Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Sold my old boat today... now....

I had an 1991 Alumacraft fishing boat that I had since 1995... sold it today to a nice fella. He really liked the boat and payed my asking price. Which tells me, maybe my price was too cheap. But I thought it was fair. And, now... gone it is....

I am looking for any advice that will help me shop for a new boat... it dosn't have to be new, However, I see some asking prices for used boats that I can buy brand new for less than the asking price... so, I am leaning toward new.

My boat requirements are:

14-16' v hull aluminum fishing boat
roller trailer ( negotiable)
30-50hp Tiller motor.
Tiller only, no console steering system, I want the floor space.

I want to stay away from the Mercury Motor line because of the Chinese manufacturing.

share your thoughts with me.

I have a 15’ Gregor V hull with a 20hp fuel injected Suzuki. Both have been great so far, I’ve had the boat 3 years and the motor for 1.

I saw a guy in Nebraska this summer who had a 16’ Lund with a 50hp Yamaha tiller. I really liked that boat and might try to upgrade to something similar someday.

I hear ya on the open space. Would you want a bow casting platform? I ask because I am in the research phase of buying one myself and am looking for deep V aluminum without the bow casting platform for the same reason. Lund Alaskan 16 tiller, Smokercraft/Starcraft Freedom 16 tiller, and the Polarkraft Outlander 16 tiller are worth taking a look at.

I’m going with a 18’ Polarkraft Outlander or the Smokercraft Freedom with side console. Have struggled to find them in person to see which to go with. Love the open layout, even with the SC. Definitely getting a galvanized trailer and maxing the horse power with either a Yamaha or Suzuki. From what research I’ve done I would prefer a Suzuki but a Yamaha wouldn’t be a deal breaker.

I bought a new 5 horse Merc last year and it sais made in Japan. Are you sure the bigger ones are made in China?

Yup. all the way up to 60hp are made in China.

I did find a prity fair price on a new boat with one of those evil Evinrude oil burners... I am seriously looking at puttig an offer on it.

I did look into a Polarcraft.... they look to be very well built... hard to find and the ones I did find were a bit pricy... like holy cow they are pricy... but a good looking boat.

Love the layout on the Outlander.

Here is the Smoker Craft Freedom, also a really nice open layout.

I assume you know that the Evinrude's are no longer made?

Hank

Are you sure. Last I heard up to 30hp were made by Tohatsu in Japan. Its the 40-60 that were chinese.

From another thread...

I'm buying my Tracker Classic from a really good Tracker/Mercury dealer without a single qualm about where the 50 hp was assembled.

Don't preach to me about buying stuff made in China by pounding on your made in China computer.

The Tohatsu made Mercury's are made in Japan.

If you can find one, buy a Lund- I learned from experience a couple of weeks ago, selling mine, that they hold their resale value extremely well. I sold my 18' Lund, Yamaha motor, and Shoreland'r trailer for over half of what I originally paid for it, 15 years ago!

That’s very impressive.

I did a little better... in 1995 I bought my 14' alumacraft w/25hp Evinrude and had a bow mount trolling motor thrown in on the deal for just over $3600 tax and all...

Sold it a week ago for $2800. 25 years of use for $800.00 So, I am really not afraid to spend a few bucks more to get the right boat/motor combo.

Only in WI. mikieb. I sold my 14' S-14 Lund last year too cheap and a year earlier than the boom that we've had this year. I suppose your buyer didn't realize just how many 14' Alumacrafts are sitting upside down on people's lawns up north on nearly every place with lake frontage, mine included.

You have a point there... This guy drove up from the north side of Madison... he was more than happy with the boat/motor set up I had... the carped floor was all original from the factory and all the lights and pumps worked, Live well was clean and the bowmount electric was an old Johnson/Evinrude and it worked flawlessly.

He was so happy with it.... I am starting to think I sold it too cheap... but then again, It was for sale, the price was set for show and sell, not show and tell... like all the rest of the junk on craigslist.

Now I am scouring the landscape in 4 states looking for a new boat. A dealer in Fairbuilt Mn has a few in inventory that might just work... I got two weeks until fall rebates fall off on Alumacraft.