boats in general

I have owned 7 boats over the years and there are 2 times that you are happy owning a boat,
1 When you first buy it
2 when you sell it
WHY??????????????????????
I think the main reason is we as consumers first buy one because this is all I need ,so we settle for a smaller boat,
smaller motor which is tooo small!!
Second we buy on impulse , it is a good deal , or a friend has one so we want one, or we see one we like the looks of!!
I have bought boats for these reasons and none of which id right.
I think you should always take the time to really sit and think what you are going to do with it, what type of fishing are you going to be doing, will it be only fair weather , will it be only shallow water and small bodies of water.
The fish it self doesn't determine what type you buy, the weather and the water you will be on does.
you can take a deep v style boat into smaller bodies of water but you cannot take a flat bottom in large water or it is dangerous. So if you NEVER plan on fishing out of shallow small water get that flatbottom , but if you want a variety of fishing places and styles go with the safer deep v bottom and you will be happier in the long run.
Now SIZE DOES MATTER if you get a short 14 ft boat in flat or deep v you better only plan on fishing just 2 people in your boat, but if you move up just 2 more feet you can fish one more fairly easy.
I fish out of a 16 ft deep v and use it in terrible weather(winds, rain, and cold) but I really would like a 18 ft so I could have the xtra room but then you have to consider that even with a 16 ft deep v I have been in 4-5 ft waves and fished safely with 2 people but it would have to be 18 ft for 3 to fish safely. you say I am contradicting myself, well yes and no. Safe clear weather fishing and high wind and waves fishing are 2 different things all together.
I n rough weather you have to take into consideration boat pitching and yawing and with that you swaying with it, you need more room just to balance yourself in bad weather to fish, than you do in a slick river.
So if you are thinking of getting that new boat sit down and do some careful thinking how you will be using it not what type of fish you are going after, how many people are going to be with you and what kind of water will you be fishing in?
Now on motor size, al ot of people that are not experienced in boating will say well the manufacture put this motor on it so it should be good enough!! I wish that was true but the truth is most boat manufacturers put the bare minimum on a boat as a kit ,but have a list and break point pricing for larger motors because they know that that 40 on a 16ft deep v will just push that boat it will not get on step and run with the boats full capacity load in it!!
There is a tag on every boat listing the weight load ,number of people and hp rating. the largest hp allowed on the boat will be the one it takes to push that boat like it should with the load capacity in it.
So take it from me I own one that has the highest hp on the boat it is rated for and I don't regret it, because when it is just me I don't have to run wide open throttle to get to speed but when I have a full capacity on board I have what it takes to safely push that boat too speed.
I like to run around 4 -4500 rpms with a load because your motor doesn't labor it is pushing the boat on plane and there is less drag on the boat resulting on less wear and tear on the motor.
My recommendations from the 7 boats I have owned go with the largest motor the boat is rated for and you will have a craft that is fast enough that if bad weather comes up and you have to get off that water that you can do it quickly and safely with the people have trusted their lives to you!!
I have been fishing all my life and I have heard too many people complain they are sorry they went with the smaller motor . A boat is an investment in FUN and SAFETY treat it like that while making that decision and you will not have the regrets that so many people do!!

I'll end up getting a boat over the next ten years and that info helps alot Pappy.

same here, my dad still have 7 boats so he never sell them so he use them for some duck hunting and fishing too. I own only one boat so its enough for me! LOL Thanks for info!