Northwest Fishing Reports

I've been shopping for a boat over the last six months and it has been quite the dramatic experience. When shopping for our house, we looked at over 92 houses before buying one. I made huge compromises and paid more money for the house to shut my wife up. Yes, I speak that way about my wife because its the way its. I want her to keep her mouth shut and keep my project list as clear as possible so I can do the things I want to do, rather than constant updates to the house. During this whole time period, I told her that once we bought a house, I'm buying a boat.

So, she got her new house with the big kitchen and granite everything (on little-to-no-land). I told her I was going to go look at boats. The more I did it, the more ambivalence I detected from her toward the whole thing. She threw a fit and asked if she was going to get an opinion. I told her that I didn't think she needed one since she'd never use it. We've been together eight years and she's NEVER gone fishing with me regardless of my attempts to take her. So why, would I, need to consider what she thinks? BUT, I let her look over the brochures and quotes I had gotten at the boat shows. I was looking at a Lund Pro Guide 1825 or Alumacraft 185 Competitor Tiller.

Mainly I fish for bass, walleyes, trout and panfish. I wanted an 18 foot boat for the Columbia and larger lakes like Chelan, Moses, Banks, Potholes. Of course, she thinks we should get a "family boat". I told her if the "family" which we dont have yet ever wants to go fishing, they'd be welcome on the boat. She sees an Alumaweld Stryker and is all about it. To me, a boat like that is worthless because it has no casting space on the deck, would handle like a pig, doesn't have much casting space because of the cabin/canopy. Sure, great salmon trolling or bottom fishing boat, but worthless for my purposes.

Wife tries to draw a line in the sand about it and I call her bluff. I win, she didn't pack her crap. We look over brochures again and find a "compromise". Common theme, these compromises. We decide we both like the Lund 1875 Impact Sport and the Alumacraft 185 Competitor Sport. So, I go get a loan and get ready to buy.

We are BSing with my parents and my parents decide they want to contribute with a gift to pay for half of the boat. Completely unexpected. They also decide to do their own boat shopping and really like the Weldcraft Rebel 188 with off-shore bracket. Pretty sweet boat. Hot water sink, washdown pump, can handle bigger water, and a bunch of other stuff that means nothing to me. So, i tell folks that I had already decided on a boat but they are married to the one they found. So I tell them to keep their money because I don't see using a boat like that more then 3 to 5 times a year because it would be too cost prohibitive otherwise to drag it out to the coast or the Columbia. Puget Sound is a joke anymore so why bother. Seems to cause some bad feelings.

My parents bring up the fishing I do isn't "productive" because I don't keep anything. I release everything. So, they could see spending money on a boat that would bring food into the freezer. My wife hears this and agrees. Back to square one.

I think I'm going to divorce my wife and disown my parents and get the boat I want and fish.

The End.

1 - NEVER GET MARRIED

2 - buy the boat YOU will be using/want

3 - 2,007,782 - NEVER GET MARRIED

Did I mention NEVER GET MARRIED

Dan360 wrote:
I think I'm going to divorce my wife and disown my parents and get the boat I want and fish.

The End.

ding ding ding... WINNER! I know for me to have my boat I gotta do the same thing

OR do like AMX and skip that step in the first place.

I will agree with AMX... Buy the boat for YOU!!!!! not what anyone else wants ... or thinks you need... I was going to buy a dual sport,,, fish/ski... whatever you want to call them... but after looking at all the wasted space that gets taken up by crap i didn't want or need I went with a single console fiberglass bass boat... best thing I could have done... wife doesn't go out with me much fishing... hoping to get her out with me more... but I bought a fishing platform... not a cruiser...

Screw what other people think or say!!!!!!!

wow, i feel for you. i say get divorced, then buy the boat, otherwise she might want it just to piss you off. tell your parents to get bent and that you will decide what's productive. why are all these people trying to make decisions for you?. tell them off do what you want, if they stick around great, if not, well no biggie. women are,like,streetcars, there,will be another one along very shortly.

2,007,783 - tell the parents to keep their collective noses out of it, you can release any and all the fish YOU want

2,007,784 - tell the WIFE!! if she doesn't go fishing, then she doesn't have a voice, OR vote, in what boat is purchased, she probably won't even like boating

2,007,785 - tell the WIFE that she got the house SHE wanted and so YOU get the BOAT YOU WANT!

2,007,786-14,293,499 - NEVER GET MARRIED!!!!!!!! you can go to downtown Seattle for that and it's CHEAPER by the hour. Why pay for something for years that you MIGHT only get once a week or once a month?

Oh, and the parents wanted to hand over 1/2 so THEY can 'borrow' the boat whenever THEY want regardless of YOUR wishes. NEVER EXCEPT MONEY FOR CARS, TRUCKS, BOATS, FROM FAMILY OR FRIENDS FOR THAT REASON!!!!!

Yes I have a major problems with people that run, or try to run, the lives of others, family, married, or otherwise.

THAT is exactly why my wife and I each have our own bank accounts as well as a joint one. We both contribute equally to the joint one for bills and savings for vacations, emergencies, etc. Then the rest goes into our personal accounts. If we didn't do it that way, oh, I can't even imagine how many less toys I would have

amx should have dr. phils spot on tv, that guy is clueless compared to the pearls I'm hearing here.

Bro I feel your pain, kind of in the same position but haven't found a boat that is worth what people are asking that is the drama I am getting. My misses has no say in what I am going to buy but believe me I know she wont be happy when I do get one. They reason why she doesn't is I pay for everything period! I do think its most important you get what boat you will be fishing the most for no point in straddling a payment for something you will regret cause deprecation of a new boat will take years to even out. partly why used boat prices are ridiculous right now.

I enjoyed reading that. Thanks for writing. While reading it, I couldn't help but to think of the compromises I've made in my fishing plans for friends and family. Not a lot of either are left. By all means buy your boat! Mend those fences some in another arena if you want.

SICK, what boat did you decide on? (when the right deal comes along)

" She sees an Alumaweld Stryker and is all about it."

Enjoyed your story as well... but I have to commend you on not just keeping to your point on the "Boat that YOU want"
But, a lot of guys buying a boat might toss the idea of a more open style (smaller water boat) , and when the wife and parents start talking Big Water, cabin, boat... Some guys might say, "Ya, baby.. lets go get it!"

You're smart to not get carried away, and to buy the boat that is easier to actually get to MORE bodies of water to fish the way that will get YOU out on the water the most often.

The best deal I found was a 2007 21' NR seahawk with a 2008 225hp suk outboard 9hp kicker auto pilot the full works it was a done deal 38k money in hand but the dealer wouldn't give me a compression check on the engine so I walked.
I would really like to find a 20 or 21' thunderjet like I had with a v and an outboard, I finally came across one with tr1 too but I misses it as it was sold. other boats are a 20' hewescraft pro v extended transom

wow, quite the story. Maybe that's why I have four watercraft (no wait, that's MY issue, can't pin that on my spouse).

I vote with go with what you think will serve your needs best. I had a friend buy a boat of compromise - stupid ski/"family" boat. Totally inappropriate to fish out of. He got rid of it in a year.

Spouse can have an opinion, but no vote, unless she is a hardcore angler too.

It was an interesting process for me be because after much reasearch and realistic thinking about what I really wanted the boat for I ended up with something totally different than what I had in my head when I decided "it was time".

Mike Carey wrote:wow, quite the story. Maybe that's why I have four watercraft (no wait, that's MY issue, can't pin that on my spouse).

I vote with go with what you think will serve your needs best. I had a friend buy a boat of compromise - stupid ski/"family" boat. Totally inappropriate to fish out of. He got rid of it in a year.

Spouse can have an opinion, but no vote, unless she is a hardcore angler too.

Isn't she becoming one?

Dan360 wrote: Mainly I fish for bass, walleyes, trout and panfish. I wanted an 18 foot boat for the Columbia and larger lakes like Chelan, Moses, Banks, Potholes.

Can we introduce you to kokanee? You might want to keep them.

Dan360 wrote:We are BSing with my parents and my parents decide they want to contribute with a gift to pay for half of the boat. Completely unexpected. They also decide to do their own boat shopping and really like the Weldcraft Rebel 188 with off-shore bracket. Pretty sweet boat. Hot water sink, washdown pump, can handle bigger water, and a bunch of other stuff that means nothing to me. So, i tell folks that I had already decided on a boat but they are married to the one they found. So I tell them to keep their money because I don't see using a boat like that more then 3 to 5 times a year because it would be too cost prohibitive otherwise to drag it out to the coast or the Columbia. Puget Sound is a joke anymore so why bother. Seems to cause some bad feelings.

It isn't a gift if you are told what way to spend it.

Dan360 wrote:My parents bring up the fishing I do isn't "productive" because I don't keep anything. I release everything. So, they could see spending money on a boat that would bring food into the freezer. My wife hears this and agrees. Back to square one.
I think I'm going to divorce my wife and disown my parents and get the boat I want and fish.

The fishing is productive to you. Your wife and parents can go fish and bring it home to eat.
Did you get this fishing bug after you got married?
I am sorry to hear your story and I hope it has a good outcome.

sickbayer wrote:The best deal I found was a 2007 21' NR seahawk with a 2008 225hp suk outboard 9hp kicker auto pilot the full works it was a done deal 38k money in hand but the dealer wouldn't give me a compression check on the engine so I walked.
I would really like to find a 20 or 21' thunderjet like I had with a v and an outboard, I finally came across one with tr1 too but I misses it as it was sold. other boats are a 20' hewescraft pro v extended transom

Wow on the compression check. Something should come up.

Just to stick to the thread topic: Does your wife or parents have a say in which boat you get? ROTFLMAO

40 years ago i sold my go fast boat (Sidewinder) to pay for our wedding and down payment on a house (compromise #1). With that came a promise that in a couple years i could get another boat that everyone could enjoy (compromise#2). A couple years later (29 to be exact) I took the wife to the boat show in 2003. I told her what I wanted in a boat. Told her to find what she wanted that also met my requirements and turned her loose. About 2 hours later she calls and says she found it. I make my way to where she is and she's standing in front of an Arima. I'm in heaven make the deal and pick it up about a month later. My problem (compromise #3) is on average for every fishing trip, it goes joy riding 3 times. Compromised on the first boat and the compromising has never ended. At least I'm on the water No one boat does it all well. We all need 3 or 4. You won't make everyone happy buy based on what you are going to do the most and make due with what you have the rest of the time. Good luck!

I feel sorry for you guys! Married to the same lady for 38 years. During that time I've owned 8 or 10 different boats from a 12' inflatable to a 30' charter boat. Total support from the Mrs on all my choices. It's a partnership between two best friends (and lovers . I made sure she has a nice house and car and food on the table (which she cooks) and she lets me play outdoors as I choose. She also joins me in the boat from time to time!