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Quality 18-20’ for Long Island Sound

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Billy29

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I’m looking for something that is easily trailerable that I can go fishing around Long Island. I live on the north shore so I will be venturing out on the sound on nice days. I am leaning towards something used because money is tight. Suggestions????

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A little more info regarding your needs would help. Is this a fishing only boat or do you want to do other things with it? Do you fish alone or with friends/family? What kind of vehicle do you have to tow it with? And most important, what's your real budget ? 

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theres several good choices in smaller bots for the Sound.   hyou can afford will determine how much "good boat" you get.    my advice is to  a good quality older hull that has been re=powered with a 4 stroke motor.......    Hydra Sport 18footer is nice-   they had nice hull around 1999.  paired with a newer 4strk and you're good

its all about da fishes...

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Older hull re-power when you can, and keep the old engine until then is a good move.  That's what I did (also fish in the sound) and it's worked out well for me.  Older Hydrasport as mentioned, Mako, Aquasport, C Hawk, Carolina Skiff will all be affordable and quality sturdy hulls.  Less affordable and higher end (moreso just paying for the name) will get you the older SeaCraft, Parker, Whaler, Maritime Skiff.  

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I love it... couldn't be happier.  An 18' boat is an 18" boat... a lot of people will be critical and compare it to a 30' contender, which is just irrelevant.  In a boat that size, I prefer a mod v for stability.  It fishes very well, and does the family thing all day long.  I love the 7" draft and its got enough comfort to get the family out.  Sips fuel.  TRUE three piece construction.  It's built like a rock, when the fishing is good I fish regardless of weather (within reason), I never feel unsafe.  When it's rough, you might have to slow down some and you might be a little uncomfortable, but you can get to where you need to be.  

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Edited by thebigangrybear
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I have a 95 sportcraft 18'. Its was a pos when I bought it but the 2 stroke merc 125 was good. I put some time and a few hundred bucks worth of west systems products in it and its still a pos but It fishes good. I paid 4k for it with a trailer and aluminum t-top and extra bimini. I'm well under 10k for total investment and its been out 30+ times in RI and it does well for what i ask of it. I pull it was a 09 tacoma V6. 

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I had a Maritime 18. That is an easy boat to transport and if you can find one with a decent 4 stroke more better. You have to be careful when shopping for used boats in generally as the hulls can be waterlogged. Personally the only way to know how much water is in the flotation of the hull is weighing it at a scrap yard. I weighed mine and it was a couple of hundred pounds over after deductions. For hull from the late 90's that was about the norm and acceptable. I guess this goes for all used boats. You don't want to put down cash only to have a boat that is 800 lbs of water saturated into the flotation or worse the stringers got soaked too. You can fix it as long as you are aware of it and the sale price reflects that.

 

 

 

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