I'm thinking about buying my first boat, a used one since I can't afford new. I'd prefer to spend around $5,000 or so, but I could possibly go up to $10,000. Hauling and paddling my canoes around is getting to my back and despite being a die hard saltwater fisherman, I'm going to be around here for at least a few more years and want a boat I can get out on Ray Roberts or Lewisville on and catch fish. I've thought about a CC instead of a bass boat so I could possibly use it nearshore down on the coast, but there are a bunch more bass boats around here and I don't mind just buying a bass boat and keeping it until I move down to the coast, if I ever even do. Thing is, I haven't even really considered buying a boat until recently and I don't really know what I should be looking for-fiberglass vs aluminum, good brands, bad brands, deep v, features or options I should be looking for, etc. Can anyone offer any advice? Thanks.

Try posting this in the Boats & Motors section !

I had a similar post sometime last year, and got alot of good inormation from there ! Good Luck !

I my opinion, when your talking about a $5,000 boat, brand does not matter. Stratos, Skeeter, Ranger, whatever. What you need to look for is a solid transome, soft floors and the such. Open the battery compartment and take a light hammer or something and tap the surfaces, if you hear a hollow sound, that is an indication of rot. Take a streight edge and lay it on the transome (vertically) and work the Tilt up and down, looking for any flex in the transome. Whatever you do, when you are checking out the boat, preform a compression check on the engine. Take it out to the lake for a test drive. Make sure the seller has all 3 titles (boat, motor, and trailer)

If you don't feel comfortable, take it to a marine dealer and have them inspect the boat for you. North Texas Fiberglass up in Denton preforms this service for free, just talk to Michael. I drug my boat over an hour to have Michael inspect my boat before I paid for it, worth the trip!!

If the seller is against you test driving or taking the boat to have it inspected, WALK AWAY!!!!!

Just my $.02!!

My first boat is a $1300 aluminum Tracker that I bought here on TFF. My intention was to have something that I wouldn't be sick about losing if I did something really stupid being a first time boater. I wanted to sell it within a year and buying something with a few more features. Three years later I still love my little boat and have no intention of "upgrading" any time soon.

If you are going to bass fish buy a bass boat. If you are going to crappie fish or catfish I would buy a aluminum deep v- hulled boat.
http://www.fishcast.com/ClassifiedAds.html
Here is a boat that I think would be a good one. The 95 model.
I know these people and I think they would treat you right. And when you find one take it to North Texas fiberglass to inspect before you buy it.

I have a 98' model Stratos 273 for sale. Asking 8k for let me know if you want pictures.

If you want to go with a newer model boat that is okay to scratch and beat up, I would go with an aluminum. If you don't mind going thirty or forty miles an hour across the water, you can save alot of money by buying an aluminum boat. What length or size motor are you looking for? I just checked a few sites for boats. Check whittleboats.com (they have a G3 which is what we bought but not this particular model) and try northtexasmarine.com (it is an xpress which I hear are nice boats)

Good info. I had read about a compression test and was planning on having it done, but I'll have to check the transom also. I also read about North Texas Fiberglass a year or two ago on here when I was first thinking about buying a used boat and am planning to haul any boat I'm interested in up to them, however they are called North Texas Fiberglass. Will they also examine aluminum hulls or would I even need to take an aluminum boat to them for inspection? I'm thinking problems with an aluminum hull would be more visible, although I could be wrong and if they'd inspect one and still do it for free, it sounds like a pretty good deal.

Well, I'm not exactly a first time boater, although that doesn't mean I won't do something stupid. My dad had an old 18' aluminum jon boat we'd take to Texoma or Lewisville, although that was back in the 1980's. I may go aluminum again.

I've heard that, but no one has really explained to me why they say that. Can you? I'm not really a bass fisherman, although I usually enjoy catching just about anything. If I do buy a boat, I see myself targeting crappie, hybrids, sandies and catfish. I've upped my budget to about $10,000, but I'm still not sure about a glass or aluminum boat. I do know I want something at least 18' long. I also know that it'll be tempting to investigate some creeks next spring, so maybe I'd be better off with an aluminum boat. My fishing buddy has been talking to some of his coworkers that own boats and, not surprisingly, they really recommend Ranger. I'm looking at an aluminum Tracker and a couple of Rangers and hopefully I can drive something this weekend. The Ranger you provided a link to looks interesting, even if it isn't quite 18'.

I'm thinking the same thing. I'm looking for something at least 18', but I'm not sure about motor size. My dad's old boat had a whopping 25 horsepower and all I know is I want something a whole lot bigger than that. I could get a Tracker with a 90, which would probably be fine for my needs, or I could get a Ranger or similar boat for around the same price with a 150-175, although it would be 10-15 years older than the Tracker.

When I was boat hunting last year, I looked at several aluminum boats, every single one that I looked at was cracking in either the back left or back right corner, or both. I would guess stress cracks would be your biggest concern with an aluminum boat. If your wanting to venture up some creeks, an aluminum would prolly be your best choice, but when your out on the main lake and a wind storm blows up, you can't beat the stability of a larger glass boat!!

you dont have to have three titles. only boat and moter have titles.

When you find a boat you are interested in get it checked out by a shop before you buy. North Texas Fiberglass is a sponsor here and Michael is a very honest and nice person to deal with. He has posted on here before that he will check a boat out for someone before they buy (for free) and give them an unbiased opinion. Give him a call and confirm this, he will probably give you alot of good pointers.
Dennis

I looked for three years before I finally bought one. When I did, the first thing I did was take the boat over to Michael and have him check it out before the transaction was final. I can not say enough good things about that guy. Also, you may want to call him if you are looking he does have some good boats that he takes in on cosignment and checks them all out very carefully before he puts them up for sale.