Well, i've been spending alot of time online looking at everthing that's out there. I've also been calling around and getting some quotes. On tuesday i'm going up to look at some Crestliner's that a place near me said they have in stock. Starting to get a little excited here.

I have a couple questions. What are the advantages of the modified V to the flat-bottom? Is one more stable than the other and is there anything I should avoid as far as jon-boats go?

And now a question about outboards. I'm probably going to go with a 9.9 Honda 4 stroke, but there are others out there that are way cheaper. I've seen Nissan outboards for several hundred less and they offer a 3 year warranty. Does anyone know anything about these motors, good or bad?

Sorry for all the questons, but i'm just way outta the loop as far as boats go and I don't want to get something i'm going to regret.

A modified vee will give you a smoother ride over chop because it has a slight vee, a jon boat is completely flat and will slap the water. The hull will not be an issue if you fish very calm, never choppy waters. Both are stable. Beam or width is what determines tippiness. The wider, the more stable. I have a Yamaha 15 2-stroke so I can only tell you a little about 4 stroke engines. The Nissan is a good engine and is actually made by Tohatsu. They have been around for a long, long time in Japan. beyond that, I can't tell you much about the mech/quality diffs. with a Honda. Hondas are expensive though. You might ask this on allcoast pvt boater tech board or on one of the wmi bass boards:

http://www.wmi.org/bassfish/bassboard/boats_motors/index.html


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www.swimbait.com
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www.pro-cure.com

I have true Deep V, not the modified and a 90hp Tohatsu TLDI 2 star motor. The motor is so awesome. Man it is fast and no break downs, or at least that is what I have been told. The reliablilty of the Tohatsu/Nissan is really good, chances are it will rarely end up in the shop. Tohatsu is cheaper than that of Nissan, purely by name but they are the same product. I would definitley go with a true Deep V and not the modified V hull. The modified V hull will beat you up on the bigger waves and in my opinion ( mind you this is just an opinion ) the modified V hull is just a bigger version of a john boat. Or as me and my buddies say - a death boat. You could not pay me to buy them but they are cheaper and most people who have not spent time on the water will always buy the cheaper version. Make sure you request a test ride from the dealer in both the modified and the true Deep V hull to help determine what is best for you. If you plan on using your boat on lakes that are very small and you do not plan on staying out in the wind/waves then go with the modified V hull to save money. The really nice thing about the true deep V is the fact it will cut through the waves when your out in the nasty weather, it is much safer and you can really put it to the test if your horsepower is adequate. 99% of all the aluminum boats out here are modified v hulls, as the lakes out here don't get all that bad weather/wave wise. If you ever go back east or the midwest you will see nothing but big Deep V hull boats as the lakes are generally shallower and the waves will pick up and get huge. I like to stay out no matter what the weather is and that is why I have the boat I do. Crowley lake is a prime example of what a good boat can do for you when the weather picks up. Look at me ramble on and on...... I will shut up now. If you have any other questions please feel free to e-mail me . Later dude

Thanks for the info on the deep vs. the mod v, Musky.

About the TLDI. I know that this is a very clean motor, and has the 2 CARB stars. Mike's update to my post about Diamond Valley mentions that only Optimax, Ficht, HPDI, and 4 strokes will be allowed. Combined with the hassle you reported from the ranger at Lake Skinner (I think it was you) got me to thinking that maybe the MWD is going to key on individual brands and not the stars. I hope not!
NoTrollMotor

I have a Honda four stroke 9.9, that I bought brand new 3 years ago. Very sweet little motor. My only regret is that I didn't get the 15 hp and here's why..... The 15 hp is the exact same size, and weight as the 9.9. The only difference is carburation. Since these things get ourageously great fuel economy anyway, this is not an issue. My 9.9 pushes me and my gear, in my little 12 foot v-hull, along just fine.... probabably close to 20 mph I guess, but add another big guy in the front of my boat and it drops to about 10 or 12 mph ! I don't think a 15 hp would give me much more top end speed, but I think it would be better for when I have a passenger (heavier loads)...... Then again, I prefer to do all of my serious trophy hunting by myself anyway.

Peace,
Fish

PS, Normally the 15 hp is about $250 more than the 9.9.... well worth it. But I got my 9.9 for about $300 less than the going rate at the time..... so a $550 difference would have been hard to swallow..... looking back on that now though, I still maybe should have.... hmmmm.

Thanks to everyone who replied.
I looked around today and made a few more calls. I talked to a dealer that has some Lowe MV1448 boats with trailers in stock for a reasonable price. He quoted me $2,400 for the 9.9 Honda. So now i'm just wondering if I should just go for the Honda or maybe get a 15hp Nissan for around $1,800. I'll let you all know when I decide.

I had a 40hp 1988 Nissan tiller and I should have never sold it ! It ran like a top and never, I mean never gave me any problems. Why I sold it is beyond me, if I coulda woulda shoulda ? Man I wish I still had that motor today , not that I even need it, but it ran soo good and I sold it sooo cheap. After owning that motor is what made me look into another Nissan, and that's when I discovered Tohatsu's. Man, I hope I don't get screwed out of DV with this motor, I will be really pissed off ! But hey, look what happened with the closures off the coast, anything is possible. Our state and our DFG could screw up a wet dream !