New 191FS owner almost

[johnek]

Hi All,

I've researched forever and have settled on the 191FS. I want a boat for both salt and fresh water. I live in San Francisco where bay conditions can be to say the least, challenging and also want a boat light enough to tow up the mountains to lake Tahoe. My Jeep is rated to tow 5000lb. Am I right in concluding the FS is for me? I'm also torn bertween taking the 115hp listed with the boat or upgrading to a 140hp. I will use the boat primarily for fishing, two people aboard, and I am not a speed demon.
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance
John

[Putershark]

Welcome aboard!
Boats are not like cars John and they do not coast (ever seen a brake pedal on one ) and you can also run into the point of diminishing returns very quickly if you mount up an engine that has to work harder and as such, burn more fuel and put more strain on it by going with too little horse power.

Speed demon or not, power is needed to get a boat on a plane and can also help push you quicker (or get you out of) heavy surf conditions where time between waves is limited as you are turning. This is why I would go with the max HP that hull is rated to carry.

I still feel that a certain amount of boats that broach are due to not getting turned fast enough in-between waves. This happens because either the pilot did not apply (or even have the needed HP) power fast enough or misjudged the wave set timing which is easy to do in confused seas. And or did not have a speed knob on the helm to bring her about and then back straight again under power quick enough and as such, takes a wave over the side. Very dangerous to say the least...

Let us also not forget, that when you take that wave over the side or bow for that matter, in SF Bay that it is NOT that warm Gulf water we have in Florida (took my Coast Guard baisc training in SF so I remember very well) so as such, I would say that a 215 would be much better suited and safer for such work due to the higher gunnel's and higher flared bow.

The 215 can still be pulled by your jeep, but I would keep an eye on the brake pad condition in that hilly terrain. I would also make sure that the trailer brakes are kept in tip top condition and flushed out very well after every dunking. This be it in fresh or salt water for sure and I would also run salt away through the trailer brake system (if drum brakes) or rinsed off with it very well of disk brakes. I would also get a trailer that has disk brakes in that area for that very reason.

[johnek]

Hi Dave,
My fishing would be confined to the inner bay and delta as well as fresh water lakes and I certainly wouldn't be going anywhere near the Golden Gate bridge which is why I settled on the 191fs. Your right about going for the biggest rated motor. Why chintz and regret it forever?
Thanks,
John

[paginnett]

Hi John, nice to see a local on the board especially someone contemplating the 191FS. I live in Santa Rosa and have a 2004 with a Suzuki DF 140. I bought mine new 18 months ago. So far so good. I concur with the motor. I would not want anything less than what I have now. I haven't had mine in salt water yet, but that is coming soon in about 2 weeks as I am planning a trip to Puget Sound for some vacation and salmon fishing.

It is definitely a great boat; but like everything in life its a compromise. For skiing/wakeboarding it is slightly underpowered. I think that can be remedied by a different prop set up but haven't tried it yet. For fishing its an awesome set up; plenty of storage. It was the the only fish/ski combo I found that wasn't a simple runabout with a cheap trolling motor mounted to the bow.

Modifications so far: 24 volt MinnKota autopilot trolling motor on the bow; downriggers (used my small ones from last boat for now due to cost); chucked the EZ loader lights and put on LEDs; Lowrance GPS/Sonar.

Make sure you get 4 pedestal seats; the dealer will try to give you only two.

Hope to see you out on the bay soon; I plan on doing some late season salmon and striper fishing.

[aronlevin]

I have a 191fs and I fish out of Eureka and have no problem with taking it out in Pacific. We have conditions worse than under the Golden Gate. You have to pick your days but I have gone out on 10 ft seas. I have a yamaha 115 and a yamaha 8 hp kicker. I fish for salmon and I go out deep for Pacific Butts (about 8-10 miles). Jan from Humboldt has a 17ft CC and is out there fishing with me. I also take the boat to the lake for trout and bass. I love my 191.

Hello , I have a 06 191fs with 140 suz and 15 suz. I have taken my boat out 40 plus miles off Westport Wa. Been in some really bad water and the boat does great. I have 2 props , 1 for fishing and 1 for boarding. My boat has everything you could want , radar,vhf,ds,gps and TR1 autopilot. The 06 has the bow swim ladder for the kids and is also self bailing. The self bailing is a must have for off shore. 140 is the smallest I would go!

[johnek]

Thanks for the advice guys,

I feel much more comfortable with buying the 191fs now. I want to order it with a bow rail,split I guess so I can still use an electric motor. I don't see it offered as an option. Any recommendations?

Thanks
John