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chavycha
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Boat Recommendations? Thanks - found one!
We're headed south again this winter and this time, I'm thinking of bringing a boat. The past couple years I've done a lot of beach fishing and have
loved that, but would really like the opportunity to get out even a quarter-mile or so when the weather allows. We're planning on December/January in
Asuncion, and then February/March in La Ribera (or nearby).
Here's my criteria:
Carry the two of us and some fishing gear comfortably, and maybe a couple other people in a pinch.
Able to handle some minor chop (Pacific-side bays, nearshore Cortez). I'm not about to run 20 miles offshore in the Pacific but don't want to
freak out every time a slight breeze ruffles the water.
Easy-ish to launch from unimproved ramps/beaches with two people.
Leaning towards a Smokercraft Alaskan (either the 13' or 15') or Klamath, but would love to hear other ideas. Not dead-set on a welded vs. riveted,
or aluminum vs. fiberglass, either.
For safety and reliability I will be looking only at recent (< 15 year old) four-stroke motors - I have had good luck in the past with Yamaha but
Honda would be fine too.
Thoughts?
[Edited on 10-9-2014 by chavycha]
[Edited on 11-16-2014 by chavycha]
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captkw
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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thats a no brainer
14' Livingston with pull start 25hp 2 stroke and the small console ...will run circles around any panga...soft,dry stable,safe in any wind or chop !!!
easy beach launch and does it ALL !!
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chavycha
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We have also discussed bringing one down and either leaving it with friends in La Ribera to use next year, or selling it. Is there any
legal/title/etc. issue with doing that?
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captkw
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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| Quote: | Originally posted by captkw
14' Livingston with pull start 25hp 2 stroke and the small console ...will run circles around any panga...soft,dry stable,safe in any wind or chop !!!
easy beach launch and does it ALL !! |
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chavycha
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Thanks, not familiar with Livingston, but will check them out.
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captkw
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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livingston
running charters all over the pacific from Baja to panama I have had well over 200 boston owners swear at the end of the day say"""Im selling my
Boston and buying this"""talk is cheap !! the problem with any caterman is very few guys have a clue on how to rig/set them up correctly...also ck
out "Twin Vee" and Glacer bay" or for giggles ck out "MooseBoats" that they now will not sale to the gen public!!! bad ass boats that you the gen
public are not to own !! FACT !!!
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redhilltown
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I am not a expert on this by any means but have done quite a bit of car topping a small aluminum boat to some pretty remote places of Baja norte. I
assume you are bringing a trailer? You mention beach launching of a 15' boat with a larger motor? That just doesn't sound that easy to me but then
again, I have never done it! There is always the bang for the buck scenario with bringing your own as to opposed to going out with the locals. On
the Pacific for me it is always the locals but there is nothing as fun as bopping around the Sea of Cortez with your own boat and following the
dramatic and inspiring coastline.
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chavycha
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Yes, we would be trailering it. My SUV is not set up for cartopping anything substantial; the roof rack wasn't happy last year with even the light
luggage box.
I'm not set on a 15' - a 13'-14' seems like it would work just as well. Anything smaller than that is going to be a 15" transom which doesn't make me
very comfortable.
Now that I look at a few pics, I have seen some of the Livingston boats around. There are several on our local Craigslist for decent prices.
[Edited on 10-9-2014 by chavycha]
[Edited on 10-9-2014 by chavycha]
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dtbushpilot
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14' Gregor with a 20" transom and a 15hp 4 stroke outboard. Big enough to go wherever you want (or should) go and still light enough to handle by
yourself. Livingston's are ok but I think the weight might be an issue.
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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woody with a view
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4 people on a 14' is doable, but sketchy! don't ever ask about the time I took 3 people from Villa Bahia to Don Juan Cove and back. i'll NEVER do that
again!
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Cypress
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
4 people on a 14' is doable, but sketchy! |
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bkbend
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dtbushpilot
14' Gregor with a 20" transom and a 15hp 4 stroke outboard. Big enough to go wherever you want (or should) go and still light enough to handle by
yourself. Livingston's are ok but I think the weight might be an issue. |
As a point of reference I can beach launch this setup alone. I wouldn't go any smaller on any of those components. You won't be able to fish 4 from
it, maybe 3 on a flat day. You'll still need to stay within a few miles of your launch if the wind comes up, it's too small when the whitecaps hit.
Livingston would be a good choice and has some advantages, not sure about handling the weight at launching. I've looked for them at times, but can't
seem to find one very close.
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bkbend
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
4 people on a 14' is doable, but sketchy! don't ever ask about the time I took 3 people from Villa Bahia to Don Juan Cove and back. i'll NEVER do that
again! |
Been there, done that! You don't notice the wind coming up when you're in there. I found out why the cruisers hunker down there.
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rts551
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Gregor Baja if you can find one or one of the newer Gregor Alaskans. Most folks I know that beach launch prefer 2-strokes because of the extra
weight of a 4-stroke.
Most of my beach launching is on the Pacific where you can not just dump a boat in the water.
[Edited on 10-9-2014 by rts551]
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Skipjack Joe
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There are no launch ramps at Asuncion. You'll have to figure out a way to get it from your trailer to the water. A 14' aluminum boat without the motor
is about 220lb and the motor is 100lb. You'll need several people to lift that weight. The cove has people coming and going so you may get help if you
wait long enough. Driving the trailer into the sea would mean salt on your undercarriage. Launching backwards results in water breaking over your
transom. Launching in the pacific lagoons (esteros) like Coyote or Bocana is simpler.
I think there is a marina now at La Ribera which would make that launch easier for you.
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rts551
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
There are no launch ramps at Asuncion. You'll have to figure out a way to get it from your trailer to the water. A 14' aluminum boat without the motor
is about 220lb and the motor is 100lb. You'll need several people to lift that weight. The cove has people coming and going so you may get help if you
wait long enough. Driving the trailer into the sea would mean salt on your undercarriage. Launching backwards results in water breaking over your
transom. Launching in the pacific lagoons (esteros) like Coyote or Bocana is simpler.
I think there is a marina now at La Ribera which would make that launch easier for you. |
Igor
I launch all the time in Abreojos (depending on surf conditions) and have in San Roque in the past as well with a 15 ft Gregor Baja Special, 35 hp
2-stroke. Back the boat up to 6 inches of water...off-load - turn it around and push it into deeper water. Or even easier...use launch wheels.
Takes 2 people but people do it all the time here. Takes practice and do not try it in even moderate surf.
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Russ
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dtbushpilot
14' Gregor with a 20" transom and a 15hp 4 stroke outboard. Big enough to go wherever you want (or should) go and still light enough to handle by
yourself. Livingston's are ok but I think the weight might be an issue. |
X2
You'll want something as a starter boat in Baja. I know Livinston's too and they are heavy. There is a reason you don't see a lot of them down here.
Now with a good launch ramp and conditions I'd love to have one again.
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
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SFandH
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I use a 14' aluminum boat with an outboard and beach launch it. Get a dolly with fat tires for the trailer, it makes things easier. There is usually a
downhill slope for launching. I recover it by tying a long rope onto the dolly and pulling it out of the water with my pickup, which stays high and
dry, out of the sand.
Boat trailer dolly
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Skipjack Joe
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Oh sure there are ways to launch into the surf but it usually requires additional equipment or manpower. The transom on a 14' gregor is less than a
foot. And when is the surf small enough to drive your truck into it. Perhaps in the morning. But what happens in the afternoon when you're coming in?
I don't question that you do it Ralph but I don't know any surf that stays 6". If you've launched in 6" of water then you are sometimes on bare ground
and sometimes in 12" of water. If on bare ground then my boat is resting on the prop (even when it's up). Even a small wave will go over the transom.
In fact if I lower my boat into 6" of water my bow will be so high during the launch that my transom water line may be just a couple of inches. If you
go deeper then the surge will go past your trailer and around the truck tires. There is usually some surf at both the San Roque cove and the Asuncion
beach launch site, even though they are protected.
I don't know. I want my adventure of the day be fighting the fish, not launching the boat. Launching needs to be a quick smooth operation where all
the unknown variables are accounted for and prepared for. I've seen it all - boat sideways in the surf with man holding on while his partner is wading
around retrieving floating seats and sunken tackle. And it goes downhill from there.
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Martyman
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Inflatables with launching wheels are worth looking into. There is no perfect boat
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