Family friendly fishing boat ideas.
- Thread starter Bifmalibu
- Start date
ChilliSpoons
Well-Known Member
What changed in 2004
MikePA
Well-Known Member
They went to an all composite material design, so no wood in the transom or stringers, and made it quite a bit bigger, more freeboard and wider.
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kaelc
Well-Known Member
What’s your budget? How many seats and how many in the family or will you be taking out most of the time? Do you Want to be able get out in poor weather with the whole family or fair weather only? If it’s just towing with a tube almost any fishing boat could do it.
My brother loved his 19 Livingston Viking with seating for 4. Got two footitus and bought a 30 foot bayliner when he had his third daughter, can likely tow with his dingy now that he added a hydrofoil and can get up to 14kns.
My brother loved his 19 Livingston Viking with seating for 4. Got two footitus and bought a 30 foot bayliner when he had his third daughter, can likely tow with his dingy now that he added a hydrofoil and can get up to 14kns.
walleyes
Crew Member
Don’t over look some of the better quality riveted aluminum boats either. Like Lund ( the best lighter built aluminum boat in my view ) or Crestliner ( Crestliner is welded )or Princecraft. They all make fine family boats and well rounded boats that in the case of most of the larger ones are designed to switch over easily from a family day boat to a serious fishing platform. If your friend isn’t afraid of a little drive like into the interior or into Alberta most of these boats will be fresh water used only and a lot of them with very low hours for the years. I had a 2006 Lund 2000 Fisherman for 13 years it was a fantastic boat. Fished Ukee, Tofino and Sooke for 9 years with that boat. Wide 99” beam on it and a deep V. And like I said it switched over from a family day boat to a fishing platform in minutes. If he’s in the used market $40,000 gets you a heck of a boat in this style if he’s not in a rush.
Bifmalibu
Well-Known Member
Fishing will likely be 2 or 3 max. Waterplay days will be more like 2 adults and 3 or 4 little kids. Weather shouldn't be too much of a factor.
kaelc
Well-Known Member
Second that. Once in awhile you can find an 18 foot Starcraft holiday with a walk through window and front seating. Problem is lots of people don’t keep the top up and you have to watch for rotten transoms and floors but they are replaceable by a great do- it yourselfer!
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Daveroo
Active Member
Add another recommendation for Campion 542, right in your price range for a used one. I have one myself and had the same thoughts as yourself when I was originally shopping for my current boat. The boat lives in the Vancouver area and is rigged as a fishing boat for the salt. Over the years I have towed it to Osoyoos and the Interior for family tubing and just general recreational boating. Last year I towed it to the Shuswap for a week and in the mornings I would fish with my Scotty downriggers and mooching rods. In the afternoon I would put the 2 rear jump seats back on, put my downriggers and rods away in the cuddy and towed the tube around for the afternoon. My main regret with the boat I bought is that it has the Yamaha 115 as a main, I would have preferred to go up to the 150hp, as I found the 115 can be slightly underpowered pulling a tube with a full crew of people onboard. I got around the problem by using a Dolfin to get on plane easier.
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