Damn, I Hate These Decisions

[BarryBobPosthole]

Birddog has a neighbor that is interested in my boat. Used boat prices are sky high right now and this is probably the most I could ever expect to get out of it. Prolly mid teens. Its been stored inside since I bought it new so everything is pretty cherry on it. 2000 Champion 203 Elite 225 EFI Merc. If I keep it, I really want to put a 4 cycle motor on it and rework the deck some to build a new rod storage. And a bimini top.
The problem is, I’d sell it in a minute if I thought I could find something soon. If I sell it, it might be my last boat. Ever. That’s a long time. And that isn’t something I’m mentally prepared for. I love messing around in boats. Of all sizes. I’d still have my jon boat, which is what I do 90% of my fishing in but, dayum as Muddy would say. No more trips to Canada hauling that bitch and spending twelve hours days on the front deck?

What to do, what to do. Getting old sucks ass.

BKB

[Bwana]

It is tough to get rid of an old workhorse but just think of that new boat smell!

[Hombre]

Sell it to someone you know so you can go out with them....The best boat is one someone else has to maintain, clean and store.

[jb]

Been married 54 years, and we've owned a boat about 48 of them. Always in the 22-24 ft. range, cuddy cabin, full canvas, on a trailer. Kids grew up boat camping all over the Great Lakes. We loved it. They all grew up and wife and I just used it for Big Lake fishing, then that grew old. Up here boating season is max 5 months, then 7 months in the barn. (sort of the same story now for my summer car) So about 6 years ago we decided to sell it and just keep the memories and pictures.
Two years ago neighbor decided to sell his 18 ft. run-a-bout w/ 50hp Yamaha on a trailer, about 12 years old, but well maintained and really clean. Again a 12 year old boat that was only used 4-5 months a year, maybe a dozen time each month.
Anyway, $3000 and it was mine, decked it all out for fishing again, 2 electric downriggers, nice color Hummingbird, 4 new trolling rods and enough new lures to match whatever they were hitting on, VHS radio, already had a nice AM/FM, bought a tube to pull the grandkids around and had a good first summer, first boat that was big enough for most of the inland lakes and the big lake on calm days.
Last year we never used it, sat in the barn all summer, kids and grandkids were to busy, weather was poor the few days we thought about it, and fishing forecasts sucked.
We' ll see what this summer brings, don't have big bucks tied up so that's not a problem.
I guess at some point the need for a boat goes away, maybe I'm at that point .:crushed:
https://i.imgur.com/nvqiytW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/PnPioGK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/m3ZKxGM.jpg

[Chicken Dinner]

You know it’s a bad idea. Don’t do it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Thumper]

I’ve probably owned 10 “real” boats, plus probably an equal number of johnboats (both “V” and flat). Like what happened with hunting, I eventually got to the point I drifted away from boat ownership. I sold my last 14’ V-hull aluminum, 15-HP Merc to a buddy of mine, along with my 4-wheeler. My last real boat was a 26’ walk-around cuddly cabin with a 350 Merc marine and Volvo outdrive. I had it up in the panhandle and the salt had pretty much crapped out the springs on the trailer, so I didn’t want to risk towing it the 300 miles home, so parked it at a friend’s house up there until I could get a new set of springs under the trailer.

It sat there for a year and since I wasn’t using it, I let the insurance lapse. Well, next thing I know, we had a hurricane headed our way and it was projected to zip right up the coast and slam into the panhandle! I called my insurance agent and was told they will not issue any new policies as long as there’s a named storm anywhere in the Atlantic! I had images of my boat ending up in somebodies living room and me getting my pants sued off! I called the guy up there who ran a small boat repair business and had always maintained my boat, then asked if he wanted it. He told me he could never afford to buy a boat like that and I told him I never said anything about BUYING it! I told him about the badly rusted springs, but he was local, so I’m sure he could haul it to his shop. I told him he can have it, but he has to get it NOW and I’ll mail him the title.

The bitch was, I had just put a new battery in it and 4 new tires on the trailer, preparing to get the springs done, but ran out of time. He picked it up and I mailed him the title. He was happy as a clam and, truthfully, so was I. I’ve never had a boat since and really don’t miss them Lynn sometimes mentions possibly getting another boat and I always nix the idea. I’m over it, even though we live on a large, spring-fed lake with a private boat ramp and dock!

P-hole, if you REALLY knew how to fish, you wouldn’t need a boat. When’s the last time you saw a pic of that fish-slayer Big Sky in a boat? Just say’in. :)

[BarryBobPosthole]

I think over the years, I’ve pretty much drowned out the voices in my head that told me having a boat was impractical no matter if I used it much in the year or not. I haven’t had a lot of success honestly on ‘big water’ around here that I’ve had draggining it halfway across the country but I do love that kind of fishing. And when I want to go, I want to go.
And I never take it out without a memory of Bassdog and I making me smile. We jerry rigged a lot of stuff and fished out of some toilets in our youthful boat days, but we named them every one and were as proud of them as any captians.
So there’s that too.
BKB

[Thumper]

All kidding aside P-hole, I totally understand.

[BarryBobPosthole]

The Cook Political Report has now changed my decision from ‘Leans Selling’ to ‘Leans keeping’.

BKB

[johnboy]

Sounds like you're gonna keep it. Good. I went through a downsizing thing a few years ago and sold all my toys - rv trailer, boat, bike, 'stang and even traded my big tow truck. Regrets mostly, especially the bike (I seem to buy nice bikes, spend a bunch of time and money getting it exactly the way I want then sell it, for some perverse reason). Repower is a good plan but watch the extra weight of the big 4 strokes on your transom.

[BarryBobPosthole]

I’ve considred that weight issue. I may downsizze all the way to a 150 when I convert. I don’t haul skiers or tubes and hole shot means a whole different thing to us of a certain age. Hopefully that helps with weight and economy.

My BIL has a 150 four stroke on his 20’ G3. Granted, his boat is aluminum, mine is fiberglass but in Canada fishing and trolling for seven days he can go five days on a smaller 20 gal tank and I can only go two on a 44 gal with my two stroke 225. And we neither of us hardly ever go over 30-35. Blows your doobie right out if you do.

BKb

[johnboy]

Man, I don't know if a 150hp would work for you. That hull was rated for 275hp from the factory so a 150 might struggle. Load the boat with a full tank of gas, full live wells, big cooler full of sodie pops and a couple fat guys and their gear and you might have to get out and push to get on plane. Your 225 is about 475lbs so what hp 4 stk is around the same weight?

Nothing worse than a dog of a boat. How's about a nice supercharged Verado?