Small Sportfishing Boat

Here is a thread from The Hull Truth from 2019 with a few numbers thrown around. Just keep in mind how mush shite has gone up since 2019 to know from inflation.

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Maintenance and operating costs will be an exponential change from a bay boat. From experience you should factor 10% - 20% of the purchase price for annual cost of ownership.

Hire someone to survey the hull and diesels separately.

If you're set on making the purchase, I would consider an Albamarle, and Henriques in addition to the Cabo. Viking also makes a nice Express, but it's a different price point.

Not sure where you're located, but I would consider keeping the boat in GI at Hurricane Hole. It's the nicest marina in Louisiana with great amenities for the family. Day trips offshore are more cost effective from GI as well.

Woooooo....taking up bill fishing as a pastime is not normally done with any consideration for money...its usually one of those "if you have to ask your probably ain't got it". Especially in the Gulf. Its usually a long boat ride to any bill fish other than sails even in Venice. That alone keeps most people from taking it up on a budget.

I had 1/4 share in a 26 foot Mako CC with twin 250s on a bracket from 1996 - 2008. It was kept in dry storage in Stuart Florida (it is entirely possible to regularly catch sails in that part of Florida withing a mile of the hill and not un-heard of to catch striped and white marlin in the same areas...the gulf stream does, on occasion, hit the hill in that area). That boat in that area was a sail fish catching machine. I had reworked the boat from the transom to the bow before I sold shares in it. I knew it backward and forwards. The other 3 owners were pretty well heeled...they did not think a helluva lot about money. I did almost ALL the maintenance work myself because I enjoy doing it and do not trust anyone else to do it right...especially on a boat that I, for all intents and purposes, hand built. That being said if something minor happened while one of us was using it we simply fixed it out of our pocket...no one ever complained. We never had any major issues but, if we had to repower, for example, I would have done it out of pocket and if someone did not want to pay they'd be paid out and there'd be three of us left. This was understood but never tested. We never had any issues. I used the boat far more than anyone else.

This is a vastly different boat, however, from what you are talking about. Keeping a boat in dry storage and keeping one in the water is an entirely different situation...the latter is infinitely worse on maintenance. I would consider a walk around that could be dry stored. It will do anything a sportfisherman will do and will do so comfortably for fishermen. In my experience the thrill of riding in any boat offshore fades the first time you return through any pass on an outgoing tide with a fresh sea breeze...most folks who like the idea of boat riding offshore take up golf after facing confused 5-6s mere seconds apart on an outgoing tide in a narrow pass choked with boat traffic. I have been in passes on the Flordia Atlantic Coast in 60 foot sportfisherman and at times they are just as wet and uncomfortable as a center console. Most people are sane enough to not enjoy being in a boat offshore even in 1-2s. Only an insane fisherman is willing to risk much more than 3-4s. I can't imagine a more boring and painful experience than being in a boat offshore simply for the sake of being in a boat offshore. I would posit that the idea of family members joining you offshore will not happen often enough to warrant the extra expenses of a true sportfisherman...especially since you are asking about expenses. A 30 foot walk around with twins or more will be far less expensive than a true sportfisherman in the long run.

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I'm looking to buy a small sport fishing boat to billfish the northern gulf. Have my eye on the 35 Cabo Express.

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I would start with a Tiara sport before jumping into a Cabo, find one with Yanmars. Spend a summer and fall on her and see if you can swallow all the negatives of the season. We did this and it was invaluable.

Advantages
1. Yanmars cheaper to maintain than Cat/Cummins
2. Wide beam is comparable to Cabo.
3. Easier to run without Captain.
4. Cheaper purchase and not as risky.
5. Cabin is comparable in size to see if it's enough.

You go through a season and it sticks you will quickly find that you will want:
A) Those 25 kn cruises are too slow and trade for CC.
B) Not near the room you thought your were getting and will move up to a mid 40s Flybridge with 2 berths.

Sounds like a horrible idea. Get ready to pay a ton in maintenance and stuff always breaking. Overnight for tuna/ marlin realistically is hit front runner in green canyon and that is 80 plus miles from caminada pass. Id would suggest troll with 80s if dead set on marlin and learn how to live bait blackfin how big boys do it. Oh and can always buy an omniscope as well what the big boys all use like 150k dollar transducer. Get ready for a money pit........Big boy game owning a big slow sporty probably need a atl fuel locker just to get to green canyon with that fuel burn.

MONEY PIT!!!! Like everyone else said about tackle, bait and fuel. Plus, u have to worry about ur burn rate vs what u hold. If you don't hold enough u will need to add fuel bladders.

Remember the 3 F's ........ rent it!

I honestly would buy a used mono hull or cat. Less mantaince, cover more ground and WAY FASTER!!!!

35' SF is going to be a day boat in the gulf at best, we aren't talking about a 70 Spencer. Here's a 34 JB that should be a solid boat but quarters are tight as are most short boats;LINK

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To watch a big girl kill and swallow a bull dolphin like a Cheeto is beyond anything in nature I have seen.

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Had this happen to us at Big Rock last year. Tiniest little peanut dolphin hits the flat line. I drop it back cause what the hell, that’s the best teaser ever. 20 seconds later big ole man in the blue suit broached and landed mouth open on the dolphin inhaling it.

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for starters, a small boat = under 20ft

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He said small sportfishing boat. Small sportfish is 35'.

I guess he could have said he was looking for an express?