been said that “spring is the season when a young man’s fancy turns to love.” .
Now that’s a nice enough sentiment, but I’m not sure hoe accurate it is. It’s been my observation that most men’s fancy is apt to turn to boats when there’s a hint of spring in the air.
And so does mine. Harsh reality may dictate that I’ll wind up trying to nurse my old faithful old 1971 Ranger through yet another season, but that doesn’t stop me from dreaming. Man oh man, do I dream! Here’s just a sample of what my “dream boat” can do.
My dream boat can carry me across big stretches of open water in safe, dry comport when the wind is blowing. To do that (at least by my definition of safe, dry comfort) requires a boat long enough to span the swells - say something in the 20-foot class.
My dream boat will let my partner and I fish shoulder-to -shoulder in the front of boat without one of us getting elbow overboard. That will require a boat that’s not only wide and stable, but also one with large enough decks to accommodate two full-sized fishermen.
I’ll be able to load enough camping gear aboard my dream boat for a weekend amphibious hunting trip, so it will have to have lots of open floor space.
I like to fish streams as well as lakes, so my dream boat will be suitable for use in the rivers ranging in size from the Osage and Missouri down to streams like the Lamine, Niangua or Gasconade.
Let’s make this one even tougher. I’ll be able to fish moving water without taking a second vehicle to retrieve myself and my boat at the end of the day. In other words, I’ll be able to motor back upstream even across shallow riffles.
I know what you are thinking because I didn’t think there was any such boat either, but I’m happy to report that I WAS WRONG.
Not only is there one boat that will do everything I’ve described (plus a whole lot more), this ultimate boat is built right here in Missouri.
It’s called The Shoal Runner. It’s 100-gauge aluminum hull (welded and reinforced like no other aluminum hull on the market) is 20 feet long and has a 76-inch or 84-inch beam - a big water boat to be sure. Whats more, its outstanding paint job, carpeting and upholstery make it downright pretty.
The Shoal Runner’s beauty is more than skin deep, however. In addition to having all the standard features like instruments, livewells, trolling motor wiring, etc. that we’ve come to expect on ‘premium boats’, it has seating for five people.
Unlike so many other companies, the people at Shoal Runner have figured out that more than two people may want to occupy a 20-foot boat at the same time.
It’s The Shoal Runner’s powerplant, however, that makes it the ultimate boat. Its standard inboard engine is a 310-horsepower, Vortec Carburetor or 330-horsepower Port Fuel Injection (PFI). Specially designed exhaust mufflers guarantee a quiet ride, with a 30-gallon fuel tank guarantee a long ride between fill-ups.
And that’s only part of the story. The Shoal Runner’s engine turns a 12J Dominator jet drive instead of a propeller, and jet drives offer so many advantages over conventional outboards that they may well be the system of the future.
For example, jet drives don’t extend below the bottom of the boat’s hull. Since they lack vulnerable lower units, jet boats can operate in water only a few inches deep.
Not only does this feature make them usable in the Ozark rivers, just think how many miles could be shaved off the distance from point A to point B on lakes like Truman.
Then too, jet-powered boats come out of the hole almost instantly even at low speeds. Imagine a “holeshot” without that terrifying 10 seconds of blindness while the boat stands on end. Or imagine being able to cruise along a shoreline at a fast idle without wallowing.
No one boat will be every man’s dream come true, but you owe it to yourself to take a look at a Shoal Runner before you plunk down your hard-earned cash for a boat this spring. There’s no other type of boat that can do so many different things so well.
