Getting a boat small and light enough to un hook the trailer and lowere down creek banks wide, stable with dep enough sides abd semi v or v hull to Handel hig rough winters on flooded river. But small w
enough to get pushed over log jams abd beaver dams and through flooded timber. With enough motor to keep you out of trouble and fit 4 people.

Most boats are to small and unstable or to large for our style of hunting and fishing. None are set up floor plan very well. My cousins smallest boat is about perfect. wider than any I can find 14' semi v higher in the back attransom. he completely customized it removed the seats built the front deck added live well, pit on a side console and controls, added blue foma between the floor ribs and put aluminum floor over it . Supports the aluminum helps with noise and added flotation.

Only drawback is its a little tight with 4 and semi v is great for the shallow water stuff but v hull would be smoother on rougher water.

What's your idea boat.. Seems like im beginning to understand why you can't have just one. Kind of like guns. My cousin also has a huge 32' star craft And can handle larger water..

Im thinking its time i think about a boat beyond the kayaks. Im going to be slowly cuting back at work and should have some time to use one. Beyond fishing it makes geting to some public hunting areas easier and won't be a good weather only boat.

I found a 17' with 60 or 70hp side control aluminum about 3 hours away I may go look at if it doesn't sell befor I can get away. It may be a bit heavy and run deeper than best from running the creeks but im guessing be comfortable with the wife boys and I if we all want to get out fishing in the summer( wife won't go when its cold out) I was thinking an 18 to20" v Lund or similar but they are high. If it was only the boys and I i think a boat like my cousins maybe 16' would be about perfect. But no one makes one as wide like that that I can find any more and The wife will enjoy going when the weather is nice..

Then I think heck a pontoon would be about perfect for the good weather fishing boat with room for friends and probably beter for me with my come and go balance and health issues. #I have good days and forget bad days may pop up at any time) . And im back to no such thing as a perfect boat and back to square 1
.

What you idea boat and use type. Rambling mind thoughts in the deer woods.

You're right, no such thing as one boat fits all.

5 boats, 3 mud motors, 2 outboards, 2 canoes. About right. And a gas powered winch to drag the small rig over beaver dams and log jams.

Might be time to group activities for individual boats, eh?

21 feet ...my Salmon / Trout trolling rig.

And one boat ...doesn't fit all

I've got a wide 14' jon boat for river fishing, trapping, duck hunting, etc. It's old and tough and I don't mind if I bounce off the occasional rock or log.
Bought a new Alumacraft Competitor a couple years ago. Big, wide, deep V fishing boat. Very comfortable and easy to stay in all day.
There is also a canoe and a couple kayaks around here that occasionally see some use.
You may be right in that a pontoon would suit you best, PF.

Now ya just need one for winter:


There’s an old saying: “One boats too many and 5 boats aint enough” . LOL

funny guy . . .

One of the five is destined to be the winter boat. Just haven't got around to figuring out the undercarriage. Got the scratcher . . .

Nice!!!

Flood covered my original metal cradle with sand and I haven’t found it yet. I took some old 2x6’s and built a temporary one with 3/4” conduit screwed to bottom of runners. It woks but I like the other cradle better.

lol.. I have a similar problem. 24’ work boat with no comfort features. Rigged to haul gear from the bottom of the ocean. A 18’ Lund Alaskan. Two canoes. A 14’ duck skiff. Two float tubes. Two airboats.
They just kinda accumulated, over the years….

To the OP. The Lund makes the most sense, to me.

If stability is an.issue, you can pretty easily mount a removable outrigger on a boat.

Keith

For what your asking for, doesn't exist....for your off the bank launches a canoe probably best, but it won't take 4 grown people and gear, if you want to come back, lol

A 14' semi V is probably the closest to an all round boat, but again, heavy for some tricks, too small for others....anything smaller is too small for 4 people with stuff....

If the lund style boat is what you're after but don't like the price, look at the starcraft freedom 180. I've had one for 7 or 8 years and its been a great boat. I bought it for the open floor plan. I have the tiller and with all the space I can cater it to the specific seasons ie fishing, duck hunting, trapping, deer hunting etc. For a bank launch boat, look at the inflatable dingeys. It sounds ridiculous but my brother bought a cheap 8 footer and we've had me and him, all our deer hunting gear and a deer in it. Drug it through Greenbrier and all kinds of briars with no problems. He's got a little 4 horse motor on it. One guy can throw it in the back of the truck no problem. If you bumped it up to a 12 or 14 footer, I believe you could haul a moose.

Also if you're not against a used boat, swap your Facebook search to cover ky/barkley lakes. Spring is the best time but the number of quality boats old people sell off the lakes for a good price is wild.