small tin boat advice

jbv

jbv

Active Member
hey guys. i'd really like to get out on the chuck and do some trolling for salmon. due to space/budget constraints i'm looking for as simple and cheap as possible. i know there are serious limitations with a 12-14' tin boat and i have enough general marine experience and training to take care. i figure i would only go in fair and stable weather and probably not further out than 3 nm, carrying all the necessary safety gear and take precautions.

i see plenty of used old tin boats and motors for sale at attractive prices. clearly there is some real junk out there but i'm sure there's some good stuff too. i'd appreciate any input or advice but i do have 2 main questions:

a. is there any makes/models that i should seek out and others i should avoid like the plague?

b. i'm seeing some old boat/motor combos where a 10hp motor (for example) is included. are older motors reliable if cared for properly and tuned up upon purchase? a high quality, strong and reliable motor is a must and i won't skrimp or fool around in that dept. but if i can go all in for around 2 grand like i'm seeing and the motor works well, why would i buy new?

thanks eh.
 
If I were in your shoes I'd be looking for something along the lines of a Bayrunner or a welded Gregor or an older Lund. 14' is going to feel a lot more comfortable than 12' will if your in a bit of chop or when there is a large wake approaching you. Something like this would get you fishing http://nanaimo.en.craigslist.ca/boa/4575457477.html You'll want to make sure you have a decent bilge pump.
 
I fished for many years in my 13' Gregor. It was wide and deep for a boat that length. It was powered by an older Merc 18/25hp which is much more power than a 10hp however will get you back much faster if the weather turns on you unexpectedly.

As you are intending to go out in the chuck avoid any shallower and narrow tin boats designed for lakes.

Tight Lines!
 
Lots of 12-14 ft tinnies are fairly flat bottomed, I'd try to avoid those because of the rough ride on chop.
 
Yep....you don't want any "tinners" with a 15 inch transom.....you need a 20 inch...with a longshaft motor for it....

and the lighter built they are , the more you'll feel every wave flexing the hull sheet metal as it goes under the boat.

IMO 14ft would be bare minimum for salt........you can do it in a 12...but only on those flat perfect days if you want to stay out of trouble....

There are varying hull metal thicknesses from maker to maker.........in my opinion, the thicker the better......

If you buy a tinner......don't let it sit for ages on trailer bunks that are "carpeted over wood". The wood will most likely be "pressure treated" and the chemicals will gradually leach through the wet bunk carpet and eat the bottom of your boat. I had it happen to me..

replaced the carpet with plastic overlays......hull does not touch carpet or wood now....

Lund has some good designs....but their less expensive boats are a little light on the hull thickness if you ask me.....

Higher-end Lunds are overpriced.....


Hard to tell with a used motor........usually you have no idea exactly what the previous owner (s) did with it.....unless they kept meticulous service records etc.


I like my tinnies with center steering.......because you can't see that log coming at you in rough water if you're sitting down by the tiller and the bow is elevated.....
 
people damn near give away those 14ft-16ft hourston lake boats. buy one without power at a nice low-ball price with a trailer, then pick up some small 30-60hp power cheap and you are good to go. Much more comfortable ride in the chop and has a covered bow to keep you afloat when those waves break over the bow. Being able to plane in the chop is also much safer than a slow ride home bashing through the chop as a storm rolls in.
try this http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/Hourston-glass-craft_22577982
or this http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/Hourston--14-ft-4_22538968
or http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/14-ft-Hurston_22522296
 
Legend, Lund, Princecraft are good boats in the 14ft size range with a well maintained 20hp to 30hp for calmer, flatter days on the chuck. I fished Sooke out a 12ft fiberglass with a 9.9 hp when I was young. Lol. I wouldn't recommend it though. The point is, it can be done. Just make sure of the weather and be prepared to leave before the seas blow up on you...
 
I tried fishing the Alberni Inlet years back in a light-gauge 12ft Harbercraft car-topper with a 15 horse Johnson on it.

The wind blew up just as I was launching so I aborted. Good thing it did, actually, as I would have never made it back in those waves.
 
Think 20 hp, not 9.8 for power, major difference.
Can't comment on the current crop of car toppers much, but 14' would be preferred minimum length.
Should be able, if patient, to turn one up in your price range.
If you run into a used 14' Cope, grab it. Little pricier but made for the salt.
If not stuck on aluminum, and can accomodate a small trailer, look for an older K&C, Sangster etc. glass boat in open configuration (no windshield or bow cover).
Lake boats are made for lakes but depending where you want to fish, it's doable. Stick to the mouth of the bay and inside of Beecher Bay or Pedder Bay for example, watch the weather, be smart, and you will be ok. And you can catch fish without venturing out into the strait.

Sez he who used to fish the south side of Bowen, launching from Horseshoe Bay, in a 12' glass car topper with a 7.5 Merc. And never worried.
 
NautiGirl said:
people damn near give away those 14ft-16ft hourston lake boats. buy one without power at a nice low-ball price with a trailer, then pick up some small 30-60hp power cheap and you are good to go. Much more comfortable ride in the chop and has a covered bow to keep you afloat when those waves break over the bow. Being able to plane in the chop is also much safer than a slow ride home bashing through the chop as a storm rolls in.
try this http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/Hourston-glass-craft_22577982
or this http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/Hourston--14-ft-4_22538968
or http://www.usednanaimo.com/classified-ad/14-ft-Hurston_22522296
Click to expand...

Man, those boats bring back memories! My first boat was a '68 Hourston 14 1/2' with a 50 HP Merc with a pull start - no electrics, no battery. Used to run that thing from Horseshoe Bay to Gibsons regularly. Great boat to fish from back in the days before down riggers and all that stuff that needed power.
 
thanks all for your input. having spoken with a few more people and your observations, it looks like 14 is the bare min. cartoppers are out. i want to run manual downriggers so a sturdy 14 is required if not bigger. i'm now looking at different options and expanding the search. the good news is it looks like you can still get in for less than my mtn bikes, so it's just a matter of looking, waiting and not being in a rush to find the right boat. looks like i'll be back to trolling from my sea kayak to see if i can nail an elusive salmon yet this summer. out off Kitty Coleman hump there a number of times last yr and got skunked. too hard to get to depth.
 
I fish out of a 14 foot Lund SSV14. I looked long and hard for a Cope or other similar welded boat but after close to a year of searching, I found this Lund for sale and bought it. I just wanted to get out fishing.

Been using it now for 3 seasons and it's been great. It's very stable and solidly built, it's exceeded my expectations. I run a 20 Honda 4 stroke for power which I love. No smoke, nice and quiet, gently sips fuel. A 6 hour outing is about 4 litres of fuel. :)

You are more limited on the days you can fish more than if you have a bigger craft but, when it's rough, I don't want to fish anyway so I'm not missing anything.

Good luck on your hunt.
 
12' tinny

image.jpg

I don't disagree with advice already given, it's all good stuff.
Just wanted to let you know it can be done with a 12' tinny. My fishing fanatic grandpa bought this boat second hand in 1952. He fished Howe sound, Sunshine Coast and northwest bay areas for years, and caught fish. My dad fished it too and caught fish. They passed it to me when I was 9, when they started fishing double eagles. So, I've fished it for 30 years now too. 12', riveted, no leaks, only work done was replaced bow and stern corner caps and strengthened transom cap. Of course it's only good for nice weather, although I did take it out in 4' seas as a teen (dumb kids!)
No sounder, no downriggers (I use deep six planer boards with flashers and sliding weights for straight bait) no frills. But, enough room for tackle box, gaff, cooler, safety gear and a fishing bro. Who needs a sounder if you know where they go year after year? ;)
iPhone makes a huge difference with navionics app, and coastguard is only 3 digits away (*16). Forecast at your fingertips, with a SHARP eye on wind and an escape route home, your good to go.
I do my serious fishing out of friends serious boats, but get huge satisfaction and a toast to Grandpa in the sky everytime I catch one out of her. This one was 3 weeks ago near Active pass.
 
are3u9u4.jpg
. I have a 14' pricecraft that has seen some rough water and I'm still floating.
7upaqe5e.jpg
4e9uvura.jpg
 
Just a word of caution here.....

If you are running a 14ft aluminum with downriggers on it.......unlike a fibreglass boat, where most people want to put the d/riggers right at the back, this is not a good idea on 14 or 12 ft tinners.....

And don't run those 60 inch extended Scotty booms on it.....stick to 30" booms..

On boats this size the torque from a cannonball bottom hook up can be pretty strong (especially with the 60" extended booms).......strong enough that you could get into trouble/swamped possibly.....

IMO put them farther up the gunwale to counteract this.....

Cheers.......:)
 
Tugcapitan said:
View attachment 13278

I don't disagree with advice already given, it's all good stuff.
Just wanted to let you know it can be done with a 12' tinny. My fishing fanatic grandpa bought this boat second hand in 1952. He fished Howe sound, Sunshine Coast and northwest bay areas for years, and caught fish. My dad fished it too and caught fish. They passed it to me when I was 9, when they started fishing double eagles. So, I've fished it for 30 years now too. 12', riveted, no leaks, only work done was replaced bow and stern corner caps and strengthened transom cap. Of course it's only good for nice weather, although I did take it out in 4' seas as a teen (dumb kids!)
No sounder, no downriggers (I use deep six planer boards with flashers and sliding weights for straight bait) no frills. But, enough room for tackle box, gaff, cooler, safety gear and a fishing bro. Who needs a sounder if you know where they go year after year? ;)
iPhone makes a huge difference with navionics app, and coastguard is only 3 digits away (*16). Forecast at your fingertips, with a SHARP eye on wind and an escape route home, your good to go.
I do my serious fishing out of friends serious boats, but get huge satisfaction and a toast to Grandpa in the sky everytime I catch one out of her. This one was 3 weeks ago near Active pass.
Click to expand...

awesome story and photo. good to know that downriggers are optional. what size deep six gets you to where you want to be?
 
Don't get me wrong, downriggers are definately where it's at. But if your just casually checking it out...
I was useing no 2 deep sixes, tie 10' of line to em, and then run the usual suspects of which you can find TONS of info on all over this forum. I was running flasher with another 6 or 7 feet of line to a spoon on one side and flasher or no flasher to anchovie on the other. I fish scratchy spots where you don't see many if any boats, but if I was you I'd hit the popular spots where other people are fishing to start. Again, info on where to go all over this forum. I was guessing 70 to 100 good 2 foot pulls of line was getting my gear down 40-60 feet. 180 ft of line down only 60 feet! That's why downriggers rule the day. It can be challenging to land fish by yourself with 10' of line to flasher and then another 6 or 7 to the hook. I get the fish tired, grab the line, put the rod in the rod holder, and handline it in to the boat. If it runs again, just let out the slack by hand and then grab the rod again to start all over. In a little boat, I also find gaffing or tailing them into the boat easier than netting, but that's just my preference.
Good luck!
 
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