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How My Friend Almost Lost His Fishing Boat

If you are an experienced boater, you probably understand the importance of having a good boat dock bumper. But even knowledgeable boaters who are used to fishing on glassy lakes might not see the significance of a good boat dock bumper, but this information should help you come to a better realization of the need for one.

A friend of mine has a modest private boat dock in a medium-sized lake in Michigan where he keeps his boat. The water is usually relatively calm there, so he just uses simple boat dock bumpers: a little bit of boat dock foam and a few old tires. Well, let’s say he used to do that until the big storm came along. That eye-opener changed his thinking pretty quickly.

One day I was out with him near the center of the lake when the tempest hit and it came fast and furious without warning. All of a sudden, the water darkened, the waves rose ever higher, and the wind raged into a gale. It was among the roughest landings that we ever experienced. It took nearly an hour of tacking to and fro with lightning on the verge of striking, before we were able to dock the boat. But things only got worse from there.

Rather than the thud of the boat striking the boat dock bumper that I expected, I heard a crash instead. The boat jolted, and I leaned over to take a peek at the side of it. I found a hole in the side of the hull where the boat dock bumper was supposed to be. It had been broken off in the storm.

Thanks to the absent boat dock bumper, my buddy almost lost his fishing boat that day. It instantly began to fill up with water. The water from the rain and the lake kept gushing into the side. Hurriedly, I tied it on to the peer the best I could. I wasn’t for certain if it would stay, but I was certain that we had to get out of the boat immediately, or else I would go under with it. The storm was threatening everywhere.

Fortunately, he was able to salvage the boat, but. Since almost all the boat dock bumpers had come off, the hull was severely gouged during the storm. Understand that ordinarily a good boat dock bumper would buffer a boat as it swayed backward and forward against the pier. Certainly, it would be bruised and beaten-up some, maybe scraped and chipped, but on the whole a storm would induce minimal damage if the boat dock bumper was intact. That was what it was fashioned for, after all. A boat dock bumper is there to protect your boat as well as your dock.

So, keep this in mind. A boat dock bumper is one place you don’t want to skimp if you don’t have to. It’s bad enough to do damage to your boat; you can get another one of those. But you can’t get another you if you go down with your ill-equipped boat.

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Choosing the right fishing boat can be challenging and fun as well for someone who is new to the boating experience. If you never bought a boat before, buying a fishing boat can be quite confusing because there are so many factors involved.

Before you start looking, it’s important to consider the purpose of your [tag]fishing boat[/tag]. A fishing boat serves but one purpose - fishing. You have to decide if you plan to do saltwater fishing, or freshwater fishing, such as lakes. This is very important, as there are different types of fishing boats available.

If you plan to use your fishing boat for ocean cruising and overnight stays, it would be ideal to buy one that has a hull. This design is meant for rough waters, riding the waves, and providing more comfort for anglers while they fish.

When you buy a fishing boat, you should know if it includes a warranty. If it does, you should really study the warranty as not all are the same. Buying your boat from a dealer is always a smarter decision, as dealers will provide repair services is the boat is found to be defective.

It’s also important when buying a fishing boat to note if the boat is certified by the NMMA. This agency will guarantee that the certification they give to every boat passes the agency’s standards of excellence.

Popular Fishing Boat Brands:

Saltwater:

• ProKat
• SeaQuest
• Brunswick Boat Group

Freshwater:

• Tracker
• Titon
• Ranger

If you happen to be a tournament fisherman, or hope to be, then you probably wouldn’t be happy with a boat less than a 150 HP motor and shorter than 19 feet in length. Those of you who plan to fish in really deep water on a regular basis will probably need a 200 HP motor and at least 20 feet of length. This helps a lot when the waves or the weather gets tough.

If you don’t plan to tournament fish, or if you love [tag]bass fishing[/tag], you’ll want a 17-18 foot boat with at least a 115 HP motor. This way, you can enjoy the lake or the river.

Those of you who like to fish for other species may want to look for a more versatile boat with plenty of walking around room, higher sides, and a different seating arrangement. This type of boat is ideal for several people, even a trip out with your wife and kids.

If you plan to fish on occasion, but not enough to invest in a boat, you may want to look at a fish and ski model. This is a hybrid boat, crossing between a bass boat and pleasure boat, and can easily serve your purpose.

After is all said and done, buying a fishing boat involves more than just shopping. You need to educate yourself on the details to be certain that the boat you considering buying is worth the money. You want to have it a long time, and be proud of it, too.

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