On Mar 20, 9:00?am, "Paul" wrote:
Looking to purchase a first boat and hunting for recommendations -
here is my situation;

- Live in Toronto and would do the majority of by boating in Lake
Ontario, this is a VERY large lake (one of the great lakes).

- Would like to park the boat in my garage, which measures 18 feet, 8
inches. A 16 ft bowrider will fit tightly. I realize this is not an
optimal size for a huge lake.

- Having a single motor on a great lake doesn't appeal to me much.
Mitigating circumstances are that there is alot of boat traffic in the
waters off Toronto and I hear that there is always someone to help.

- Would like to fish (trolling for salmon about all that's available
here) and waterski.

- I live about 2 miles for the boat ramp, and own a sedan with a 3.1
liter engine. I understand that this is less then optimal for towing a
heavy boat, but I could drive slowly. Don't see the wisdom in buying a
new vehicle just so I can go boating. There is a big hill leading to
the boat ramp (bluffers park for you locals).

Finally, I realize this is something that I'd use 10 times a year if
I'm lucky. Any advise out there?

If it gets rough and choppy on Lake Ontario (and I suspect that it
does), a 16-foot boat with an open bow would not be your best choice.
When you are slamming around in head seas you want the waves to break
on a solid deck and drain back overboard, not break into your seating
area, flood your floor boards, and keep your bilge pump busy.

Throwing a canvas across the open bow doesn't really cut it. The
snaps may stand up to the weight and force of larger waves.

A boat with an actual foredeck would allow you to boat on days when it
wasn't almost perfectly calm. You wouldn't want to be far from the
ramp if a squall came up while out in a bowrider. Bowriders have their
place; I think they make an ideal choice as a ski-tow or wakeboard
boat that will be returning to the dock every several minutes or so to
after short, high speed runs. They're probably fine for fishing on
small inland lakes where it would be almost impossible to get more
than a couple of miles from the launch ramp. For doing any sort of
distance on open water, there are better choices available.

Beyond that, look at what your post reveals about your own conclusions
so far:
1) The boat you can fit in your garage may not be large enough for use
on your intended waterway. 2) You are concerned about having only a
single engine. 3)Your tow vehicle is inadequate, but you are not
interested in upgrading to something that would be more appropriate.
4) You won't use the boat very often.

Hoping to avoid sounding like a smart ass (I know, too late already),
I might suggest you rent a boat a few times before jumping into
ownership. You might decide that you love it so much than you would be
willing to reprioritize a few things and acquire a boat and tow
vehicle that will allow you to be more confident. As it is, some of
the concerns expressed in your post are probably well founded.