14 foot or 16 foot

[Fenelon]

U-m-m-m,size matters with big water. I have a 16' with a 30 4-stroke that's awesome for most inland lakes and rivers,but,out on lakes the size of Quinty,Rice or Scugog when the weather and wind gets tolling,it's a bare minimum IMO. The Great Lakes is a non-starter unless it's dead calm. I've put in at Whitby and Port Hope early in the morning the with an eye to the sky continually. As soon as the rollers start,I'm off. If you want first hand info and experience,take a ride down to talk to outfitters. They'll never steer you wrong.

Re: Lake Ontario or Erie. You wouldn't get me out there in a 14 footer. Typical to be able to go maybe six out of ten days if you watch the weather. i only go on offshore wind days with wind less than about 8kph. I make sure I bring a backup 15hp kicker with spare tank and hose. You may leave shore at 7am and everything is nice and calm. By 1030am on a sunny day, the land mass heats up and the colder lake air is drawn to shore. You'll see the wind shift 180 degrees and it can happen fast. Now you need to get in to shore fast as it's quite common to be in 6-8 foot rollers. I've had it where you have to be smart and turn on the wave crest, then keep the throttle control on to keep the bow surfing , just below the wave crest. IF your bow gets into the trough you can very easily swamp or capsize. You change your gitch when you're back on shore. I wouldn't want to be doing this in a 14!

[finsfurfeathers]

Re: Lake Ontario or Erie. You wouldn't get me out there in a 14 footer. Typical to be able to go maybe six out of ten days if you watch the weather. i only go on offshore wind days with wind less than about 8kph. I make sure I bring a backup 15hp kicker with spare tank and hose. You may leave shore at 7am and everything is nice and calm. By 1030am on a sunny day, the land mass heats up and the colder lake air is drawn to shore. You'll see the wind shift 180 degrees and it can happen fast. Now you need to get in to shore fast as it's quite common to be in 6-8 foot rollers. I've had it where you have to be smart and turn on the wave crest, then keep the throttle control on to keep the bow surfing , just below the wave crest. IF your bow gets into the trough you can very easily swamp or capsize. You change your gitch when you're back on shore. I wouldn't want to be doing this in a 14!

Yup its amazing what you see out there. Quite honestly surprised don't here more tragic stories. I run a 17 Legend and would say usually the first one in once she starts to build. Mostly because I'm by myself and trolling in the waves is a pain. Once slipping into Bluffers after she went from dead calm to 4fters and building crossed paths with a boat heading out. yelled over to the dad and very young son setting out in a 12ft car topper that she was getting rough. His response was that he was from Newfoundland and this was nothing. Shrugged my shoulders and figured safe enough is a judgement call based on experience and comfort level.

[werner.reiche]

Get the 16 footer. If you're going with a wide body, you'll want the 40hp motor.
If you're trying to rationalize spending the extra money, buying the right boat first is cheaper than buying a 14 footer with a 25hp now and a 16 with a 40 five years from now.

[overtheir]

Really leaning towards a 16

[Fisherman]

Yes that's a good plan otherwise if you get a 14, you will suffer from 2footitis.

[Marker]

Yup its amazing what you see out there. Quite honestly surprised don't here more tragic stories. I run a 17 Legend and would say usually the first one in once she starts to build. Mostly because I'm by myself and trolling in the waves is a pain. Once slipping into Bluffers after she went from dead calm to 4fters and building crossed paths with a boat heading out. yelled over to the dad and very young son setting out in a 12ft car topper that she was getting rough. His response was that he was from Newfoundland and this was nothing. Shrugged my shoulders and figured safe enough is a judgement call based on experience and comfort level.

Ocean swells are a lot different than on Lake O. The peak to peak of the swell is much closer on Lake O, as the boat rides down one wave the next comes right over top of the bow. I hope those guys in the 12 made it back OK, myself I would consider 16 with a covered bow an absolute minimum and thats on a calm day.

I used fish the North Sea, there were days we were looking up at the top of a wave, but the swells were 30' apart so the boat would just rise up and down with the swells.

[longpointer]

The right tool for the right job ? If you want something easy to trailer and fish small waters then a 14 footer will suffice if there is only the two of you but if there is a third person then a 16 footer is better and match your HP accordingly. I hunted Long Point Inner Bay all my life mostly out of my 14 foot StarCraft Fisherman model which I converted into a duckboat and there was times I wish I had a much bigger boat.

[rick_iles]

Go as big as you can. My 18 PolarKraft with a 75 handles Erie as well as I can. I still stay off when winds top 15 mph.

[Species8472]

No way in h*ll i would want to be out any significant distance in the great lakes unless i had a deep V 22+ foot fiberglass hull. This coming from a guy who is not fazed by sketchy ice and jumping open water with his snowmobile. Guess we all have our comfort zones.

[73hunter]

Get the 16 footer. If you're going with a wide body, you'll want the 40hp motor.
If you're trying to rationalize spending the extra money, buying the right boat first is cheaper than buying a 14 footer with a 25hp now and a 16 with a 40 five years from now.

^^ this. 16’ is nice to have anywhere, and is a must on anything Rice Lake-sized and up. Deep & wide if you can find one. Plenty of good advice already here so I will leave it at that.