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I'm new to boating and could really use some advice. I'm researching buying a boat to explore boston harbor, the harbor islands, the Charles river and the surrounding coastal areas. I'm looking at small cc boats, and have been impressed with 16' stur-dee skiff and the 17' holby Bristol skiff, but i'm not experienced enough with boats to have confidence in my judgment -- i'd love to have some imput from your collective wisdom.
I am attracted to these boats because of their classic lines, low fuel consumption and described sea-worthiness. I understand that the skiff hull can pound pretty hard in chop but don't know if the conditions around the harbor would be too much. I don't have interest in speeding around places, but I would like to be able to set and tend a few lobster pots with my two young children.
Am I off-track in my thinking? other suggestions perhaps?
After over 25 years of boating on my own in this area, my opinion is that you will be very limited by the weather/wind in that size of a boat. No knock on the boat manufacturers, top choice for that matter, however, they are better suited for a bay or river area. Take that $15k and buy a nice used 20' Grady, Older Sea Craft, Mako, or Whaler.
__________________ Chris
'98 Pursuit 2870 Offshore
'99 Grady White 247 Advance
'01 Hydra Sports 212
'87 Sea Ray 340 Express
'88 Boston Whaler 18 Outrage
'86 Rampage 24 Express I/B
'86 Grady White 204
'8? Cobia 18?
That was my home turf for a long time. Captainvfr has some good advice.
My Wellcraft v20 was a great boat for the harbor. I fished 10 pots outside the harbor and regularly jigged for cod up to 50 miles out. Youger kids love having a spot to sleep or get out of the sun, so having a walkaround cabin boat like a Grady might be your best bet. You don't have to venture out too far to start seeing whales or tuna. You'll outgrow a 17ft skiff style boat after 2trips . . . 20ft or larger is a much more comfortable size for boating in the harbor and will give room to grow.
"Two young children," he says. Get at least a 20-footer.
Also, Boston Harbor is full of reefs and emergent rocks, some marked, some not, so you need to be paying attention. It's a very nice place to play around in, but remember also that it's full of other boats, some quite large, and they make serious waves, so even if there's no wind, you could easily swamp a boat that's too small. And if you go exploring the surrounding coastal areas, as you say, and as you'll want to, then 20 feet is none too much boat.
I don't remember all the bridges on the Charles, so I don't know how far up you can get, but past Cambridge, I'd think a canoe or kayak would be a better craft for exploring it than a 20-foot or even a 16-foot boat.
I think you will quickly out grow bristol and sturdy. As FF stated above, even on the calmest days there is a lot of traffic in the inner harbor and Quincy bay and that will slow you down in those flat bottom skiffs. I am not a speed nut, but I prefer to cruise comfortably at a speed greater than 14 mph. I think you will be happier for a longer period of time with something at least 17' that has a v-hull. There are a lot of used boats on the market now and you can have your pick if you want to save $$. Maritime Skiffs, Hyrdrosports, sea hunt, etc. are all good choices.
I would also look around for at least 20'...
THe harbor can definately get too rough for a smaller boat.
I found an 88 Grady 22' for 7K put maybe 1000 into it and am happy as pie
As far as the river, I am at the furthest west club on it and we have a ton of 30' + boats , so you will have no real problems with a 20 footer...
Some shallow water, but you can still play
Look around and you will find something, they are out there!
Definately a cuddy or walk-around for the kids, it's great for them... mine love it
Good luck!
Gary
__________________ Your kid may be an honors student, but you're still an idiot.
[b]Very funny Scotty, now beem me down my clothes! [b]
i agree you should look at a little larger boat. i recently sold my 17' boat for a 19'. The amount of space and ride are much much better. i also considered 21' boats. There seemed to be a much larger price increase in going 19 -->21 over 17 --19. Probably alot due to much larger engine and dual trailer usually with breaks. i wish i had bought the 19' originally. also consider capicity. i think my 17 was rated for 4 people and the 19 is rated for 8. i took a bunch of friends out to watch fireworks and we never could have done that in the 17. you owe it to yourself to at least walk around inside a 19' to see the difference. i ended up selecting sea pro sv1900 with merc 115 4 stroke
Having been on these waters and fished them with my 3 young sons. No way would I go out in a 16 ft or 17 ft anything. Inside the harbor (from mystic to the Hyatt) you would be alright. But honestly you will be bored with that trip after the first 1/2 hour. Once you move out to the airport and the inner islands the no wake zone stops. This means a lot of those large boats are motoring through at speed. The wake of some of these boats can be really large. The commuter boats at speed kick a good size wake as well. Combine the wakes and you have some nasty conditions, not really what you want to encounter in a smaller vessel. When you get to the outer islands things are a lot better but unless you put in by Winthrop you will need to get through the harbor to get there.
We fished this area in our 18 ft wellcraft. For the most part we were fine. But the boat is a big 18 fter. We just moved up to a 24 ft boat because the 18 fter got really small really fast. Fishing with two of the boys didn't really allow me any room to fish without dodging their casts, and my boys are 100 times the fisherman I am (I guess that doesn't say much since i stink). But my point is even with their skills the 18 got small. If I were looking for a boat for that area I would start with a 20 fter. I would get used with in the last 5 years. Let someone else take the depreciation hit and there are a lot for sale at the moment. Not to mention that pots take up room and will ding up your boat. Going older and a little larger will give you room and you wont be as p'd off when the pots take a chip out of the gelcoat.
I had a 22' Sisu downeast bassboat in Boston Harbor for a number of years. If you have young kids, consider getting a boat with a cuddy cabin and a soft or hard top. A cuddy with a v-berth will allow them to take a nap and get out of the weather -- and make it a whole lot more pleasant. Boston Harbor can be a pain to boat in. No wake speed all the way out to the middle of the airport and big cat ferries going in and out leaving a big wake. While the Sturdee and Holby are nice looking boats, the others are right that you will want a bigger boat. With a 20' boat you can easily cruise up to Marblehead or down to Worlds End in Hingham for the day, and can also get in to the Charles River. Usually more bang for your buck if you buy a good used boat.
BigShrimpin' hit the nail on the head...look around for a good pre-owned V-20 and you can't go wrong...it comes in a Center-Console or Cuddy configuration...for small kids the Cuddy might be best as my kids have spent many hours fast asleep there as I got some fishin' done...a full enclosure top can also be made for the Cuddy which will extend the season for using the boat...
If you decide to go the V-20 route, look for 80s or 90s model...
Boston Harbor boating advice 
