# $25,000 JON BOAT?? Sea Ark 2072 custom order.... Am I crazy?



## danattherock (Mar 5, 2013)

Been searching for a boat off and on for 2 years. Wife and I got a small son and a german shepherd that goes everywhere we go. Want room to take a buddy here and there on certain fishing trips. Will be fishing lakes near home and shallows, creeks, and such at the coast. Bay boats for the most part are too expensive, and offer little open floor room in the boat. Flats boats are great for the fly fishing I am interested in, but are small and offer less room than the bay boats. Found a few boats I really liked, the Young Boats 20' Gulf Shore would be my dream boat, but I am having a hard time dropping $35-45k in a boat. A working man, but also, I got a few other expensive hobbies. 

In the past few days I have been researching higher end all welded larger jon boats. Looking at Sea Ark currently, a 20 foot 72" wide (at floor) boat with 0.125" thick hull that would have a 115 HP Yamaha and side console. A custom order from Sea Ark in Arkansas, it would have gray hull, gray Gator-Hyde lining on the inside (truck bed liner), trolling motor mount and pre-wire, 0.125" tread plate flooring and optional side covers on gunwales to cover the ribs on the inside. This gives me a 145" side wall to mount my fly rods to, a very valuable thing to me personally as I fly fish exclusively. Three captain chairs on the back bench in matching gray and a Yeti cooler with cushion I can move to two locations with tie down brackets depending on if I need the extra seating for which it would accommodate two. If not needed for seating, would be on side of boat in front of side console, leaving a very wide open deck space. 

Total is looking like $25,000, my max budget in recent months, of which most other boats of interest to me surpassed. It feels crazy and right all at the same time. As usual, looking for input here to gauge my sanity. First boat purchase and about to go nuts picking one out that meets my needs, yet I can afford. I have drove all over NC looking at boats, but at 6'6" 300 lbs, the ones I can afford seem like they are made for 3rd graders. Till I stumbled across this 20' jon boat with 95" beam and wide open floor plan. 


Crazy to buy a $25k jon boat?


What say you?

#-o 



This is a picture of the basic boat and layout, sans options listed above...











-Dan


----------



## ol sarge (Mar 5, 2013)

You are crazy...but I think we all are in one way or another. Have you looked at the Tracker models? They have some pretty sweet semi v's for a whole lot less. But if you can afford the 25K, i say got for it and dont look back. Life is way to short.

Tim


----------



## Ictalurus (Mar 5, 2013)

I wouldn't say you are crazy to buy a new boat, but all the options you list (yeti's, captains chairs, etc..) might be driving up the price a good bit. You could fish it for a bit before deciding on what is necessary instead of getting it all right out of the gate. Sea-Arks are pretty pricey too, you could also check out weldbuilt and allweld.


----------



## bulldog (Mar 5, 2013)

Crazy? No. If you can swing it imagine how much fun you'll have and how much family time comes with the price tag.


----------



## fender66 (Mar 5, 2013)

bulldog said:


> Crazy? No. If you can swing it imagine how much fun you'll have and how much family time comes with the price tag.



+1

All comes down to need vs. want. My first real boat was used and about 2/3 of that price.


----------



## lbhansford (Mar 5, 2013)

man i am going to catch hell for this but if you want a boat for coastal fishing and rivers lakes creeks, that big i would seriously look at bay boats.. they are a hybrid of saltwater and freshwater. Personally i would recommend this one... 22 Sea Pro SV2100CC Bay Boat... used they are around 15000 decked out and you will love the front deck for fly fishing. Just one man's opinion but i can say that i have personally been on one and they are SWEET!!!


----------



## Jmox (Mar 5, 2013)

Check out the alweld boats. They have some sweet jon and mod v boats that arent all that bad on the check book. Im looking at getting a 18/72 with 29" sides and a 115 evinrude with a jet/prop kit. my friend bought one and that is the most stable and roomy boat i have fished on yet.


----------



## Bailey Boat (Mar 5, 2013)

You say that you have driven all over North Carolina looking, did you hit AK McCallums in Fayetteville??? If not he's one of the largest Sea Ark dealers going and might be able to save you some $$$$$.....


----------



## Country Dave (Mar 5, 2013)

_A new 115 Yamaha 4 stroke with power tilt and trim is almost 10K alone. Buy it. It’s freaking cool. YOLO :mrgreen: _


----------



## Jim (Mar 5, 2013)

I think it is awesome!


----------



## juggernot (Mar 5, 2013)

If I had that $$$$$$$ to spend I would buy this one after a test drive, the accesories are alot!!


https://raleigh.craigslist.org/boa/3661119890.html

A friend has a 2011 Rivercat 200sc and it is a fine boat, solid and very well made.


----------



## chrispbrown27 (Mar 5, 2013)

To me, Sea Arks are the ultimate tin boat....and the prices reflect that. If I had the means I would buy a 24' jon (for gods sake you can put a car inside the thing!) and slap a 90 horse tiller on it....and be the coolest one on the lake! Ha ha 
If that's your budget go for it man! But I agree with the other poster that said to hold off on the accessories til after you take it out a few times. Factory stuff is nice, but most of the time you can find better quality at better prices aftermarket and if you wait you will know exactly how you want it. Wide open floor plan like that you can make that one bad fishing machine! Go get it then hit me up and I will help ya break it in!
Chris


----------



## lbhansford (Mar 6, 2013)

here are i saw in the NC area that look nice.. 

https://outerbanks.craigslist.org/boa/3596099197.html


----------



## Chief2 (Mar 6, 2013)

Thats a LOT of cash for a jon boat! But, its YOUR money. Spend it and enjoy as you like. 8)


----------



## Lowe 2070 CC (Mar 6, 2013)

Nothing crazy about it, I sunk $20k in mine.

Not knocking Seaark at all, but for the price you are quoting I'd look at Alweld, and Xtreme (a sponsor here) as well. $25k puts you in 150hp territory.

Xtreme quoted me a very good price for a 2072 with .190 bottom and .125 sides with a 150.


----------



## Country Dave (Mar 6, 2013)

Lowe 2070 CC said:


> Nothing crazy about it, I sunk $20k in mine.
> 
> Not knocking Seaark at all, but for the price you are quoting I'd look at Alweld, and Xtreme (a sponsor here) as well. $25k puts you in 150hp territory.
> 
> Xtreme quoted me a very good price for a 2072 with .190 bottom and .125 sides with a 150.



_X2 I think its well worth the look at Xtreme. _


----------



## Badbagger (Mar 7, 2013)

I've owned an Xtreme some years back. While they're a nice boat, they're no where near the beast a SeaArk is. As a poster on tht said, "that boat could take a direct hit from a hand grenade and keep going". I'd have to agree.


----------



## Country Dave (Mar 7, 2013)

_I’ve owned a ton boats in my lifetime but only 3 tins. 

My 25ft Stardust pontoon, my 1448 Polar Kraft and my Lowe 1752. I’ve never owned a SeaArk or an Xtreme so I don’t have and firsthand experience with them. From what I’ve read about Xtreme and their manufacturing processes, well I’m impressed. I feel strongly about SeaArk as well. They do look like they would be just about indestructible. If I ever conceder purchasing a new Tin I would strongly consider and look closely at both companies and product. JMTC  _


----------



## Lowe 2070 CC (Mar 7, 2013)

I'm not trying to swing anyone one way or the other, I looked around a lot before I bought and my choice came down to the fact that my old boat was sold and I didn't want to wait 2 or 3 months for a new one. So, I bought the best "immediately" available option.

My point being before you shell out $25k look at every option out there and make an informed decision. Don't take my word, or anyone else's word about what's best without doing your own homework, as this is a decision you have to live with.

In my opinion Sea Ark, and Alweld make some of the best tins out there, but Xtreme, Lifetyme, Rookie and other small local builders can custom build a fine boat too.


----------



## shootandfish1 (Mar 7, 2013)

danattherock said:


> Been searching for a boat off and on for 2 years. Wife and I got a small son and a german shepherd that goes everywhere we go. Want room to take a buddy here and there on certain fishing trips. Will be fishing lakes near home and shallows, creeks, and such at the coast. Bay boats for the most part are too expensive, and offer little open floor room in the boat. Flats boats are great for the fly fishing I am interested in, but are small and offer less room than the bay boats. Found a few boats I really liked, the Young Boats 20' Gulf Shore would be my dream boat, but I am having a hard time dropping $35-45k in a boat. A working man, but also, I got a few other expensive hobbies.
> 
> In the past few days I have been researching higher end all welded larger jon boats. Looking at Sea Ark currently, a 20 foot 72" wide (at floor) boat with 0.125" thick hull that would have a 115 HP Yamaha and side console. A custom order from Sea Ark in Arkansas, it would have gray hull, gray Gator-Hyde lining on the inside (truck bed liner), trolling motor mount and pre-wire, 0.125" tread plate flooring and optional side covers on gunwales to cover the ribs on the inside. This gives me a 145" side wall to mount my fly rods to, a very valuable thing to me personally as I fly fish exclusively. Three captain chairs on the back bench in matching gray and a Yeti cooler with cushion I can move to two locations with tie down brackets depending on if I need the extra seating for which it would accommodate two. If not needed for seating, would be on side of boat in front of side console, leaving a very wide open deck space.
> 
> ...



Hi Dan, Last week I drove from my home in central KY to AK McCallum's in Fayetteville, NC. 

And returned pulling my brand new SeaArk 2072 w/factory threadplate floor and side-console, a Yamaha 115. and a RoadKing Aluminum Trailer. Cost was about $20,100 before I started adding things like radial tire upgrade, spare, nav lights, bilge, and 5 ft glide on bunks. and a water-fuel seperater filter

AK treated me right, no 'buying' pressure at all. I really appreciated their attitude, focusing on what a 'jon-boater' needs and not a lot of high-dollar 'do-dads'. My salesman was Michal.

I too, am a heavier guy, well, I'm just fat, out-weighing you by 200 lbs, not a typo. I weigh in about 500, and was concerned about the SeaArk's strength. I discussed this at length with the dealer and SeaArk before I paid my deposit. So far my fears have been unfounded. At the lot, I was able to walk on the treadplate floor and try out the bench seat for strength. I haven't placed my weight in the bow yet, the step was too high and I was too unsteady to climb up. the seat is rock-solid and the thread plate floor will 'deflect' slightly when I had all my weight between the ribs. I was concerned, until it explained that Seaark leaves a 'air-space' between the floor and foam, thus no stress is transmitted to the hull.

Bottom line, SeaArk builds one stout boat.

Plans are to have a custom trailer mounted ladder made like pontoon have so I can get in/out of the boat when launching and loading when by myself, some steps for when docked and a bow step. Later on will be a super-strong seat for the bench and a base for casting seats once I figure out what I want.

Hopefully, I'll start my own thread (have to learn how to post pics) soon,

Good Luck, Fred


----------



## Country Dave (Mar 7, 2013)

_shootandfish1 post some pics of your new prize. =D> _


----------



## shootandfish1 (Mar 7, 2013)

Country Dave said:


> _shootandfish1 post some pics of your new prize. =D> _




OK, I need to pick a photo hosting site -- the new version of photobucket or imgur (??sp??) are 2 I've heard of most.

I'm running Mozilla firefox with a high speed connection, newer laptop with all the goodies.

Now someone please sugest which service to use for a computer challanged.

Weather has been crappie here, but I've got some pics on my iphone.

plans was to get some nic pics with DW's good camera.


----------



## fender66 (Mar 7, 2013)

shootandfish1 said:


> Country Dave said:
> 
> 
> > _shootandfish1 post some pics of your new prize. =D> _
> ...



I load photos direct from my computer with my own directories. It works fine.


----------



## Zum (Mar 7, 2013)

I do the same as fender(direct from computer),just be sure to resize abit.


----------



## danattherock (Mar 7, 2013)

Fred, 

Glad to hear from a big guy you approve of the boat, that is great news. 



Got a few other quotes this week in the $20-22k range. Sure was surprised to see the disparity in pricing from one dealer to another. Got quotes from $19-24k for a near identical package. Will be getting out to see a few boats in person this weekend as I finally have some time off from work. I actually work in Fayetteville, so a trip to AK McAllums would be easy. About an hour from home, but closest dealer to me. Several other good dealers out there it appears. Will have to see who wants to sell a boat. Would love to get a test ride on a 2072 with 90 or 115 hp to see how it rides, but that may be hard to do. Only jon boat I have ever been on was a 14' with 25 hp johnson. Somehow feel it will be a very different feeling on the 20' Sea Ark with 115. 



-Dan


----------



## shootandfish1 (Mar 8, 2013)

danattherock said:


> Fred,
> 
> Glad to hear from a big guy you approve of the boat, that is great news.
> 
> ...



Dan, I waited for years to figure out what I wanted, looked at jet tunnels, tunnel prop models, then the question of outboard brands was neverending. Bottom line was that in my area big jons are non-existanted, every one wants a fiberglass bass boat.

I've also researched Marine dealers and what few I approached, well, left me with a sourtaste because I did not want thier very limited pick of middle to high end models and I felt as though I was being 'fleeced' because I wanted a basic model

I choose to get the factory floor because seaark 'levels' the threadplate across the ribs instead of just following the contour of the rib top side, which would result in an slight 'vee-notch'. As I've got bad knees and feet, a level floor is a must.

I drove over 550 mi to Fayetteville and you work in the same town!!!! I truly understand your hesitation, but remember what was said to me last fall.

"Fred, Did you ever buy a boat". I replied, "Nope, I put it off, this happened, that happend." Friend says, "Fred, another year of your life is gone". 

Be sure to tell the guys at AK, that the Fat Guy from KY sent you!!!

Let me try some pics.


----------



## danattherock (Mar 8, 2013)

Will do man. Probably heading up in morning. My 40th birthday, seems like a good day to go look at boats  



Any must have options on a Sea Ark?




-Dan


----------



## Country Dave (Mar 8, 2013)

_I can’t see the pics, its directing me to Google Gmail. _


----------



## fender66 (Mar 8, 2013)

Country Dave said:


> _I can’t see the pics, its directing me to Google Gmail. _



I've deleted that post so as to not cause any security problems with his gmail account.

Please try posting the pics again. Here's a tutorial on posting pics.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3664


----------



## shootandfish1 (Mar 8, 2013)

Checking in to see if Dan had any luck.

Sorry about my pic posting ability. Truth is my pics are not the best. Tomorrow, Sat., is supposed to be nice and warmer. I want to check out some things and try to get some better pics.

and start my own thread, not meaning to hi-jack Dan's.

Thanks for the tutortial. Is Photobucket the preferred 'hosting' site. FWIW I'm running Mozilla Firefox


----------



## danattherock (Mar 8, 2013)

Didn't find time to see boats today. 4 month old son and wife took priority, but hope to see a 2072 soon. I have been reading up on Xtreme boats and emailed them last night. Got a quote today and was pleased to see the boat I am interested in is about the same price as a Sea Ark. Good to have options. I don't know much about Xtreme Industries, but the boats look amazing. The one I am interested in is .190 and would have all the options I wanted in the Sea Ark, but with more customization as it would be a custom build. Double edged sword of sorts, all these boat choices. Makes it very hard to buy just one. 



Xtreme 18 footer from their website ...


----------



## 2sac (Mar 9, 2013)

The Sea Ark jon is a beast of a boat. I looked at the jon at our local fishing/boat show. I was considering buying the Sea Ark Stealth 210 or an Xpress X21. I decided if I was going to dump that kind of coin on a boat, I'd get a Lund. Plus I'd feel safer on Lake Michigan. I bought my dream rig, a Lund 2010 Predator. If you can talk yourself into spending the 45k you mentioned in the OP, take a look at one.


----------



## airsickness (Mar 9, 2013)

I saw the sea arc at the Boat Show in Oaks yesterday. It was awesome. I wanted one immediately. It was so unbelievably roomy and the draft is so little. If I had the cash I would do it. Well, that or a Lund Fury16 :-D


----------



## danattherock (Mar 9, 2013)

Went to AK McCallum in Fayetteville,NC today and saw a few Sea Ark 2072's. Michael showed me every boat on the lot. They had a bare hull MV2072, a 20' river cat, and a 20 tunnel 'pro'. Can't believe how big and roomy the bare hull was, and the 24' beside it, a barge. Holy cow. Got up on the 2072 pro tunnel and it wasn't as big once I was in it, but plenty of room. Feel very confident about wanting the 2072 size boat. Tons of options and different layouts. My head hurts. Will spend some time thinking about the Sea Ark and Xtreme 2072's, how it will be set up, etc.. If Sea Ark, will likely go with bare hull and add floor and console, yeti cooler, seats, and call it a day. Very roomy layout and much more affordable than one of the package boats. I can do without the storage and live wells. 



-Dan


----------



## shootandfish1 (Mar 9, 2013)

Hey Dan. I still have not been able get some decent pics. Maybe tomorrow, if the weather holds.

One point that may sway you toward the SeaArk is the higher sides, 28 inches on the outside. Make the boat more friendly for taller folks (and those of us a little unsteady). Although, I don't plan on being out in rough weather, the taller sides should be a big advantage if one gets caught out.

About storage and livewells, one the pluses of the bare bones boat is that places like Tractor Supply have an assortment of aluminum toolboxes, these along with a decent size cooler and one can rig storage and/or a livewell for very little money and to your liking. And the arrangement can easily be changed or undone.

Fred


----------



## Coach d (Mar 9, 2013)

Here's one that might interest you. Located outside Fayetteville in Godwin. 
https://fayetteville.craigslist.org/boa/3667456651.html


----------



## RedfireSVT (Mar 10, 2013)

thats alot of money.


----------



## danattherock (Mar 10, 2013)

Coach d said:


> Here's one that might interest you. Located outside Fayetteville in Godwin.
> https://fayetteville.craigslist.org/boa/3667456651.html




Thanks man. Certainly not against a used boat, but only if 2-4 years old. With my limited knowledge of outboards, I am skeptical to buy anything too old, especially not knowing how it was treated and maintained. The boat you linked for example, if I had to repower it with 115 Yamaha, I would have the same money invested as if buying new. However, if the motor on the boat was good and I got 5-10 years out of it, that would change things of course. A gamble of course not knowing. Thanks for the link though, it would be a good idea for me to keep my eyes open for lightly used boats. 


Dan


----------



## shootandfish1 (Mar 10, 2013)

I got some pics of my SeaArk 2072 posted in a seperate thread.

I'm brain-dead and need to set the computer down.

If anyone has a specific ? or wants a specific measurement, let me know

Fred


----------



## reedjj (Mar 12, 2013)

I have been looking at SeaArk 2072 ProTunnel and Pro Jet Tunnels too. I really want a BIG tin Jet or prop tunnel. 

BUT you can also get a Rockproof RiverJett for $25,500. With all the bells and whistles. This is a .190 NO UHMW version of the RiverRocket!


----------



## jmitas (Jul 17, 2013)

No you are not crazy. I bought a 2072 Center Console from Tracker. I ordered some accessory parts from Sea Ark (Power Pole Brackets) cause they made basically what I needed and noone else did. I have the 115 on mine. If the water is calm and not too bad me and my fishing partner can hit 48 mph with it we have not gotten to 50 yet. I am only 250 and he is only 200. I have added a power pole, and a hummin bird 360 sonar to it. Along with a 1198 and a new riptide ST with the ipilot link. So far my accessories are coming close to 9K. If it is what you want and you can afford it just get what feels right to you what your needs are. I shopped around and even bought an old used boat the previous year thinking it would work and no I wanted the bigger one.


----------



## surfman (Jul 18, 2013)

You are crazy if you can’t afford it. There are more expensive aluminum boats out there too, by the way. It is a new boat and it will give you many years of great service, you should expect to lose your azz if you decide to sell it in 5 years though. If you plan to keep it for the long haul it will be well worth it.


----------

