Newbie looking for help with choosing boat

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raymont4

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Hi I am looking to purchase my first boat. I have 23-year-old twins and I wanted something small that I could go out to local ponds and lakes with. I have an F1 50 with a 5 1/2 foot bed, so definitely looking for some advice for type I should be getting. I was debating getting a longer jon boat , like a 12 footer in the trailer, but then thought it might be a hassle with two small kids trying to use the trailer and everything. Any advice on using a trailer versus something lightweight that I can put in the back of my truck Would be appreciated.
I was looking at the KL 12 footer and various sun dolphins. But again don't really know what is reliable and safe for me and my kids. Probably get a small trolling motor as well.
Thank you very much for your help.
 
welcome aboard !! where you from ?

In my world, a question of this nature has to take into consideration a few factors.
How big are you, how big are the twins.
The more WIDER you can go the more SAFER it will be for all.
NO LESS than 36" across the bottom. 40-48" if you can find one.

you said you have 3 year olds . . . kids in this age range aren't much help with the big stuff.
A person in good health can muscle a 12' Jon alone from a truck, but, it can get tedious.
and a lot of dragging. So a trailer, at this time, might be a good idea.

oh, and my personal rule of boating: NEVER go farther from shore than you can swim.
and with kids: NEVER go farther from shore than you can swim carrying one or two kids.
but, that is just me.

Edit: I have never been in a plastic boat. I know people go out in them all the time.
I have never heard of anyone drowning from a capsized one.
I am just biased by looks alone..... I just don't trust them. but, that is just me.
 
Thanks. Im in NH. Im about 200 lbs and kids are 30 lbs each. Any makor pros/cons for aluminum vs plastic boats? I hear you on the width. Was looking into the sun dolphin water tender
https://www.sundolphin.com/water-tender/
 
.

Don't know if this helps




With a short box pickup you may want to consider one of those supports that go in the trailer hitch even though most of the boat would be within the box and tailgate. The only issue I saw was two complaints that the transom thickness on the Sundolphin was too thick to accommodate a standard outboard motor mount. There was some rubber piece over the transom that needed to be removed in order to mount an outboard. I personally would tend towards the aluminum boat but with two little kids the poly boat might be better. It seems the poly boat has more kid-friendly materials with lots of rounded edges. It will be quieter than the aluminum and maybe cause less wear and tare on the bed of the truck (if that matters). It looks like the poly boat is two pieces - the hull and the cockpit welded together to create an air space between the two making it unsinkable. Even though I normally would go for the aluminum in your case the poly might be the best bet.
 
I also have two small children and an F150 with the larger bed size.

I have had small boats in the past and no way would I take kids out in them. They were disappointing and wish I had never bought them. I upgraded to a Lowe 1448MV. Being six foot wide in back makes for a very stable boat.

I installed a floor so no one is tripping over the ribs. It is comfortable, stable, light weight, and feels safe. Kids love it and am looking forward to many years tooling around and fishing out of it.

So in my experience I would go with something on a trailer as wide as you can afford min 14' long. They are hard to find although it can be done. Save money up and take your time. It has taken me years.
 
I just went through this myself not long ago:

https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31729

Fwiw, I bought a Lowe 1457. Now, when I bought it last year, my family had a LOT of fun on it. My kids were 4 and 6 at the time (my 4 yr old being quite small), and we were all able to fit nicely.

Fast fwd one year, my kids are now 7 and 5, and have gone through large growth spurts. We were crowded in the boat this summer, and with the kids being that much older and more active/vocal, tempers flared due to lack of room, and made some days on the water... a little testy. When the fishing wasnt fast, the lack of space amplified the kids' boredom, and things spun out from there.

So now, after only owning the boat for a little more than a year, we're looking to upgrade in size.

14' is not really the issue, but width; my 1457 has a 57" beam, which means that the width at the floor, well, it sucks. We are looking to move to at *least* a 64" beam boat, preferrably a 68-70", with a square chine. I also want parallel rear seats and a middle walk-through bench, with a floor. If I can find a 16' boat for a good price I'll consider it, but at this point, width and floor plan/space is where its at for us.

Many jon boats would fit the bill, but I dont want a jon, as I live in a coastal city, and I need something that can deal with ocean waves. Riding in my buddy's 1548 G3 jon is like someone is standing there, kicking you in the arse in the mildest chop - no thanks.

Another aspect, is that we put our boat (only 150lbs) on top of my truck (4Runner) when we do our day trips to lakes near where we camp. The upside is that the logging roads dont affect me like they do the guys who trailer their boats, but putting it up on the truck, taking it down, gearing it up, gearing it down is tedious as anything after about the second day. So, with that said, I bought an old trailer, which I'm hoping will help ease the work.

Anyhow, just thought I'd share my experience with you, since I'm not that much further down the road than you are...
 
raymont

You say local ponds and lakes. Start with a 1648 jon. It may seem a tad more expensive now, but will be much cheaper in the long run. Very flexible boat, drafts shallow, can handle bigger water and plenty of room for the kids. Power options are also flexible, anything from an electric trolling motor to a 25/30 horse will do.
 
Thanks all. Ended up going with an older 12 footer with trailer. Went today for the first time with kids and worked great! Also bought a minn kota 40 which was perfect.
 

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Nice lookiing boat and great choice in size. My memory of our first boat is a 12 foot with a 5 horse mercury that my dad and grandpa had bought. Had lots of fun when I was aloud to go.
Enjoy and build some life long lasting memories.
Jim
 

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