I'll be parking the boat in my driveway (maybe the garage) and trailering it behind my Toyota Sienna minivan to launch at Cashman (maybe other spots like Newbury town launch if we can figure out parking). I can see 90-percent of the boat's usage being packing up some food, exploring the nooks and crannies of the Plum Island marsh area, anchoring at Sandy Point, and so on.
I'm not into fishing, but will probably cast a few times with my son just for fun.
I could see the kids wanting to be pulled in a tube in a few years once they become more comfortable around water.
I have zero desire to head out into the open ocean, so don't worry about me running the mouth in a 13-footer. We're a relatively small family, probably totaling about 400-lbs right now but the kids will obviously get bigger.
So with all that, I've been refreshing searches on Facebook and Craigslist for Boston Whaler boats every five minutes for the past month. I feel like I've learned so much as I find a boat, research the heck out of it, and then it's gone. Some boats on my radar are:
- classic 13-footer
- classic 15-footer
- 130 Sport
- 150 Sport
- Dauntless 13
- Dauntless 14
My budget started at $2,000-and that has quickly gone up once I realized I need something legitimate if I'll be taking my family out in it. I'd like to keep the boat cost under $6,000. I feel I should be able to find a decent 13-footer or 15-footer for [under $6,000] if I hunt enough and pounce when the deal is right.
I just missed out on a Dauntless 13 in good shape for $3,950 the other day--I was the second person to contact the guy. Took me a day to get over missing out on that one.
Other boats I have my eye on are another 1998 Dauntless 13 for around $6,000, a 2004 150 Sport for around $8,000, and a 13-foot classic around $4,000. From all the research I've done it sounds like a classic 15-footer would be my best bet, but they're hard to come by.
I know a lot of you will say with a family of four I should get a 17-footer, but that feels too big to keep on my property, trailer around town to the launch, and teach my kids to pilot someday.
Give me any thoughts, input, or criticism I'm all ears. Thanks all.