Call me "motorboat-curious"...kicking around the idea of looking for a used motorboat this spring. Something like a 16' aluminum with a 25hp tiller, that I could fish from on small lakes around Brainerd and bring to motorized BW lakes.

Budget would be 3K to 5K for a package of boat/motor/trailer/electronics/etc. I haven't really tracked the market and a quick browse of CL and FB Marketplace suggests this is REALLY early to be looking (not much out there, but i know this will change soon), so mainly wondering:

1. Can I get something decent in this price range?
2. If not, is there a "sweet spot" price range I should be saving for?
3. Are there specific hulls, configurations, or features that work particularly well for BW motor trips?

I'm an avid fly angler so something with room in the bow to stand and cast without hanging up my shooting line is one thing I know will be important.

But other than that, any and all advice is welcome. I have some experience operating boats but have never really delved into the market or looked at specific features.

Thanks,
TK

Hey TK -- welcome to the dark side, or at least to the area in which you consider approaching the dark side!

I was in your situation last year and it was an adventure. The used boat market was red hot all summer and I expect the same this year. In March you will start to see the market heat up. I spent almost 8 weeks dealing with various craigslist and FB marketplace ads before I found joy. Typically when a person posts a boat in that price range for sale, they receive a LOT of emails. It can be pure luck being the person who actually gets a response. My journey included a trip all the way from the twin cities to the SD border to view a boat that was not at all as described, as well as two solid "commitments" from a seller saying the boat was mine if I showed up at the agreed time, only to have it sold out from under me hours before that time. It was stressful and at times draining. I gave up a few times and kept getting pulled back into the hunt. I'm glad I stuck with it because I ended up with an almost perfect boat for me, albeit $1500 above my ideal budget.

To answer your questions:

1. can I get something decent in this price range?
Absolutely. It will take dilligence. $3k will get you on the water no problemo. $5k might mean the boat is 10 years newer with fewer issues. From experience, I'd look at the top of that budget.

2. if not, is there a "sweet spot" price range I should be saving for?
increasing the budget to the $5-7k range will open up some nice options. That's where I ended up and that got me a 2008 Alumacraft Fisherman 1600 with a 25hp Yamaha, a Humminbird fish finder with DI/SI/GPS, and a Minn-Kota Powerdrive V2 bow-mount trolling motor. Nice shorelander trailer. The electronics were original to the boat so fairly outdated. I've updated the sonar unit but the trolling motor has been fine for my use.

3. are there specific hulls, configurations, or features that work particularly well for BW motor trips?
I like a 16 foot tiller setup with a Deep V. On a boat that small the windshield and console models are pretty crowded to me, just a lot of wasted space. A 16 foot tiller fishes 3 comfortably for us. If you mostly go solo you could look at 14-foot models which will absolutely FLY with a 25hp and will also get you a newer/better boat for the money. Check out Lund Rebel/SSV/WC models and Alumacraft Classic/Lunker/Fisherman/Yukon models. I'm guessing you will be finding boats from the early 2000's in that $3-5k price range.

My #1 tip is to have your cash ready and to make your inquiries to the seller short and sweet. Save your longer and more in-depth questions for in-person when you have cash in hand. I'm a very thorough person (see how long this post is getting?), and I think some sellers perceived me as a PITA tire kicker and ignored my messages. Via email I would say simply "I'm very interested in this boat. I'm a serious buyer with cash in hand. Do you have the clear title in-hand, and when can you meet?"

Feel free to email me with any specific questions. I spend most of my time in the BWCA in my motorboat. Good luck with the search!

Outboard motor prices have gone through the roof. Even the used market prices are high. You can get s as rig in this price range but you will be searching. Possibly downsize you motor requirements. I have a old 16’ Alumacraft and a new 9.9 Yamaha and it’s just the right power, gets up on plane fine, idles great.

Savage Voyageur: "Outboard motor prices have gone through the roof. Even the used market prices are high. You can get s as rig in this price range but you will be searching. Possibly downsize you motor requirements. I have a old 16’ Alumacraft and a new 9.9 Yamaha and it’s just the right power, gets up on plane fine, idles great. "

A 9.9 also means you can take it on any motor lake in the BWCA (Clearwater and I think Maybe Seagull have 10hp limits).

That said -- in general I disagree with SV in this instance, especially on a deep V boat with a flat carpeted floor and raised casting deck, which you'll want for casting flies. Too much weight there to rely on half the horsepower IMHO.

Now, if you're going with a stripped-down aluminum camp boat with no wood structure, floor, storage compartments, etc, then a 9.9 might make sense on a 16-foot boat. For example a base model Lund WC-16 -- that's a roughly 320 pound boat. My 16 foot Alumacraft with a floor and casting deck is more than twice that weight. I would not want a 9.9 on this boat for full time use.

Should add this purchase will be geared towards family outings, most of the time 2 adults and one kid. Personally I would love a 14' running 9.9 or 15 but that's just not going to be enough space. It's going to be a tiller for sure, space-saving reasons and simplicity's sake. I may have access to an older, long-shaft 15hp that runs well and can push a loaded 14' boat fairly well, but IDK how it would push a loaded 16 footer.

I know the market for all sorts of outdoor gear was insane last summer - I think I bought and sold 5 or 6 bikes in the course of 6 months and every time was shaking my head in disbelief, whether paying more than I wanted or selling for more than I believed possible. It will be interesting to see what the warm weather months of 2021 bring - I have a hard time believing it can keep escalating but who knows?

Gildedgopher thanks for the detailed response and I will probably hit you up with some pointed questions as the time gets nearer.

Thanks for all the advice, please keep it coming!

I picked up a tiller 1991 ‘16 Lund Rebel With a 25 Yamaha 4 stroke last spring for $3k, though I had to add electronics and opted for a trolling motor. I think the tiller Rebel layout would be ideal for your use, much like the other models mentioned by someone else above. I also agree to go tiller configuration in a 16’.

I opted to get the rebel because it was the right price and because of its relatively flat bottom. I often pull my boat up shallow rapids to get to my favorite fishing spot up north and it just makes things easier with a shallower draft. Again, it all comes down to how you plan to use it.

I agree with all the above. I was recently given an old boat from a relative, but wanted to put a newer, bigger motor on it. I did that last spring just as the market was picking up and they were getting hard to find. I've since added a used Humminbird, used Terrova 80 lb up front, etc. All new trailer lights, new tires.....did I say they gave me the boat? I still spent....at least $5k on it last year. All new transom and beefed it up as it was dry rotted from sitting in a shed for 25 years. So now I have a 16' flat bottom with a 50HP and big bow mount :) I've taken it through 0.6' ft of water according to my H-bird to get to spots.

As for your situation, your budget is good I think. Mod V or deeper V I like for lakes as they mentioned. And the models mentioned above are great too. I see a lot of older Lunds and stuff down here in IA that would fit your bill pretty good.

Feel free to email me anytime. Or I might email you if I see something :) Since Facebook marketplace still shows me all the boating stuff as suggested buys....

Holy smokes I bet that flat bottom can fly with that Honda 50?! Nice lookin boat.

This is interesting. Older Lund Rebel hull, but has an '03 Yamaha 25 and a recently rebuilt floor and transom. At the bottom of your budget. I would've bought this boat in a heartbeat last summer, exactly what I was looking for. The older hull doesn't bother me, I was running a '63 Alumacraft until my upgrade last year.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3713981931984102/?ref=search&referral_code=undefined

If the intent of the boat is to get into the BWCA where you are going to need to portage the boat, then I would highly suggest getting the lightest 16' boat possible for fishing three people. A 20 or 20 hp two stroke pull start tiller would be ideal for quickly getting around.

I use a 14' Lund with a wooden floor and a 15hp 2-stroke Johnson outboard for fishing two people. This works pretty well and pushes us at 13 mph with just fishing gear. Loaded-up on entry and exit, it's 8 mph max with a week's worth of camping gear. Getting this boat across the portage is a real chore for two guys as it is very heavy. What worked well for us was portaging our gear across first to lighten the load, then making a 2nd trip for the boat. For the 1st trip across, we would typically wait at the start of the portage for an aluminum canoe to show up, then offer to to portage it across with our portage wheels (after we filled it packs, fuel cans, food barrel, etc.). This was always a "win-win" as people love to have their canoe ran across the portage for them and we can easily put 300 lbs+ of stuff in in the canoe and pull it with no problem on the portage wheels. Even when the 14' Lund was relatively empty, it is still heavy and challenging for two guys to get it across the portage (besides the flat floor, I have a front mounted trolling motor along with a 12V marine battery that both add weight to an already heavy rig).

If you are going in through Moose Lake and take the mechanized portage into the East side of Basswood, then a 16' with a flat floor and 25hp electric outboard would be an ideal set-up. The flat floors are really nice for standing and casting all day long, but those 3/4" plywood floors really add significant weight to a boat.

Dave

Ohiopikeman: "If the intent of the boat is to get into the BWCA where you are going to need to portage the boat, then I would highly suggest getting the lightest 16' boat possible for fishing three people. "

I think Newton Lake > Pipestone/Jackfish is the only stretch of the motor area that absolutely REQUIRES a manual portage. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Moose>NewFound>Sucker>Basswood, Fall, Clearwater, Seagull, Saganaga, Snowbank, Trout, East Bearskin, Loon/LLC -- you're launching the boat from a trailer on a ramp and at worst taking a mechanical portage.

thegildedgopher: "

Savage Voyageur: "Outboard motor prices have gone through the roof. Even the used market prices are high. You can get s as rig in this price range but you will be searching. Possibly downsize you motor requirements. I have a old 16’ Alumacraft and a new 9.9 Yamaha and it’s just the right power, gets up on plane fine, idles great. "

A 9.9 also means you can take it on any motor lake in the BWCA (Clearwater and I think Maybe Seagull have 10hp limits).


That said -- in general I disagree with SV in this instance, especially on a deep V boat with a flat carpeted floor and raised casting deck, which you'll want for casting flies. Too much weight there to rely on half the horsepower IMHO.


Now, if you're going with a stripped-down aluminum camp boat with no wood structure, floor, storage compartments, etc, then a 9.9 might make sense on a 16-foot boat. For example a base model Lund WC-16 -- that's a roughly 320 pound boat. My 16 foot Alumacraft with a floor and casting deck is more than twice that weight. I would not want a 9.9 on this boat for full time use."

Yes I was talking about a plain Jane 16’ Alumacraft boat. I figured he wanted a beater boat that he didn’t have to worry about rocks in the BWCA or motorized portages. Agree a deep vee would require more HP.

thegildedgopher: "This is interesting. Older Lund Rebel hull, but has an '03 Yamaha 25 and a recently rebuilt floor and transom. At the bottom of your budget. I would've bought this boat in a heartbeat last summer, exactly what I was looking for. The older hull doesn't bother me, I was running a '63 Alumacraft until my upgrade last year.


https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3713981931984102/?ref=search&referral_code=undefined"

Yea that era of 2 stroke yammi is nice too. Good find. That would make my list

Grumman Sport Boat w/6hp or 8hp

Stable, light weight, can be car topped (truck), light to portage, fast for it's size, maneuverable, stable enough to stand in.

I've owned 4 and made many trips into the BWCA with them. I run two people plus gear, extra gas and portage wheel in it. You need light gear though (like you are going canoeing) but it works really well and it's a great boat for small lakes around your area. I hauled mine around on a utility trailer.

I ran a two stroke 6hp with gear @ 12mph, 14 mph empty w/two people. I ran the 8hp @14 mph with gear and 16 mph empty w/two people. The 8hp really moves the boat and makes it feel fast and more fun to drive. You need to watch the weight though of the outboards and find the lightest weight model you can.

Yes. I got an 16' Lund with a 20hp Mariner for $1800. Works great for catching fish.
My advice is "less is more." Add your own electronics as newer electronics are cheaper and better. Floors are too heavy for me; I like to be able to horse my boat around a bit at unimproved landings, and the less weight the better.
The number one "gotcha" when buying a used boat is the trailer in general and the bearings specifically. Err on the side of too much trailer. Learn how to change and pack bearings; it's so simple I can do it.

lundojam: "Yes. I got an 16' Lund with a 20hp Mariner for $1800. Works great for catching fish.
My advice is "less is more." Add your own electronics as newer electronics are cheaper and better. Floors are too heavy for me; I like to be able to horse my boat around a bit at unimproved landings, and the less weight the better.
The number one "gotcha" when buying a used boat is the trailer in general and the bearings specifically. Err on the side of too much trailer. Learn how to change and pack bearings; it's so simple I can do it."

So true on the trailer.

I dropped my first boat on the road in fort Snelling state park. The axle went caput. Looked out the rear view and watched one of my wheels roll down the hill into the MN river. That was a costly lesson. Now the bearings get done and the entire trailer gets inspected every year. On long hauls I will stop to check the bearings for heat as well. And don’t skimp on the spare!

Floors are a trade-off. You’re very right about the weight. I did the bench boat thing for a few years and i couldn’t take it anymore. Getting from the stern to the bow was like a comedy of errors. The floor changed everything for me. And there’s nothing like dropping anchor on a calm day in a protected bay and laying down for a little snooze ;)

Yeah trailer is key.....rim/tire size if you're going to be pulling it around quite a bit. If you're only going a half hour here or there not a big deal. If you plan to go a few hours one way on a highway or interstate....you want bigger rims and tires and a trailer that can do it. You don't want little golf cart trailer tires and bearings spinning a million miles an hour back there.

I am also one that will feel my hub when I stop on trips to see if there's any heat. (so far so good) Back in my teens and before I knew about bearings I took 2 canoes and some friends on a 2 day camping/paddling trip on the upper iowa w/ my dad's four wheeler trailer. We were THIS close to losing a wheel due to bearing failure 2 hours from home. Luckily friend #2's dad owned a service/towing shop back home and we were ok other than a couple hours of waiting for him.

I bought a 16’ 87 pro angler last yr w/ a 2 stroke 25hp ‘02 merc electric start for 3k in June. I bought it for the motor. At this price you’re buying a motor with a boat attached. There will be a million boats on marketplace for that price soon.

Stick with it. You’ll find absolute crap in this price range but you’ll also find decent boats. I’d focus on buying a good motor with a decent boat. You can always repack bearings and rewire a trailer. I put new carpet in mine, new accessories, and rewired some newer electrical components like usb charger.

I’d recommend a16 w a 25hp over a 14 w a 15. I’ve had both and prefer the 16w25. I did see a lot of 16’ w15s on them when looking- I’d stay away from that. Mine will do 23 knots w just me and about 13 w 3-4 people.

Grizzlyman: "I’d recommend a16 w a 25hp over a 14 w a 15. I’ve had both and prefer the 16w25. I did see a lot of 16’ w15s on them when looking- I’d stay away from that. Mine will do 23 knots w just me and about 13 w 3-4 people."

X2 -- With the BWCA in mind, I'd personally recommend you either keep it at 10 so you can use it on every lake, or max it out at 25hp.

thegildedgopher: "

Grizzlyman: "I’d recommend a16 w a 25hp over a 14 w a 15. I’ve had both and prefer the 16w25. I did see a lot of 16’ w15s on them when looking- I’d stay away from that. Mine will do 23 knots w just me and about 13 w 3-4 people."

X2 -- With the BWCA in mind, I'd personally recommend you either keep it at 10 so you can use it on every lake, or max it out at 25hp."

Yep. That was my reason for the 25. A 9.9 IMO is not going to be good for anything else and on top of that most of the lakes in the BWCA are 25.

Also. I’d just add that I had a not too pleasant “deadliest catch” trip on vermillion and trout last June with a 14’ lund and a 15hp. With gear and 3 people weren’t moving very fast to begin withand then you throw serious wind and waves and it wasn’t exactly the best experience. Would have been little issue w/ a bigger boat and a 25.

^^ Oh yeah. I got stuck on the far eastern end of Gunflint Lake a couple years ago in a 14 footer with just 6hp. The wind started howling and the rain was pounding, it got verrry hairy. It took us almost 2 hours to get back to GF lodge. We were soaked to the bone. My kid was doing his best to bail water but I could tell he was frightened. No bilge pump in that old boat.

thistlekicker: "Call me "motorboat-curious"...kicking around the idea of looking for a used motorboat this spring. Something like a 16' aluminum with a 25hp tiller, that I could fish from on small lakes around Brainerd and bring to motorized BW lakes.

Budget would be 3K to 5K for a package of boat/motor/trailer/electronics/etc. [...]

1. Can I get something decent in this price range?
2. If not, is there a "sweet spot" price range I should be saving for?
3. Are there specific hulls, configurations, or features that work particularly well for BW motor trips?

Last summer I purchased a 1960s Crestliner (aluminum) in very good shape but needing paint and motor. Paid to have it sandblasted and then painted it myself with good marine paint, most of it two-part. Spent 2x more on paint and sandblasting than I paid for the boat. Shopped for a suitable used motor for the last six months and finally gave up and bought a new 9.9 Honda for $3k. So I'm probably over your 3k-5k budget. And oh yeah, trailer bearings, as noted upthread. Did those, and trailer lights.

I like it because it's a basic hull with two seats and some decking over the bow. I've had 16' of the same design and era and they're heavier boats and need more HP to move. And more muscle at the ramp. I like to keep the boat light and nimble so no floor and tiller steer. The bow decking gives you a little protection against water coming over the bow when it's rough,

16' boat is really trailer launch unless you have four people to lift it, but you get 3 seats and can reasonably have 5 lines out. I had a 1960s era 18 hp on mine which was enough, 25 hp is reasonable, 9.9 isn't enough to get up on plane with 5 people but will work with fewer. Also more suited to larger lakes e.g. Vermilion than a 14'.

14' you can move with two people, only two seats so you can get 3 lines out max. These are ideal an operator plus one or two more. 9.9hp is the usual size. We had a 14' with a 5.5 when I was growing up and it would work with one adult or two kids.

Used market is really tough, even the new market is tight. I called lots of places that were out of 9.9s until July before I found a place that had them in stock.

Electronics ... look at portable things that are inexpensive and can be removed from the boat for storage. Wi-fish, Vexilar sonarphone, Montana 700 GPS.

Just sent you an email about one that was posted to Facebook just a bit ago and it's in MN.

https://www.facebook.com/commerce/listing/163954378886319/?media_id=0&ref=share_attachment

I actually think apples to apples (bare aluminum hull no deck) a 16-17’ with a 25 will smoke a 14’, I know because I’ve seen it happen to me many times lol when it comes to stripped down Aluminum boats adding length and width add very little weight, but being bigger they have much more buoyancy and that leads to drafting way less water for a given weight and that puts you in a much better position to get on plane and travel loaded with gear without a bunch of chugging (the right prop is also key when talking upper end of load range) 16.5 with a 25 is a great setup, I’d go with even bigger if it were me lol I remember a guy and his wife absolutely reel me and my buddy in on Sag once and when they passed us I was like that boat is huge! What gives! It was a Lund SSV 18, which is only 180lbs more than the SSV 14, I was completely jealous and that’s saying something because I love my little Sag boat!

Fully restored 1969 Alumacraft FD 14.5’





I really like the newer more reliable 4strokes, especially the ones with EFI, they are so quiet comparatively and absolutely fuss free but getting something like that for 5 could be a bit harder, but you’re getting close for sure! I opted for old boat newer motor, but even my "newer" motor is now 20 years old

Ragged: "I actually think apples to apples (bare aluminum hull no deck) a 16-17’ with a 25 will smoke a 14’, I know because I’ve seen it happen to me many times lol when it comes to stripped down Aluminum boats adding length and width add very little weight, but being bigger they have much more buoyancy and that leads to drafting way less water for a given weight and that puts you in a much better position to get on plane and travel loaded with gear without a bunch of chugging (the right prop is also key when talking upper end of load range) 16.5 with a 25 is a great setup, I’d go with even bigger if it were me lol I remember a guy and his wife absolutely reel me and my buddy in on Sag once and when they passed us I was like that boat is huge! What gives! It was a Lund SSV 18, which is only 180lbs more than the SSV 14, I was completely jealous and that’s saying something because I love my little Sag boat!


Fully restored 1969 Alumacraft FD 14.5’





I really like the newer more reliable 4strokes, especially the ones with EFI, they are so quiet comparatively but getting something like that for 5 could be a bit harder, but you’re getting close for sure!



"

Good thoughts -- and great looking boat!

Same here, I have a 50 yr old boat but a 20 yr old 4 stroke on the back. No way I was going to depend on that 50 yr old motor on the Mississippi

cyclones30: "Same here, I have a 50 yr old boat but a 20 yr old 4 stroke on the back. No way I was going to depend on that 50 yr old motor on the Mississippi "

100%. Buy the motor more so than the boat at this price!

best time to buy a boat/motor set up is fall time \ sometimes you can find motivated sellers before winter approaches.
always start low ;)

shock: "best time to buy a boat/motor set up is fall time \ sometimes you can find motivated sellers before winter approaches.
always start low ;)"

"Start low" was always my mantra. Last year it was next to impossible to buy a boat with that approach. Unless your message to the seller is "I have cash in hand, when can i pick up?" you should expect to be frustrated this year as well. You need to make your message appeal to the seller. Don't make them answer questions via email, save them for the in-person inspection. Don't ask them to meet you at ________ or haggle on price via email, etc.

In a seller's market, the buyer gets to bear the burden of inconvenience. You will end up driving around to see some boats that are not up to par and not what the seller described.

Don’t know why I thought of this today :). But any luck?

... boats are awesome !