Is it a trap?

[Cameramonkey]

I've been talking about buying a small fishing boat, but not too seriously. Nothing big or fancy like a bass boat, just a simple rowboat and trailer with a small gas or electric motor for tooling around small lakes here, and also to take on vacation to Pelee island for fishing within a quarter of shore. (we'd ferry it to the island on the trailer and launch from there, not make the 25 mile trip through open water) I might add a portable fish finder but thats as fancy as I would ever get. Just me and the kids making memories doing some catch and release where we dont have to worry about snagging trees on the shore. Based on the kids' abilities to snag trees, I think I can justify the ROI compared to all the extra line and tackle I have to replace.

So after spending yesterday evening on the water with my kids in a 12' with an electric on a 6 acre lake in the woods as a guest of a friend, my wife got to see how much fun the kids had fishing with dad.

Today I found a used one for a decent price, and her response was "I wont stop you from buying it."

Is it a trap?

Bonus multiplier: I'd also have to spend $$ on a hitch for my SUV.

 

[EyeCarry]

Betcha Owe Another Thousand
That being said, there is nothing like being on the water before dawn and hearing the world wake up. Or navigating your boat through the fog using nothing but your compass and map. Or seeing you are about to run into the wall of rain on the way back to the ramp.
Some of my kid's best memories are of fishing. Catfish, walleye, pike, the random turtle. Their eyes got so big in Canada I doubt they ever forget it.
If it doesn't leak and the title is there for the boat AND trailer, go for it.
12' may get small quickly but you can move up if wanted. A good used Basstracker or Lund comes to mind.....

 

[4651feeder]

...Today I found a used one for a decent price, and her response was "I wont stop you from buying it."

Is it a trap?

Bonus multiplier: I'd also have to spend $$ on a hitch for my SUV.

Don't know about you, but I'd feel a lot more comfortable hearing her say "I think you need to get a boat"

Then again from my experience with women, she's apt to find a way to use either statement to her advantage down the road, so just GO FOR IT.

 

[Ziggidy]

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Keep it simple, a 12-14' alum john with a "newish" sized tiller outboard 20hp+ that will push it up on a plane with a few passengers on board. You will be glad when you want to go to the other side of the lake. Plus the kids can ski, tube and wake board behind it...
Later add a electric kicker and maybe a fish finder... Remember to keep it simple....

 

[eldirector]

Do you have someplace to store the boat, trailer, motor, battery, PFD, etc... where the the Mrs. won't see it? We got a FREE boat, with all the trimmings, from HER dad. Had to pay to register and get the right "stickers". La Directora STILL grumbles when it is in her way.

 

[MCgrease08]

Personally I don't think it's a trap, but then again I don't know your better half.

I would recommend renting or borrowing a boat a few more times just to make sure the kids and spouse are truly on board (literally).

As a kid my grandparents had a small row boat with an outboard motor at their beach house down the Jersey Shore. They lived on an island and their house was the third one up from the bay. I spent countless hours tooling around the bay. I did more crabbing and clamming than fishing, but some of the best memories I have of my grandpa are the times we spent on that little boat.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Personally I don't think it's a trap, but then again I don't know your better half.

I would recommend renting or borrowing a boat a few more times just to make sure the kids and spouse are truly on board (literally).

As a kid my grandparents had a small row boat with an outboard motor at their beach house down the Jersey Shore. They lived on an island and their house was the third one up from the bay. I spent countless hours tooling around the bay. I did more crabbing and clamming than fishing, but some of the best memories I have of my grandpa are the times we spent on that little boat.

Did you ever hookup with Snooki? Asking for a friend......

 

[MCgrease08]

Did you ever meet Snooki? Asking for a friend......

Fortunately no.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Personally I don't think it's a trap, but then again I don't know your better half.

I would recommend renting or borrowing a boat a few more times just to make sure the kids and spouse are truly on board (literally).

As a kid my grandparents had a small row boat with an outboard motor at their beach house down the Jersey Shore. They lived on an island and their house was the third one up from the bay. I spent countless hours tooling around the bay. I did more crabbing and clamming than fishing, but some of the best memories I have of my grandpa are the times we spent on that little boat.

Growing up, Dad had a 14' fiberglass fishing boat (v hull) and two outboards - a 5 hp Johnson, and a 7 1/2 hp Evinrude, both ca. 1950's. It would scoot pretty good with both of them running. When I got old enough, he'd let me take it down to Lake Monroe by myself and I'd sometimes spend 2 or 3 days on the water with just a cooler, my backpack and a sleeping bag. If it was early or late in the season then I'd take a tent and camp on shore. Lots of good memories in that little boat.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

Fortunately no.

For years I took my sons on vacation for a week or two every year to Ocean City, Md and we would stay at one of the hotels on the boardwalk.....
When walking down the boardwalk we would pass 100's of Snooki's and they would look up at me..... And before they could ask a question I would say....
We will talk about it later..... Funny Times...

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Get it in writing and then have at it.

 

[chocktaw2]

I'd just go for it! I don't like asking for approval. I have my money, she has hers, and 1/2 of mine.

 

[Old Bear]

I wouldn't say its a trap exactly......more like a time share, with costs and restrictions that she has not told you about yet

 

[WebSnyper]

"I wont stop you from buying it."

Sounds like a ringing endorsement...

If it ever has issues I suggest blaming her and saying, "Why didn't you stop me from buying it?"

 

[WebSnyper]

I wouldn't say its a trap exactly......more like a time share, with costs and restrictions that she has not told you about yet

Sounds like marriage overall... and that's coming from a guy who has been married for 27 years.

 

[target64]

I wonder what SWMBO has picked out to offset your little expenditure? New purse, get away weekend with the girls, or possibly that cute sofa she has her eye on.

 

[nra4ever]

Save yourself the time and money and get a pontoon.

 

[4651feeder]

Save yourself the time and money and get a pontoon. 

Yea that's the ticket, with a pontoon you'll have an excuse to buy waterfront property with a pier.

 

[Waveraider]

Save yourself the time and money and get a pontoon. 

Pontoon is the way to go. I've almost bought more boats than guns w/o telling my wife. Bought a 35 ft pontoon houseboat, and didn't tell her until it was in the water! After the first ride, She got over it.