Comparing the cost of a boat to using a guide service

[DockShootinJack]

If I was still in Bama I would be your boat ride Lee. Wife imported me to Tennessee in 2015. I have an empty seat if you have a hankering for Chickamauga. Can't promise any fish, bit we will give it a try and have fun doing it

[Grainraiser]

I have wanted a 70k boat but I would never ever buy a new boat. My current rig is a 14ft fiberglass boat with a 2020 25hp Mercury on the back. I also have livescope on the boat. I have 5k in the boat and I can fish whenever I want. I still hire a guide sometimes but I only do it to learn a new body of water. I find it greatly flattens the learning curve. I recently came into a nice sum of money but I refuse to buy another boat because my current rig does everything I need for it to do. I seldom fish more 3 miles from the ramp. Even if I wanted too upgrade I would not spend more than 20k for another rig. I don't fish for a living so a big new shiney boat is not something I would ever buy. To each is own but don't think you have to spend 70k for a boat. Fish never know what kind of rig your fishing from. I like to fish when I want to fish and the good guides here are sometimes booked months in advance.

[Rojo]

I’ve had several things, first being a good life with a good wife who hasn’t set foot in my boat 10 times in 43 years. But she won’t tell me not to go unless it’s just plain stupid or we have something planned that I forgot. I know……what, me forget? As I stated in a post earlier today, I’ve been treated well. While I don’t have everything there is, I’ve always had what I needed. Apparently, I’ve needed a boat most of my life. I’ve usually found my boats for a deal so I’ve had good equipment for a fair price, nothing near 70,000 for all of them combined so far. And to get to my point, I’ve also had several health issues in the last 5 years and I’m very fortunate to be drawing breath while I type this. Me without a boat would be a diminished quality of life. I fished 3 times in two days last weekend. My boat isn’t fancy, a sixteen foot Jon with a tiller 25 and an Ipilot. I bought it at nineteen years old with 35 hours on it, then added a few things to make it mine. I’ve used a guide a few times and will use them again when needed. I release most of my fish so it’s not the meat I’m after. My wife and I talk of this some and I tell her that as long as I’m able, I’m going to go. When it’s not safe for me to do this alone in my own boat, I’ll step out of it and sell it. God has already kept you in his hand by getting you through your stroke, and I have no doubt he will guide you through this decision of what’s best for you. I’ve enjoyed reading all the thoughts on this, it’s nice to know I’m not alone.

\

Skeet, I'm reading this thread not seeing my thoughts written till your post. I could not write it any better. I pulled a 8ft Trawl in a 12 freshwater flatboat with a 1966 Evinrude 3hp, reverse? Turn the engine around backwards. When boating is in your DNA living without one is never a thought. Well written my friend, well written.

P.S. We finally got a used 25hp, put it on that 12ft flat and folded the bow up in a rough Bay South of New Orleans. Freshwater Flats don't like Saltwater Bays when the wind is blowing hard. We both sat in the back, got the bow up in the air, and limped it back to our camp. The Old Man was pissed to say the least.

[skeetbum]

I didn’t say that if I was to upgrade, it would be to a bigger Jon without a center seat. I had a CC and didn’t like it. The open setup or side console works better for me. Barge looking kinda thing.