New boat for use in so cal

[BenG]

Hey all,
I have been looking at uforia pangas and I can afford the 18 offshore model with all the stuff I want on it. I would like to buy new and I like the panga boat style in general. My questions, can I take this to coranados relatively safely on nice days. Will this be enough boat to fish 2-3 people? And is 30 gallons enough for a few sardines

 

[Shewillbemine]

What's your boating experience? An 18 footer is probably the smallest boat I'd feel comfortable taking out to the Coronados, but only if you've got experience.

How much are those things brand new? You sure you can't just get a used boat that's longer and more designed for offshore at relatively the same price? It has a 6 foot beam. That's gonna get REAL cozy 20 miles offshore fighting angry yellowtail or facing waves.

30 Gallons is also the minimum for a decent bait tank for our waters. What design is it gonna be? What kind of pump will you be using for it?

Uforia seems to be based on the East Coast. Are you towing it back yourself to San Diego or paying to have it towed? That's thousands of dollars you could just spend on something else locally.

Btw, no matter how good their warranty might be (I see it's 10 years), how are you gonna get it repaired if you're here and they're in Florida. I GUARANTEE you something will need fixing, even on a brand new boat. But you're probably gonna have to suck it up and do it yourself or have someone repair it here. It'll be like you don't have a warranty at all (which defeats the major reason to buy new).

Lots of things to think about. Btw, since you're considering this type of boat and asking this type of question, you might be a rookie to boating. If this is your first boat, I definitely wouldn't consider this brand without knowing a lot more about it.

If there's one thing I would have changed about my own boating experience, I wouldn't have bought new with my first boat. Too many things to learn and too many mistakes to make.

 

[BenG]

It was quoted to me at 20-23 k depending what I add on. In the summmer I spend a decent amount of time in Florida. I have been boating since 5 (only 16 now, might seem young but I been working for this boat awhile) and My dad had a 26 hunter sailboat all my life and I used to use my friends 21 contender in florida. I also spend lots of days long range fishing as it’s part of a family business. I want the panga for its low fuel consumption because I don’t make that much. My other friend had a 17 bay we used to go on and we were fine. I will ask about the Livewell pump and all. This is my first real motorboat ( I have a small job boat I vas’s fish out of), I want it to be fuel effective so I can fish as much as possible, thanks for the help

 

[BenG]

Does anyone else have any suggestions about that for a first real powerboat

 

[a7ewizard]

I've fished pangas ( I don't know anything about the brand you are looking at). Simple. Fuel efficient. Stable. Low freeboard. Hard to leverage a big fish. No stand up because sides are too low to brace against. Not self bailing.
Keep saving. A used 20+ center console with newer reliable power. Bailing deck. Good fuel and range. A buddy to help with expenses ( most people have no idea the fuel a boat burns).

 

[BenG]

I've fished pangas ( I don't know anything about the brand you are looking at). Simple. Fuel efficient. Stable. Low freeboard. Hard to leverage a big fish. No stand up because sides are too low to brace against. Not self bailing.
Keep saving. A used 20+ center console with newer reliable power. Bailing deck. Good fuel and range. A buddy to help with expenses ( most people have no idea the fuel a boat burns).

I would mostly fish alone or with my dad so I like the low fuel burn of a panga, I have fished in them a decent bit and the uforia ones are self bailing. I also would trailer lots so a smaller boat would be better with the 1500 size truck. I have looked at many boats but I think I have my sights set on a smaller panga. Does anyone own something similar?

 

[Arima-bob]

I think @cortezpirasea has a panga in San Diego. I would value his opinion on this subject.

 

[alex88]

Another option you might look at are Arima boats. I hat a 14’ that I took to San Clemente and at least 70 miles into Mexico loaded down with Jerry cans. Wide, super stable and fuel efficient. I had a blast with it when I was broke. Cheap to operate, I got 5mpg and light and easy to trailer

 

[Reefer]

Pangas have been used to fish and set traps around the Coronado Islands forever, but those boats were made in Mexico, and fished by Mexicans. My observations, dating from the 70's, are that fisherman from San Diego, seeking great value, economy, weight reduction and utility to fish the islands opted for aluminum boats. I think the Valco Bayrunners and Westcoaters were the real deal. I don't believe they're made anymore, but apparently Gregor still builds a line of boats suitable for near coastal fishing. 30 gallons will suffice for 1/2 scoop + of bait.

I'd listen carefully to what the other posters are saying.

 

[BenG]

I have seen a few of the bay runners recently, it’s most of them require a re power for the four stroke only lake that I spend most of my year near which puts many of them out of my price range

 

[Shewillbemine]

Hearing more information, and if I were you, I'd be looking locally. There are some $20,000+ Boston Whaler Montauks on Craigslist right now and there's a brand new Bayliner F18 Element for sale at Angler's Marine. I saw one of those DEEP in Mexican waters.

You said you go to Florida over summer--I'm assuming you fly? So what's your plan to get the boat back here? Towing a rig cross country is not the hardest thing in the world, but you're gonna have some added expense. If you're stressing over boat fuel, you are going to stress over the gallons of gas to tow 3000 miles.

Btw, what does you dad have to say about all this? Since it sounds like you've been boating since birth, why have you looked at this unicorn brand that doesn't even have much feedback? I think the "I want to buy new" emotion is getting the better of you.

 

[BenG]

Hearing more information, and if I were you, I'd be looking locally. There are some $20,000+ Boston Whaler Montauks on Craigslist right now and there's a brand new Bayliner F18 Element for sale at Angler's Marine. I saw one of those DEEP in Mexican waters.

You said you go to Florida over summer--I'm assuming you fly? So what's your plan to get the boat back here? Towing a rig cross country is not the hardest thing in the world, but you're gonna have some added expense. If you're stressing over boat fuel, you are going to stress over the gallons of gas to tow 3000 miles.

Btw, what does you dad have to say about all this? Since it sounds like you've been boating since birth, why have you looked at this unicorn brand that doesn't even have much feedback? I think the "I want to buy new" emotion is getting the better of you.

Actually driving costs about the same as flying for the both of us I don’t really want a new boat ether I have actually been looking at used pangas but there aren’t that many of them in the US. I looked at the BWs too just they are really old and I don’t want the problems that come with them, I know there are many problems with new boats too. I want to try to buy something 2005 or newer

 

[MYNomad]

IMO and IME, boat safety is about alot more than boat size and size is relatively low on the safety list. The biggest benefit of size is comfort, although size does allow safety features (like self-bailing cockpit) not practical for a shorter boat.

The biggest problem I see with that boat is what happens if it gets swamped. Can it star right side up and stable until the bilge pump does its job? Or is the remaining free board so low that it is susceptible to a one-two punch? Personally, I wouldn't want to go farther from shore than I can swim without a self bailing cockpit. I have had a foot of water (probably 1,000 gallons) in my cockpit, but it drained in seconds and not a drop got into the bilges.

On the other hand, I have seen pangas WAY offshore of Baja -- 60 miles +. But those guys are very experienced and picked their weather window.

 

[BrotherP]

I have any 18 ft well craft, as long as the weather is good you can go offshore. 30 gallon bait tank will limit you to half a scoop of bait. I would recommend going max horse power on your motor so if the swell picks up you have the power to get through it.

 

[Shewillbemine]

Actually driving costs about the same as flying for the both of us I don’t really want a new boat ether I have actually been looking at used pangas but there aren’t that many of them in the US. I looked at the BWs too just they are really old and I don’t want the problems that come with them, I know there are many problems with new boats too. I want to try to buy something 2005 or newer

Cost isn't the issue as much as comfort is. I'm saying, why buy a boat from 3000 miles away at all? If you were a 40 year old purchasing a once in a lifetime boat, that makes sense. Your first boat probably shouldn't be one that needs to be towed cross country. It doesn't look like there's anything particularly special about the brand you're looking at (that almost no one has heard of).

And what's with the panga obsession? I'm not bashing them, but why start with that?

 

[BenG]

I like the pangas because they are cheap, lightweight, fuel efficient. Another few ups I see are that they can run on low horsepower, I can beach them without caring about a few scratches in my gelcoat, and they are very utilitarian. When fishing long range At the ridge I see the guys out there almost every day in some pretty bad conditions in there open pangas. I will ask the owner of the company about the bilge, freeboard, and it’s ability to stay right side up when capsized

 

[knot keely]

it’s ability to stay right side up when capsized

 

[MATTANZA]

Get something that you can use in the bath tub, until it's closed, lol.

 

[the SLIDER]

With a couple of more weeks of this crap, those who extended themselves will be selling boats cheep. Think big if you have the means to sustain. Just like the stock market, there will be some deals.

 

[BenG]

Whops my bad, its ability to stay right side up while filled with water

 

[BenG]

With a couple of more weeks of this crap, those who extended themselves will be selling boats cheep. Think big if you have the means to sustain. Just like the stock market, there will be some deals.

I’ve herd lots about that being true and false I am very interested to find out what happens with boat prices

 

[yakmandan]

I was considering a panga when I was looking for my 1st boat having fished in Baja for years. I was looking for good gas mileage and towable with a Tacoma. I was looking at new boats. People on BD convinced me to buy used for my 1st boat. I started to look at aluminum boats for the same reasons. I ended up buying a 19ft Bayrunner Baja. I now wish I had the 21ft Bayrunner but I was unable to find one that I liked at the time.

 

[BenG]

If my fishing was only in California I would buy a Parker or an aluminum boat but I will be fishing I’m warm places where aluminum is bad. Some of my fishing will also be in Baja, where are you located in Baja? I see the point of buying used and believe me if I saw a panga or one of the other center consoles I was looking at I would quite Lilly’s jump on it, but pangas are hard to find in good condition used

 

[yakmandan]

I'm in AZ but I've been fishing in Baja 4-5 times a year for a long time I wanted a boat I could launch from shore or drive up on the beach and not worry about scratching the gel coat I really like the super pangas but I was unable to find a good one at the time. What I'm really glad about is I payed cash for my boat and didn't finance it with all that's going right now. I suspect there's going to be a lot of people losing their boats because of the Corona virus shutdown. It's a crying shame

 

[BenG]

I just talked to the owner and apparently the boat should do it’s job. I can get the one with everything I want for 21000 done. I encourage everyone to look at them on the website they look really nice and I think I may invest in one