# Boat Owners - I need your advice



## nodakoutdoors.com

Alright, here's my scoop. I'm going to get a new boat and am having troubles narrowing it down so I'm looking for as much advice as possible.

I'm looking into a 17' boat, with the deep V hull. I primarily fish "rough" waters, and I don't mean waves I mean bars (Missouri R. & Sakakawea). So I want to make sure if I run into a bar I'm not out thousands of bucks as a worst case scenerio. The only big lakes I'll ever fish are Sakakawea, Devils Lake, and the occasional Mille Lacs, L.O.W., Leech, etc. I do spend most of my time on small lakes.

I would like to get a solid 5, maybe 10 years out of the boat, but if I change my mind in 3 to go bigger I won't get stuck on poor resale.

Since I don't spend a whole lot of time on big water, I don't need an oversized motor but it looks like I'm in the range of 90-115 hp.

So here's the true questions I have:

1) Should I be worried if I get a 2-stroke motor over a 4-stroke, considering the new changes the EPA is coming out with? (I've heard 2-strokes are getting phazed out)

2) Does anyone have experiences with "Sylvan" boats? Should I spend the extra money on a better boat?

3) What do you recommend and why?

I want to make the right decision the first time around, so if it means spending more money than I'm all for it. But I don't want to spend the money just for bells and whistles.

Thanks!


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## zogman

Chris,
I bought my first boat late in life. I was 49. It was a used 16 foot deep Lund with a 40 hp tiller. Then after having that for 3 years and looking at larger boats I purchased a year old carryover 1850 Lund Tyee. It has a Merc 175 EFI. It is a great boat. I like it better than the Pro V mainly because it is considerably deeper. Because we are at the NW Angle we fish both MN and Ont. waters on LOW. I have a 24 volt trolling motor on the bow. We also like the deepness because we now have a grandson who can safely move around in the boat. This is the 5th season on this rig with no problems. The first season we ran 450 gallons of gas thru it. Slightly less each year since. We did alot of exploring.

Anyway the point being................
Check out the Lund 17 ft Fisherman series with a 4 stroke of the max hp the boat is ratted for. There is a friend of Dan Buide at the same place we are at that has a Lund 17 ft Fisherman with a 115 4 stroke Yamaha. He is an avaid muskie fisherman and makes more miles each year than we do. He also burns less gas :lol:

www.lundboats.com/18001700fisherman.html

If money was not a problem I would have the 192 Yarcraft.

As far as motors the Merc optimax or now the new Merc 4 strokes. Also Yamaha and Suzuki.

The 1700 Fisherman is rated for a 150hp. Go with the largest motor the boat is rated for. You won't be sorry.
Good Luck.

Oh and resale on Lunds are great. That first 16 footer I had paid $ 3300 used it 3 years, cleaned it up good and sold it for $3600.


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## mallard

Chris,first off,if you are concerned about damage on sandbars I would stick with aluminum.Fiberglass offers a smoother ride in big waves,but does'nt handle the ocasional rock or sandbar very well(I seen plenty of both hit rocks at lake traverse).For the outboard I would lean toward the direct injection models,or the 4-stroke.You will get way better fuel economy as well as resale value(I have a 115 loop charged Johnson and go through 20 gallons a day on Devils Lake).Power the boat to what is listed on the coast guard tag in the boat.This will also help on resale as well as performance.Depreciation is a serious issue with boats,it is way worse than cars!If I were to do it again,I would buy a 3-4 year old used boat.You will be surprised by how much boat you can get after it is 3 years old.I dont know anyone that owns a sylvan,probably because there are no dealers around here.I do know that lund and alumacraft make a solid boat and have better resale than other comparable aluminums.Another thing is make sure you invest in a good trailer. mallard


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## bioman

Chris I will pass along a direct quote from my father...

"The two happiest days of my life were the day when I bought the boat, and the day I sold the boat"

Also, if you have a substantial amount of dispensible income, it will now be indispensible.

Anyway, with those wonderful words of wisdom, best of luck with the your purchase 8).


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## Gunner

I considered the Lund Fisherman 1700 but was concerned about rocks & sandbars weakening the rivet system (had it happen on a previous Lund I owned), so I went with an all-welded allumuinum hull. I chose the Monark King 175 (http://www.monarkboats.com/showroom/aluminum.php?boatid=11) and have had it for 5 years and love it. I'm constantly in rock infested water and the hull has held up great. The only complaint I have is rod locker access is tight and it could use a storage compartment in the floor between the seats.

Price was another consideration, I paid $12K in 2000 and the Lund cost $18K. At that price differential resale value is a moot point.

I've taken a good look at the Traker Targa 17 WT (http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/index.cfm?fuseaction=boat.model&nav=13&boat=1300) and may end up trading my Monark. The Targa has easy rod locker access, as well as additional in Floor storage that would be handy.[/url]


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## The Dak

Chris,

I'm in the same boat you are (surely there's a joke in there somewhere).
I too am on the prowl for a good, used boat. I haven't seem too many good sylvans that are more than a couple of years old, so I'm staying away from those. I see myself trying to get a Lund 18 ft with enough horsepower to manuver on big, potentially rough water.

Getting a four-stroke is the goal because of noise(lack there of) fuel economy, and maintenance. I wouldn't be worried about the EPA taking away my 2-stroke if I had one. The phase out only applies to production.


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## hunterboy

you can not go wrong with alumacraft and their 2xb hull system. 4 stroke is nice but there is the weight consideration.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Thanks for the advice guys, keep it coming! 8)

I'm still stuck and still looking. I am a big sucker for new toys, so I would have to say new over used is the way I'm leaning so far.

I'm taking a hard look at Fiberglass over Aluminum, due to all the days I know I'll be spending on Sakakawea and I know how big the chop can be. The three that are the highest in the running so far:

1) Sylvan Viper 180 - http://www.sylvanmarine.com/fishing/viper.htm

An 18-foot model, and the boat I'm looking at is equipped with a 150 Yamaha 4-stroke. Very nice layout and tons of storage.

2)Stratos 386 XF - http://www.stratosboats.com/index.htm?id=1452

The 18-foot model of the series (white, not red). The one I'm looking at has a 140 Suzuki 4-stroke. I can't say I know a whole lot about Suzuki's, and I'd prefer if this motor had a 150 Yamaha.

3) Stratos 375 XF - http://www.stratosboats.com/index.htm?id=1453

It's only a 17-foot boat and I'm thinking I should just get this boat out of my mind and go to an 18, but this boat is pretty wide and there isn't much lack in storage. It has a 115 Yamaha 4-stroke. I know it's really the last of considerations....but the boat is really sharp looking (the one I'm looking at is blue).

I'm still considering aluminum, and other brands as well.


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## zogman

The rod storage looks great on the sylvan. My wife doesn't understand why we have 10 rods in the boat. Me 8 her 2
:lol: The white one with black on the site would be my preference.
Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Old Hunter

Chris Whatever boat you get make absolutly shure that you have an onboard charging system. I know you well This is a must for you. Your friend Old Hunter.


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## win4win

Have fished Audubon & Sakakawea multiple times out of a Crestliner and was very impressed with the boat. Owner previously owned Lunds and said never again after fishing out of his Crestliner. He has owned his boat for 4 years without a single problem.

www.crestliner.com

Personally I would lean towards getting a boat with a 4 stroke 150 hp motor running at the max hull rating. My current boat is a Stratos 17' with a 115 and I feel the boat is under powered even though I am running at the max hull rating. For some reason I feel like there is a world of difference between the 17/115 and the 18/150.

The other piece of advice I would give you is to drive the boats when you get it narrowed down to a couple models you are serious about owning. You are talking about buying a boat that you plan to keep for 10 years then you better be sure you'll be happy with what you purchase since you won't be able to get out from under it for a few years without taking a big hit. There is nothing worse than having to fish out of a boat you are miserable owning.....having a constant reminder like that sucks. As we all know a boat is a hole in the water in which you throw money into. :lol: When you do test a boat don't forget to "load" it with enough weight to respresent your typical fishing rig. I learned the hard way when I test ran a boat with a light fuel load and no gear etc.....of course it ran great. Once the boat was loaded with fuel, oil, livewells filled, rods, tackle, anchor, anglers and assorted gear the boat handled like a completely different boat. :******:


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## always_outdoors

Chris:

I think if you stay with a good name brand boat you are going to be OK. Lund, Crestliner, Alumacraft, Tracker...they all have their own uniqueness to them and perform pretty well on both small and large lakes.

Unless you are paying cash for it, I wouldn't buy new unless you plan to keep it for a long time (10 years plus).

Just my two cents.

Good luck.


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## BROWNDOG

Take a hard look at the glass boats you won't be sorry , they have a much smoother and drier ride. I've had a Tuffy and now a Ranger and I don't think I'de ever own a tin boat. Sand is not a problem with a keel guard, rocks on the other hand are no good for a glass boat but they will do alot of dammage to a tin boat as well. Glass boats are take a lot more to keep them looking good but it's worth it in my opinion.

Top 3 rides in this order for glass boats

1-Ranger
2-Tuffy
3-skeeter

What ever boat you decide to buy max out the motor rating this will help with resale and you won't be disipointed with the performance. If I had to pick I'de get a 4 stroke.


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## Chris Schulz

ill second the second the fiberglass boats they take waves alot better than a alum boat due to the weight. but in the area of two stroke vs four stroke i would pick a two stroke still over a four stroke. the two strokes have way more power out of the hole and higher top end. plus they new e-tech that has come out is amazing with excellent fuel effeicency, emissions and dependability. in my opinion the best boat in the world for walleye fishing is a 18-19 foot warrior with a 100 horse tiller.

my .02


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Thanks guys...like a tennis match I'm swinging the other way now. 8)

I found a loaded, used 18' Warrior with not many hours and a 150 Yamaha. I'll be taking a hard look at that as well.


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## Lance Pardee

Chris, If I could afford it, and the wife would let me, I'd have a Warrior. They are an awesome boat. I have fished out of a couple of different ones. I currently own a Lund Fury that I love also.


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## BROWNDOG

Sorry I was in a hurry last night, forgot to mention Warrior boats. I've got a buddy who has one and it's a great boat nice dry ride and lots of room.


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## northernwaterfowl

Here are my opinions.....
I have a 2003 Alumacraft Trophy 175 with a 125 Merc.....I love the boat. They are priced alot cheaper than other premium aluminum boats and are an excellent choice for a new boat. I fish excusively out of Van Hook and battle the waves all summer long. I have had the boat a couple years now and have had no problems at all. I usually fish 4 or 5 days a week and have given my Alumacraft a workout. Alumacraft makes a great boat now days. I wouldn't mind if it was abit bigger though. Next boat will be an 18 footer or bigger. As far as the motor goes....I am not really fond of the 125 2 stroke. Go with a four stroke or a optimax. Yamaha makes a nice 115 four stroke and Merc has a nice one too. I hear good things about both. My neighbor has a Crestliner 185 Sportfish with a 175 Merc EFI and loves it. They are quite a bit more money than the Alumacraft.

As far as fiberglass.....Ranger makes the leader in the market. A couple of buddies own them and love them. They are pricey though. But if you are going to use the hell out of it...it will be worth the extra $$$. Most of the guides in my area are running either Yar Crafts or Warriors with tillers. They are both extremely dry boats.

I see that Moritz's have a couple of nice used boats on their website. http://www.moritzmarine.com/Boat/viewarticle.asp?id=100
and http://www.moritzmarine.com/Boat/viewarticle.asp?id=39 and http://www.moritzmarine.com/Boat/viewarticle.asp?id=41

I have not seen any of these in person...but the Ranger looks great from the website and is priced right. Moritz's sells Alumacraft and Crestliners if you are looking at aluminum boats but it looks like you are leaning towards a fiberglass boat now. They also sell Rangers there.

Todd Siemers


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## swift

Take a look at the classifieds on the "other ND website" there is a really nice yarcraft storm with a 225. It seems priced to sell and if I could talk my wife into it I'd buy it. Good luck with your new toy.


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## duckslayer

The boat swift is talking about is a 1999 Yar Craft Storm TSC 1895. Travis Clemens from velva is the owner and has this boat priced to sell at 19,000 with all the goodies on it. Travis is a top notch guy, call him and deal.

My two top choices:
Aluminum: 1. Lund
2. Tracker Tundra
Glass:
1. Tuffy
2. Skeeter

Lund has an excellent resale value and a well known reputation for building great boats. Tracker has the tundra with a nice smooth hull. A buddy runs a 1900 pro-v and it is a great boat. Fast and not as "rough" or "wet" as everyone makes an aluminum boat sound.

For a fiberglass boat, no doubt in my mind Ranger is definetely the top dog, but not everyone can afford a Ranger. Tuffy boats are great. THe 1990 osprey tiller or DC are both very nice boats. Have fished out of one many times and if i could afford a new boat right now i would take a very serious look at one. Skeeters new model of 05...the wx1850(i think) looks like a great boat. Its the first year out for the model so something could go wrong with it, but who knows. I think skeeters are a great boat and the new model looks very good.

Chris, Suzuki motors are a very nice motor. Especially the 4-stroke. If you need any more info i know that jason mitchell in DL runs the 225 4-stroke on his yar craft and jason feldner and chris koth from Minnewaukan run 135 4-stroke tillers. Look them up for info, i havent heard one bad word from them and those boats run 4-5 months during the summer without much of a break.


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## Guuse

The first ant last boat you'll buy Chris. .190 thick aluminum hull, 200 HP Merc Optimax, and 52 MPH. Works for duckin, fishing big or small water, and is an inboard JET.


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## Guuse




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## walker870

Chris, Try this site out for a used or new boat. Everybody has their likes in boats. First boat I would tell you to look at is 1850 Lund Tyee with IPS 2 Hull and 150 hp motor. This boat can take a beating and come back for more. You can get packages which have full top and side cover for bad weather which sometimes makes for a dry ride back to the landing. Ranger has a great boat if you want to spend some place between $25,000 to $40,000 for them. I have been wet and cold in them,not fun. Warrior has the best riding hull in the glass boats. Thats why you see the guides using them. I only fish big water. I have been running Crestliner 1750 Sportfish and 1850 Sportfish for the last 7 years. I have the dealer put the max rated outboard on both boats make a lot differance in how the boats perform. I fished in two tourments last year with my son who runs a 2025 Pro V Lund with the IPS2 hull. I never got wet in rough water last year, That new hull cuts the water better than anything I have seen in Tin boats. I now am running a new 1950 Tyee with 225 Yamaha 4 stroke which took alot for me to switch to a four stroke from 2 stroke. I am very impressed with the performance of this motor. Walker

http://www.walleyecentral.com


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## redfishman

Just some very humble comments from an 'ole coonaZZ .Knowing our conditions and fishing are vastly different than yours, the hull price of a 17' and a 19' are very nominal. Most of the expense is with the motor. Of course dealers want to load one down with 225's- 250's 4-strokes cause they can line their pockets with your hard earned money.
Most of the guides down here have 22-23' center consoles with 250's. Most are in part being sponsored by boat companies/engine makers. I have a 19'
fiberglass skiff center console with a 135 johnson. Not a speed demon but will do 35-37 mph but is extremely fuel efficient.
What I'm getting to is if you like to fish and not do alot of high speed boat riding with the babes, I'd get a slightly larger boat but a smaller engine and actually save long run a bunch of money.On a 19' there is very little difference in speed and performance of a 135 and a 175 which would cost approx 1200.00, The added avantage of a 19' over a 17' would be the width. An extra 18" for example is alot on a c/c with moving around ,rod storage ,jump seats for 2 more people if necessary. That extra length usually allows alot more forward storage and casting platform ,great for flyfishing. Usually the larger hatches can open 2/ways which can store rain or camping gear.
What brand of boat?? Depends on your pocket book. If you are patient you can pick up some really great deals from individuals. Down here-we get alot of folks that buy a loaded boat use it 5-6 times the 1st year-2-3-the second and then it sits and sits until the Mrs. starts ragging him or of job changes.I've had 3- boats -all center consoles and I bought them all used from individuals under different circumstances. My current was bought from a guy who had a very nasty divorce and was determined she was not going to get it. Happened to be at the right place at the right time.
In this area ,in my opinion, Skeeters-Champions-Mitiiz are overpriced-but there are always some that like to turns heads at the launch.You can catch as many fish or more out of Prolines-Seaswirls-Bluewaves-Predators....
Good Luck!!!! And thanks for finally turning that spicket off from the Missouri-Mississippi. Water levels have finally straightend out and the fishing is truely exceptional. Now all we have to do is keep the hurricanes away!!


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## luveyes

I would have to say max out the HP of whatever boat you get. I have fished out of Ranger, Yarcraft, Warrior, Alumacraft, Sylvan, Bayliner and Lund. Hard to beat the experience of the Lund name. Alumacraft is a well made boat but ride poorly (feel like you are pulling a plow) and are a wet boat. Crestliners are a great boat, welded hull, but I have heard stories about the welds letting loose in REALLY rough conditions. Warriors are dry, fast and well laid out, but you pay dearly for the quality. Yar Crafts are dry, fast, and well laid out, but up until recently they were owned by a different company and the fit and finish went downhill. I have heard the new owners are quickly turning that around. Ranger is the pinnacle of boats, dry, well laid out, fit and finish is superb. They are not cheap and are not the fastest glass boat out there but they cant be beat. Sylvans are a good entry level boat. They are best described as a low end Lund. Set up similar, but very light and cheap. They are popular in the Minot and Sak areas (or at least used to be popular). They used to stand by their products when I had a friend with one have rivets go bad. The factory stood behind the boat. If you are worried about getting a boat off of a bar the Sylvans are light enough that they would probably be the easiesat one to get pulled off the sand bars. I recently saw a glass Fisher boat this last weekend. It hauled butt, looked good and sat very nice in the water, but I did not have an opportunity to look in the boat, or talk with the owner about fit, finish and layout.

Whatever boat you get make sure you max out, or nearly max out the motor. It will help greatly with resale, especially if you are selling it as a private party seller. As far as 2 stroke vs 4 stroke. It is hard to beat the high pressure injection 2 strokes or the 4 strokes. The 4 strokes are heavier, are more fuel efficient and are more emmissions friendly (as a general rule). The 2 strokes are cheaper, lighter, and faster out of the hole. It somes down to price, budget, and trust of the dealer or seller of the boat.

One other boat that is sweet is a Lake Assault boat. They are built in Elk River MN and except for the hull can be custom fit to your needs. They are a welded aluminum and from what I have seen and heard they are pretty much bulletproof. Havent ridden in ont though.

Stratos and other names are becoming more popular, however Icant comment on them because Idont have first hand knledge. Good luck looking and buying. Luveyes


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## Lance Pardee

The Lake Assault boats are awesome looking boats. It is nice to be able to set them up the way YOU want too. You can do just about any thing to them, and not hurt them. From the information I've seen they handle nicely.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Thanks for all the help guys, you can never have too many opinions to ensure I've covered all the bases.

I ended up with a 2000 Warrior that is equipped with everything I needed. I'm racing to get my stuff together to go break it in.


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## mallard

Chris,What do you have electronics,downriggers?,marine band radio,rod holders,etc.Also,what hp outboard did you get?


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## Lance Pardee

Chris, I think you'll be very happy with the Warrior boat. I would have one right now, if the wife would let me.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

mallard said:


> Chris,What do you have electronics,downriggers?,marine band radio,rod holders,etc.Also,what hp outboard did you get?


X-16 Lowrance in back (Color/GPS) / X-85 Lowrance on bow

Marine band radio, on-board chargers, 6 rod holders, CD player/aftermarket speakers, 150 Yamaha VMax, 9.9 4S Yamaha Kicker, 24V/74 lb thrust Genesis trolling motor on bow (yes I have a backup)

Pretty much everything I need.


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## Lance Pardee

Sounds like it's set up right nice Chris.


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## Eric Hustad

Chris brought the boat by yesterday and it is nice. It's in great condition and has a lot of extras. Inspired us to head to the lake yesterday for a little fishing...


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Eric Hustad said:


> Inspired us to head to the lake yesterday for a little fishing...


Thank goodness she didn't go into labor on the boat. 

I'm not going to lie...that worried me. 

Bro


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## Eric Hustad

Leah says hi and to tell you that she caught over 20 bass last night so the trip was worth it. I still won the fishing contest catching 23, but the babies seemed to like the rocking of the boat so they didn't stir much. So much for boat labor. Anyway she is also wondering if you tried out the boat??


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Eric Hustad said:


> Anyway she is also wondering if you tried out the boat??


Every chance I get. 

As my luck would have it though, I blew a tire on my boat trailer early Sunday morning. I hope I never go through that again.....

But the fishing was good. 

http://nodakoutdoors.com/forums/fishing ... hp?t=14736


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## JoeDavisII

It must be nice pimping out your states resources with a video so you can buy a boat. :eyeroll:


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## WadeHale

The true agenda has been discovered.


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## always_outdoors

Joe Davis: Where did that come from?

Chris: Don't know you, but sounds like you got the boat of every man's dreams. good luck fishing.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

JoeDavis a.k.a. WadeHale

If you're going to try and be sneaky about posting as 2 different usernames, at least try and wait more than a couple minutes inbetween posts to not look so obvious. 

I can tell by all the nasty posts that you obviously have an agenda with myself. My email address is on every page, I'm not hard to find. I'm not going anywhere, take it up with me and don't violate every policy set in place on the site. This is a friendly place, if all you want to do is pick fights please go elsewhere.

I work my tail off to buy my boat, which really is already more information than you need to know anyways. You've made your mind up already.

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/terms.html



JoeDavisII said:


> It must be nice pimping out your states resources with a video so you can buy a boat. :eyeroll:


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## fox412

Good grief that was about the rudest thing I have seen posted. If a guy wants to make a video so what. If you don't like it don't buy it. He has made a video he hasn't pimped anything. There are all sorts of videos out there and do you feel that way about all of them and attack all the other makers.


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## mallard

The video isnt for sale yet.On another subject,blowing a tire isnt near as bad as blowing an axle bearing.It happened to us years ago on the way to deepwater bay.


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