Looking at a 16.5 fiberglass boat. Concerned its too short. Any thoughts?

Thx

Too short for what? 

 

If it is just you fishing alone it will probably be perfect for smaller waters. I wouldnt take a 16.5 bass boat on anything that can get more than a foot chop on it though. 

What Kevin said.

I just bought my first boat.  Its a 15.5 Tidecraft Spitfire XL.  I'm a big guy and the friend that fishes with me is a big guy.  Together, we push the max weight limit of the boat.  While I will openly admit that I eventually want a 18.8 to 20.5ish boat, that's solely based on our size and my desire for a wider beam and fishing platform.  We have had a blast in this one and have found it stable once we got use to the "boat legs" that we had to develop.    This boat is cheap to run and easy to pull and store.  I'm having a great time with it. 

16 is what the local bass clubs require around here, so my next one will be a 16-18' boat. That said my 14' smoker does great on most bodies of water around me except for the 1,800 acre lake in the area.

Thx. I will usually have someone with me and be on wheeler Wilson and pickwick lakes in north ala.

I used to have a 16'5" and never had issues with it. even on a 28,000 acre resevoirs with pretty rough water. i just outgrew it.

That's an excellent point.  My 15.5 is already beginning to show me the value of more space.    Of course, I am just learning so I carry way too much stuff out. From a size perspective, its fine.  Storage could be better and I would like to have more deck surface in the front of the boat.  

I have a 16.5ft Fisher Marsh hawk 165.  Fits in the garage, easy on gas and gets into tight spaces on the water.  

My boat is 16.5 feet and I take it on Smith mountain lake all the time and it does well. It can be a rough ride over all the wakes on a busy day but it handles them fine and i have crossed many big wakes up to 4 feet in it and it wasn't fun but it handled it. I have fished with 3 people in it a few times and it wasn't uncomfortable. The only problem i have had is that I want a bigger boat.

Go to a boat dealer and kick some tires