Halibut Boats
Halibut boats should be able to handle
big, rough water. When shopping for a halibut boat consider looking for
a boat with ample power, and a secondary engine, just in case your main
engine goes out on your way fishing offshore. I now own a 9.9 four
stroke Honda kicker motor and love how it performs. My new Honda has a
14 amp charger which keeps my battery bank fully charged, especially
when using my electric downriggers.
Lots of boats work great for halibut
fishing. The debate of glass vs. aluminum still continues. The trend
lately has been toward aluminum boats that have increased in price due
to the high price of aluminum. There's still lots of great buys out
there for used fiberglass boats. Shop smart and know blue book values
before making your offer. Also note, with the U.S. dollar higher against
the Canadian dollar, Silver Streak boats made in Sooke B.C. Canada are a
good value. The Silver Streak is an amazing boat. You can shop for this
brand at Port Angeles Power &
Equipment in P.A.
If you plan on
anchoring much, you should also look at boats with ample anchor pulpits
and room to deal with the anchor pulling system.
The best size of halibut boat for Puget
Sound, Straits and much of S.E. Alaska is something in the range of 20
to 28-feet with at least an 8-foot beam. This gives you enough room to
fish as well as providing a safe, steady platform to traverse to and
from the halibut fishing grounds.
If you have a smaller vessel, just watch
the weather closely and try to buddy boat when possible. And always file
a float plan and make sure to have your cell phone and working VHF
radio. And always wear your pfd
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