which boat should I choose

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wiudavis

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Messages
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Location
Peoria, IL
Hello All,
I have been reading several of your posts and have decided to take on a challenge of my own. My father in law is offering me either one of his two boats. They are both from auctions and have never received much TLC. The choice is between a 14-48 Ouachita or a 16-48 Monarch. The monarch has had all the seats removed and measures 74" across the top and 49" across the existing floor. I am up in the air on which boat to choose. They both have their pro's and con's but after looking at your pictures anything is possible. I have never owned a boat before, so I am not sure if 16' is too much of a boat. I plan to use the boat for bass, crappie, and catfish. All advice is appreciated. I have attached a few pictures of each boat. Also I can switch the motors around, 15 hp Johnson, or a 20 hp Mercury.
 

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  • 14' ouachita.jpg
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  • 14' ouachita 2.jpg
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  • 16' monarch.jpg
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  • 16' monarch 2.jpg
    16' monarch 2.jpg
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:WELCOME:

Thanks for joining! :beer:

In my opinion, Bigger is better! Go with the bigger one and you will have more options, and you will appreciate the extra space in the future.
 
I would go with the 16 footer, and the 20hp motor. Like Jim said, you will love extra space.

What about trailers? if they will swap for both boats can you use the best one?
 
I agree with the other two posts. The extra 2 ft and extra 5 Hp
Bigger is better in some cases. :mrgreen:
 
I agree you will need the extra space plus the seats are already out so that saves you some time and work. Take your time planing it out and then go for it.

good luck

Dave
 
"too much boat"? never heard of that before, that's funny. 16 footer all the way and let's see that thing get modified!
 
I'd go with the 16 footer. The pic looks like a nice boat. Wish I had gotten something like that.
 
There is no such thing as too much boat. I have a 21' Jon and sometimes wish it was bigger. The only point where there would be an extremely minimal difference would be how low in the water the 16 sets vs. the 14 and I doubt either one will be in the water more than 8-10 inches.... And there's rarely call to float that shallow...

Go with the 16' and figure out how to put a nice livewell in there that boat looks like it's just about ready to go catch some walleye!!!
 
That is what I like to hear. I am in agreement with the 16ft'r. Now comes the hardest part. The layout!!!! I will keep you posted on the progress. Thanks again for all of your quick replies. The 16' Monarch wins 11-0. Anyone have any suggestions, that must go in the layout? I was thinking a raised front deck , then drop down to a lower middle section with a bench on the port side and a small deck in the back.
 
That sounds good. Add lots of storage room. Leave space for a nice livewell. Make sure you have a spots for rods so they can stay organized.
 
What's your budget?

What do you want to do with the boat? Fish, bowfish, duck hunt, joy ride, river fishing, lake fishing?

What are you going to fish for?

If you're fishing panfish vs. muskie that could determine your livewell size.

See if you can snag that trolling motor too!

I like a front deck and a back deck. Under the back deck you can hide your batteries and fuel tank.

Most guys like to go with plywood here, I like to spend the extra coin and go with all aluminum/stainless + no rust, no rot, sronger, lighter!!

If you go with plywood, use stainless screws to hold it together.

I think for fishing, there are a few things that are a must if you are going to do it right...

1) a livewell
2) Rod locker @ least 7-8 ft long so you can use 1 piece rods. (or long enough for what rods you will use)
3) Flat floor (is nice more than a must)
4) Marker lights (So night won't stop the bite)
5) Comfy seats

Just my $.02 hope it helps.

Make sure to take pictures and share!!

If you want some cool ideaslook at this site, their accessories are interesting and fun to look at.

https://www.gatortraxboats.com/Accessories.htm
 
I've got a 14' and wish every day that it was 16' or bigger. You'll love the 48" width, it's super stable. I agree about checking out the trailer very well too. (I've also got a 25 on mine and I wish it was a 40.)

One other question that ToTonka didn't ask was how many people will be in the boat when you go fishing?

Mike
 
Thanks for the input Totonka. I am not dead set on a budget yet, that is still up in the air. I plan to use this boat in my subdivision mainly, we have two large lakes. I will be fishing for bass and crappie for the most part. However I live near the Illinois River so I will be doing some catfishing also. I imagine there will be 2-3 people in the boat most of the time. How hard is building a live well? It sounds difficult.

As for the boats cost, it is free. My father in law bought me the boat at an auction last year. I think he pretty much stole it, but I am not sure on the price.
 
Rookie mistake..I should search before I post. I just read an awesome article about building your own livewell. Much easier than I imagined.
 
WAIT WAIT!! Take the 14 fter! Whatever you do, dont take the Monark! Then, PM me your dad's number, and I'll take it off his hands :lol:

Great opportunity! I hope you turn it into a fishing machine! The Monark's just keep popping up on this site, and welcome to the wonderful Monark Brotherhood!
 

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