Your oppinions on a small, trailerable boat.

**Burtonboards32** · 07-18-2011 01:09 PM

Over the past season or two of fishing off of a friends boat, I have decided that it is about time to start looking around for a new boat for myself. I have a Toyota Tacoma so i am somewhat limited to what I can tow - around 4-5,000Lbs. Unfortunately, with the purchase of my first home and paying for a wedding on my own (well, with the help of the fiance anyways...), i am somewhat limited to what i can spend. I would like to keep my budget to around $70,000 with a trailer and full electronics package. What would you all suggest i look at? My dream boat is a Regulator 24FS but as you can see, this boat is out of my range. I have really been looking into the Contender 21 with a 250 Yamaha. Any other suggestions are very much appreciated and would love to hear what you have to say about the Contender, or any other boat that may fall within my limited standards.

**fish4fun** · 07-18-2011 02:21 PM

Contender will out-run and out-perform a Regulator any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Originally Posted by Burtonboards32

Over the past season or two of fishing off of a friends boat, I have decided that it is about time to start looking around for a new boat for myself. I have a Toyota Tacoma so i am somewhat limited to what I can tow - around 4-5,000Lbs. Unfortunately, with the purchase of my first home and paying for a wedding on my own (well, with the help of the fiance anyways...), i am somewhat limited to what i can spend. I would like to keep my budget to around $70,000 with a trailer and full electronics package. What would you all suggest i look at? My dream boat is a Regulator 24FS but as you can see, this boat is out of my range. I have really been looking into the Contender 21 with a 250 Yamaha. Any other suggestions are very much appreciated and would love to hear what you have to say about the Contender, or any other boat that may fall within my limited standards.

**tail wipped** · 07-18-2011 05:15 PM

here we go with the regulator contender battle. I will put in my 2 sense I have fished on countless contenders in alot of major tournaments great boats but if you are looking for a smaller class a 23 regulator will out run any boat in its class including the 23 and 25 contender if you go up to a 26 regulator you will need a bigger truck.

**Burtonboards32** · 07-19-2011 06:10 AM

Although both the 23 regulator and contender are great boats, thy are both too big for my truck to pull. Dry weight of 23fs is 4500lbs. With fuel and trailer I would be well over 6000lbs. Also, if I were to buy a larger (than 21 contender) I would want twin motors which again would put the 23fs out of my parameters.

**Questsportfishing** · 07-19-2011 07:23 AM

americat is cheap , runs cheap and easy to tow and brand new out of the box at 27' and you can take 8 people dinner cruising or 5 people fishing ..??!!??

http://www.ameracat.com/

they have kit boats to total done boats..

**jimbo62** · 07-19-2011 08:33 AM

this may seem like a weird question, but if you have a budget like that, why not trade in the truck too and buy something with better towing capacity? Theres some really good deals and having more towing capacity may really open up your options.

**tunanut** · 07-19-2011 08:50 AM

I've owned a 24' Grady, 26 Regulator, and a 23 Contender over the years. While the Contender w/twins was definatly the fastest and the Regulator w/twins was the smoothest; when I moved inland and started a family, trailering became an issue. Having a young son and myself, lauching and recovering was a real PIA with these larger heavy boats. I bought this one several years ago and couldn't be more happy with it. It striper fishes the lakes around here like a champ, trailers, launches and recovers real easy and is a tank. Inshore, nearshore, or offshore, it ain't afraid of much. I put a thru hull xducer in a few months ago and was pleasantly supprised to see the hull was 1.12" thick, guess that's why it's so slow.(40kts/200yammy) I'll swap the trolling motor for a windless this week as it will be on it's way to Maine to chase some tuna. Should be cruising up the Mass pike Sunday morning and sitting at the dock on the Saco river by the afternoon. I love having a boat the easy to trailer that can fish. Good luck with your choice.

**Basspond** · 07-19-2011 11:45 AM

Having recently purchased a 23 Regulator, the fully loaded weight is more like 7k. I have a 8k capacity trailer for mine.

I fish on a ton of Contenders and do like them, but form primarily fishing a 21 contender and then fishing my 23 Regulator they are not very similar. The Contender is a bit faster, but very light and rocks a lot on the drift due to the light weight. My friend with the 21 now is set on a 26 Reg after fishing on my 23.

The issue you have is the limit of your towing vehicle. You could probably tow the 21 contender okay, but anything bigger I don't think you can.