Boat Rentals

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My buddies were referencing 'jon boats' for their next fishing trip...any input on those?

They basically rent pickup trucks (F150 / RAM1500) with extended beds because they toss the smaller boats into the bed as access is hit and miss...and bringing a trailer is dicey at the best of times. Add some rain, and you can't even get to the fishing launch point because there's no way to tow through rough terrain.

When I told them I'll have a Maverick by then they all laughed at me saying it's not a real truck, and they'll have to pull me out of the access road...
 
Jon boats are prefect cottage lake and river fish boats , flat bottom , dirt cheap . I think a new one , 12ft is under 2k . Cheapo outboard and go. Only buy the aluminum ones , cheap , hammer out dents , bullet proof.


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crankcall said:
Jon boats are prefect cottage lake and river fish boats , flat bottom , dirt cheap . I think a new one , 12ft is under 2k . Cheapo outboard and go. Only buy the aluminum ones , cheap , hammer out dents , bullet proof.


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Don't give MP more ideas.
He may take it duck hunting and want to put it to the test.
 
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Found a new prospect for my Sister and BIL that checks all the boxes, a Chaparral 30 footer.

Not sure how how seriously they're shopping currently however given the season's over. Personally I'd like to see them pick something over the winter with a condition of sale of a sea trial come spring, because we all know what will happen with prices come the spring rush.
 
Turns out they have been pursuing it I guess after the fact, trying to go see it this weekend.

I don't know a ton about Chaparral's, but at least the engine bay appears to have more than 1 square foot of space in it for working on things, which is better than the Four Winns we looked at a few weeks ago.

Deep down I still wish they'd bought that 35' Doral from a month or so ago. That thing was nice in a lot of ways - big and spacious in all the right places (including the engine bay) and with $50+K in new modernized propulsion with only a handful of hours on all of it, certainly mechanically A1. But my sister didn't like the layout. And I respect that she needs to like it as she literally spends almost every day from early May to basically November living aboard.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Turns out they have been pursuing it I guess after the fact, trying to go see it this weekend.

I don't know a ton about Chaparral's, but at least the engine bay appears to have more than 1 square foot of space in it for working on things, which is better than the Four Winns we looked at a few weeks ago.

Deep down I still wish they'd bought that 35' Doral from a month or so ago. That thing was nice in a lot of ways - big and spacious in all the right places (including the engine bay) and with $50+K in new modernized propulsion with only a handful of hours on all of it, certainly mechanically A1. But my sister didn't like the layout. And I respect that she needs to like it as she literally spends almost every day from early May to basically November living aboard.
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My friend that likes yachts has had a 285ssx for a few years. It's OK. Longest he's owned a boat. Single engine but exceeds.55mph, handles reasonably well and is trailerable. I don't like it but I didn't like his floating condos either and they couldnt be trailered without paying for help. Interior space on the 28 is obviously shockingly less than the ~50' they had before.
 
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This one has a tri axle trailer under it in the photos. If it comes with it, that’s a bonus. They'll need to, *ahem*, rent a uHaul pickup truck for totally unrelated purposes twice a year.

It’s road trailerable without permits based on its beam, so that’ll also be a budgeting save not relying on the big hydraulic trailer their current boat needs, and being able to pull it out at any point during the summer to fix or repair whatever without the $$$ specialized hauler bill will be a side bonus too.

To me it still seems too small compared to what they have, but hey, not my boat, so as the saying goes, whatever floats their boat.
 
Hope that triaxle trailer has hydraulic surge brakes , the unrelated Uhaul won’t stop much . And be very careful on the backup ramp because there is often zero braking downhill in reverse . But road legal is a huge bonus for cost savings if that’s a thing . I’ll agree people need to like the layout . That’s almost never a thing in the average sailboat since there is only so many ways to slice a pie . Powerboats have so many possibilities and modern designers are getting very good .


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Unsure if surge or electric. If electric, I happen to have a wireless trailer brake controller on our camper that I can swap to whatever tow vehicle we happen to use.
 
Trailerable means narrow beam which means narrow inside which means if someone needs to move, everyone needs to move.

Our old fashioned 26 Chris had a ten foot beam, side decks and one could walk past the dinette without everyone getting up. Of course if you like the modern look by Vincenzo the shoe maker from Milan, party away.
 
I know. Certainly wouldn’t be my preference, and considerably narrower than what they have right now, but ultimately not my boat, not my choice.

We’re going to look at it tomorrow now.
 
crankcall said:
Well how did it look ?


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It’s turned into another “I’m available between 11:59 a.m. and 12:03 PM every second Tuesday when the moon is in retrograde, so let me know when that works out good for you” type nonsense with yet another broker.
 
PrivatePilot said:
It’s turned into another “I’m available between 11:59 a.m. and 12:03 PM every second Tuesday when the moon is in retrograde, so let me know when that works out good for you” type nonsense with yet another broker.
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Any chance to find out contact to the actual owner through the marina?
 
mimico_polak said:
Any chance to find out contact to the actual owner through the marina?
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Who knows. It's my understanding of this BS broker routine that the owner can't sell it directly anyways without at minimum still paying the broker, and I've read about being penalized in some cases.

I don't get it, so many hoops, but all attempts to setup a time this weekend for when I could actually be there didn't pan out. Personally, I thought a boat broker would jump through flaming hoops to have the chance of selling a vessel in basically December in Ontario, but I guess not.

My sister and BIL are trying to setup a date throught the week now for when the broker is actually available I guess and at least do a cursory lookover, and I'll send my BIL a list of things to send photos of to see if it's a "OK, lets look further when I can get there" vs a "That's a show stopper". There's just no chance of me getting there before dark anymore this time of year on a weekday, and I'm not going to inspect a boat in the dark.
 
It’s staggering how little effort the brokers will put it . I called about a boat last week . “ it’s been shrinkwrapped and the owner didn’t want slushy boots onboard so they don’t leave an access zipper” “ call back in April” . Um ok . No .


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