# Used Lake Erie boat



## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

I have been fishing out of 17' to 18' boats on Erie for 30 years. It's getting tougher to get motivated to get this thing ready every trip as I'm getting older or lazier. I am considering something I could dock up there. The plan would be to sell the one I have and buy a used Erie boat to dock.
So many questions.... inboard, outboard, length, how many hours are too many, brand.....
What I should look out for, what I should look for, private seller, dealer. 

If anyone has any thoughts on the subject I'd love to hear them.
Al


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Make sure that anything you buy is surveyed. If you go with inboards, Crusaders are darn near bulletproof. They will generally need a rebuild before 3k hours. With straight inboards, figure the transmission will need rebuilt around the same time. If it's a vdrive transmission, a rebuild may be necessary any time after 1500 hours. This is all subject to how the boat was maintained. Keep in mind that big boats use alot more fuel and require alot more maintenance. Bottom paint if your keeping it in the water, etc....I've had many boats with I/O's and would take inboards any day. Outboards simplify things but are costly to replace. Good luck!


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

Gottagofishn said:


> I have been fishing out of 17' to 18' boats on Erie for 30 years. It's getting tougher to get motivated to get this thing ready every trip as I'm getting older or lazier. I am considering something I could dock up there. The plan would be to sell the one I have and buy a used Erie boat to dock.
> So many questions.... inboard, outboard, length, how many hours are too many, brand.....
> What I should look out for, what I should look for, private seller, dealer.
> 
> ...


Well first let's talk about your reasons for switching to a dock vs. a tailorable boat. I have had many boats over the years on the lake, a lot of them I docked and a lot of them were on trailers. Let me first assure you that docking the boat is no quicker than loading it on a trailer. You will have equipment to either lock in the boat somewhere or in your car and take it home. You will need to cover the boat at the dock before you leave and of course it has to be properly tied so it will safely ride the rise and fall of the water until you return. Will a larger boat ride better than a short one, well maybe or maybe not depending upon how big you go. I have found that for a typical lake Erie 3 ft. chop, a 20 ft boat fits the wave pattern better than any other size. Larger boats will drop and catch the top waves more because they don't fit the pattern of the waves as well. But they are nice to sleep on for the weekend etc. And as already stated it costs just a whole lot more to dock a boat than load it up and bring it home. But both ways have their good and bad sides, just wanted to tell you what I've found over the last 60 plus years of both. But ultimately the real rationalization will come from what you want and not what is the best option. So good luck. Hope I helped a little bit.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Had larger boats docked for many, many years on that lake and would never do it again. My trailer able boat is always with me and I can take it anywhere I want and I don't have to go make sure it's ok every weekend sitting at the dock. Options are wide open as to what or where I'm going with it.
Cost.. Dockage, more fuel, storage, yearly maintenance, weekly clean up = a lot more dollars. 
Size.. actually a 24 ft seems perfect to me for running out there and an Inboard is a must for longevity and low cost maintenance ( I had a 27 and a 30 both inboards). Every time I fished it was 50 to 75 gallons a day depending on where I ran. I can now run 2 weeks on the same amount of fuel. Lots of line floating in that lake, pick some up in a IO run 5 miles, drain the oil in unit and your out-drive is a gonner. Inboards cut the line and keep on clicking.
I guess I'm not shedding any good light on what you asked about but after getting out of the Lake Erie boats and going back to trailering a smaller boat (that will do everything the larger boat will do) I feel free from being strapped to one place and large costs.
Around Sandusky there are thousands of used boats for sale but buyer beware. Have them surveyed by someone reputable and also make sure it can be insurable (age).

Oh BTW.. It's really hard to get out of a larger boat if and when you decide to do that.


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## 1more (Jan 10, 2015)

There is a big learning curve when switching from an I/O or outboard to a inboard, especially when docking in the wind!


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## TAG24 (Sep 29, 2005)

I just made the switch you're thinking about last summer. Sold the 18.5' deepV and got a 24' walkaround. I did have it surveyed and I highly recommend it. It seems expensive but its a small price for peace of mind. I learned alot about the boat as he was going over everythi ng too. I went with rack storage so i wouldn't worry about it sitting in the water when I'm 2.5 hours away. There's pro and cons with everything and it is more extensive over all, but so far I'm liking it.


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Great feedback, things I had no way of knowing yet... There must be some positives or the marina's wouldn't be full of them. Not crazy about the idea of the added expense but I am so tiered of trailering. I will probably look around this summer and continue to gather information. Maybe this is something best left alone.... I always tend to poke things like that though, probably dropped on my head at some point...


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Your are now doing the best in the boating/fishing world, you just haven't realized it yet but you will.


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## BlueMax (Dec 3, 2006)

Third year docking a 22 after about 8 years of trailering an 18 footer. Got larger boat for more comforts. Age (mine) had a lot to do with new boat as I wanted creature features like a hard top, more room, more comfort, etc. I never minded trailering but after docking for a month in November decided that i wanted EASY. Docking is much easier than trailering. You can also enjoy the boat without ever leaving the dock. Now i would not dock the boat more than 30 or 40 minutes from the homestead as that can be a negative. There are pros and cons to both. PRO's - I can go direct to my boat from where ever I am. I can be on the lake faster than most trailering despite what someone wrote above. Physically easier. Use it more. I can fish for an hour or two very easily. Did not do that when I trailered as it takes TIME to hook up, pull, drop in water, retrieve, drive home, drop trailer. Made a few new friends at the marina. Remember also trailering a boat requires more gasoline in vehicle so deduct that from dock fee. I really enjoy haviong the boat in the water and being near the water whether I take it out or just spend time on it tied to the dock.
Most other comments were Cons so I will not list them again.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Gottagofishn said:


> Great feedback, things I had no way of knowing yet... There must be some positives or the marina's wouldn't be full of them. Not crazy about the idea of the added expense but I am so tiered of trailering. I will probably look around this summer and continue to gather information. Maybe this is something best left alone.... I always tend to poke things like that though, probably dropped on my head at some point...


I was in the same scenario you are in. I have a 2 hour drive to the lake. I used to trailer back and forth. Then I bought a camper and kept my boat in the campground. I lost the camper the first winter due to a storm blowing over a large tree. My wife didn't care for the camper anyways and I got tired of mowing the grass. So I sold the small boat and took the insurance money from the camper and bought a 34' boat we can sleep on. Best decision I ever made. I am in a private yacht club. Can drive my truck right up to my boat. Wake up in the morning, brew coffee, and fire up the motors and go fishing. The kids keep me up at night to catfish or fish for bass around the dock and when we're done, we just go to sleep. When we get back from fishing, I have my own fillet table and the club has a freezer for the remains. 

There are enough old guys around our club that someone is there to keep an eye on things and check lines...it's not cheap, but not as bad as one might think...PM me if you would want any specifics...


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Thanks for the positives guys.... I was starting to wonder if there were any.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

I glance outside and see my boat, on a trailer, all clean and shiney, not costing me a penny. I get a call from a fishin buddy "The Crappie are on fire at West Branch", I hook up, spill 10 bucks in gas in her and I'm there catching crappie while the big boat is tied at the dock. Hauling the boat is irrelevant, I have to drive there anyway. Lake rolling 5 footers and your wasting time on shore while I'm on my way to Pymatuning to catch some fish. Haul the boat back home and wait to see what lake I'm heading to next and doesn't cost me a penny to sit there. Like I said earlier, there thousands of boats up on the lake for sale, wonder why that is? My last boat cost me $256 a day tied at the dock before I turned a key based on a 25 week season. Best part I was stuck to ONE lake. Right now your set to move anywhere you want and fish any place you want. Want comfort and a place to relax DON'T buy a boat, buy a cottage some place so you can recoup your investment if and when you get tired of it. After 30+ years on that big lake I can't tell you one thing other then how much it costs to do it.


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## TAG24 (Sep 29, 2005)

If you want to get a taste of the marina lifestyle without jumping in both feet, you're welcome to come and visit mine. I fish solo half the time so i can offer you an open seat someday.


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

Tag, I may take you up on that... What part of the lake are you on? But if I never get around to it thanks for the offer anyway...


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## PBsQuest (May 26, 2013)

We just went under contract with a 26' boat that we will dock around the islands. This will be our summer home but also allows me to fish the western basin from spring to fall. We've docked boats for 25 years and also had trailerable boats. The chaos at the ramps just doesn't appeal to me any longer. I have a very small boat with a new 9.8 Evinrude on it if I want to hit up Pymatuning or someplace else. Waking up on my boat in the morning and heading out is much more appealing to me than hooking up and driving and turning around same day. This is what we like, and fully understand the other side.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## Burkcarp1 (Dec 24, 2016)

Keep your small boat and still buy a bigger one if you can then decide what works best for you. I have both and love it .


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## SJB (Mar 22, 2017)

I have done both and so many pros and cons. The quickness I can go from jumping out of my car, or waking up in the morning on a moored boat does not even compare to waiting in line at the launch. It was great. But when the bite was poor, I was stuck. I have now gone to a 21' glass boat and while I am more flexible, it does take more time and fuel to get from point A to point B. With young kids at home, I have no regrets when I slipped, and no regrets when I tow.


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## Reel Overtime (Jun 25, 2014)

I have a 26' that my wife tows, this is easy to set-up and go fishing with, but at the end of the day, we are tired, that chore of putting it back onthe trailer, rods down, cover, I too have been looking for a 29-30' to just keep in the marina...


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## fishtales (May 8, 2012)

Docked for 13 years and trailered for 20 or more. Advantages to both. Cost is the main difference. While if trailering is a disadvantage, you have less in cost and your boat is out of the water and hull clean and motor(zebra mussels) and outboards are the easiest to winterize and your boat can be repowered more easily than an i/o or inboard.The mobility of trailering allows you to chase the fish a dock leaves you in one spot. If you dock, I would recommend buying a newer fiberglass with an i/o for maneuverability,and coating the hull with vc-17 to avoid osmotic blistering. You can also park and leave your boat at many marinas for a smaller fee and then launch when you use and pull and store on their premises


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## Shake-n-Bake (Sep 16, 2011)

I had trailered an 18' boat to lake erie and really had to watch the weather. Anything over two footers was no fun. Trying to dock and having to deal with multiple wave runners trying to dock at the same time also wasn't fun. I agree if you want to fish multiple lakes it's nice to have the trailer. I bought a 27' with a 10ft beam and now 3-4 footers aren't as scary as they used to be. I rack store it so all I have to do is cover it at the dock and they put it away. I call to have it put in on the way to the lake and its ready when I get their. Dockage is a little expensive but for me the convenience is worth it. A disadvantage is that my season is dictated by the marina (May 1 - Oct 15) and I can't go to where the fish are biting although there are usually resident fish that bite nearby.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Many good Pro's and Con's in the above posts. I went all the routes over the past forty years and for convenience you can't beat rack storage. Toss the tow motor operator ( dock hand ) a nice tip and he will do a basic clean up prior to racking. Call the marina the night before and tell them what time you want the boat available. No worry about rising/falling water or storms. For over nite trips, simply rent a guest dock or anchor in a safe harbor. 
Two disadvantages to in water or rack are being tied to the marina's seasonal put in and pull out schedule.
Popspastime say's it all; "Want comfort and a place to relax DON'T buy a boat, buy a cottage some place so you can recoup your investment if and when you get tired of it". 

Good luck with whatever decision you make.


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## CarpetBagger (Sep 21, 2009)

Big boat + Small Boat = you can do whatever the heck u want...lol


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## BankAngler (Aug 20, 2008)

Another disadvantage of rack storage, even though it is rare. A co-worker racked their boat. They would call up when the were hitting the road for their 2.5 hour trip to the lake. They were within 30 minutes of the dock when the marina owner called and told them that their boat fell off of the towmotor and would probably be totaled.


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## mosquito walleye (Aug 3, 2012)

I live in portage lakes and now have a dock in Ashtabula harbor. So it takes me just under 1.5 hours to get to the dock and my new boat on it's way is only about 19 foot. I just love that I have the capability of leaving work on Fridays and drive straight up there and get a quick evening troll in before the rest of the weekend. Also, I have a buddy who owns a camper to sleep in right in front of my dock which helps. Evening troll on Friday, and then stay up in Ashtabula and fish all day Saturday and Sunday depending on weather. Love that I can wake up early and just walk into the boat and take off whenever I want to. It someone is really hurting on money, I would def tell them to go the trailer route, but if it won't kill you to have the dock, I love mine after just one year!


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## rutty (Feb 5, 2007)

I have a 27' Sportcraft for sale, look just like the one carpetbagger posted in a couple post above. It is 2002 with a brand new Mercury Motor installed last year, new motor has less than 50 hours on it.


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## buck wild (Mar 28, 2015)

rutty said:


> I have a 27' Sportcraft for sale, look just like the one carpetbagger posted in a couple post above. It is 2002 with a brand new Mercury Motor installed last year, new motor has less than 50 hours on it.


What are you asking for it? Where is it at and you have any pics. Thanks


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