New member here, first post. I've been soaking a lot of information up from this site, and am to the point where I am curious for some direct feedback. I have never owned a boat, in fact I grew up fishing from inner tubes on small lakes here in OK. My 11 year old son is a fishing maniac, so I would like to get a starter boat to help foster his enthusiasm. From what I've seen, a reliable tin boat seems like the way to go.
I've been keeping a close watch on the used local boats for about a month now. There appear to be an abundance of Alumacraft 1436s available, with a variety of engines and finishings to choose from. Those boats are carried at Academy here, and seem to be very common. Without jumping above the $3-4,000 range, there haven't been too many other options to choose from in terms of the used boats for sale. There are many "project" type boats out there, but at this point I'm looking for something that is ready for the water - and something we can learn on. Maybe at some point in the future we might decide to further customize or undertake a project. I'm a little leery at the amount of 1436s available, does that mean people like me buy them to start and quickly grow out of them / want an upgrade?
I've seen a few folks mention concern about the width of a 36 inch tin boat. Like I said, my son and I are total boat amateurs and safety is one of my main priorities as we start out. We'll likely be staying pretty close in, mostly small lakes and coves, which is what i'm familiar with. What are your thoughts on a very basic 1436? Most of them still have the basic setup, some don't even have seats added, much less platforms or anything else too fancy. I've seen anywhere from 4-9.9 HP outboards pretty commonly. We are here in Central OK, it's a windy place and although I don't plan on getting caught out in the middle of any big lakes, I can hear the wind howling outside my window as I type this.
Finally, there is a Tracker Grizzly 1448 with a 25HP Yamaha and a higher end trolling motor, depth finder, and bilge pump that just popped up for $4,000. Originally I was thinking about trying to stay closer to $2,000 (as I have mentioned, I'm really wanting something simple to learn on and then maybe later we can upgrade). However I don't want to go TOO simple at this point and then be ready for something new in 6 months. I've seen folks state they prefer the wider boat, and in terms of stability it is worth it. Should I consider the 1448 or something similar, and steer clear of the 1436s?
Just curious what all you experienced tin boaters think? It's a big decision, and I want to make the right one that is going to allow us to be out on the water without a tremendous amount of hassle. Any advice you all may have is welcomed.
Thanks,
I've been keeping a close watch on the used local boats for about a month now. There appear to be an abundance of Alumacraft 1436s available, with a variety of engines and finishings to choose from. Those boats are carried at Academy here, and seem to be very common. Without jumping above the $3-4,000 range, there haven't been too many other options to choose from in terms of the used boats for sale. There are many "project" type boats out there, but at this point I'm looking for something that is ready for the water - and something we can learn on. Maybe at some point in the future we might decide to further customize or undertake a project. I'm a little leery at the amount of 1436s available, does that mean people like me buy them to start and quickly grow out of them / want an upgrade?
I've seen a few folks mention concern about the width of a 36 inch tin boat. Like I said, my son and I are total boat amateurs and safety is one of my main priorities as we start out. We'll likely be staying pretty close in, mostly small lakes and coves, which is what i'm familiar with. What are your thoughts on a very basic 1436? Most of them still have the basic setup, some don't even have seats added, much less platforms or anything else too fancy. I've seen anywhere from 4-9.9 HP outboards pretty commonly. We are here in Central OK, it's a windy place and although I don't plan on getting caught out in the middle of any big lakes, I can hear the wind howling outside my window as I type this.
Finally, there is a Tracker Grizzly 1448 with a 25HP Yamaha and a higher end trolling motor, depth finder, and bilge pump that just popped up for $4,000. Originally I was thinking about trying to stay closer to $2,000 (as I have mentioned, I'm really wanting something simple to learn on and then maybe later we can upgrade). However I don't want to go TOO simple at this point and then be ready for something new in 6 months. I've seen folks state they prefer the wider boat, and in terms of stability it is worth it. Should I consider the 1448 or something similar, and steer clear of the 1436s?
Just curious what all you experienced tin boaters think? It's a big decision, and I want to make the right one that is going to allow us to be out on the water without a tremendous amount of hassle. Any advice you all may have is welcomed.
Thanks,