What type of boat should I buy?

[demco99]

Hey guys,

I would love to hear your input on this. I'm wondering what type of boat to buy for my girlfriend's cabin near Sooke. It is an awesome property right on the ocean between Otter and Sherringham Point. I'm sure you can imagine my frustration waking up in the morning there and seeing all the boats out front but not being able to get out there. It has a small creek along one edge of the property that has coho return to it. The property has a rudimentary boat launch which was once used to launch an 18' centre console with a tractor. I would like to buy something that I won't need any vehicle to launch. Maybe this is not possible and I need to sell my jetta and buy a truck. I would be open to the idea of building some sort of winch system.. The boat needs to be a decent size (12-14 feet?) to comfortably troll the ledge out in front as well as Otter/Sherringham for a full day. I will equip it with a handheld VHF, a basic sounder/gps unit and manual scotty downriggers. We won't head out in high winds or rough seas. Something with minimal maintenance would be preferable - it will sit in on the property under a tarp in the winter months. I'm thinking a 12' - 14' smoker craft with a 15hp outboard would fit the bill - let me know what you guys think. Pics of the boat ramp on the property below, thanks for the help guys...

Tugwell by nickdemco, on Flickr

Tugwell by nickdemco, on Flickr

Tugwell by nickdemco, on Flickr

Tugwell by nickdemco, on Flickr

Tugwell by nickdemco, on Flickr

Tugwell by nickdemco, on Flickr

Tugwell by nickdemco, on Flickr

Tugwell by nickdemco, on Flickr

 

[profisher]

I grew up on Gordon's Beach and the family still has a cabin there. We used light weight aluminum boats once they became available. I would just shop aluminum boats and buy one that appeals to you. You can't go wrong with a Lund. We had an upper ramp section that stayed in place all year. It was high enough that winter storms would not tear it apart. Every early summer we would extend that ramp down the beach with a section we would construct from the same materials as the permanent section. These were all 2X10's running length ways towards the water. Logs were used underneath for support. Enough 2x10 were used to make it about 8-10 feet wide. That section came up every fall before higher water had a chance to tear it away. We had an electric winch with a 1 horse washing machine or similar motor rigged up to an older 3-4 speed auto transmission. You could pull heavier loads up in a lower gear or if just the boat in a higher gear. Gramps could pull big logs up the beach in low gear...wood he used to burn for heat..or split cedar shakes for the roof. He made a wheeled dolly for the boat to sit on for pulling it up the beach and onto the ramp.
Every summer we would collect a bunch a say 6 inch round short logs and keep them by the ramp. When you come in from fishing you pull the boat up in these logs to keep the bottom off the rock as much as possible. Once you have the boat up the beach enough that the stern isn't taking water over from waves you can move the boat onto the dolly. Then winch it up. Going back into the water we would reverse the winch until the dolly came to the end of the ramp...then move the boat off the dolly and onto the small logs and drag it down to the water.

 

[gungadin]

IMO you could get by with a 14ft aluminium with a light 15-20 hp engine. As far as the ramp is concerned, you need to do your best to keep the hull off the gravel/cement. One way to do this is to use 1 1/2 or 2" plastic black pipe, drill four 3/8" holes 180 degrees apart about 1" in on each end, space them so they are not directly across from each other. Use some galvanized chain and chain link joiners space the pipe about 1ft apart with the chain in between the pipe. You can make it any length you desire. For the first and last ones, secure them with rebar bent in a U shape and driven into the ground. Your Jetta should be able to pull it up the ramp with no problem, if you put a hole in that wall at the top of the ramp, make the hole the same size as the pipe and use a piece of pipe as a liner if you like. Come the winter season, pull out the rebar, fold up the ramp and store ituntill next year.

 

[robertg]

agree about 14 feet, 12 is a bit small, you could look around and find an older farm tractor, I used a 1942 Case for a few years up here in Qualicum, that way you can pull the boat out so that is high and dry. Old tractors go for around 1500 to 2000.

 

[Fisherman Rob]

Maybe consider a used rigid hull inflatable? Lightweight for launching, and a more seaworthy and stable fishing platform for the size, particularly for fishing around there that gets the rolling Pacific swells much of the time.

 

[dance a jig]

I would consider a 14' Livingston, with a console and a 20-40 hp motor. These are stable, light weight, and low maintenance. If I lived at that location, that is what I would buy.

good luck. DAJ

 

[UkeeDreamin]

This would work:

http://www.pacificboatbrokers.com/images_all.asp?File_Number=WA4502

Ukee

 

[SpringVelocity]

http://www.sealegsrecreational.com/77m-cabin-boat.html

Its a pipe dream but could you imagine? There only 150k? Just drive up to your place.

 

[Sculpin]

Profisher gave a great explanation of how it's done. I have seen quite a few dolly winch set ups on waterfront properties. Some of them had railway rails attached to the concrete ramp and then protruding out further into the gravel. These act as guides for the dolly.

 

[dougthefisher]

https://www.watercar.com/index.php

 

[Califbill]

Maybe a couple kayaks.

 

[profisher]

Believe me that on that beach weight is the major consideration unless you have a strong back and legs and lots of buds that are going to be there all the time to give you a hand. Gordon' beach got quite a bit Of swell and then surf in the fall which makes landing a heavier boat a big challenge. Those of us on the beach who had cabins and lots of experience dealing with the surf never had major problems...maybe a bit of water over the stern if you were alone and no one came down to catch you and help get you up the first 20 feet of beach quickly. Back then it was 12 foot Thornes and 9.5 Johnson/Evinrudes. 14 feet would be good so long as it isn't a heavy 14.