anywhere from $5000 -$6000. I
will use it for fishing off the east coast of Southern New Jersey. I'll need
to trailer it and will be pulling it with V8 Ford Explorer. I do not live
far from the water. I would like good pointers on what to buy. It can be
used but not too old. My brother likes to crab so we'll be doing that to. I
guess I looking for a nice boat to get out not too far in the ocean and
small enough to get back in the mud boggs to crab. I've driven many boats
but they were 300 feet plus!!! I'm retired from the Navy. Just a joke.

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You're talking about a very limited budget here. To get a boat, motor
and trailer under $6,000 that is suitable for the Jersey coast is
asking a lot. You'll probably end up looking at boats over 20 years
old with various kinds of maintenance issues to be dealt with. If you
stay strictly in the back bays you can get by with any number of small
open boats in the 15 to 18 foot range but once you start talking about
going outside you need something at least 22 to 25 feet in my opinion,
and that's going to break your budget for a boat in decent condition.