Not to mention that 24v trolling motor he has is NOT going to cut it bay fishing. You need a 36v and nothing below that if you plan to move that pig in a stiff wind around the bay.


-Z-

Dont know if it's been mentioned, but the Mako and Kenner inshore models are the same boats now. Look at a new Mako inshore and the serial number will start with "KEN". If you dont want a liner boat, and dont care about a lot of storage, a Kenner VX rolled edge model can be a bargain, compared to the Vision series. Lighter, less fuel consumption, etc. But it isnt fancy.

Looks like a sweet deal to me

Lots of guides used Kenner VX models for lots of years.

The EuroSport is too big, too heavy, and not suited for bay use at all. The 200 will strain pushing that boat and guzzle fuel. The 24v trolling motor won't push my 23ft Marshall Intimidator very well. I have a 101lb 36v and that gets the job done. P.S. It does well in both conditions. I get 5.6 mpg at 55mph with my Evinrude E-tec 250 H.O. at 4500 rpm, however, this will run you well over $20K. I fish in Redfish Tournaments and it is perfect. It will get up in about 10in depending on the bottom. The Haynie 24 H.O. is also going to run upper 30s and is a pad hull (built for speed).

I liked the 24' Kenner and the 24' Make inshore, guess there's a reason why.

Also like the Haynie H.O. Specs say it'll get up in about 17".

Whatever boat I get will have a kicker. I have a 15 hp. The larger boats may require more.

I'm not as worried about performance as most are. Anything should be better than what I have now. 70 hp on a 20' boat. It gets up quick but is slow.

I'll probably do more offshore than bay. The main reason I want to stay with a shallower draft is so I can still run the little lakes and rivers I fished for the past 20 years before moving to Houston.

A 15hp kicker is more than enough. Most kicker engines are 9.9 hi-thrust motors, designed specifically for their applications.

That's all you really need.

Kenner's have higher than average gunwale's over many bay boats which is a plus for offshore when the seas get rough. That's why I like my buddies 1902.

Got an idea how this would do offshore? 23' Cajun

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1997-Cajun-Boats-Mastercrafter-23-91560798

No clue..

But I am not a fan of Johnson engines power packs were always the problem when we tried Johnsons.

http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=36

Ask the Cajun forum for their opinion.


-Z-

I have some pals that have a boat like that and they go to the jetties and offshore on select days. Those boats don't ride very DRY or smooth in rough/big water. Not the perfect rig, but it will work. imho.

I would, if I were you, stay away from the "triangle front" like the boat in the picture. I have a century 2180 and its hull is like that. I get wet all the time. It does run along pretty fast for a almost 22' with a 150 hp. just my .02

Looks like it would be hot as hell with the dark interior baking away during the summer

Lots of good information, seems easier if we would just tell you which boats to avoid. Please excuse my two cents but few to none of the boats mentioned above are considered top quality boats.They are upper middle for sure, but in buying a used boat maybe consider a top brand that will hold together longer.
Now you may not want a top quality boat and that is ok. I did not need that at first and my Trophy 1903 was just fine, had it in the gulf many times.
However once you have researched and experienced many boats it becomes clear what the differences are between the "top" boats and everyone else.
Someone mentioned MAKO, that they were a great boat. I am sure they are seaworthy and whatnot, have a good hull shape etc...BUT it is the fit and finish and solidness of ride that separate the top five manufacturers from everyone else
I looked extensively at the MAKO's sitting at Bass Pro and the $66000 price tag. I was apalled at the unorganzized wiring mess and sloppy fiberglass work and the cheapness of the fittings. Had I not studied other boats I would not have known.
All that being said: Go look at a Whaler or a Grady or a Robalo or a Triton and you will see what I mean. They are all of top quality construction down to the last bolt.
So I bought the Triton 2486, got it for less that the Mako mentioned, brand new. The solidness of ride, lack of rattling hatches, handling etc and quality fit and finish are worth it. My Triton is rock solid. Now it is a bit heavier than others because all the materials are the real thing. Brass, stainless, real glass windshield etc.
For used boat, quality is even more important. Get an older model of one of the top brands and you will love it.
Which leads me to my final point. Get anything you want because you have to start somewhere and you will then learn what you want next time.
If you are gonna fish the Gulf dont get a bay boat, go down to Houston and get your boat there, there are plenty of dealers here that can warranty service.
There are very few saltwater hulls here in DFW, Houston is full of them. I made two weekend trips to find what I wanted, at least you will learn alot. Good luck!

Hey Jeff. I sure loved the color of your old Trophy!
Honestly, Eight, Jeff makes a good point in that
no matter what you buy, once you've had it out a few times
you ARE going to find things you dont like & dont work for what you wanna do. that the learning curve. You can't possibly know
what you need until you spend time figuring out what those things actually are.
Give it due diligence, find a boat you like, that will do what you want it to, safely. put the time in, and when you're ready for the next boat ( & there will be a next boat..) You'll know
EXACTLY what you want.
tight lines
-Brian

Well spoken, Jeff.

I think, after looking back at the original post, he wanted it to float in skinny water, too. Here's my take on the subject..( for what it's worth..lol !)..:

While I know that beautiful Trophy of yours will take taller seas better than the larger bay boats, I dont think I want to be too far offshore in anything shorter than 65 feet if a 24 foot bay boat cant handle the seas. Been there, done that. Not fun. ( Zodiacs are excluded in this...I'll go nearly anywhere in a Zodiac)

So if he wants to get into skinny water and also wants to make short runs offshore, price-wise, he's probably better off with a shallower draft than most of the boats you mentioned. Of course, we'd all like a Whaler, but let's face it, they cost too much and most used ones are worn out. If I'm concerned about going offshore in a 22-24 foot bay boat on a given day, then maybe I dont need to go at all that day.

Dang, that's a pretty Trophy !

I am in Houston. Need to update my info, moved from Katy to the northwest side.

What do yall think of this one? Aquasport 215
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1998-Aquasport-215-91787466
Specs say 15" draft with engine up, 33" draft engine down. So the bottom of the engine is really 18" lower than the hull? I wonder how much it could take off in with a jack plate and trim tabs.

So I should just sell off the flat bottom and rig my 12' Avon Rover for offshore fishing? With a 10hp motor, I used to run a whole weekend on a 3 gallon tank of gas. It would fly with the 10hp too, hurt the back some when it landed though. It would be alot of fun with the 25 hp max rated engine.

I've run two Aquasports and they were both good boats. I dont know about the new ones, though. It's not going to get into skinny water, for sure, but I've been caught in a storm coming in from the Chandeluer Islands in a old 222 Aquasport. It was a rough ride, but as you can see, I made it back.

I'm not worried about what I call "skinny" water. I just want to be able to take off in 2' of water. I've got plenty of friends with shallow water boats, and another friend will likely buy my current boat.

2 feet is skinny if you are running a heavy load with something like an Aquasport Explorer. The draft figures they publish is never anything like the "real world", in my experience. You have falling tides to deal with, too.

Ditto on Kenner!

So what the deal with catamarans? Not flatscats, but the offshore type. Do they generally draft shallower than deep-v hulls? How's the ride?

I have a Nitro Bay 2200 which is the same as the Kenner's made now. Its a great boat. Can run pretty shallow and still handle going off shore or fishing the jetties, etc. Its a great all-around boat for me.

I wanna go fishing with Mr Huckleberry