I'm looking to buy my first baitboat, so as its my first one I'm not exactly clued up on which boats actually do what they say they will do
The things I want on the boat to start are an accurate GPS, autopilot, easy to use in terms of the controls/joystick, not overly complicated to set up and use, easy to load hoppers and most importantly something that's well made
If the boat comes with sonar great but if it's not in my budget I'd like to be able to add that feature to the boat in the future
The two main boats I've been looking at are the ND2 and the boatman vulcan which I believe will have a sonar version in April
Another one that keeps popping up when I'm looking at boats is the rippton samurai, I've seen it for £850 so just over my budget but is it a better boat than the other 2?
Are there any others I should be looking at?
The things I want on the boat to start are an accurate GPS, autopilot, easy to use in terms of the controls/joystick, not overly complicated to set up and use, easy to load hoppers and most importantly something that's well made
If the boat comes with sonar great but if it's not in my budget I'd like to be able to add that feature to the boat in the future
The two main boats I've been looking at are the ND2 and the boatman vulcan which I believe will have a sonar version in April
Another one that keeps popping up when I'm looking at boats is the rippton samurai, I've seen it for £850 so just over my budget but is it a better boat than the other 2?
Are there any others I should be looking at?
In reply to Post #1
First boat I'd actually go Boatman (goes against my better judgement as they annoyed me as an early adopter of the Actor Plus but never mind) . . . cost effective and simple to use; if they go massively wrong you can always buy another . . .
Why GPS instead of sonar? GPS is the least important feature IMO (unless you plan on fishing large open featureless reservoirs at range) - and arguably less accurate than wraps and horizon markers in reality. Sonar on the other hand is a definite edge in terms of quick swim & lake 'knowledge' . . .a Deeper is more versatile and as long as you have a range extender, probably considerably better than those integrated within Boatman boats . . .
First boat I'd actually go Boatman (goes against my better judgement as they annoyed me as an early adopter of the Actor Plus but never mind) . . . cost effective and simple to use; if they go massively wrong you can always buy another . . .
Why GPS instead of sonar? GPS is the least important feature IMO (unless you plan on fishing large open featureless reservoirs at range) - and arguably less accurate than wraps and horizon markers in reality. Sonar on the other hand is a definite edge in terms of quick swim & lake 'knowledge' . . .a Deeper is more versatile and as long as you have a range extender, probably considerably better than those integrated within Boatman boats . . .
In reply to Post #1
I have a ND2 and it ticks all the boxes you require. I have leant it to mates who have used it in France for a week without issue and commented on the ease of use. I bought it off the back of using a friends whilst we fished together in France a few years ago.
Can always add a deeper to it as well - i use mine on it and after some practice it works well.
I have a ND2 and it ticks all the boxes you require. I have leant it to mates who have used it in France for a week without issue and commented on the ease of use. I bought it off the back of using a friends whilst we fished together in France a few years ago.
Can always add a deeper to it as well - i use mine on it and after some practice it works well.
In reply to Post #1
I bought my 1st boat last year and after plenty of looking around settled in the Actor Plus. I went for sonar as personally I think it adds more benefit than GPS, with the Plus you can get both on the boat for c.£800. The Vulcan gets good reviews but not used to give feedback. What I can praise is the support from Boatman, I bought mine 2nd hand and had an issue with one of the doors was sticking and rather than simply asking me to send it in they gave me some simple advice and recommendations to try, and they worked and cost me nothing. As a bonus the boat is so easy to use and operate and the one handed control I have makes it simple to navigate the boat whilst holding the rod in the other hand and then being able to feel for a drop, something I was afraid of not being able to do before using
I bought my 1st boat last year and after plenty of looking around settled in the Actor Plus. I went for sonar as personally I think it adds more benefit than GPS, with the Plus you can get both on the boat for c.£800. The Vulcan gets good reviews but not used to give feedback. What I can praise is the support from Boatman, I bought mine 2nd hand and had an issue with one of the doors was sticking and rather than simply asking me to send it in they gave me some simple advice and recommendations to try, and they worked and cost me nothing. As a bonus the boat is so easy to use and operate and the one handed control I have makes it simple to navigate the boat whilst holding the rod in the other hand and then being able to feel for a drop, something I was afraid of not being able to do before using
In reply to Post #2
See these are the type of things I'm assuming I need, probably best I explain the way in which I want to use it
Find my spots, programme them into the boat, use some form of auto pilot feature so the boat just automatically goes to the same spot each and every time. I thought this was GPS and autopilot
Is this just possible using sonar without GPS? If so why would someone buy the more expensive GPS and sonar boat off boatman or am I missing something?
Is the deeper chirp good? Reason I ask is I've used the normal deeper before and I found it to be absolutely dreadful
See these are the type of things I'm assuming I need, probably best I explain the way in which I want to use it
Find my spots, programme them into the boat, use some form of auto pilot feature so the boat just automatically goes to the same spot each and every time. I thought this was GPS and autopilot
Is this just possible using sonar without GPS? If so why would someone buy the more expensive GPS and sonar boat off boatman or am I missing something?
Is the deeper chirp good? Reason I ask is I've used the normal deeper before and I found it to be absolutely dreadful
Autopilot needs GPS.
I don't understand your comment about the deeper being dreadful it's pretty good imho.
Perhaps all this tech is just too much for you and better off without a boat.
If you still wish to get one - I would suggest trying out a few boats / spending more time reading up on them.
The problem is there is so much choice and what works for someone won't necessarily work for you.
I don't understand your comment about the deeper being dreadful it's pretty good imho.
Perhaps all this tech is just too much for you and better off without a boat.
If you still wish to get one - I would suggest trying out a few boats / spending more time reading up on them.
The problem is there is so much choice and what works for someone won't necessarily work for you.
In reply to Post #6
I've used the deeper casting it and found it to be poor, it wasn't the chirp just the normal deeper. Connection dropped constantly didn't find it to be that great in terms of giving a detailed accurate picture of the lake bed etc
Hahaha no the tech isn't to much for me I just want something that is reliable, I can send the same spot each time and if it has decent sonar or can add decent sonar at a later date when I can afford it great but main things are it won't break after a few uses and like I say It can accurately go to the same spots each time
One of the lakes I fish has a lot of areas that simply you need a boat for
I've used the deeper casting it and found it to be poor, it wasn't the chirp just the normal deeper. Connection dropped constantly didn't find it to be that great in terms of giving a detailed accurate picture of the lake bed etc
Hahaha no the tech isn't to much for me I just want something that is reliable, I can send the same spot each time and if it has decent sonar or can add decent sonar at a later date when I can afford it great but main things are it won't break after a few uses and like I say It can accurately go to the same spots each time
One of the lakes I fish has a lot of areas that simply you need a boat for