Likes Likes:  0
HaHa HaHa:  0
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17

Thread: Future Boat

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Seven Valleys
    Posts
    95
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Future Boat


    I'm currently fishing out of a kayak and truthfully I'm getting too old for it and am tired of the limitations. So, I'm starting to research a new boat. Here are some of my requirements and additional info:

    I live in South Central PA. Most of the places to fish in my area are lakes under 500 acres and don't allow gas powered motors. There are two exceptions. The first is a 1200 acre lake with has a 20 HP max allowed motor. The other location is a river with several dammed lakes and this river system has no HP restrictions. I would like to take at least one road trip a year to fish and am also considering retiring somewhere south which may would a longer fishing season.

    I fish for panfish and crappie a lot. However I do sometime fish for bass and would like to fish for flathead catfish in the river. I mostly fish alone. Currently I have 2 fishing kayaks so can provide one if someone wants to fish with me.

    I've started looking at stick steer boats. The reason I am looking at them is that since I fish alone most of the time it would allow me to control everything from one location. I also want to sit low in the boat since am mostly by myself and want to ensure my safety.

    So here are my questions:

    1. Anyone have a stick steer boat and can provide feedback?
    2. I think I want a front mounted trolling motor with spot lock and auto deploy. I know they are pricey but a MinnKota Ulterra seems to offer what I want. Anyone have experience with one and have feedback?
    3. I would probably want Garmin Panoptix LiveScope. Anyone else using it?
    4. You can get the Ulterra with a built in transducer for Humminbird. Is there any significant advantage of having Garmin LiveScope and Humminbird?
    5. I probably want pedestal seats so I can upgrade to Smooth Moves seats. If anyone knows anything about these seats, maybe they can tell me if they could replace seats in the non-pedestal boats such as Tracker, SeaArk and others?
    6. This one may seem silly, but I would probably want some space to have one of the little Dometic RV toilets on the boat. They don't take much space, but nature calls. Anyone have one on their boat?
    7. Since I mostly fish alone, I have been looking at a Dakota Boat Retriever. Anyone have one?

    Other items on the wish list:

    Storage including rod storage
    Built in fuel storage instead of the plastic onboard units. This may not be available on any boats in this class.
    Versatrack (I have lots of track accessories that I could reuse from the kayak)


    I know this is alot, but I'm gathering info. The Alumacraft Crappie Deluxe seems the closest I have found so far. Other boats in the same class seem to be the Tracker Panfish 16, SeaArk 1652 Crappie, War Eagle 648VS, G3 Sportsman 1610 SS and Xpress Crappie Stick Steer. Any others I should look at?

    Would a 20HP motor be adequate? I don't have any interest in flying around the lake at 40 knots, but if I take a trip to larger lakes I may need to cover some ground. So far, my fishing trips have all been fishing from shore. Last year I went to Santee-Cooper in SC and am still hoping to go to Guntersville in the fall. I would take my boat once i purchase one.

    Thanks for reading and providing feedback

  2. #2
    Cray's Avatar
    Cray is offline Crappie.com 2019 Man of Year, Supermod & Moderator of the Mechanics Forum * Crappie.com Supporter
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Byhalia,Mississippi
    Posts
    17,388
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I have the wareagle 754 vs and wouldn’t trade it. Everything in reach once I get in boat. Use Humminbird to find your fish and spots and for maps then live scope to fish for them. PM Alphahawk on here he has a really nice setup stick steer with smooth ride type seat. He can give you a bunch of useful info. My wareagle has a slotted rail on it I’m sure you could use your track stuff in
    Proud Member of Team Geezer
    Charlie Weaver USN/ENC 1965-1979




  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Stallings, NC
    Posts
    2,010
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Make sure that the Ulterra has down imaging. When we bought our boat a couple years ago the built in transducer did not support down imaging. What a dissapointment when we found out that it did not. Aside from that we love the Ulterra especially its ability to record a track and then run the track forward and backward and be free to do what ever. Even catch a fish and have to boat stay on course.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Kensett, Arkansas
    Posts
    6,260
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Don’t over look mom and pop boat builders....they’re a lot of good ones out there that build a great boat. I had mine built and am very happy with it. I have the Smooth Moves....there are other suspension systems also. I would not own a SS boat without a suspension seat up front....no matter the brand. I too fish alone and am very happy with the ease of launching and retrieving. I kayaked for 4 years until I just got tired of loading them and went back to fishing out of a boat. Here is short video of my boat.

    Regards


    YouTube


    Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app
    Thanks jigman_09 thanked you for this post

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Seven Valleys
    Posts
    95
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Alphahawk,

    I actually saw the smoothmoves seat on your channel since I have been subscribed for a while. Love the channel, keep it up.

    I assume the smoothmoves and other suspension seats will only work pedestal seats. Is that correct? Most of the boats I listed seem to have the flip up seats with storage underneath.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Seven Valleys
    Posts
    95
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Cray

    Thanks for the info. I will look at it closer.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Seven Valleys
    Posts
    95
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Ranger,

    Thanks for the info. If I go with the Ulterra I would want the Mega Down/Side Imaging.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Stallings, NC
    Posts
    2,010
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Not sure if you would want side imaging. The trolling motor turns right and left and that could be a problem. Also, that is a different transducer and probably does not come in the Ulterra.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Seven Valleys
    Posts
    95
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    They list it as an option on the MinnKota website (You can pick either down imaging or down/side imaging). I'm not sure I would even do the Humminbird. I'm pretty sure I would get a Garmin Panoptix and I'm not sure I would need both.

    I know some people run 2 different fishfinders/chartplotters. I was hoping someone would post the pros and cons.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    1,295
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    "Alphahawk ... "I have the Smooth Moves...."
    NOW you're just braggin'.

    Sent from my SM-T580 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

BACK TO TOP