I have decided (and got permission) to buy a new boat for the coming fishing season and later, duck season. My choices have been narrowed down to the following boats but I need a little help weighing the pros and cons... hopefully someone has either of these two styles and can weigh in.
Uses:
50% waterfowling: Pitt river, goose island, westham island foreshore, fraser river back eddies and sloughs
25% Pulling crab/prawn traps in Indian arm, putting around with the wife to the small islands, heading up to the mouth of the arm for fishing and hunting
15% Salmon fishing on the fraser, probably below the Rosedale bridge, however I may venture higher if the boat can handle it
10% Hunting up north: floating rivers, accessing points off Williston lake
Boat choices:
Lowe Frontier 1546 http://www.loweboats.com/2013/huntin...frontier-1546/
- Pros: Lightweight (290 lbs, can put it on top of the enclosed trailer when I go hunting up north), narrower trailer width for ease of storage, easy on fuel, cheaper, can trade my existing 8hp for a 25hp straight across the board, shallower draft for marshes
- Cons: Can only take a 25hp max (is that enough power for the fraser/williston?) narrower beam, less cargo capacity,
Lowe Frontier 1650 http://www.loweboats.com/2013/huntin...frontier-1650/
- Pros: Higher capacity, more room for buddies if they come hunting, higher HP rating @ 40hp, wider beam for greater stability
- Cons: 460lbs, I am not moving this around by myself but I could still take this boat up north if I invest in a boat loader for the truck and put the quad underneath, trailer is 7' wide now, fuel usage is double, total costs are around $2000 more for this boat