MouthBQ,
I know what you mean about making your boat feel small.
I had a 18' Majek RFL built to spec in Jan '95 with a deck in the back above floor level. It had "extras" like a SS steering wheel, no feedback steering, gator mount MG troll motor, jack plate, vhf radio, lighted compass, removable seat posts and seats for drift fishing, a 115 hp motor not requiring pre-mix, and....was two tone grey/white. While they did have 21 footers, they were not the "norm". When I backed into the slip that boat drew a crowd. Folks in the POC/Seadrift area thought it was REALLY nice. I got a special deal on it. For real. It was a 18K boat, that I got new for 14K.
Now, that boat would get scoffed at, and some of the folks on the same water would have thought the LOLpoors were at the dock. A guy I work with (good guy too) was making the case to justify a 70K boat to fish the same kind of water.
My Dad liked my boat, but fished an aluminum tunnel at the time I purchased mine. He did end up getting another one, a 16 ft Flatlander a few years later.
Well I sold my Majek due to lack of use (almost every week for the first 6, but almost none the next two) after 8 years, for just a few thousand less than paid. A few months before Dad passed earlier this year, he gave me his Flatlander. It is more than enough boat for the back bays. Not quite as "fancy" (see me laughing) as my Majek, but it gets me to the reds and trout.
Truthfully, if I could go smaller than 16ft with my son and wife, I would. I only stuck that Majek twice, and it was a biotch to get out, even at 18 ft.
With the 5 fish limit coming on trout, I can go a much shorter distance than the big fast boats, and still limit out with a lot less $$$ on gas and boat cost.
But I'll still be the little LOLpoors at the dock when the boat is on trailer compared to the others.
[This message has been edited by Old Sarge (edited 3/28/2014 10:18p).]
I know what you mean about making your boat feel small.
I had a 18' Majek RFL built to spec in Jan '95 with a deck in the back above floor level. It had "extras" like a SS steering wheel, no feedback steering, gator mount MG troll motor, jack plate, vhf radio, lighted compass, removable seat posts and seats for drift fishing, a 115 hp motor not requiring pre-mix, and....was two tone grey/white. While they did have 21 footers, they were not the "norm". When I backed into the slip that boat drew a crowd. Folks in the POC/Seadrift area thought it was REALLY nice. I got a special deal on it. For real. It was a 18K boat, that I got new for 14K.
Now, that boat would get scoffed at, and some of the folks on the same water would have thought the LOLpoors were at the dock. A guy I work with (good guy too) was making the case to justify a 70K boat to fish the same kind of water.
My Dad liked my boat, but fished an aluminum tunnel at the time I purchased mine. He did end up getting another one, a 16 ft Flatlander a few years later.
Well I sold my Majek due to lack of use (almost every week for the first 6, but almost none the next two) after 8 years, for just a few thousand less than paid. A few months before Dad passed earlier this year, he gave me his Flatlander. It is more than enough boat for the back bays. Not quite as "fancy" (see me laughing) as my Majek, but it gets me to the reds and trout.
Truthfully, if I could go smaller than 16ft with my son and wife, I would. I only stuck that Majek twice, and it was a biotch to get out, even at 18 ft.
With the 5 fish limit coming on trout, I can go a much shorter distance than the big fast boats, and still limit out with a lot less $$$ on gas and boat cost.
But I'll still be the little LOLpoors at the dock when the boat is on trailer compared to the others.
[This message has been edited by Old Sarge (edited 3/28/2014 10:18p).]