Hi-

I'm trolling for some net.wisdom. Here's the situation: my family is
in the process of acquiring a property on Puget Sound, in the Seattle
area. The property will come with a dock in a very nice cove. The
hitch is the dock is totally out of the water at low tide. AFAIK,
extending the dock would be a legal impossibility due to environmental
regs. So it is what it is. I've owned a 16 foot canoe that our family
has used for many years for short paddle trips on the sound and in
lakes in the area. But this place cries out for a small power boat.
Something just large enough to take the kids salmon fishing and
crabbing, and maybe tow the kids around on an inflatable toy on a
really hot day (Puget Sound water varies between cold and colder).

The current owner has put a 1000 lb capacity davit crane with electric
motor on the end of the dock, and he uses that to raise his small
skiff onto the dock. I know next to nothing about power/fishing
boats, but from talking to a few neighbors with boats their general
recommendations seem to be:
1. Buy a boat small/light enough to use the davit crane.
2. Aluminum hull is way superior to fiberglass for this application,
since the beach is rocky and full of oyster shells. The feedback I've
gotten is that a good aluminum hull will tolerate being beached when
the tide is out and we can't use the dock.
3. An outboard in the 15-20 hp range on a boat with a 300-400 pound
dry weight should be sufficient to pull teen-agers around on a tube,
but still work for trolling.
4. Four stroke is better than 2. Yamaha is better than Honda which is
better than the others..
5. Welded hulls are better than riveted.

Based upon this advice, I've looked at web sites for Alumaweld, Lund,
Smokercraft. Not sure if there are other brands I should look at.
Welded hulls look way expensive. We don't have a definite price range,
but my initial thinking was to keep the initial investment to $5k
(we are new to all this, after all).

I've also had one guy recommend we look at inflatables (e.g. Zodiac)
but I wonder how those tubes will tolerate being dragged up on oyster
shells.

Anyway, thanks in advance for your $.02,

-dm

wrote in message
...
Hi-

I'm trolling for some net.wisdom. Here's the situation: my family is
in the process of acquiring a property on Puget Sound, in the Seattle
area. The property will come with a dock in a very nice cove. The
hitch is the dock is totally out of the water at low tide. AFAIK,
extending the dock would be a legal impossibility due to environmental
regs. So it is what it is. I've owned a 16 foot canoe that our family
has used for many years for short paddle trips on the sound and in
lakes in the area. But this place cries out for a small power boat.
Something just large enough to take the kids salmon fishing and
crabbing, and maybe tow the kids around on an inflatable toy on a
really hot day (Puget Sound water varies between cold and colder).

The current owner has put a 1000 lb capacity davit crane with electric
motor on the end of the dock, and he uses that to raise his small
skiff onto the dock. I know next to nothing about power/fishing
boats, but from talking to a few neighbors with boats their general
recommendations seem to be:
1. Buy a boat small/light enough to use the davit crane.
2. Aluminum hull is way superior to fiberglass for this application,
since the beach is rocky and full of oyster shells. The feedback I've
gotten is that a good aluminum hull will tolerate being beached when
the tide is out and we can't use the dock.
3. An outboard in the 15-20 hp range on a boat with a 300-400 pound
dry weight should be sufficient to pull teen-agers around on a tube,
but still work for trolling.
4. Four stroke is better than 2. Yamaha is better than Honda which is
better than the others..
5. Welded hulls are better than riveted.

Based upon this advice, I've looked at web sites for Alumaweld, Lund,
Smokercraft. Not sure if there are other brands I should look at.
Welded hulls look way expensive. We don't have a definite price range,
but my initial thinking was to keep the initial investment to $5k
(we are new to all this, after all).

I've also had one guy recommend we look at inflatables (e.g. Zodiac)
but I wonder how those tubes will tolerate being dragged up on oyster
shells.

Anyway, thanks in advance for your $.02,

-dm

Well...unless you're buying well used you probably won't find much in that
price bracket.
For the size you are looking for, rivited seems to be the norm.
eg; http://www.princecraft.com/Content/e...ing_boats.aspx

crashnburn63 wrote:
4. Four stroke is better than 2. Yamaha is better than Honda which is
better than the others.

My 20hp Honda 4 stroke is the most high maintenance, expensive,
(relative to hp) and cantankerous outboard I've ever owned. And in my
lifetime I've owned quite a few from 5hp to 225hp, of various makes.
I should have bought a 25hp Yamaha 2 stroke instead.

I've looked at web sites for Alumaweld, Lund,
Smokercraft. Not sure if there are other brands I should look at.

I'm in a different situation so I ended up with something else, but I
was impressed with these when I was last shopping for Aluminum:
http://www.duroboat.com/boats-details.php?modelClass=14

Rick

On Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:05:53 -0600, lid wrote:

crashnburn63 wrote:
4. Four stroke is better than 2. Yamaha is better than Honda which is
better than the others.

My 20hp Honda 4 stroke is the most high maintenance, expensive,
(relative to hp) and cantankerous outboard I've ever owned. And in my
lifetime I've owned quite a few from 5hp to 225hp, of various makes.
I should have bought a 25hp Yamaha 2 stroke instead.

Usually nothing but praise for Hondas, except some clogged jet carb
problems.
Doesn't Yamaha have a fuel injected 25hp 4-stroke?
I can't really see dealing with carbs since EFI seems to have worked
the early kinks out long ago.
Is the Honda giving you non-carb problems?

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
Is the Honda giving you non-carb problems?

Carb problems, water pump problems, problems of undetermined cause
problems, and bank account problems.

Rick

On Mar 3, 11:44*am, wrote:
Hi-

I'm trolling for some net.wisdom. Here's the situation: my family is
in the process of acquiring a property on Puget Sound, in the Seattle
area. The property will come with a dock in a very nice cove. The
hitch is the dock is totally out of the water at low tide. AFAIK,
extending the dock would be a legal impossibility due to environmental
regs. So it is what it is. I've owned a 16 foot canoe that our family
has used for many years for short paddle trips on the sound and in
lakes in the area. But this place cries out for a small power boat.
Something just large enough to take the kids salmon fishing and
crabbing, and maybe tow the kids around on an inflatable toy on a
really hot day (Puget Sound water varies between cold and colder).

The current owner has put a 1000 lb capacity davit crane with electric
motor on the end of the dock, and he uses that to raise his small
skiff onto the dock. I know next to nothing about power/fishing
boats, *but from talking to a few neighbors with boats their general
recommendations seem to be:
1. Buy a boat small/light enough to use the davit crane.
2. Aluminum hull is way superior to fiberglass for this application,
since the beach is rocky and full of oyster shells. The feedback I've
gotten is that a good aluminum hull will tolerate being beached when
the tide is out and we can't use the dock.
3. An outboard in the 15-20 hp range on a boat with a 300-400 pound
dry weight should be sufficient to pull teen-agers around on a tube,
but still work for trolling.
4. Four stroke is better than 2. Yamaha is better than Honda which is
better than the others..
5. Welded hulls are better than riveted.

Based upon this advice, I've looked at web sites for Alumaweld, Lund,
Smokercraft. Not sure if there are other brands I should look at.
Welded hulls look way expensive. We don't have a definite price range,
but my initial thinking was to keep the initial investment to $5k
(we are new to all this, after all).

I've also had one guy recommend we look at inflatables (e.g. Zodiac)
but I wonder how those tubes will tolerate being dragged up on oyster
shells.

Anyway, thanks in advance for your $.02,

-dm

I will be building some of these type boats this summer for sale, but
you are a good distance away
http://www.yaimkool.com
If you get up on the builders group and find a local builder, I could
probably get some lines and info off to you to have one built. Perfect
for your use, I would guess..

Scotty

On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 08:44:19 -0800 (PST), wrote:

I know next to nothing about power/fishing
boats, but from talking to a few neighbors with boats their general
recommendations seem to be:

Starting opinions for discussion.

1. Buy a boat small/light enough to use the davit crane.

Based on your description, I'm guessing that something in the 16/18
foot range might be right up your alley. Aluminum boats will be
lighter and in your case, most likely an open type "guide" boat,
tiller steer/electric start.

2. Aluminum hull is way superior to fiberglass for this application,
since the beach is rocky and full of oyster shells. The feedback I've
gotten is that a good aluminum hull will tolerate being beached when
the tide is out and we can't use the dock.

I would agree, although as you mentioned later in your post, an
inflatable RIB is a good option. They are very rugged and virtually
indestructible with decent maintenance.

3. An outboard in the 15-20 hp range on a boat with a 300-400 pound
dry weight should be sufficient to pull teen-agers around on a tube,
but still work for trolling.

Iffy at best. I'd certainly look for more horsepower for tubing and
skiing - say to the 40 hp range.

4. Four stroke is better than 2. Yamaha is better than Honda which is
better than the others..

Well, that's opinion. Modern two strokes are certainly more efficient
than four strokes and with the introduction of 25 horse ETECs, more
fuel efficient and newer technology than dated four stroke horespower.

Over all, cheaper to run and operate also.

5. Welded hulls are better than riveted.

Again,opinion. Welded hulls are solid all right, but not necessarily
lighter in weight than riveted. I often use a Lund I had 30 years ago
- open guide boat I used for duck hunting when I was active - which I
sold 20 years ago as an example. Damn thing has been beat to heck
with dogs, rocks, dragged across sand bars/rock reefs, flipped upside
down every winter and in general treated like a duck boat. It still
looks good and doesn't leak. That says something. On the other hand,
I know somebody who has a welded aluminum hull that is only ten years
old and the sides are warped, a couple of seams have been rewelded a
couple of times and the bottom looks like a rock beach at low tide.

A good riveted aluminum boat is as solid as a good welded boat. Where
welded boats take advantage of strength is in the bigger, heavier
boats that are welded with plate aluminum - sheet aluminum doesn't
weld easily.

With respect to price - well, you will probably have to look around
and take your time - practice patience in looking. I think you will
probably have to pay more than you think, but with patience, you might
find what you are looking for.

What is folks opinion w.r.t RIB inflatables for this use? As I said,
I've got real doubts about the durability of one used on our rocky
beaches, but maybe I am wrong about that?

Thanks,

-dm

On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 15:01:44 -0800 (PST), wrote:

What is folks opinion w.r.t RIB inflatables for this use? As I said,
I've got real doubts about the durability of one used on our rocky
beaches, but maybe I am wrong about that?

They take a licking and keep on ticking.

On Mar 3, 6:12*pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Mon, 3 Mar 2008 15:01:44 -0800 (PST), wrote:
What is folks opinion w.r.t RIB inflatables for this use? As I said,
I've got real doubts about the durability of one used on our rocky
beaches, but maybe I am wrong about that?

They take a licking and keep on ticking.

Can I assume that the wooden flat bottom skiff I suggest, is not
something you would consider? Wood it be better if it had a modified
vee or are there other reasons... I think the Brockway type skiff
(dry weight 250) with the tiller 25 would suit his needs and might
even be able to fit close to his budget too.