Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Boat opinions

2nd post on this.

I've been running 18-40 hp 2-stroke prop. units on the Tanana, Yukon, and Cosna Rivers since '75, and Yamaha 4 stroke 40/30 jet on Tanana and Cosna since 2012. Frequently over-loaded. Occaisionally to the point not getting it on step (down-river, never up-river) Same boat all that time - an 18 foot riveted flat bottom. Not a Lowe from the looks of your pic. Those motors have always gotten me there, assuming mechanicals stay on line... . Eventually. Bush time works for me. ( Pushing to meet a time-line is a mistake!!! It can kill you.)

A 50 hp powerhead with either prop or jet on your boat as stated should do you fine, tho not necessarily speedily. As mentioned, jet units up here are hard to come by.

I'd buy what I need Outside, and bring it up with your boat (assuming you already own/buy one there.)

I have also run 18' Grumman canoe with side-mount 4 hp Merc on Cosna and Tanana bertween my cabin and Manley Hot Springs. That 35 miles upriver from the mouth of the Cosna to Manley, on the Tanana, takes awhile thusly, even with just me, my survival gear and a Lab ( or weight) up front in the canoe for ballast.

The 20' square stern with 10 hp 2-stroke did it better, but got stolen.

One time, early October (checking on squatters in the cabin) I broke ice with the 18' Grumman, going down the Cosna from my cabin. Canoe still bears the dents. The Tanana, once reached, running slush, was no problem, even going upstream back to Manley. About 8 hours IIRC. I should probably sell that 4hp, 2 blade, '62 Merc....

Naw... I might need it yet. Might get a spare prop for it, tho, if I can find one.

It beat waiting another 6 weeks or more for freeze-up, tho.... then I'd have had to walk the 50 miles. Probably would have kilt myself on/in the river.... Happened to a neighbor about that time of year one year.

Damn - Did I had fun when I was younger, or what???!

Seemed "normal" at the time. Still does, but I have gotten lazier.

I might be back to ground zero here. Just got a call from a gent who seems very sincere and is picking up the boat this weekend.
So if we move back up the slate is clean and I’ll start a fresh search this fall.

Have a nice 8 hp Yamaha LS 2 stroke on sale on Craigs List
https://post.craigslist.org/manage/7727417279

Uh-oh boatless bank trash all summer....!!

I know, disgusting, lol.

The Lowe is gone. Looks like I will start with a clean slate once we move up. Will have to decide if I want to explore the rivers and small lakes or travel the Kenai. I’ll give it plenty of thought over the winter.

I'm pretty sure you know at least one guy that'll take you saltwater fishing.

Probably for the best actually. Take some time. Decide what you want to do really. Then research the best boat overall.

Even if it means driving south to visit and bringing a boat back with you if you can't find or afford AK. I"ve actually been surprised that AK is not quite as bad on prices as I had heard. Though cheap is not anywhere on that list usually unless its someone transitioning out for whatever reason.

I’ve been on a lot of moose/caribou trips with those basic riveted Lowe boats. Broke a few, had a lot of adventures.

A few years ago I bit the bullet and got a 1660 sea ark with a Yamaha 60/40, it’s a bit heavier than a low and has a larger motor than the older 40/30 Yamahas I used in the past but that sea ark is amazing.

I did that three previous times. Drove to WA state. Once for a 24 SeaSport XL, then a Wooldridge Alaskan, and last burn and turn was for the 25 foot Thunderjet inboard jet. The journey doesn't bother me that much.

What makes Alaska pricing interesting is the lack of a state sales tax. Here is a good example:
When our son and his wife purchased their home in Anchorage we gave them a house warming gift of a new living room set. They picked out what they wanted from Costco and Costco shipped it up from the lower 48 and delivered it inside of their house for $99. If I would have done the same thing in Tennessee we would have had to pay roughly $450 in sales tax. So in the end it was $351 less expensive to buy it in Alaska. Strange huh? I paid almost $4k tax when I bought my Alumacraft T195 8 years ago. I bet it could of been shipped to Anchorage for the same amount, or less.

If there is a shortage of outboards in Alaska that’s on the local dealers. Plenty of lower 48 vendors have them in stock and will ship the crate to Alaska.

Snonwolfe,
Holy moly! Seriously, $4k in sales tax for the boat? That's as much money as I paid for my backwater frame shipped USPS and my GX 690 from rods saw shop.

And this thing pushes an entire moose in bone, and heavy wood stove camp up the Yukon river.


Currently designing a 28 ft behemoth of a freighter canoe for the latest 50-60 hp big block mud motors. Would take at least a 130 hp jet, to get anywhere near the torque of these latest brutes. Such a waste of fking fuel, these retarded jet motors.

Mainer,
The tax was on my 2015 Alumacraft with a 200 hp Yammie, trailer, electronics, etc. Just sold it yesterday as a matter of fact.
But yes, $4K in sales tax. 9.5% tax rate adds up fast. In some ways Alaskans have it better than most. And most don't realize it.

Do buyers down there have to pay the sales tax on a used item? Or only on new?

Depends on the state. Here in Tennessee sales tax has to be paid every time ownership is transferred as far as stuff that requires a title or to be registered.