Early 90's Smokercraft: Opinions?

Carl

Carl

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Found a '92 14' Smokercraft with a 2002 25hp Merc very close to home. Trailer, trolling motor, battery, lights, etc..
Open floor plan with rear bench & small front platform.
Pics look good and the price appears right ($1900.00), a buddy of mine is going to check it out tomorrow.
Once again, this will primarily be for hunting & fishing for me and my son, with occasionally a 3rd person joining us to hunt. And once or twice a year the family going for a joy ride around the river.
Anyone have any opinions?
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(and yes, I know the image of the motor is reverssed, had to turn it to get it upright!)

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I’ve got a 1983 16 foot Smokercraft with a 50 hp Mercury. At work we have a 2000-and-something 14 foot Smokercraft with a 25 hp Mercury. I don’t think they are as wide as the Lunds, but they are nice and deep. They typically use the 14 footer on Owasco Lake (one of the smaller Finger Lakes) and it seems to be a good boat for that water. The 14 footer does move right along with the 25 hp.
 
Thanks for the input!
Is the 14' boat pretty steady? under normal conditions (calm & anchored) and problems walking around/standing to shoot/fish?
 
Hey Carl, do they issue a separate Mercury motor for AL that has backwards spelling on the port side of the motor? Hehehehehe. Trip.
 
Well, we have been acused of being a little bit backwards down here, yah know!!
 
Well, we have been acused of being a little bit backwards down here, yah know!!
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Talk him down to $1800 becasue you are only able to read one side of the motor. I didn't even see that until now.
 
I reversed the image when I copied & flipped it. But I still may try to talk him down a little!
 
Could have fooled me,,,,,,,,,,, I thought the starboard side was for going forward and the port side was for going in reverse. :>) :>)
 
I took the 14' boat out on a breezy summer day to chase the geese off the beach (with a permit). It didn't seem wobbly, but then again I wasn't standing up and shooting a 12 gauge out of it. The one thing I noticed was that the bow did ride kind of high with just one person in the stern. Putting some weight in the bow did help to bring it down.
 
I'll be stacking decoys or a 48 quart cooler in the front, so that plus the TM battery and/or partner up front should balance it out!
 
More pics of the one I am looking at. So far so good. The deck is late 90s so the PT from that time frame should be fine.
[inline 183484_1302232331372_1697373628_568724_803373_n.jpg ]

[inline 197264_1302235891461_1697373628_568734_3775712_n.jpg ]

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View attachment 183484_1302232331372_1697373628_568724_803373_n.jpg
View attachment 197264_1302235891461_1697373628_568734_3775712_n.jpg
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Can you take it for a test drive? That's what I did before I bought my sixteen footer. It helped me realize what I was getting.
 
I bet thats a great boat. It looks like my 16 foot Grumman I just sold. The 25 will make a 14 fly. Stable, soft riding hull.
Didnt notice how long the floors have been in, but my floors only lasted 6 years.And I usually pulled the flat floors out during hunting season. Too much added weight.
 
I have an '85 18' Smokercraft that has been used primarily for duck hunting each of the past 26 seasons. I painted it flat gray camo for use in open water, and it eventually got the nickname "The Battleship". It is on it's second motor, but the hull is still going strong with no loose rivets or leaks. Seat design in those days was poor....non marine grade plywood seat tops which rotted out and I replaced. A simple, rugged hull.

Matt
 
At times Smokercraft made two different 14 footers. One I believe they called "Big Fisherman" the other is the "Alaskan". The Big Fisherman is about the same length, but I believe it's a tad bit deeper and I know it is quite a bit narrower. I have an '83 Alaskan. It's quite wide and very stable.

It has served me very well over the years. Shallow draft, light enough to haul around and roomy enough to be of great service for everything I've ever done with it from little inland reservoirs and rivers to Lake Erie to the Atlantic Ocean. (Well at least the bays).

Seems like a pretty good deal to me.

Jon
 
You may be right but they are even more scarce within a reasonable driving distance!
 
I agree with Jim. Unless you find a 14'er with out any benches& a very wide model your going to find out its too small for what ya want to do. Hang in there and keep lookn, yall find what ya want/need! Good luck with your search.
Dennis
 
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