Corpusfishing.com

[Jstone]

Looking at buying a boat in the next year and am trying to gather as much info as I can before jumping in. I'll be fishing mainly the ULM (don't need to get real skinny) and would like to be able to run out to rigs on a calm day. Will have wife and daughters with me so a decent ride is a plus. I am really just looking for any advice on a more specific choice of boats. I've been looking pretty hard at a Boston whaler montauk 170 and a pathfinder 1900, 2000, or 2200. I've read people have fished offshore and ULM with these just not sure necessarily which models. I know neither is perfect for either situation but seem to be a good compromise between the two. Any help from some knowledgeable folks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Btw it will be a used boat too, hoping to stay under 17-18k

[Oil Field Trash II]

out of those, the pathfinder 22'. a longer boat will help span the distance between the waves when it's choppy in the bay, and be a much nicer ride than the shorter pathfinders.

I really don't know much about that particular whaler, but pathfinders are a very popular boat for good reason, you see those 22 footers around everywhere.

[BayFly]

I've owned a 17' hull and used it in the bay, and I loved the size, except when the wind was up at all and caused a chop over a foot or two, then it was tough going. All the more reason I have a 23' hull today. The Whaler 17' would be a real disappointment in the bay, and a disaster in the Gulf. I encourage you to ride in the two before making your final decision. In my case I looked for a guide using the hull I bought, but I doubt you will find a guide using a 17' Whaler. Good luck on your choice.

[TxMav]

I currently own a 2001 22' PF. I bought used to learn my way around the bay's. Last weekend I got caught on the far side of aransas bay when it got real windy. I saw a storm developing on the gulf side of St. Joe island. So I startded back to cove harbor. On my way, the chop got up to 3-4'. It was rough and I got wet. But the boat handled it well. Never took any water over the bow. I can't imagine having been in anything smaller. I sometimes wondered if I bought too big, wishing I could get a little skinnier. Not anymore.
I know people do it, but personally, I wouldn't leave the bay in anything less than 22'-24' depending on the boat. With all that said , I recommend the 22 PF.

[Johninaustin]

I've been using a 17' Whaler for years. Restored it from a 1972 hull in fact.

It works fine on better offshore days and runs the bay with no problem. Had it out to the PA ship anchorage on Thursday, 4' swells and it stayed nicely dry. I've taken it out to the Liberty ships with no problems before, I troll with a kicker and can go all day on a gallon of gas.

The issue you are going to run into is that it's a 3 person boat at most. There just isn't enough room for the people and gear you are going to be taking.

[Tyler]

The Buddy Love is a 1977 Montauk and we love it when it runs though three is about all there is room for. Runs fine in the bay not real skinny but shallower than you'd think. It sails great too with the bimini top one third deployed and will hit 4mph
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[ltorna1]

montauk. that is all.
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[ratherbefishing]

[Jstone]

I wonder how how much more room the montauk 170 or 190 would have than the older montauks. Also I had been pricing used pathfinder 1900s and just looked at the 2200s thinking they would be slightly more.......wrong, they jump up about 7k.....whew, that might be a little outta my range, at the least I'd have to save a couple years longer if I decided to go with one of them.

[Oil Field Trash II]