Best Multi-Purpose Boat?

[scoutlover]

I need help looking for a boat. I currently have a War Eagle Blackhawk 2170 that I'm using for all of my water activities. It's been perfect for doing everything I do, and right now the main uses are duck hunting big water, alligator hunting, striper catfish and bass fishing, bowfishing, scuba diving, and inshore and nearshore fishing. The only problem now is my twin boys are about to turn 3 (also have a 6 year old), and the wife is not content in sitting around the house anymore now that the kids are a little more capable of being in the outdoors. My wife hates this boat because of getting burnt from touching the hot camo in the sun, no shade, no ease of reentry into the boat, and no comfortable seating or napping spots for the kids. She has given me the green light to get rid of this boat and get a family boat, and then I can get a smaller boat for the duck and alligator hunting. There have been several threads asking for help in choosing a boat, but I have a pretty defined criteria of what I want so I'm hoping it'll be pretty easy for y'all to give some suggestions on what makes and models to look at. Here is what I know I'm looking for:


Size--24' ballpark
Budget--40K. That's going to put me in the used market
Power--I'd really like to hit low 50's with the family, so maybe 250 HP minimum? Single engine
Layout--Center console with T-top and the little compartment in the console for a toliet. I like the idea of lots of seating and either removable cushions or flip down panels to give fishing or dive platform access.
Usage--Honestly it'll still be 60/40 of diving and fishing over family time. 90% of the time it'll be trailered to the upstate lakes for freshwater fishing and diving. The other 10% will be vacations to Murrell's Inlet bottom fishing and the Keys fishing and diving. I have no offshore experience but I'm going to guess less than 10 miles out in calm conditions would be my limit in a capable boat.

A couple of other things. I really like my buddy's 24' Key West with a Yamaha 300, but I'm going to have to have a trolling motor on it and I don't see how that's possible on his due to the anchor department. I've also grown to love my Power Pole, so I'd love to have that on a new boat. Any suggestions?

[Birddawg]

23 contender. Buy mine.

[Saltydog235]

My Pioneer will be up at some point soon. It'll be low 50's though but would be perfect for what you describe.

[Buckin Bronco]

Key west, sea hunt, or sportsman bay boat.

[scatter shot]

As long as it's a bay boat, you can't go wrong IMO. Bay boats are very capable for moderate to slightly heavy sea conditions and a damn sight more useful for recreational boating than a deep v.

[SouthernWake]

Pathfinder

[Phone Man]

Sportsman

[Moonlight Hunter]

My Pioneer will be up at some point soon. It'll be low 50's though but would be perfect for what you describe.

Did you decide on a new boat?

[Two Barrels]

We have a 22' Sea Hunt bay boat. It is well suited to all you are looking for except for maybe diving. I have a 250 on mine with a hard top. It will hit 54-55 if you trim it correctly. After having this boat for 5 years and just going through replacing a couple of pumps, I would look at others with better bilge access.

[scoutlover]

Thanks for the replies. I definitely have some places to start looking now.

23 contender. Buy mine.

Do you have a listing up I can check out?

My Pioneer will be up at some point soon. It'll be low 50's though but would be perfect for what you describe.

Budget could possibly be expanded once the wife gets involved. Looking forward to seeing what you've got.

[Fishinmission]

Pathfinder hands down

[Palmetto Duck]

You have the best all purpose boat already. Consider the deep v version of above boats that have the removeble backrests vs bayboats. I never liked small children sitting behind me on flip up seats and lower gunnels of bayboats while I was driving and I couldn't keep an eye on them underway without turning around. I kinda doubt you'd want to spend the money on a nicer cc and then go alligator hunting in it. But you might. If you're more kid oriented a deck boat is hard to beat for most of what you'd do if you're not sticking your nose offshore.

[scoutlover]

You have the best all purpose boat already. Consider the deep v version of above boats that have the removeble backrests vs bayboats. I never liked small children sitting behind me on flip up seats and lower gunnels of bayboats while I was driving and I couldn't keep an eye on them underway without turning around. I kinda doubt you'd want to spend the money on a nicer cc and then go alligator hunting in it. But you might. If you're more kid oriented a deck boat is hard to beat for most of what you'd do if you're not sticking your nose offshore.

After looking some, I'm kinda in agreement with you about the kids being behind me and low gunnels while underway. The deep V hulls are definitely catching my eye more. Are there any Deep V's where you could add a trolling motor? I have seen some deep V's with a power pole. As for the alligator hunting, I would be buying another boat for hunting duties.

[Geetch]

Tidewater Carolina Bay.

[Saltydog235]

Did you decide on a new boat?

Not yet. Looking hard at the Southport and Onslow Bay.

[Saltydog235]

Budget could possibly be expanded once the wife gets involved. Looking forward to seeing what you've got.

IMG_0300.JPG

Mine has jump seats in the back if you wanted to reinstall them. I took them out and put the E-Sea-Rider bean bags in. They're a lot more confortable. Can't see them in the pic though. That boat has a 300 on it. It'll do upper 50's with the 19 on it plus decent hole shot. With the 21, it would do low 60's but terrible hole shot in the ocean. Fuel economy is great and that boat's been way out quite a few times. Though normally I'm fishing 20-35 miles out. Full cushions in the bow as well, I just never install them. Also has a head, that's never been used. It's wire for a TM, I put in a windlass instead for anchoring inshore and on shallow water nearshore wrecks. Full curtains and wings. Taco outriggers and extendable poles. 4gpm wash down pump on the livewell. Twin Lowrance HDS displays, structurescan, through hull transducer, Sirius radio and weather module, expansion hub if you want to add radar, VHF etc. Boat runs square as you'll find, 3500rpms usually means 35mph or so unless your trim isn't right.

[Southernduck]

You have the best all purpose boat already. Consider the deep v version of above boats that have the removeble backrests vs bayboats. I never liked small children sitting behind me on flip up seats and lower gunnels of bayboats while I was driving and I couldn't keep an eye on them underway without turning around. I kinda doubt you'd want to spend the money on a nicer cc and then go alligator hunting in it. But you might. If you're more kid oriented a deck boat is hard to beat for most of what you'd do if you're not sticking your nose offshore.

Those deep V models are too cluttered to fish from inshore IMO. They have removed all fishing thought from those boats and geared them towards family/booze cruising which is fine if you don't like to fish. I understand the concerns about bay boats but then I remember we all grew up in low gunneled boats before they were called bay boats, maybe they were skiffs before the technical fly fisherman took that name.

[scatter shot]

Those deep V models are too cluttered to fish from inshore IMO. They have removed all fishing thought from those boats and geared them towards family/booze cruising which is fine if you don't like to fish. I understand the concerns about bay boats but then I remember we all grew up in low gunneled boats before they were called bay boats, maybe they were skiffs before the technical fly fisherman took that name.

dats right. more advantages than disadvantages with a lower gunnel. Kids and dogs stay up front of the helm while underway.

[Southernduck]

Dad turned us loose at age 13 in a 14ft Dixie craft with a 30 Mariner. Just had to stay inside the jetties and tell someone a general direction we were headed. I knew Charleston harbor like the back of my hand

[Bad Habit]

you need a twin 300 hp tritoon