I am about to move back to Houston after 11 yrs in the service and im looking to buy a small boat sometime within a month and i would appreciate any helpful tips. I KNOW NOTHING of boating so i dont know what to look for when im buying a boat. so here we go:

1.) I want to both freshwater fish and saltwater fish, do i need a separate boat for each type of water or will the motors run fine in each type of water?

2.) for saltwater fishing, I would love to just try around galveston bay as I dont think i should be going out into the open water not knowing anything about boats so, how big of a boat would you suggest as a minimum to fish in galveston bay?

3.) for freshwater fishing, i was probably just going to go to lake conroe or lake houston and im assuming a little 14ft jon boat would be fine here?

4.) I usually have 3 or 4 adults with me that like to fish.

5.) radios, like cb radios or whatever boats use; how do you even learn to use them so that if i was ever stuck out in the bay or the lake, to call for help?

6.) if there was a type of boat that could tackle everything that i mentioned above in one complete package, what type is that? meaning, length, HP on motor, etc.

7.) what should i look for when buying a boat? like whats the obvious red flags, how do i know when its a good deal, etc?

like i said, i know nothing of boating. I would like to not spend over $2000 maybe up to $2500 or is this unreasonable? im in the military so im a firm believer of safety first so if need be, i might spend more to make the boat safer. the last thing i want is to be stuck out at galveston bay because my motor died.

I dont know if theres a such thing as boating school but if there was, i would love the contact info for that so they could show me the ropes. Thanks guys, i know its a lot so 1 person doesnt have to answer every single question, it could be broken down.

Ranger and some other companies make a combination bass/saltwater boat. Its basically a bassboat hull without carpet, all stainless hardware, and an aluminum or galvanized trailer.

Buy the largest boat you can afford and make sure you have room for it at home! If not you will keep kicking yourself and sayin "I wish I had bought the bigger model"

You need a center console for what you are describing. Your available funds may be a problem for getting you what you want, but look at center consoles. Do not buy anything without a mechanics inspection and nothing without a title, I can not stress either of these two points enough.

oh ok, yeah i seen those on craigslist. is that a bad place to get a boat you think? as far as a mechanic, my dad is a great mechanic so would he suffice or do i need a "boat" mechanic? ive also seen that some owners say they have no title, what is the issue in this case? is it because its going to be a pain in the butt to get the decals and what not with dps? thanks.

another question, do you think that a pontoon boat would not be suitable for fishing in Galveston bay? i like the idea of how it holds up to 8 people. I have a big family, lol.

Sounds like you need 3 different boats for all you're wanting to do. It's going to be tough to find one boat to do it all. I'm not saying it can't be done, but you're going to give up something to get something else, if that makes since.

I wouldn't want bass fish out of a potoon boat to be in a pontoon boat on the bay.

That's just me though.

oh ok, i just didnt know how that would work. I guess, ultimately, i want to saltwater fish.

It is not worth some of the trouble you will run into if the boat and or motor does not have a title. You will need to check the transom for flex, a compression test, to look at the lower unit fluid, and you will at the least want to run it on ear muffs but preferably a lake test. Since you are new to boats don't bother with anything that is not in working order for your first purchase, while it can be rewarding it is another headache that I recommend avoiding. Do not bother with anyone who will not allow a mechanic to look at the boat or allow you to test it. Many marine shops will do these sorts of tests for free or for around 100 dollars, which is money well spent.

Try to stay away from Craigslist-you will hear that a lot on this Forum.

Get someone who knows to help. Way too many variables for a novice to keep track of. Even if you knew all about it it's a good idea to have a person on your side not effected by emotion to weed out a good boat.

TAKE A BOATER'S SAFETY / EDUCATION COURSE!!! You'll be better prepared after the class.

Thanks you for your service and sacrifice for our Country! You deserve to get to go out whenever you want to!

-Alton

I live 30 minutes from Galveston and fish exclusively in Galveston and this is what I think you need. Ideally 21-22 ft would be nice to fish 4 people but you can do it in a 19 ft center console. I would recommend something like an older Kenner, Blue Wave with a 115 hp outboard. If the boat can handle it in saltwater, it'll handle it in freshwater. Make sure your trailer is galvanized. Now the problem is gonna be finding one in your budget. If you have an older boat that is not as reliable make sure you join seatow.

Center Console bay boat (20 ft range to accommodate 4 adults comfortably), Aluminum or galvanized trailer, saltwater series engine (4 stroke preferably).

Additionally, get a decent VHF Marine radio with external antenna and a good GPS/Chartplotter/Fishfinder combination. I like Garmin for marine use.

Craigslist:

There are a ton of good boats on Houston Craigslist that will be perfect for what you want.

Remember- DO NOT hand over one red cent until you have clear titles to the boat (hull), motor and trailer. NO TITLES=No Deal (period).