# Is a "Fish and Ski" boat OK on Lake Erie?



## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

Looking at used boats - originally thought I might want a small center console or larger aluminum fishing boat, but I'm also considering a couple of Fish and Ski boats like the mid-2000's Skeeter 190 SL and Stratos 486 SF. Here's the rub ...

Criteria: 

Needs to haul 4 people easily.
Should be fishing friendly.
Must be easily towable - prefer less than 2500 lbs total weight (loaded, incl. trailer). 
Would like it to be able to fit in my garage. (Note: I have an alcove on one side of the garage that extends the length by 4-5 feet).
Needs to be able to handle Lake Erie on a fairly easy day (think: 2 foot chop). (I'm not walleye fishing in 4 footers ... too old for that.)
Needs to be shallower draft for use on inland lakes.
Would like enough power to get it to 35 mph so that I can possibly tow a tube or skier. A 40hp motor isn't going to get this done.
Want an outboard motor - no I/O's please. Don't have a preference between 2 and 4 stroke.
Budget is $20k tops - but remember I'm considering mostly used models. Would prefer something in the $10-$14k range.
I've been looking primarily at 16-18 foot center consoles (Triumph, Trophy, Sea Hunt, etc.) or 17-19 foot aluminum fishing boats (Lund, Crestliner, Alumacraft, etc.), but wondered if a Fish and Ski might be OK for most fair weather days on Lake Erie? 

*Does anyone have any experiences on the big water with an ~18 ft. fish and ski model similar to those I mentioned above?* I'm an experienced boater, but my worry is the lack of freeboard and transom height on the fish and skis might make things dicey while sitting/trolling, encountering large wakes, or when the wind/weather kicks up.

Thanks in advance for your input!
1ME


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## jmyers8 (Aug 2, 2013)

Just a thought but most the boats in the 17 to 19 ft range are the lunds starcraft and alumacraft you've mentioned. Most will go plenty fast to tow a tube or skier and can get a ski pole or just hook to the tie down straps. Those are the models I would look at more

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

I have an old Seanymph 195 Great Lakes Special. The pic is to my left. Shallow draft, super high side boards, and very light. Mine has a 70HP Evinrude and it flat gets it, however one doesn't need that speed on Erie. Most of the time you must take a controled cruise in. (waves?) 
For Erie, i run a 14 pitch prop for power, but you can pick up a 17 pitch for the speed on inland lakes. How i do it anyways. Good luck, i hope you find what your looking for.

If you get something with a Rude, i believe i have an extra 17 pitch prop that i would be more than happy to give you.


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## cheezemm2 (Apr 7, 2004)

$diesel$ said:


> I have an old Seanymph 195 Great Lakes Special. The pic is to my left. Shallow draft, super high side boards, and very light. Mine has a 70HP Evinrude and it flat gets it, however one doesn't need that speed on Erie. Most of the time you must take a controled cruise in. (waves?)
> For Erie, i run a 14 pitch prop for power, but you can pick up a 17 pitch for the speed on inland lakes. How i do it anyways. Good luck, i hope you find what your looking for.
> 
> If you get something with a Rude, i believe i have an extra 17 pitch prop that i would be more than happy to give you.


I purchased a 19' 94 four winns fish/ski outboard model that I would take out perching on 2' or less days. It had a custom canvas bow cover just for that purpose. We would anchor from the bow, put the cover on and fish off the stern. You have to pick your days and realize your Erie speed in rough weather will be limited to how much of a beating you want to take. If it ever got too sloppy, we took it easy, tilted the trim up and rode home slowly with the bow up. Pay attention to the front end of the boats and make sure they have a good dead rise. A fair number of fish/ski boats look like a giant spoon in front.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

$diesel$ said:


> I have an old Seanymph 195 Great Lakes Special. The pic is to my left. Shallow draft, super high side boards, and very light. Mine has a 70HP Evinrude and it flat gets it, however one doesn't need that speed on Erie. Most of the time you must take a controled cruise in. (waves?)
> For Erie, i run a 14 pitch prop for power, but you can pick up a 17 pitch for the speed on inland lakes. How i do it anyways. Good luck, i hope you find what your looking for.
> 
> If you get something with a Rude, i believe i have an extra 17 pitch prop that i would be more than happy to give you.


My buddy had a fiberglass deep V with a 90 OB that he took to Eire, and his buddy had a newer 18 deep V with a 75 that had all kind of flotation foam packed into it. It bobbed like a cork! When the waves get close to 3' on Erie you can't run fast unless you have something really big, heavy, and powerful! You can get a smaller boat on plane for a while, then those 3 random waves will hit you and slow you right down! A controlled cruise in is your only way, which is why you have to keep such a sharp eye on the weather. The weather moves faster than you can!


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## slimdaddy45 (Aug 27, 2007)

$diesel$ said:


> I have an old Seanymph 195 Great Lakes Special. The pic is to my left. Shallow draft, super high side boards, and very light. Mine has a 70HP Evinrude and it flat gets it, however one doesn't need that speed on Erie. Most of the time you must take a controled cruise in. (waves?)
> For Erie, i run a 14 pitch prop for power, but you can pick up a 17 pitch for the speed on inland lakes. How i do it anyways. Good luck, i hope you find what your looking for.
> 
> If you get something with a Rude, i believe i have an extra 17 pitch prop that i would be more than happy to give you.


Does your boat do good on Erie I have the same hull I believe mine is a 195 fish n ski Sea Nymph I would like to come to Erie one of these days but have no experiance up there but Im running a 13.75 x15 prop which is to small because im taching 6100 so I GOT A 13X19 TO TRY OUT I have a 115 Johnson on mine I bought with a blown 88hp it had the 13x19 on it


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## PromiseKeeper (Apr 14, 2004)

I have a Lund 1750 Tyee that I've fished Erie out of for a long time. We've skied, tubed, and done all the things you say are important to you. You can fish 4, but I prefer to take the back seats out and put one up front and fish 3. Lots more room that way with room for coolers. Mine has a 90hp outboard and will run 35 with way too much gear in it. Also have a 10hp kicker to troll with and an electric motor for inland lakes. I've said many times that the Lund will take bigger water than I want to be out on. It has cushions up front or you can take them out and put an insert in for a pedestal. Live well up front too. I've never found anything I liked better, so I'll keep it!


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Personally, I'd go with a 17-19 aluminum deep v of whatever boat manufacturer you prefer.
FWIW, my boat does everything you're looking for.
You don't need to hit 35-40 MPH to water ski.
I'd also favor fishing at the expense of water skiing. Tubing is easy. You'll likely be shocked at how little you or your family water ski.
You also need to be a realist as to how much gear you can store on a 17-19 foot boat, even a new one. Rod lockers have displaced ski storage as of late.....for good reason.
No boat can do EVERYTHING. You need to find a boat that will do what YOU realistically want to do.
p.s. - new four strokes are SO quiet.


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## Rocknut (Apr 17, 2015)

I've done quite a few days on erie near the islands on my brothers bass boat. He had a 17' alum with a 60hp. This year a 18' fiberglass with a 150hp. I would watch every forecast in advance and choose our days. Never a problem. Got rough a couple times but never any concerns. Yes we always wear PFDs while motoring the self inflating kinds.


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## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

slimdaddy45 said:


> Does your boat do good on Erie I have the same hull I believe mine is a 195 fish n ski Sea Nymph I would like to come to Erie one of these days but have no experiance up there but Im running a 13.75 x15 prop which is to small because im taching 6100 so I GOT A 13X19 TO TRY OUT I have a 115 Johnson on mine I bought with a blown 88hp it had the 13x19 on it


It does just fine as i'm sure yours will. Just pay attention to what i and all these other guys refer to. Don't expect to get on top of 3 footers, aluminum will beat the hell out of you. Take a slower controlled ride in and negotiate the waves properly and you'll have no problems. Hopefully.....

I don't know about that 19 pitch, slimdaddy. I think you will loose too much emergency power, if you have to get up and go in a hurry. I think your better off with the 13.75. 
These fellas here on this site know way more about boats than i.
What do you guys think?


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## PromiseKeeper (Apr 14, 2004)

Like Berkshirepresident said..... 35 MPH isn't needed to ski or tube. In fact, for our tastes that is way too fast. Mine planes up nicely at about 18 MPH and we often kept it around 20 to tow. I just use the tie down eyes. The trick is getting on plane quickly to tow a tube or a skier. Enough motor and the right prop helps. The days you can run 35 on Erie are far and few between. If you get an open bow, make sure you have a cover for the bow. It isn't often needed, but if the waves get big quick, you'll be glad you have it.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

PromiseKeeper said:


> Like Berkshirepresident said..... 35 MPH isn't needed to ski or tube. In fact, for our tastes that is way too fast. Mine planes up nicely at about 18 MPH and we often kept it around 20 to tow. I just use the tie down eyes. The trick is getting on plane quickly to tow a tube or a skier. Enough motor and the right prop helps. The days you can run 35 on Erie are far and few between. If you get an open bow, make sure you have a cover for the bow. It isn't often needed, but if the waves get big quick, you'll be glad you have it.


I fished the western basin for a couple of yrs in a 16' boat. never got into trouble with it. just pick your days and you'll be ok.

I have a 21' glass open bow and i've been in 4' or 5' waves and the only time i've had any waves break over the bow was when we was going in. for the most part you control the water by going slow.
sherman


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

1mecheng said:


> Looking at used boats - originally thought I might want a small center console or larger aluminum fishing boat, but I'm also considering a couple of Fish and Ski boats like the mid-2000's Skeeter 190 SL and Stratos 486 SF. Here's the rub ...
> 
> Criteria:
> 
> ...


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Remember tho,even tho you might not be able to go fast in bigger waves. It's still nice to have that power in the bigger waves... imo get the biggest motor what ever boat you decide on allows. 
Good luck with your next boat!


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Remember tho,even tho you might not be able to go fast in bigger waves. It's still nice to have that power in the bigger waves... imo get the biggest motor what ever boat you decide on allows.
> Good luck with your next boat!


great advice on getting more power. if you start small it wont be long until you want to upgrade to another bigger motor. so start with the bigger motor. if you need more power and don't have it then you want bigger it costs a lot more to upgrade. but if you need more its nice to already have it.
sherman


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

I have the same boat as $diesel$ and love it
is great on erie big enough to get you in in any weather and waves
yet light enough to trailer easy and don't need a 4x4 to pull it.
use mine on erie, lake Ontario and various inland lakes...
fish and ski styles are a great all around boat...
I like the sea nymph and starcraft models the best, they are very deep and have a motor well with a high gunwale all the way around so its not as easy to take a wave thru the transom area.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Remember tho,even tho you might not be able to go fast in bigger waves. It's still nice to have that power in the bigger waves... imo get the biggest motor what ever boat you decide on allows.
> Good luck with your next boat!


x2


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## Evinrude58 (Apr 13, 2011)

I have a 19 foot Bayliner open bow with a 125 on it I have used on Erie with the grandkids. Handles 2 footers fine never tried it in anything bigger. Also use it at Portage lakes.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

Evinrude58 said:


> Also use it at Portage lakes.


Perhaps the ultimate boat challenge in NE Ohio: the need to handle Lake Erie but still have a shallow enough draft to make it through the Iron Channel at PLX.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

just remember to slow down when it gets rough.
sherman


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## PromiseKeeper (Apr 14, 2004)

I've had mine in 4's but not intentionally but it did fine quartering into the waves powering up into them and coasting down. I was glad for the bow cover!


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

Mine is a bit deeper V fish and ski in 22' length. I wouldn't trade it for any other boat. We mostly use it on Erie but I could take it inland. I have had 7 people perch fishing and 6 people drift fishing walleye multiple times. I have 3 daughters and spend more time dragging people on tubes than even fishing time. Once July ends, its almost all tubing and swimming time until the end of season. These are just great multipurpose boats. I really don't care for the center consoles but understand why they are necessary for the oceans. I fit more persons on my Dual Console and can put up the bow cover and windshield if it gets rough and wet. Also with tubing, you rarely go over 24 mph, just not safe as kids get to full size. They tumble on top of each other and can get hurt at faster speeds.
Rickerd
Rickerd


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

As far as the 2 glass boats you asked about. Both would be good on lake Erie. I see a lot of reata’s on Erie. It’s the same style boat. You will be ok.


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## slimdaddy45 (Aug 27, 2007)

$diesel$ said:


> It does just fine as i'm sure yours will. Just pay attention to what i and all these other guys refer to. Don't expect to get on top of 3 footers, aluminum will beat the hell out of you. Take a slower controlled ride in and negotiate the waves properly and you'll have no problems. Hopefully.....
> 
> I don't know about that 19 pitch, slimdaddy. I think you will loose too much emergency power, if you have to get up and go in a hurry. I think your better off with the 13.75.
> These fellas here on this site know way more about boats than i.
> What do you guys think?


The 88hp that come with the boat got hot and seized what the guy said it had the 13x19 on it my old motor I took off my other boat is a 1974 Johnson 115 it was on a 18' tri-hull and I put it on the Sea Nymph but it runs 6100 rpm's so I need either a 17'' pitch or the 19 I just figured if the 88 was pitched right then the 19 should work ok .Im gonna try it and see what it does if I ever get a chance to get it in the water been cleaning up trees from a little EF-0 tornado we had 80 mph winds so they said had a big pignut hickory come down on my house luckily it only tore up the roof instead of smashing my house.But Ill get the boat out soon I hope only had it on the water twice since I bought it . The guy I bought it from was a tournament walleye fisherman said he had it on Erie and Lake Michigan said he had it in 5' waves . I think I got a pretty good deal on it even tho the motor was seized but it had a Minn Kota trolling motor 55 ft pds and a 9.9 Yamaha 4 stroke kicker on a Sea Nymph trailer for $1800 bucks only thing wrong with is the livewell drain hose is either busted or broke someplace under the floor so I have to plug the back of the boat someday Ill pull the floor up and fix it but in the meantime I use a big cooler with an aerator pump in it. I always wanted a deep V with lots of room I mainly catfish and the 16' tri-hull just wasn't big enough once we got all of our gear in it because our fishing trip was usually 24 hr trip so we have a cooler full of food and drinks


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## shadowalker (May 7, 2004)

I just retired and I have a 18 ft. Lund Mr.Pike,red,135 evinrude,Lund trailer,,Casting decks front and rear,live wells front and rear,Minn Kota spot lock(24v)with remote,hummingbird color,side imaging,trolling brackets,2004 model but in good shape,looks great runs great.$13,995.00 Reason for selling moved to S/Ohio to big of a boat for down here and my age.Shadowalker


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## bassfishinfool (Jun 26, 2004)

berkshirepresident said:


> Perhaps the ultimate boat challenge in NE Ohio: the need to handle Lake Erie but still have a shallow enough draft to make it through the Iron Channel at PLX.


That's a 21 bass boat!
To the OP a glass fish and ski will be well over 2500lbs.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I spent many yrs on the western basin with an old open bow aluminum 18' Cherokee boat with a 80 hp mariner. even with the open bow we were pretty much dry. but when we went out we checked the weather. if they forecast over 2' to 3' we didnt go. but we fished a lot of 3' waves. and we've got caught in a little rougher water. but we slowed way down and gave it just enough to keep the bow up.
sherman


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

shadowalker said:


> I just retired and I have a 18 ft. Lund Mr.Pike,red,135 evinrude,Lund trailer,,Casting decks front and rear,live wells front and rear,Minn Kota spot lock(24v)with remote,hummingbird color,side imaging,trolling brackets,2004 model but in good shape,looks great runs great.$13,995.00 Reason for selling moved to S/Ohio to big of a boat for down here and my age.Shadowalker


Shadowalker - sounds like a good boat. Can you message me some pics?


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

bassfishinfool said:


> That's a 21 bass boat!
> To the OP a glass fish and ski will be well over 2500lbs.


The 2007 Skeeter 190 SL is 1500lb dry weight ... add 750 for a single axle trailer and a couple hundred pounds of gear/fuel and you're at around 2500 lbs total tow weight.


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## shadowalker (May 7, 2004)

1mecheng said:


> Shadowalker - sounds like a good boat. Can you message me some pics?


I can,returning from a trip out west July 15th.Apologize for that.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I have the perfect boat for me. its an older 21' glass boat. its big enough for erie but works great for playing in the water with tubes. I do have a 5 blade prop which is nice about planning off and pulling a large tube. it has an open bow that I worried about to start with. but after getting caught in some 4' to 5' waves a few times it handled them great. the only time we took on any water is when we were going a little to fast into the waves to get back to shore and the boat would splash water and the wind would wet us pretty good. all we had to do to stop this was to slow down and ride over the waves. I wouldnt worry about 3' or 4' waves with the boat you listed. but I would try to pick better days to be out on erie.

you should start on calmer days and learn what the boat is going to do. if your out about 12 or 15 miles and she starts getting rough you want to head for shore. we were out one day that got rough. but we only needed a few more to get our limit. so we trolled in the trough of the waves and kept fishing. about every 1/2 hr or so the coast guard would drive by checking on us. once we got our limit we headed in. we was going right into the waves. at about 10 mph we got in just a little wet from the waves splashing up then the wind would spray us pretty good.

be shure and keep us informed as to how the boat worked on erie.
sherman


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## 1mecheng (Jul 28, 2009)

Thanks to everyone who commented!
I had 2 bass-type fish and ski boats that I was looking at (Skeeter 190, Nitro 188) as well as a couple of traditional 17' bowriders, but eventually ended up settling on a nice 2005 Lowe FS 165 with a 90hp Merc. I went with the traditional aluminum bowrider that seats 6 and will both fish and ski, but has the higher sides and stern to alleviate some of my concerns.


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## SPURCHASERX (May 23, 2008)

I have run two different aluminum open bows on Erie 
17 bluefin w/ 90 Yaman a 19 Sylvan w/ 115 Johnson 
The blue fin would do anything I asked on a reasonable day
The sylvan though bigger scared me badly twice while perching 
The difference was in the bow design The sylvan has a lower downswep bow and when anchored would be prone to taking water over the bow I don’t care how much rope was out
All it takes even on a calm day is wake from some twit running through the pack or weather coming in unexpected 
Both boats ran fine in 3-4 if I did my part and trolled well in2’s Both would pull skiers with ease
Due to the scares in the 19 I now run A 23-1/2 trophy pro on the big lake and save the sylvan for inland lakes or short bass trips on the big girl 
Design matters as much as hp and size


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I fished a 16 deep v glass boat for a couple of yrs and wasnt ever scared. but kept a good eye on the weather.

one of the best boats I ever fished out of was an old partially restored 18' Cherokee aluminum open bow. it fished great in 2 to 3's but could handle worse coming in. I came up on weekends so couldn't always pick the weather. was very lucky and was never stopped from fishing. but we mostly drift fished back then.
sherman


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