Lake Champlain United - Forums

Question for the experienced frostbiters.
What would be the ultimate boat for winter fishing?

Hey,

All my boats were aluminum, garaged and trailered to the "best" spot.



We started in a 16ft open Starcraft Tiller steer and caught a lot of fish. Layers of clothes sure helped.

Then to a Sylvan Super Sport 16 ft. All Canvased up complete with tail curtain with a Mr. Buddy heater.
Had it for 23 years & sold here in 2hrs when I moved up to a 18 ft Alumacraft, All Canvased up by Dennis Carman of Vermont Custom Canvas on Georgia Shore. He Did my first boat too.

I think my 18 is the perfect boat for Champlain easy to haul, store in a plastic shed ready like a Fighter Jet and safe in any water you want.




I run 1 motor 90 hp Evinrude E-Tec runs 30 mph and at 1000 rpms gives me 2.4-2.6 mph sipping 0.2 Gallons per Hour of Non Ethanol. All I have ever run is 1 motor and say it's about maintenance. We never fish alone in Frostbite. Too much can happen in a hurry and extra help needs to be at hand, Plus it's more fun.

Diggitroll:



Have a look at the Posts thru time every Captain here has the Best Boat and there are some nice ones.
Make it the way you like it & take your time.

Get out and enjoy it.

Randy

How do the rear curtains work? I have a full enclosure for my boat, but the rear part is just a piece of canvas, no vinyl to see through, I think its a mooring cover by definition. How do the vinyl curtains work? is there a zipper in the middle, or is it held closed in some other manner allowing easy pass through?

A zipper door with 2 zippers between 2 panels. the center also rolls up and is secured with straps when it is warm enough to leave the door open. The whole thing is removable for summer.

Thanks for the posts and the pics.
I currently have a fiberglass center console which is less than ideal for cold weather fishing.
Nice boat, but more suitable for down South in warmer temps.

Several have asked about my shed and here it is :

A 12 X 24 plastic garage that I kept my 16 Sylvan in for 20 years & went thru 2 covers.

My new Surprise needed more height so Pete Young and I built a Knee wall and raised it up from my original Rail road tie foundation. I added a 24 x 30 20oz reinforced vinyl tarp to the top for a more permanent cover. Wired up with a couple lights and a drop cord to plug in my onboard battery charger makes sure we are Good to go.

Randy
It looks like just what I need. Your frame looks like it is metal rather than the PVC stuff that a lot of the plastic garages are made out of. If we have any other Frostbiters that have invested in a Plastic Garage for their boat I sure would like to hear what has worked for them and what tore apart in the first good storm, before I go out and buy something and have it come apart the first year!

It’s not just the welded hull that I have had on plane in 1/8” scimm ice... it’s what you do when you get to the launch and it’s snowed in....

Here’s my rig...

This one would suffice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... BzLj78WvXU

This was my ideal boat but Sold it last fall to someone in the Burlington area. It was getting to much for me to handle as I found myself going fishing alone more often. I trailered it everywhere. It even had a built in diesel stove/heater. A dinette, sink and ice box. The hull weighed in at 1950 lbs. which made it trailer great. It had like 7 to 9 inch draft. I had all my electric downriggers mounted with gimbal mounts for easy removal.

That C-dory is sweet... I know Crazy Ivan loves his!

It was my dream boat that I acquired 15 years ago. It was very hard to let it go. But one thing they do not depreciate much.

That is a sweet boat (C-Dory). More common out West I gather.
Reelax, I like how Smokercraft comes equipped with full canvas for cold weather.
I assume that works well for you?

ThreeBuoys wrote:That is a sweet boat (C-Dory). More common out West I gather.
Reelax, I like how Smokercraft comes equipped with full canvas for cold weather.
I assume that works well for you?

Yes the top has been a dream. Room for 4 without crowding and a full back panel with a center zipped section removable or roll up center section. It stays in my truck and after 4 years the plastic still looks new. Key is rolling the windows not folding them. On a 10 deg day we can get the cab up to 65 deg for a comfortable day in th winter lake. The mr buddy propane heater is hooked to a gas gril tank in the bow and a 20lb cylinder usually lasts all frostbite season. It stays on all day...

Matt:

How big is that Mr.Buddy?/ Jim