# Is there a do it all boat?



## Grouse Hunter

Looking for a boat that can run the rivers for spring and fall steelhead, run the river for walleye, hit the bay in good weather and fish mouths for spring browns. 

Lookjng for a jet drive utility boat that can compromise in different situations. 

Anyone ran a stealth craft on open water?


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## GuppyII

2072 SeaArk jptcc with a 115 E-tec on a jack plate, that'll be my next sled.... buy a pump and learn how to change it out. Jets are great but I always changed mine out to a prop for hitting the bay or using it duck hunting.


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## Getaway

After fishing on those 18ft Crestliners in northern Canada, I'm convinced those can do about whatever you need them to do. Been on Reindeer Lake in 3-4ft waves and in the shallows chasing pike around stumps and logs. I believe they have 60 or 70 hp Mercs on all of them and they run about 35mph.


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## Boozer

If you don't plan on fishing in heavy waves, a StealthCraft Power Drifter would be my choice, they will handle pretty serious waves, had mine out on Lake Michigan in stuff I shouldn't have, but they are a flat bottom boat and will beat on you a bit...

When it comes to the river, nothing compares...

My suggestion would be an 18' by 54" with a 60/40 Mercury Jet Drive, we put a 115/80 on my new boat, too much, scary fast... My old one had a 60/40, great combination...

Due to a series of bad luck, almost had to sell my new boat, luckily one of my favorite clients made sure that did not need to happen, these boats are the real deal... I love the open interior of my new boat...


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## Boozer

GuppyII said:


> 2072 SeaArk jptcc with a 115 E-tec on a jack plate, that'll be my next sled.... buy a pump and learn how to change it out. Jets are great but I always changed mine out to a prop for hitting the bay or using it duck hunting.


Keep in mind, you have to have the computers reconfigured on an E-Tec when going from pump to prop...

Myself, I would go with a Mercury man, these new ones are bad to the bone...


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## GuppyII

Boozer said:


> Keep in mind, you have to have the computers reconfigured on an E-Tec when going from pump to prop...
> 
> Myself, I would go with a Mercury man, these new ones are bad to the bone...


Never had anything reconfigured on mine, only thing was after 40hrs the tech upgraded my oil injection rate, went from using 3 gallons of xd50 per year to less than 1 gallon of xd100 per year..


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## Boozer

GuppyII said:


> Never had anything reconfigured on mine, only thing was after 40hrs the tech upgraded my oil injection rate, went from using 3 gallons of xd50 per year to less than 1 gallon of xd100 per year..


I know a couple guys that bought E-Tec motors, obviously they are not sold from factory with a pump and they said they had to have something changed with the computers to run with a pump, one of them is affiliated with Evinrude.

I have never owned an E-Tec so just going by what I was told. I am pretty sure it had something to do with the RPM's it was allowed to turn, but not 100% sure on that.

Might be something to ask about, but I guess if it isn't broke, don't fix it LOL

After owning two brand new Yamaha jet drives and now a Mercury, I think Mercury makes a better motor, I know there has been zero warranty issues on Mercury's sold by StealhCraft and they have sold a lot of them, the same cannot be said for other brands.

E-Tecs and the larger Mercury's are made in the USA, definitely like that about both of them, E-Tecs are LOUD though, that alone has never made me consider one.


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## Steiny

If I could only ever have one boat, it would be a stripped down 14' or 16' deep vee, aluminum, three bench seat type boat by Alumacraft, Lund, or equal, with a 15 to 25 HP outboard and a set of oars.

Stable enough to handle some pretty big water if you watch the weather, yet small enough to row back in the stumps, drag up on the bank, etc.


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## jpmarko

I plan on buying a Hewescraft Pro-V in a couple of years, which should be great for the river as well as the big lake. They have jet boats and different models that come in different sizes. I'm gonna either go with an 18 ft or 20 ft. I've had an old Starcraft in the past but was limited in the shallows and in he river. Some of the drift boats are great but you gotta be really careful on the big water.


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## rieverr

I have a super sport drifter from Wooldridge.. out board with a jet and lower unit. and I fish both. about a hour to switch it out.


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## Grouse Hunter

rieverr said:


> I have a super sport drifter from Wooldridge.. out board with a jet and lower unit. and I fish both. about a hour to switch it out.



Wow I just looked that up. Amazing looking boat!


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## rieverr

yup... great people that will work with you..I plan on guiding if I make it to the age of Retirement


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## sparky107

I'm also a fan of Wooldridge boats. I've got a 17' Sport with a 90/65 hp Merc jet. We run rivers in the spring and fall and fish the lakes all summer. I don't switch out my lower unit, because I don't own a prop unit for it. We don't seem to have any issues other than it will cavitate in big waves. I just have to take it easy and stay out of the throttle a little. It is set up to back troll plugs in the river, although its harder to row than a drift boat due to the V in the front. We have a removable board with downriggers for big lake trolling. We just pick the right days to fish big water since its a smaller boat. Heck, I don't like being out in my buddies 32 footer when its rough. We put a trolling motor on it and take it to the Detroit River for walleye. So far it has done everything we have wanted to do. Its built solid and has a ton of fishable space. My only complaint is that its is a little underpowered with the 90/65 jet. 



















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## kroppe

Great pics of the kids with the fish and nice boat.


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## sparky107

Thanks, kroppe!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk


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## buckmasterflex

Lund Pro-V with a 90 hp outboard, a higher end minn kota for bass and jigging, and a kicker for trolling.


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## Timber

18 to 20 ft Alaskan Lund!


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