Hello, I am a young angler looking at getting a new boat. In total I’m looking to spend around $15000 maximum on a 40-60hp tiller aluminum v-hull(multispecies). So far I have been looking at the Alumacraft Classic 165 and the Tracker Pro Guide V-16 models. I am just wondering if you guys have any recommendations for low cost quality fishing boats or just in general anything else I should take in to consideration.
Is new a must or is used also an option?
can’t guarantee anything but for sure shop around last season season I started looking at alumacrafts and was surprised I got a lund with similar size and motor cheaper. end of year deal.
Used wouldn’t be a bad way to go either should be a lot of selection with that type of setup.
I like this one a lot..
Used is an option although I’m looking for a motor with little hours put on it.
Take the time shop around and go used. You only pay sales tax on the trailer value in MN. Chance of decent electronics. A couple of year old motor will have resonably low hours from a non-guide. You can get alot more for your $.
I’m looking for a motor with little hours put on it.
This is way over rated in my opinion. In my experience if a motor looks good and runs good chances are it will perform for many many years to come. Many of my motors have had a LOT of hours on them. Never put a penny into one of them. They were all Yamaha 4 stokes though.
I ran a 2014 alumacraft classic 165 side console for a year. Had a big time issue with a leak in the transom but it was eventually fixed by the dealer. not sure if this was a problem stemming from the dealer or the manufacturer. Other than that I liked the boat. If you can afford it the newer competitor models are nice as it contains the center rod locker that can store rods as long as 9′
My Brother is selling a 2003 17’ Lund explorer with a 75hp Yamaha 4 stroke tiller on it. Trolling motors front and back. Splash guards. Custom cover, Lowrance HDS 8 and more. Sweet rig very well maintained. $13,500. I’d put it at a 9 out of 10 on condition.
Very few tiller boats like this come up for sale each year.
UPDATE
This boat sold in a day. If you want a nice used tiller boat you have to move fast!
Get a lund if you can!!!! will also hold its resale. that 03 scegura posted sounds awesome. gotta be a lot of fishing room.
I like this one a lot..
That’s a great rig
http://www.walleyecentral.com/classified/adviewer/165729
This one won’t last long.
Used is an option although I’m looking for a motor with little hours put on it.
I’d bet that the average MN angler doesn’t put more than 25-30 hours on an outboard per year.
How about this one?
2003 Alumacraft Tournament pro 175 in the classifieds.
Only pay taxes on the trailer? How is that so? The State of MN does not charge sales tax on a used boat???
if this is your “forever” boat, it’s worth paying a bit more and getting just want you want as well getting something that’s newer and nicer.
if this is a “gets me on the water for now” boat, the advantages of buying new or near-new just aren’t very strong in my judgment. in that case, it needs to work and maintain its value for a few years until buying something bigger/better. don’t stretch too much or take on debt for that situation! you might look around for a Ranger 680/681 tiller that is a 1989 or newer (all fiberglass transom) or an older Warrior of similar vintage. one with an original motor will cost you $6k give or take depending on extras, one that’s been re-powered will probably be in the $10k range. save the extra cash for a future boat deposit, get something that will serve you very well for a few years, and you’ll be able to sell it for what you paid (unlike a new or near-new Tracker or Alumacraft which will depreciate).
I’d bet that the average MN angler doesn’t put more than 25-30 hours on an outboard per year.
I agree, outside of people who spend time on fishing forums. A friend bought a four year old boat with a Suzuki 175. Brought it in to check the hours and it had less than 100 hours on the motor. He double checked with the owner who confirmed that was the reason for downsizing. The original owner’s fishing hole was only a couple hundred yards from the end of his dock. The boat hardly ran for more than a few minutes at a time, warm it up and putt over to the spot. Warm it up and putt back to the dock.
To the OP, I’d recommend used for a first boat. I may be partial. Turning 50 this year and have never purchased a new boat. Btw, the average boat owner holds on to a boat for nearly 10 years. I’m average, six years into the third boat, which is 13 years old.
That is correct you only pay sales taxes on the trailer on a used boat from a private party sale. From a dealer you will have to pay on the total purchase. Same goes for snowmobiles. No sales tax on a resale between private parties. I bought my Skeeter from a guy in WI. I registared it in MN and only had to pay sales tax on the trailer value. In WI they would of had to pay sales tax on the whole thing.
There is an alumacraft classic on Minneapolis craigslist. I know the guy. He might make you a good deal. $13900 in grimes IA.
I bet the average boater puts less than 15 hrs. a year on a boat which usually means gas just sits for long stretches-Good luck to you very hard to buy a boat no one boat is perfect for every situation. A car is 10x more complicated than a boat but I would feel much more confident buying a car than a boat.
A buddy of mine who has worked at Marinas and owns his own now always says that the number of hours on an outboard motor is the least of his worries. He always claims there are outboards with 500-1000 hours running better than the ones from casual anglers who run them a few times a month, then store them for Winter.
I’d bet the average outboard motor here in MN rarely logs over 15-20 hours of running time in a year, unless you are big into trolling (which in most cases you’d likely use a kicker for). I’d trust the motor with 200 hours that’s run multiple times a week by someone with experience over one that sits on a lift or in a garage for a few weeks in a row.
Completely different can of worms…but it’s always baffled me to see the number of people who own boats and use them once every couple weeks or less. I think a cost-benefit analysis would show that if you don’t use your boat weekly in MN, it’s a terrible investment and you’d be better finding a place to rent from (or a new hobby).
Here is one. I know the guy. He might make you a good deal. 
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/boa/5975332209.html
Have you owned a boat before? I know my first boat was a victim of my learning curve. The stupid mistakes i made…. I’m glad it was only a $5000 boat instead of a $25000 boat.
Completely different can of worms…but it’s always baffled me to see the number of people who own boats and use them once every couple weeks or less. I think a cost-benefit analysis would show that if you don’t use your boat weekly in MN, it’s a terrible investment and you’d be better finding a place to rent from (or a new hobby).
That’s definitely a can of worms.. If you start analyzing why and how people spend their money you’ll go crazy.
Advocate for starting small, working your way up the totem pole. Not sure what your definition of young is but $15k is mucho dinero.
Plan on owning it for awhile have at it, but man, all you got to do is look as some classifieds on prices for that exact same boat 2,3,4 years down the road and it would hurt if you were still financing it.
Good luck with search, I always thought those trackers were nice looking rigs too.
Good luck with search, I always thought those trackers were nice looking rigs too.
The problem with going used is trying to find “the one”. I keep things for a long time, cars, trucks, boats, etc. That means I want something I’ll be happy with for a long time.
Figure out what you want in a boat, then search for models that have exactly that, and within budget. If that means used, you may be searching for a while. I spent a season boatless. It was depressing but I did it because I wanted a certain boat style and condition, below a certain cost, with a motor within certain parameters.
Much of that can be ordered if going new but at the expense of budget.
Good luck. 
Plan on owning it for awhile have at it, but man, all you got to do is look as some classifieds on prices for that exact same boat 2,3,4 years down the road and it would hurt if you were still financing it.
I buy used and I can sit hear and tell you I have never lost one dollar on a boat. In fact I have made nearly 20k on the 20 boats I have owned over the years. Used tiller boats purchased at a decent price will generally not lose money. Now I trade boats every 4-5 years and I will break even or make money on every one. The tiller market is so small that the demand continues to increase… especially when there’s a Yamaha hanging on the back.
To the OP poster find a boat like my brothers and you can sell it for the same price in 4-5 years. FYI: I gave my brother your number. Good luck finding THE boat. All I can say is find out what you want and get your ducks in a row. That way when the one you want comes up you can move fast. If you have to wait for financing it’ll be gone.
I have sold every one of my boats in less than a week. I once had 43 phone calls in 48 hrs on a Lund 1800 tiller/90 hp Yamaha. I sold that boat in 3hrs. That was 10 years ago and the sale price would almost be the same now as it was then. Tiller boat + Yamaha = SOLD
I’m with Joe Scegura here. I have own 4 used boats total, and have never took a loss on my investment. To the point where my wife doesn’t think twice when I tell her lets get a different one.
They were all Alumacrafts, with 4stroke yamahas on them. I use my boats year round and it shows in hours, but still never was a problem to the buyer.
http://www.hannaysmarine.com/m/showcase_unit.htm?id=1736220&status=2
Looks like a great starter boat
Few years back had a pro v 1660 Lund ,it was a great rig ,if you found one in good shape with a 60 up tiller I would snatch it up. DK
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