airshot

Anyone with a home equity can buy one and get the tax deduction....if you think it is worth it....

Years back I had a 1248 jon boat that would carry three adults but it was tight. It was called a river jon, extra wide and extra deep but very rare....sure wish I still had it....

Even better...still easier than aluminum for the avg craftsman to work on. I am a retired toolmaker with over 50 yrs experience and have acess to a complete metalworking shop, I can make most anything...but I would still replace my decks and floor with plywood !

Look at all the transom repairs on old aluminum boats, once the aluminum gets corroded it becomes a major pain for the average handyman, but plywood is so easy to replace...

Yes, aluminum is a superior product for longevity, doesn't mean it is better !! Better is how it is used..Aluminum is hot in the sun, harder for non skilled persons to work/ modify the material. Also more expensive to produce. Doesn't mean its bad just a different material choice.

Wood will kadt a lifetime if taken care of, easier to work with and less expensive when looking to save money. My wood decks look like new with the exception of some worm carpet. No rot of any kind or any soft spots on the floor. Boat is a 1992, only had one boat with aluminum decks, hot, and harder to modify.. To each his own, but if cared for properly, wood should not be an issue.

Those tractor mounted snoblowers are awesome !! Fellow down the road can throw snow clean over his garage with his !! Just beware as JD has a company makeing box store junk and putting the JD name on them, there are a bunch being sold in my area, go to an actual JD dealer !!

Actually 10K is not to bad, was expecting more....at age 74, I should be gone before it wears out but my concern was younger folks. Already seeing and reading numerous articles from folks with 20-25 year old motors that are way to costly to rebuild, so what do you do with them? With labor rates climbing as they are, down the road repairs and replacement should be a concern, but with todays throw away mentality it might not be a big issue....until that time actually gets here !!

More interested in seeing the price tag !! How much I would be throwing away when time for a rebuild...

When the neighbor bought his Tracker, he bought it without electronics or trolling motor, just boat, motor of choice and trailer. With the money saved he added all his own stuff the way he wanted it. While I agree with your buy once/ cry once thoughts, sometimes it depends on how the object is used. We moved out into the country and I bought a Craftsman yard tractor, a cheap model. Lasted well over 10 years mowing and plowing snow, was still in great shape when I sold it. It was just to slow to mow three acers! I went zero turn to cut mow time in half !! JD makes different quality mowers, some are made by others and painted green, so be carefull what your buying...

If shopping new, gonna be hard to beat the Tracker deals !! No one else buys in such quanity as to get the better prices. As far as used go....patience....I spent well over three months of hard shopping, checking every advertisement many times each day. When the boat I wanted came along, drove 200 miles with cash in hand. Nice, well cared for boats go fast !!

It will only make a difference if your mind makes you think it will !!

And some folks jump out of perfectly good airplanes, so I guess to each his own. Over my 60 plus years of boating, I have had to pull to many people out of the water, many were bodies, so not willing to take those chances I guess...

Best stand up Kayak ?? NONE.......if you do, we will be reading about you sooner or later !!

For those that have money to spend, a chiller might ve a great accessory, but for me, I have far better things to spend my money on. Water bottles are free and work excellent, but, to each his own. If I had money to burn, I would consider a massues on board to massage my shoulders while reeling in big fish!!

I use a few of the millions of plastic water bottles that people throw away. Being a much thinner plastic they shed coolness much better than thick walled containers. Best part is they are free and reusuable. Most of what I keep is for food, so livewells get little use in my boat, but keeping my bait cool is critical. When alone my small aereated bait bucket is fine, but when I have guests, I often use the small livewell for the bait. I take along a dozen frozen plastic water bottles in a small bag in a cooler along with beverages they stay frozen for many hours if packed in a snall cooler. I just add a couple to the livewell on ocassion to keep the bait cool on hot days. Rinse them off and refreeze for the next trip, havent bought ice in years !!

Was into Bass Pro the other day, they had a stack of small jon boats for sale. The smallest...a 10' was 1150.00... I bought a brand new one when I was a kid in 1962, for 95 bucks tax and tittle out the door.......

Prices will stay up as long as people are buying.. When people start realizing they can't really afford the toys, then prices will come down. If boat mfgrs used leasing like the automakers do it might be different but we long time boaters know that would never work. Keep saving up and watch the market closely, there will be some down times so be ready to jump. When spring rolls around don't expect any good buys after folks have spent all winter dreaming. Mid to late summer might bring out some deals, depending on much worse the economy gets....patience my friend !

Wow....being a 96' boat it will take a lot of carpet !! Gonna need one heck of a long trolling motor shaft!! Sorry, but couldn't help having a little fun with your post...should be '96.... My own fat fingers often get in the way of what I am typing.....lol.....

Did that once...then added a long coiled rope on the front deck with a loop that I throw over my winch stand. The boat floats off the trailer, as I move up the ramp the rope uncoils until the rope tightens and gently bring the boat towards the ramp. Go back and tie it off before parking. To old now to have to swim out after it !!

I don't use them but a friend does. He also uses the hot water, but once straight and cool, he lays them flat and rolls each one in a piece of paper to keep them straight then puts a number of them into a plastic ziplock bag. He claims they never kink this way....??

I stay away from weeds, open water trolling on Lake Erie....

The economy is living on credit, with interest rates high, things have slowed down and will even more after the holidays. The big question will be in the spring....are interest rates staying up or comming down ?? There is quite a bit of talk about raising taxes to cover the bursting national budget, so...it will only take a couple big things to happen that will make or break the economy. Glad I already have the boat I want and need, so no shopping for this old man. For those of you looking to buy or replace your boat....lots of luck, your gonna need it !!

Always have a bunch of rags with me !! Wife replaces all the bath and dish towels every few years, so guess where all the old ones go?? I have matched rag sets in my boat !!

Many thanks for all the recomendations !!