My wife and kids are bugging me about a boat.

I know nothing of boats and even less about which brands/models are
worth my search time.

I would take my kids tubing and fishing on a nearby freshwater lake.
The boat needs to be towable with ability to nose onto the beach.

We would need to handle 1-8 guests/crew. Guests/crew would need
refreshments and a bathroom and shade from the sun.

Towing inner tubers and skiiers is the primary use. Fishing is
definitely a likelihood, but a low priority.

Finally, for now, I can't afford the idea let alone an actual purchase!

I know nothing of boston whalers except they have a really cool name and
the one comment I saw tells me I can't afford a boston whaler.

So, which boats (for a northern california fresh water lake) should I be
looking into?

Thanks,

JS

If you plan on hauling 8 people around plus water skiing.........better sell
the house. You'll need a wheelbarrow full of cash.

John,

Ski boats tend to be smallish - 18 feet, shallow V for best planing and
small wake.

That isn't going to have many of the cruiser amenities you mentions, nor
hold 8 people.

One can ski - and certainly tube - behind larger boats, but an avid skier
won't be happy. I don't think so, anyway.

You can fish off just about anything, although there are purpose-built
fishing boats.

Maybe a "deck boat" would be a reasonable compromise for what you're looking
for. But you will have to compromise somewhere.

Also, I always take this opportunity to say:

"Welcome to the water. Hope you enjoy your stay. You need either time or
money to keep a boat in good working condition - new ones are expensive and
old ones (my preference) require 'input' (as a generalization). Please be
very careful out there, and know that there is a lot to know - many
experienced, highly-trained boaters keep on learning more about it all their
lives, and many boaters who aren't interested in anything beside the
steering wheel and the 'go lever' are a menace to themselves and to all
around them. I started by reading Chapman Piloting and then got right into
the Power Squadron courses, but whatever route you choose to enhance your
boating knowledge and skills, please at least choose a route!"

End of sermon.

Charles

====

Charles T. Low
- remove "UN"
www.boatdocking.com/BDPhoto.html - Photo Contest
www.boatdocking.com
www.ctlow.ca/Trojan26 - my boat

====

"John Smith" wrote in message
. com...
My wife and kids are bugging me about a boat.

I know nothing of boats and even less about which brands/models are
worth my search time.

I would take my kids tubing and fishing on a nearby freshwater lake.
The boat needs to be towable with ability to nose onto the beach.

We would need to handle 1-8 guests/crew. Guests/crew would need
refreshments and a bathroom and shade from the sun.

Towing inner tubers and skiiers is the primary use. Fishing is
definitely a likelihood, but a low priority.

Finally, for now, I can't afford the idea let alone an actual purchase!

I know nothing of boston whalers except they have a really cool name and
the one comment I saw tells me I can't afford a boston whaler.

So, which boats (for a northern california fresh water lake) should I be
looking into?

Thanks,

JS

On Sat, 17 Apr 2004 06:31:50 GMT, John Smith wrote:

My wife and kids are bugging me about a boat.

I know nothing of boats and even less about which brands/models are
worth my search time.

I would take my kids tubing and fishing on a nearby freshwater lake.
The boat needs to be towable with ability to nose onto the beach.

We would need to handle 1-8 guests/crew. Guests/crew would need
refreshments and a bathroom and shade from the sun.

Towing inner tubers and skiiers is the primary use. Fishing is
definitely a likelihood, but a low priority.

Finally, for now, I can't afford the idea let alone an actual purchase!

I know nothing of boston whalers except they have a really cool name and
the one comment I saw tells me I can't afford a boston whaler.

So, which boats (for a northern california fresh water lake) should I be
looking into?

Thanks,

JS

It sounds like you really need two boats, one for tubing and skiing, the other
for partying and peeing. A little 17' runabout might fit the bill for the tubing
and beaching. For 8 people to be covered and have a potty, you might think of a
houseboat, especially on a lake.

I have a 21' with a cuddy cabin and a porta-potty. The maximum load is 8 people.
I would never try to put 8 people on it, and if I did I would never be able to
get a skier up.

You probably want to narrow the scope of what you expect your boat to do.

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

I suggest you go to the lake, observe the boats others are using. Ask some
of them if they'd buy the same boat again or what they'd get instead.
Most of us compromise when it comes to family boats. Ther are a lot of
specialty boats for bass fishing, wakeboarding, cruising. You probably will
end up with a deck boat or bowrider.

"John Smith" wrote in message
. com...
My wife and kids are bugging me about a boat.

I know nothing of boats and even less about which brands/models are
worth my search time.

I would take my kids tubing and fishing on a nearby freshwater lake.
The boat needs to be towable with ability to nose onto the beach.

We would need to handle 1-8 guests/crew. Guests/crew would need
refreshments and a bathroom and shade from the sun.

Towing inner tubers and skiiers is the primary use. Fishing is
definitely a likelihood, but a low priority.

Finally, for now, I can't afford the idea let alone an actual purchase!

I know nothing of boston whalers except they have a really cool name and
the one comment I saw tells me I can't afford a boston whaler.

So, which boats (for a northern california fresh water lake) should I be
looking into?

Thanks,

JS

"Welcome to the water. Hope you enjoy your stay. You need either time or
money to keep a boat in good working condition - new ones are expensive
and
old ones (my preference) require 'input' (as a generalization). Please be
very careful out there, and know that there is a lot to know - many
experienced, highly-trained boaters keep on learning more about it all
their
lives, and many boaters who aren't interested in anything beside the
steering wheel and the 'go lever' are a menace to themselves and to all
around them. I started by reading Chapman Piloting and then got right into
the Power Squadron courses, but whatever route you choose to enhance your
boating knowledge and skills, please at least choose a route!"


I agree... Both the Chapman Piloting book and the Power Squadron courses are
great... I would also recommend involving the family and/or anyone else who
might spend significant amounts of time on your boat to join you in the
reading, and the power squadron courses... the first basic safety course is
free for anyone to attend last I knew....


-j

If you want top of the line...

http://www.cobaltboats.com/model_line/240sd/index.html

Whatever you buy, make sure you have a local dealer who can service the boat and
engine.

Dan

John Smith wrote:
My wife and kids are bugging me about a boat.

I know nothing of boats and even less about which brands/models are
worth my search time.

I would take my kids tubing and fishing on a nearby freshwater lake. The
boat needs to be towable with ability to nose onto the beach.

We would need to handle 1-8 guests/crew. Guests/crew would need
refreshments and a bathroom and shade from the sun.

Towing inner tubers and skiiers is the primary use. Fishing is
definitely a likelihood, but a low priority.

Finally, for now, I can't afford the idea let alone an actual purchase!

I know nothing of boston whalers except they have a really cool name and
the one comment I saw tells me I can't afford a boston whaler.

So, which boats (for a northern california fresh water lake) should I be
looking into?

Thanks,

JS

My wife and kids are bugging me about a boat.


With an opening statement like that, I can't see where you have a problem.
Everything else, is as they say, just details.

My recommendation for a boat to do everything in your wish list would be the
Sea Ray or Crownline 24 bowrider with double bimini tops and probably the
5.7 mpi engine. I think both boats have a small cabin with port-a-pottie.
You didn't say what your budget was, but you might be able to find one of
these, only a few years old for about 25-30K. (Check boat trader online.)

Jim and everyone else in rb,

Thanks for the information. I just needed a place to start.

JS

Jim Irvine wrote:

My wife and kids are bugging me about a boat.



With an opening statement like that, I can't see where you have a problem.
Everything else, is as they say, just details.

My recommendation for a boat to do everything in your wish list would be the
Sea Ray or Crownline 24 bowrider with double bimini tops and probably the
5.7 mpi engine. I think both boats have a small cabin with port-a-pottie.
You didn't say what your budget was, but you might be able to find one of
these, only a few years old for about 25-30K. (Check boat trader online.)

We were looking for the same thing last summer. I love fishing, but my wife
and daughters wanted tubing, skiing, etc. We ended up with a 19' Regal. We
run mostly in Tampa Bay, but I have been out on several fresh water lakes in
the area. It handles six adults comfortably for tubing and with the 4.3
Liter V6 we can get our skiiers up. The heaviest is 175lbs. The only things
I don't like about the boat are it has non removable carpet over a glass
covered wood deck. If you do fish, I recommend looking for removable carpet.
We have seen several with snap in carpet on all glass decks. This makes
clean up much easier after fishing, especially if any of the fish bleed on
the boat. The other issue is this boat has what the manufacturer calls a
"FastTrac" hull. It makes handling great, but wreaks havoc with the depth
finder at anything over 15 MPH. This can be a problem in some areas of
Tampa Bay with sand bars and tide changes. You have to make sure you are
familiar with the area you're boating in and double check often prior to
jetting around.
"Dan Krueger" wrote in message
hlink.net...
If you want top of the line...

http://www.cobaltboats.com/model_line/240sd/index.html

Whatever you buy, make sure you have a local dealer who can service the
boat and
engine.

Dan

John Smith wrote:
My wife and kids are bugging me about a boat.

I know nothing of boats and even less about which brands/models are
worth my search time.

I would take my kids tubing and fishing on a nearby freshwater lake. The
boat needs to be towable with ability to nose onto the beach.

We would need to handle 1-8 guests/crew. Guests/crew would need
refreshments and a bathroom and shade from the sun.

Towing inner tubers and skiiers is the primary use. Fishing is
definitely a likelihood, but a low priority.

Finally, for now, I can't afford the idea let alone an actual purchase!

I know nothing of boston whalers except they have a really cool name and
the one comment I saw tells me I can't afford a boston whaler.

So, which boats (for a northern california fresh water lake) should I be
looking into?

Thanks,

JS