but geez are new boats getting rediculously expensive ! For quite some time I have tripped on the price of those 200 plus hp glitter-rockets (totally worthless for me anyway) but after looking at much smaller, lighter, less hp, aluminums, I guess those high-per bass boats are not such a bad value after all, at least in comparison !

Anyway, I have searched the Internet high and low, and I really can't find a production boat which would suit me better than this one: http://www.g3boats.com/OutfitterSeries/OutfitterV143T/default.php
I just love this thing. The layout (no rear benches !!!), the Realtree camo finish, welded, high transom, 25 hp Yamaha ! Geez, what a fish catchin' machine ! (and BTW, a small deck could be added very easily, from the front bench forward, giving me a raised fishing platform, storage underneath, and effectively eliminating the one and only bench this boat has :-)
But the price..... $9200 out the door ! (from Diablo Marine anyway.... haven't checked around further yet). Sure, I could get a 14 ft Klamath, Gregor, Valco, etc, for way less.... maybe $6500 brand new, or, since they are so darn common (dime a dozen) I could probably find a very good condition used one, for like $3K.
But I swear I will never again climb over a bench, if I live to be 100 !!!

Anyway, as much as I want a new boat, if I can't get the G3 I posted the link to..... or something 'very' similar that I haven't seen yet, I'll just have to keep fishing out of my little 12ft Seaking.

Any ideas or suggestions ?

Thank you for listening to my rant.
Peace,
Fish

PS, I have even considered getting a Klamath, or Gregor, hacking out the benches, and rebuilding it with a double floor (flotation within) additional side support, etc. If I had a shop, and the right tools, I'd already be there !

I just want a small V-hull aluminum that I can run laps in..... but don't want the hurdles.....

Triton has some sick little alum. boats for not to bad of a price. One of my friends has one and he loves it. I almost got one but then I decied to step up and get a 20ft. carolina skiff. :7

Have you seen this (Guide V14 Laker boat from Tracker?

http://media.trackermarinegroup.com/tracker/images/TUGV14LAKEOH0205_PB_06_700.jpg

Yes I have, and it's not too bad. Of course I could give it a decent camo paint job, but probably not as cool as the Realtree on the G3.

I like the rod locker and storage of the G3 better too, but then hey, if this boat were a LOT less than the G3, I might have to consider it.
BTW, Lund, and Fisher both make a 14 ft V-hull too (without benches), but they are heavier gauge aluminum (requiring a larger motor to go the same speed) plus are carpeted (requiring me to cover the thing, and to try to keep it halfway clean and dry) I love the fact that the G3 is straight diamond grip aluminum. And as I have sworn, it would never, ever see soap or a scrub brush :-)
I'm talking about a straight up fishing boat ! The more fish slime and bait drippings, the more real it would be ! :-)

Peace,
Fish

Kind of.... but your talking Mod-V's, right ?

For me, since I sometimes get into some pretty big water, the Delta, even some saltwater, I really want a straight up V-hull (plus that's what I'm used to)

Anyway, one thing is for sure, if I was willing to settle for a mod-V, my choices would be nearly endless.

Sighhhhh....
Peace,
Fish

I am also looking to buy a boat. I've looked at Tracker, G3, and Crestliner. I wan't a Jon boat. I think I've decided on the Tracker Grizzly 1548, just don't know if I wan't the camo paint or not. Thought of putting a 25hp motor on, but it wighs a lot. I think I'll go with the Honda 20hp. Do you guys think this will be a good set-up for small, medium lakes, and rivers?

I wish I had as many choices as you do. I'm envious. Yes, actually those Honda 20's have the highest HP per weight, of any small four strokers on the market ! I'd almost go with one, except I want to go with the max HP, for my V-hull, plus it would be kind of strange to have a Honda motor on a Yamaha (G3) boat. Either way, I'm almost sure your mod-V with a 20 hp Honda, would blow away my deep-V with a 25hp Yamaha.

Peace,
Fish

Man... Fish who would have thought you of all people the man who throws swimbaits on spinning rods would worry about the make of the motor matching the make of the boat... lol

Check out the crestliner angler 1400 or 1600 the 1600 will run close to 10G's but it looked nice at the ISE show. I'd like to talk by dad into getting one but I don't think it's going to happen

Hows it going buddy ? :-) Well ya' know, its not so much that the Honda wouldn't match the G3..... its just that typically, if you buy a G3 boat, you will get a better deal as a boat / motor / trailer package.... but if you start getting a boat here, and a motor there, you end up losing any savings you might have gained on the individual items....

Heck, as a matter of fact, my buddy and I were just discussing (whether the motor ended up being a Yamaha, or a Honda) the possibility of covering that with Realtree vinyl too..... which would kind of hide the identity of the motor anyway :-)

Peace,
Fish

Oh BTW, I just went and checked out that Crestliner you mentioned..... Really nice, however, depending on how one looks at it (definately how I look at it) they are just a bit "too nice".... Carpeting, which I don't need... a pretty paint scheme, which I would just have to sand blast off, heavier gauge aluminum, which would require a bigger motor (50hp.... pretty darn big for a tiller.... speaking of which, I didn't notice if that Crestliner was even available as a tiller ???
Anyway, I'd bet that Crestliner with a 50hp, would be between 12 and 13K out the door !
Geez, the more I see, the more I'm thinking that $9200 for that G3 might just be what I have to pay, to get what I want....

Bucketmouth I'm selling my old boat if your interested. 16ft Crestliner john boat.

Take a look at what I did to a little 14' v-hull jon boat:

http://www.calfishing.com/gallery/Boat-project

I need to update with new pictures since I've gotten a 20HP Honda 4-stroke, tiller drive, electric start. I also got a new trailer setup for it.

Ken

I have found Crestliners to be worth the money,and the boats in thr bass pro shops catalog seem to have a good price.
brian

it must have been fun ripping those benches out :-) I just can't have any wood in mine, as it will never be covered, and it will spend 365 days a year in direct sun, rain, heat, and cold. The only thing I plan to cover is the motor..... and that's not for the exterior of it, but rather, to maybe help preserve / protect hoses, wires, belts, etc, from direct weather.....

Peace,
Fish

Josh, let me know how much, I may be interested. What model is it. Email me when you get a chance, I've got a few questions.

Hey call me at 209 601-9609

Have you looked into Klammath boats? A guy I worked with had one a V hull like that, but maybe a little longer. He used it for Bass fishing and local inshore slat water. Super stable and handled rough water well. They come with the hard bottom floor and no bench. I know they're pretty inexpensive.

I fished out of a G3 also and they are really nice as well. Definately a good value for what you get.

You said > They come with the hard bottom floor and no bench <

Oh yea ? Please show me one of these. The only 14 ft aluminums I have found (aside from the G3 that I am so stoked on) without benches were one each by Tracker, Fisher, and Lund, which were all much heavier guage aluminum, carpeted, fancy paint / decal schemes, all of which required bigger motors, and are going from 11K to 13K $ each ! These are the upper end of the spectrum, then on the opposite end, are all the useless, bench-filled pieces of garbage..... with hardly any options in between, except the G3 V143T (and maybe the Tracker that Sacto John posted the photo of above.... although it really needs a camo paint job... and a rod locker :-)

But again, I'd sure like somebody to show me some more options....

Peace,
Fish

Hi "Fish"!

Perhaps you would like to check out www.quintrex.com.au

The Quintrex (made in Australia) 395 Explorer Trophy or the 420 Explorer Trophy may be suitable. They have quite a range of other models too - all welded and extruded aluminium, some with flotation.

When I last checked the site (about a year ago), I noticed Quintrex had a dealership in the USA ...

Hope you find what you're looking for...

There's a distinct possiblity the new WRB will find its way into your new boat! :D

Keep well, Buddy!

Best regards from SA,
Jacques

Fish while I have been away from work the guy who had the boat quit. So I will try to contact him and find the dealer he got it from. He was getting ready to sell it a little while back for 5k with a 40hp 4 stroke Yamaha and everything else he had. I will let you know as soon as I speak with him.

but it seems that I will probably end up working something out with Yamaha G3 :-) Been talking with them about a sponsorship, and we are pretty much down to the details now :-)

Pretty stoked !
Peace,
Fish

What you need is a nice 22ft. with a 250 Verado, that way you can call attention to yourself on the water JK!! Actually, keep doing what your doing (you dont need a fancy fast boat to nail a TOAD), pretty soon (if not already) your name will be mentioned in the same breath as Mr. Murphy......... Hey, Happy New Year i hope all is well with you!! When are you coming down to Orange County, the big girls are starting to stir???? Bass i mean!!!!
Shawn

What a surprise to see you here :-)

Yea', a bunch of my buddies have those big, powerful, glitter covered things, and I have nothing against those boats.... for my buddies. But I just kind of look at them with amusement, kind of like the way I look at a chopper on OCC or something. Which is to say, WOW ! That thing looks cool, but pretty much useless to me personally. I'm into pure function. Don't want to 'ever' have to wash it. Don't want to ever have to cover it. In fact, don't want to ever do anything with my boat, except fish from it :-)

The lighter, and more fuel efficient it is, the less money it will cost to operate, and the more I can then fish from it, instead of working to cover all the high costs.

Besides all of that, I personally think that G3 V143T is just about as pretty as a boat could be, just as it is. I'd put Real Tree over glitter any day :-)

Peace,
Fish

Hey Chris, I'm curious about one thing. Are you sure you have really thought through the camo thing. My thoughts are that if you want to camoflage yourself in a particular situation look at how nature does it. If you are hiding on dry land from terrestrial creatures camo is definitly the way to go, but this is water. A fish looking up with the sky as a background sees blue sky, white or grey clouds. Notice that one of the best aquatic predatory birds is the Egret which is snow-white. The underside of most fish is white so they are invisible when seen from below. My boat is solid (almost) white, and I think that makes excellent camoflage. The only thing that would be better in my opinion would be mirror silver to simply reflect whatever was around (the underside of water surface is a mirror). Bob

Of course on the other hand if what you're really trying to do is hide from other fishermen then maybe camo is the way to go. I forgot about that possibility. A white boat ain't hiding from anyone. bob

Well technically, a White boat IS hiding yourself from other boats and anglers because Everyone seems to have a White Bassboat out on the water these days!!
I have one of them purdy Black and red Sparkly boats (as Chris calls em) and fish see me coming a mile away but, that doesnt stop me from putting the Hammer down!!!!!

It's just because I have this thing for Real Tree Camo :-) Like my boots, a bunch of my hats, my bedspread, etc.

Plus, as I have said, I vow that my boat will NEVER see soap and water, and the camo pattern seems to really hide dirt, grime, scrapes, and scratches well. Much better than any solid color anyway.

In fact, if I could afford it, I'd love to get my truck proffesionally 'Real Tree Camo'd' too, since all it will ever be used for is to pull my camo'd boat anyway :-) You ever see trucks like this ? Freaking coooool ! Course if everybody started doing it, I'd have to paint mine my second favorite color.... lime green ! :-)

Peace,
Fish

That's cool, but about the boat washing thing, I whiped mine down every time I used for the first year. Then it became my fishing boat and if you look close you'll see just how filthy it is. Enjoy the RealTree. bob