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Bass Boat craziness #11685153 06/23/16 11:36 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 28
kobefish Offline OP
Outdoorsman
OP Offline
Outdoorsman
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 28
Just a question for you guys who love to fish like I do. I consider myself a guy who has worked his whole life and has done pretty good for himself and my family. We are a middle class family with bills like everyone else but have stayed ahead of being major debt. So the question is.....How do you guys afford a quality bass boat? I really think the boat market has gone crazy. It is very easy to pay 6-7 hundred a month for boat, storage, tackle, fuel ect. I really have a hard time with justifying that kind of money. Thoughts?

Moritz Chevrolet - 9101 Camp Bowie W Blvd, Fort Worth, TX - Monte Coon (817) 696-2003
Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685168 06/23/16 11:47 PM
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,175
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Bass-N-Buck Master Offline
TFF Celebrity
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 5,175
these days toys are really expensive just go with what you can afford. i'm in your boat can't see how some people afford the price of things these days.

Look at it this way we all have a hand in creating the price of things. businesess charge what people will pay.

EX: most cell phones cost less than $100 to make yet people will pay $600-$800 for one that's crazy not me...

Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685175 06/23/16 11:52 PM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1
F
FCSPrez Offline
Green Horn
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1
I'm middle class (I work for the state so I'll never be rich), like you, with three adult kids. I bought an 89 18.5' Champion with a 96 150 HP Mercury a couple years ago. Paid 3.5 K. Payment $115. Storage $53. Average $250 on repairs. I only fish twice a month so no more than $30 gad. So far I've done 4.8 K in repairs. I wish I had bought a newer boat, but have changed out just about all of the usual suspects. It's doable - just realize that boat stands for Break Out Another Thousand.


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Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685273 06/24/16 12:27 AM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 237
D
djones03 Offline
Outdoorsman
Offline
Outdoorsman
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 237
You can finance boats for 10+ yrs, I bought 07 basscat last year, and I drive a paid off 98 Z71 so I can afford my boat payment, you normally have to make sacrifices somewhere.

Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685293 06/24/16 12:35 AM
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 66
K
Kiss88 Offline
Outdoorsman
Offline
Outdoorsman
K
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 66
Buy the boat you can afford......learn to fish like a BOSS......maybe you can win a brand new boat fishing tournaments.

Other than that, im with ya all the way.....boat prices are absolutely ridiculous!!!!!

Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685304 06/24/16 12:38 AM
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,712
Txmedic033 Offline
TFF Team Angler
Offline
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,712
I choose to drive a 2005 truck that has been paid off for several years. That allowed me to buy a very nice used bay boat and be able to easily afford the payment. I do all of the work myself and that saves me a small fortune. Plus I love learning how to work on things.

Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: Txmedic033] #11685325 06/24/16 12:47 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,566
Happykamper Offline
TFF Guru
Offline
TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,566
It is pretty tough to own a late model boat unless you make some good money, the key is to get that first one paid for, then you start slowly upgrading, I have had a new boat every year or two for over 30 years, it cost me around 5K-7K or so a year to do that, may not be the smartest thing to do but I always have a new one and it is paid for, never did understand the guys that would go buy a 60K dollar boat and put it on a 12-15 year note, most of the time I think it does not work out too well.


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Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685335 06/24/16 12:50 AM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,683
Bruce Allen Offline
TFF Team Angler
Offline
TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,683
there are a lot of quality used bass boats out there for a lot less than new ones. Instead of paying 30K, 40K 50K 60K 70K or more look for a boat in good condition that is about 15 years old for 15K or less.

You may have to look to find the one you want. Stick with the brands that have a good reputation. And you don't necessarily need a 21' boat with a giant motor either. 150's will gets you there a lot cheaper.


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Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685351 06/24/16 12:56 AM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,170
Mike Zachary Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,170
I have always paid one off (started with an 02 Ranger 520) and sold and put all that money back into a newer (not new) one. I have owned an 08, 09, 13,14, and now a 15, all top of line Rangers. I will usually have to finance 10K or so and put it on the highest payment I can afford. The downfall to this is paying excise tax everytime I swap. I also have a side business that supports this. My wife gets all of the fire dept. income. I also pull with an 06 Duramax (paid for) so I don't have a truck payment taking away from the boat fund.

Last edited by Mike Zachary; 06/24/16 12:58 AM.
Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685381 06/24/16 01:06 AM
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,339
EastTexasBassin Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,339
I got my '99 Skeeter sx176 for 6k. Paid it off in one year. It certainly isn't the biggest or fastest, but it gets me on the fish and it has had very few issues. An unexpected stump led to a new lower unit. ( insurance paid for it) It's needed a few minor repairs here and there but fortunately I've been able to do them myself after watching a few you-tube videos.

Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685405 06/24/16 01:14 AM
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,435
S
Squirrely Dan Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,435
My wife works super hard to make my boat payment.


Fully sponsored by my mom
Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685419 06/24/16 01:18 AM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,899
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cephusjoe Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,899
my truck was paid off and has been since 2008, my wife's car was less than a year from being paid off and I pulled the trigger on a 24k boat that I got in early 2014. We had it pretty tight for the year that we made payments on both. The next year and this year we really buckled down on the payments and its pretty much paid off. I sacrifice driving an 02 f250 7.3 diesel that I love. My wife wants me to get a new truck and I tell her I don't want a new truck I want a new boat. My advice is have your vehicles paid off and find a good 20 to 25k boat. My payments were 260 a month for 10 years with a 5.5 interest rate. People say I'm crazy for financing a boat for 10. Yes that's a long time and I paid it off in 3 but if times get tough you not stuck with a 650 payments either. Hope this helps

Last edited by cephusjoe; 06/24/16 01:19 AM.

Mcurtain county okie
Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685500 06/24/16 01:47 AM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 454
S
stetson Offline
Angler
Offline
Angler
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Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 454
It all depends on what you can manage and what you are using them for, right now I'm
In your boat I have a 14 year old boat and balancing traveling all over for college events, Tuition and living I couldn't afford a new boat right now and fish every week and while people say rigs don't matter they actually do it hurts when you find fish 50 miles up the Tennessee river and you boat doesn't hold enough fuel and no places to get fuel or at 64mph takes to long to get up there compared to the new Phoenix and rangers, but I guess that's part of it someone has to have the upper hand and if possible might as well be you,

Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685520 06/24/16 01:55 AM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 487
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gatoreyes Offline
Angler
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 487
I've always had aluminum boats, economical to buy, operate and tow. They may not be as glamorous as some boats, but they are functional and less apt to break your wallet.

Re: Bass Boat craziness [Re: kobefish] #11685553 06/24/16 02:05 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 72,280
Mark Perry Offline
Super Freak
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 72,280
You are confusing what you "think" you need in order to go fishing with what you actually need to do so. There are tons of affordable boats out there that are older and lightly used.

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