My wife and I are talking about retiring in the Pacific Northwest in a few years. Naturally, I love the outdoors and would really like to spend many of my retirement hours on the water. This would include fishing and just generally enjoying stuff.

She is a closet princess. She tries to enjoy the outdoors with me, but starts to really wane when things get a little too spartan. Her idea of roughing it is not "slow room service." She just hates to be too cold and has to pee a bunch. We are working on the motion sickness thingy.

I have been eyeballing a few pilot house boats like the Kingfisher from Jetcraft in the 26' to 28' range. I don't know if they are good boats or not, I just really like that type of layout. Are their better, more reliable brands?

One consideration is that we may spend part of the year in Texas around South Padre Island. Which brings me up to another boat. Center console suggestions? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The reason I bring this up is that I may want a boat that I can trailer out of the water and dry store it for part of the year. Suggestions......ideas....help!!!!

Can't help with the boat idea but I must say you have to have a pile of money to retire in the PNW. I live 50 miles from Seattle in a low populated area. My Property tax just went over the cost of my mortgage for a 1700sq ft house. That's 750 a month in property tax! And it ain't gonna be goin down any time soon! 6 years ago it was 250 a month!

If you can retire here you have done really well for yourself!

We've done alright. Property tax in our area is very high, also. What we are looking at is a condo on a harbor. One that we can button up and leave for extended periods of time without worry of ongoing maintenance.

Longbob:

You may want to look at each states property taxes/school taxes policies. Some have a senior citizen provision that will reduce your taxes. That's a state program. Then you may want to look at the towns programs that will reduce taxes even further. You'll need to go to the tax assessors office and ask because some of these programs are not widely known or advertised. You should also go to the towns mayors office and ask for information.

Next you will be well advised to look into a "reverse mortgage". If you own a home free and clear and you are a senior citizen you may qualify. The bank will advance you money monthly or open a credit line which you can tap into. Upon your demise, or selling the house, the loan has to be repaid. It is protected and guaranteed by the government. The bank, by law, cannot foreclose so long as you are alive up to age 150 years old..

You'll need to get used to the idea that "you can't take it with you ". Your heirs can either pay the bank and take the house or sell the house, pay the bank and pocket the balance.

In my particular case I have some properties valued at over one half mllion dollars. The value is escalating at 15% per annum. I'm making $60,000 per year in appreciation. The reverse mortgage companies will use a 4% per annum escalation over 30 years national average.

You will have adequate income to pay your taxes and expenses by tapping into your realestate equity.

Now about the boat. I have been a boat owner for neary 50 years. My son has owned boats for 20 years. There are several categories, sail boats, power boats. The power boats are inboards and outboards. Some are set up for fishing and some for pleasure craft. Some "cigarette" boats are for speed.

Some boats have a walk in cabin, kitchen, head. Some have a cramped "cuddy cabin". Some boats have a "walk around". You can access forward by walking along the sides of the cabin.

You'll be well advised to begin going to big inwater boat shows. Some will have 125 manufacturers displaying 500 models. There will also be brokers with used boats. My son and a friend went sailfish fishing in the Florida keys, Isla Morada, in February and the friend bought a 28' powerboat at a very significant saving over his home area. There are some good Florida boat deals. The hurricanes are churning things and making the market even better for the buyers. You could scoot over there and look arong and, unless Texas is also cheap, save a bundle.

My son has a 26" Seasprite fishing boat with a Merc-cruiser IO inboard/outboard. I prefer that over twin outboards as they are in the way fishing over the back. However, marine mechanics like the outboards better because they are simpler and easier to work on, more accessible.

If you will be going offshore, out of sight of land, you will want twin engines or at least a "kicker" auxiliary outboard on the swim platform. You'll want a good color fishfinder/gps, a marine radio, lifesaver vests, emergency smoke, flares, distress flag and other. EPIRB is good as is a hand saltwater converter reverse osmosin fresh water maker. You'll want twin batteries and an off switch. You'll also want to enroll in "SeaTow" the boaters energency towing service.

There are a dozen boat builder names that are generally "tops in the field". I would go with the names that have been around for a long time. Just be sure that you hull design will float if the boat sinks. *( My son sank our Chris Craft in a tornado/water spout ). 26'-28' is a good choice. In a storm you'll wish it was 100' long.

You'll also want to look into rack storage. The marinas have a gigantic Bull forklift and take the boat out of the water at the end of each use. Out of water you do not get the corrosion that eats up zincs and outdrives, barnacles die and the slime cannot live. The bottom maintenance is almost zero. For winter storage you may want to look for a property where you can keep the boat at your home and save a big bundle of winter storage marina fee. Better start looking for marinas also and get a booking . Some are booked solid and some have a 2 - 3 year waiting list. Boating has taken off like a skyrocket and shore properties have been escalating 50% per annum in some areas.

I'll politely decline to make any boat recommendations. I don't know enough about your personal preferences and there are so many boats around that you'll get scores of recommendations all contradictory to eachother. Buy on impulse, whatever strikes your fancy. Either it's for fishing or it's for just hanging out in a comfortable cabin tied to ten other boats - "rafted" - where everyone climbs over eveyone else, drinks beer, barbecues, BS's and plays cards. And to make this work be sure to have the misses in on the selection and let her have her input. If she's happy everyone is happy.

Good Luck. You'll soon learn that a boat is a bottomless hole where you throw your money and that everything marine is 3 times the price.

Bill Tibbe

I'll decline offering a boat

Thank you for the response. You have brought up several points that I have considered and a few that I haven't.

Currently, we are focusing our attention on the property on the Texas coast (Corpus Christi/North Padre) since this hasn't appreciated out of sight. We are thinking of buying a rentable condo in the $200,000 to $250,000 range. Not one that we would end up in, but one that should hedge us in that market if it were to start appreciating.

We are keeping our eyes peeled for a weakness or softening in the market around Puget Sound. May never happen, but we plan on doing the same hedging thing if it ever does or just buy the one we want. Depending on the overall timing and situation.

I understand about boats being subjective. Much like optics. I was mainly soliciting advice on how the spousal units have adapted or have been assimiliated into the marine lifestyle. I do know that mine won't pee over the side, so some type of head is in order for any boat selected. That is a given. The more I read some of the responses on a Northwest Fishing forum, the more consideration I have been giving to the heating system and such.

Oh the fun I am having daydreaming about all of this.....

Take a look at the Northriver 26ft aluminum or the Pacific Skiff 26ft. All boats are not created equal. They are not subjective and lots of crappy boats are on the market. For the pacific northwest I'd stick with the aluminum/outboard combo. The bigger 4 Stroke motors are great, with a good warranty to boot. Boating out of the Pac Northwest will be a little different than boating out of corpus. I've done both the gulf of mexico and alaska.............

Make sure you get the toilet for the wife. The suspension seating is a good add-on.

Good advice for a major purchase........... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Master:

Yep. As I said stick with the top dozen. He'll be just fine. No problem at all.

Aluminum hulls are not in my perview. Only fiber glass.

Bill Tibbe

As far as Pilot house boats go for the PNW There are queite a few and I am not the best to ask on them , but center consoles on the other hand I can help a bunch. Some really good sea boats and rugged at that are made by a company called Regulator in NC and also 2 more companies in FLA one is SEAVEE as well as Sea Craft all are strong heavy boats built very well in design and consruction. All have a head for the lady in the console. If it were my money I would look more so at the Regulator . Knowing you want to be in PNW the regulato has a larger bow flare (making for a drier ride ) a 23 deg deadrise tons of storage space lots of fuel and the heaviest in its class. Pugent sound is where the USCG does all there rough water training so I would wnt a heavy boat with a big flare and a real deep V if I were in that area . Yamaha's are hard to beat for power.

http://www.seaveeboats.com/
http://www.regulatormarine.com/
http://www.seacraft-boats.com/

Master Bonzi,

Thanks for the response. As you know, the Kingfisher is an Aluminum hull and outboard set-up. It was the one that caught my eye originally. I was curious why most people have been advising me to get the Aluminum hull for the PNW. Not that I am against it because that was the direction I was leaning anyway. What is the advantage/s for that set-up? I'll check out the others that you are suggesting, also.

wildone,

Thanks for the response. I looked over the links and agree that the center console is far preferred for the Texas fishing especially for the stuff that likes to run circles around the boat. Since I am also dealing with the comfort of the spousal unit, is it a bad idea to consider one of the center consoles with a far forward cuddy?

I thought it was funny that the Pacific Skiff I checked out has a "swim platform." Yeah, right. Like this Texas boy will willingly put his redneck in that cold a$$ water. Not in this lifetime. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The main reason I believe the aluminum is more common in the PNW is the amount of fantastic river fishing in what can be some very shallow rocky areas. The most serious fisherman and guides all use jet sleds here and fish both the ocean and the rivers. The Sleds are not the best plan for the ocean but they will work. A glass boat is a frigging nighmare in a river though and will be ruined in short order! The Lady fishing Guide I frequently work with here has a 24' alumiweld sled and we have fished it a whole lot in the ocean and countless days in the rivers. You will find that it's the kind of boat to have after living here and seeing what all the big dogs are using. The Rivers are where the action is at for the majority of great fishing, and that is where the Aluminum shines from what I have seen.

Bob...you must ask your self these questions. What type of fishing do I think I will be doing most of , will I be using this boat for day trips or will I stay overnight , Is my wife going to be on the boat all the time or just once in a blue moon. Granted eventually you will get caught in the rain , but would you leave the dock if it was allready raining , do you want to run the rivers or just fish the ocean. These answers will ultimately help you make the descision, what I would do may not be the best for you. I have no use for a cabin in that size boat I fish for shark and tuna either by myself or with a crew , I overnight in the canyons of the NE in sept and oct and it really doesn't bother me . I use my boats for fishing exclusively , no sunset cruises or bar hopping to various ports of call however I do move ports to fish at times .My fishing styles include live and dead bait as well as trolling . When it gets rough the last place she is gonna want to be is in the bow of any boat when it gets cold will she be still going with you or will she opt for the shopping mall? Not knowing either of you it is hard for anyone here to tell you what is the best boat for you. I have owned as many as 3 boats at the same time 1 of them was always a centerconsole. Best advise I could give you is pick 2 boats of each style that you like the best and go see them in person , walk on them ride on them on not such a nice day( they all ride great when its calm out)open the hatches , play with the knobs, check the fit and finish , see if it has enough room for the electronics you want to put on it, make sure it has enough fuel for the traveling you will be doing, make sure there is enough storage for the crap that you will collect and want to leave on the boat like tackle ,PFD's, some clothes, raingear , flare kit , firstaid kit , drinking water. Make sure with all you stuff on board that you still have ample floor space to move around in rough water safley.See if you could get a referance list of some owners of that boat and talk to them and see what the like and dislike about that brand of boat or what they would have done differently . The two place you are talking about operating the boat are worlds apart in the weather synopsis that is another thing make it a bit difficult to get a grip on what the best boat is for you.

Actually, I'd make sure I'd have the swim platform/tuna door on a boat if I was spending the loot to get one. The make life easier when it comes to getting wet doggie in and out of the boat if you're going to be doing a little duck hunting with it.

One thing you didn't mention is what is more important, speed or economy. If you're retired and want to be taking longer leasurely trips, a diesel powered troller displacement hull or power cruiser sail boat will have a much longer range, and suck much less fuel running at 6-7 knots, vs a planing hull running 20-25 knots. What's more important, getting there quick, or enjoying the trip.

There is also a quantum leap in purchase and operating cost between a 22-24' cabin cruiser and a 26-28 foot, ie the double the cost of the boat, and double the fuel consumption. A 26-28' cruiser at today's fuel prices sucks upwards of 10 gallons an hour, so you can easily burn $200-250 per day.

That makes sense about using aluminum due to the rocks in the rivers and such.

The boats will be utilized mainly for day trips. It would be nice to be able to get out of the weather every now and then especially in the north. My wife will be with me most of the time. We try to spend as much time together doing stuff as possible (by choice) and I would like her to be as comfortable as I can within reason. We won't be hard core, just looking forward to being wowed by the scenery and overall ambiance of our surroundings. The fishing will give us something to do and formulate a purpose.

We have thought about the trawler option, but I'm not that convinced that we would utilize the overnight facilities that much if any at all. I think we would be more interested in speed and manueverability.

I cannot express how much I appreciate the feedback and advice. I realize that you are working at a disadvantage of not knowing us, but everyone has given me many things to think about and have helped narrow down my choices.

Any additional thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Aluminum is great for a hardcore fishing boat, very tough and very little maintanance. The downside of Aluminum hulls is they are loud in the water, and they conduct heat very well, so they are cold in Northern waters. I'd say for your use, Aluminum wouldn't be the best choice. That leaves fiberglass, and wood, though there aren't many commercially built choices in wood.

I also think for a couple that will primarily be taking day trips, a 22-24' boat will be more then enough for a comfortable day trip. The 26-28' boats are more for a family of 4-6 taking multiple day trips. The bigger boats are a little bit more comfortable in a slight chop, but they are still small boats. There is a good saying among boaters that the bigger the boat, the less it get's taken out. A C-dory 22 is a nice little boat, albeit the flat bottom provides a rougher ride than a semi-V.

In my highly biased opinion <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I think the best choice in the size range your looking for is the type of boat I'm building, a Tolman Skiff
http://www.fishyfish.com/paulhail/paul.html

Unfortunately there aren't any commercial builders of them. Even the 24' Jumbo is light for it's size, and hence fuel economic, and provides plenty of room to lay it out any way you want.

They are loud, I'll be getting mine sprayed inside with LineX this early winter. As far as the jet sleds go they are all fully lined and carpeted inside. You would never know you were in an aluminum boat while inside. They also have canvas enclosures which with the heat on will be toasty warm even in freezing weather.

Remember that in the PNW more then 1/2 the great fishing will be in the rivers or near them, and it's not usually warm or dry here when the fishing is best! There is also tons of great lake fishing so having a boat that you can trailler to the enormous east side lakes is a huge benifit. There you will have warm dry boating all summer!

If that is the case then I would look at a company called Parker boats. They are made in the carolinas I believe. They are a fiberglass hull with a huge cockpit to fish and rest . They also have a pilot house that you can dodge the weather and do an overnight if you want . They are well built , fast , economical , good ride and fit the profile you have given. I like their 25' sport cabib modle.

here they are http://www.parkerboats.net/

Longbob
You may want to check the SW Washington/Columbia Gorge area... No Income tax in WA and no sales tax in OR... Lots of fishing and hunting options there.

On the seasickness "thingy" you need to look into ginger... Ginger ale, tea, capsules and "crystalized" (dried and sugared) work extremely well.
art

Longbob, one thing to consider with boats is how much, how far and what you are going to pull it with. I have a 23' center console and I pull it with a 2003 1500 chevy suburban. this boat is max for this vehicle and is not much fun on long trips. I have found boats in the 19-21' range to be easier to pull and store. I take my edgewater 23' single-outboard boat out 30 miles plus. with a radio (and backup) and seatow, I figure I am in pretty good shape. grady white makes some very nice, although expensive, boats that seem to hold their value well. as far as motor go, most of the major companies make pretty good ones. good luck

Sitka,

I will check out that area, also. Hunting is a top priority.

257Bob,

I don't intend on towing this much at all. It would only be taken out for service, storage, storms <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif" alt="" /> , etc.... The marina could handle all of that if needed.

The size of the boat is a big consideration. I like a larger boat, but I am well aware of the adage "the bigger the boat, the less it is taken out." If the water is rough, no boat will really seem big enough. I just like a bigger boat for a smoother ride mainly.

The info has been fantastic. We went to visit North Padre Island and fell in love with it. We will probably buy a couple pieces of property down there as a hedge. Then we will start looking in the Puget Sound areas down to where Sitka was suggesting.

I think he is trying to push me further South, away from him. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Longbob, good luck. if you go over 23', you will probably need two engines. that means more weight and twice the service expense. if you are going way offshore, then the doubles make sense. my 23 footer has a yamaha 225 four stroke and it is just about right. my longest trip is about 35 miles offshore so the single does fine.

Although aluminum boats are lower maintenance and can be beached rather easily, I think your wife would be more cozy on a glass cabin cruiser.

An Olympic, Seasport or Osprey in the 22-26' range should do quite nicely.

I do have a 22' Oly N.W. Walkaround myself. 225 HP Merc EFI saltwater O/B. I repowered when was was in the $1.50-1.75/gal range. I would have gone 4-stroke if I'd known.

MM

This is my 22� North River it has a full top and back stern cover when it is on you can walk around in it and can sleep three adults This boat has been 25 miles out tuna fishing and has spent many days in the ocean salmon fishing. And has been on some nasty white water and skinny water and works well for a fun boat for the kids too.

Check out Puget Island - not Puget Sound - near the town of Cathlamet. Prices are'n't bad yet and the island sits in the lower Columbia with great views and fishing. There are several sloughs on the island where you can own waterfront and have sheltered moorage. Ward

Ward,

Thanks for the lead. Good gosh that is a picturesque place! I have never seen a church with water front property. That may be my kind of place.

Do you know what the properties are going for? Approximate costs of homes in the 3000 sq. ft. range? How much property does one normally buy there? For instance, are the homes on 1 acre, 10 acre, or small farms?

Longbob, I've just visited a few times. The lots on the sloughs are just small building lots but the island is mostly still small acreages. How far from a boat launch can you be on a little island? I think one of the realtors in Cathlamet has a webiste to check prices. Last time I looked, the prices didn't reflect Portland or Seattle price levels at all. The only downside is that there's not a lot of hunting nearby except ducks, deer on timber co. lands and some bear. Ward

I bought a boat this year after researching brands for a year and visiting a lot of dealers. My brother's the DEM guy that registers the boats in RI and he also had a lot of input. I fish in Narragansett bay and venture out to prowl the coastline out to about 7 or 8 miles. I set these guidelines.

The boat has to contend with Narragansett Bay conditions, RI Atlantic Coastal area fair conditions, and wakes generated by commercial shipping and recreational boaters.

I wanted space to fish, a soft ride and reasonable fuel economy.

Boat, motor and trailer, I set a price cap of $35,000

Here's what I found (actually went out and looked at) in center consoles

Used 20' Grady Whites and Boston Whalers at least 5 years old. Various trailers

20' Sea Swirl 150 Yamaha 4 stroke Load Rite trailer

20' Parker 150 Yamaha 4 stroke Load Rite trailer

22' Maycraft 150 Honda 4 stroke Caravan trailer

22' Seahunt 150 Yamaha 4 stroke Caravan trailer

21' Sailfish 150 Yamaha 4 stroke Load Rite trailer

20' Caravelle 150 Yamaha 4 stroke Long trailer

20' Polar 150 Yamaha 4 stroke Long trailer

20' Scout Yamaha 150 no trailer

Here is what I learned:

Grady's are a lot of boat, they're expensive and hold their value. Even the 18' was priced out of my reach.

Boston Whalers are small, and a 19' (out of reach) isn't very big. Hull construction with foam inside costs a lot and you get a smaller boat for the money. One though that you can cut in half and stay afloat in.

Sea Swirls are not regarded highly (hear a lot of comparisons to Trophys as light thin hull boats), but cost quite a bit of money. The 20 looked small to me.

Parkers are supposed to be well built boats. The ones I saw had low sides and not a lot of "V" to the bottoms. They looked like they would give an unpleasant ride. I noticed a bigger one like a 26 with a pilot house tied up in the harbor and as the marina traffic went by, it was the only boat bobbing up and down. Sort of confirmed my opinion. They do have a 21 deep "V" I'd have liked to have seen.

Maycraft was no frills, rough fiberglass everywhere. A fiberglass boat with wood stringers and deck and transom laminates. Most inexpensive boat I looked at. A lot of boat for the money. My brother's friend has one a 20' and liked it a lot. Brother said he thought it pounded and I'd not care for it though. They sell a ton of boats to police and fire departments and have a good track record for durability.

Seahunt was also no frills. They look like Grady Whites and have a loyal following here. Boat for boat they are lighter and come with lighter outboards (less power). I rode in a 20 and it did roll and sway a bit crossing wakes but it did not pound. Faster and more fuel efficient hulls, but weight reduction affects ride. I definitely would have gone with the 22', although the dealer said I wouldn't enjoy trailering it.

Sailfish - Bought one. Deepest "V" on market. High sides basically a Seacraft copy. It went 45 with a 150, and I was impressed with the ride. The hull is soft and gentle but it does rock left to right the deep "V" is the culprit. Takes some getting used to. I've fished out of it a year and would recommend the boat. Base boat with a Yamaha 4 stroke 150 was 32K. Very reasonable I thought.

Caravelle are heavy and have a big hull. Saw one for sale at sailfish dealer because owner said it was a dog. They are wood free and are known for going in and out of business. (like robalo)

Polar are mass produced - Aquasport and Wellcraft people. People want a lot of money for a pretty rough boat. The 20 I went on had rough glass in the bilges, fish boxes and battery boxes. It rode well though.

Scout I thought the 20 was small for the money. The one I looked at listed over 40K. I thought the dealer was out of his mind. I saw one man who went on a sea trial buy a 20' sailfish instead which is a bay boat not a deep V. I also heard from a full time on the water tuna fisherman to stay away from the boat that I wouldn't be happy with the ride. I don't know though.

Rob,

Thanks! That is a lot of good info to digest.

Rob just so you are aware. A boat with a deep v is going to rock more than a boat with a modified v. there is more boat in the water no matter what brand you buy. The trade off will be a smoother ride in less that ideal conditions. The perfect boat has not been invented yet.I run boats from 26 to 65 ft on a regular basis and this hold true for all catagories.

No one here has mentioned catamaran hulls yet! They are generally roomier, more fuel efficient, and have a better ride than a comperable v-hull. I have a 32' Maxcat. Aluminum, 20 degree V on the hulls, twin diesels and a gas kicker. It is set up to live AND fish, with a full standup flush head, shower, water heater, fridge/freezer, Wallace stove/heater, dinette, tons of storage, and queen berth in the cabin. Outside it has a self-bailing cockpit 10' long, 2 huge fish/storage boxes, downriggers, rocket launchers, 9 rod holders, swim step, windlass, and a fantastic walkaround with waist-high rail. It will do 25 knots in 4' windchop, comfortably, without pounding. The best part is that it only rolls about 1/3 as much as a V-hull when fishing. It can be ordered with either a bumper-pull or gooseneck trailer. I've had it for 4 years, and I wouldn't own anything else. Price is comperable with other boats in it's class, and the builder offers sizes down to 26' and over 40', with outboards, i/o, jets, and surface drives. Check out his website, www.maxweldboats.com. It's a quality operation.

I like the looks of those cat drop bows on their webpage!

ditto to BW

"Sea Swirls are not regarded highly (hear a lot of comparisons to Trophys as light thin hull boats), but cost quite a bit of money."

Beware of internet idiot-savantes passing themselves off as experts. This statement is simply not true.

Mav,

Got any pictures of your boat?

You mentioned the diesels, but not the drive (or I missed it.) Are ya running props or jets?

There's a Maxcat up here, and it looks pretty nice. About the same size as yours. It's running twin Merc 300hp Veragos.

I e-mailed the Maxcat folks, and a guy actually called me back and left a message on my cell phone. I'm going to call him back, but am trying to find out more info on these boats.

I was suprised by the quick response, as Munson never replies to my e-mails. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm sorry, the only pictures I have are prints, and I don't have the computer savvy to get them up here. Many of them have smiling people and numerous large salmon, halibut and/or tuna involved. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

We are running 330 hp Cummins B series motors in front of Hamilton 274 jets. It costs us 8 or 10 knots of speed and milage compared to i/o's, 33 vs 40+ top speed, but much more reliable and damage resistant. They are also a dream for fishing and manouvering around docks. Maxweld is building a couple boats with Saro surface drives right now, it will be interesting to see how they perform.

I can't say enough good things about Maxweld. They will build a boat for your specs, and stand behind their work 1000%, at a reasonable cost. You can tell them I said so!

Mark Rubbert

I better start a new thread, as this one is running off topic.

Wonder what the original poster decided?

Please don't start a new thread. I appreciate everyone's input. We haven't made a decision, but I am leaning towards a smaller boat than I originally thought. I definately want to be able to run some of the rivers in the NW.

Too late. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My new thread shouldn't detract from this one, it's a different subject.

Longbob-

Give Maxweld a call and talk to Andy about his smaller cats. I have seen them down to 24', with a single outboard. He will build to your specs. A 24-26' Maxcat will be light, tough, fuel efficient, stable, fast, and have a great ride. Probably 18" draft at rest with the motor down. As long as you're not running rapids it will beat any similar monohull hands down.

If you are thinking about retiring to a boat the only choice is a Trawler design. That said I'm looking a t retiring to a fifthe wheel and a piece of property in Wyoming. No state taxes, and when the snow gets too deep I just pick up and head to the southern areas of the gulf coast to live off fish for the winter.

Keith