SthurmanFW Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Hi everyone I'm totally new to this forum but have always wanted a Maverick. I had a '16 Redfisher years ago and loved it but heavy and squatty when poling. I want something more "technical" but done want to shell out a fortune. Another catch is I'm located in Texas I have been looking closely at these two http://spacecoast.craigslist.org/bod/5859153421.html and http://www.louisianasportsman.com/lpca/index.php?section=classifieds&event=view&action=single_ad&id=757582 Was interested in the experts' thoughts comparing for example but of course not limited to 1. purchase value 2. hull reliability 3. performance compared etc thanks ST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 I have spent countless hours on both of those boats.. I owned the 18 with a 150 on it, my buddy owns a Mirage II... IMO the Mirage II is a much better poling skiff !! The ride is much different, The Mirage drives like a race car and can handle much rougher conditions even though it's smaller... The 18 is wide and flat at the stern, it turns really flat and once the chop gets too big for the keel to knock it down the ride diminishes quickly... The Mirage II will get up on top of some fairly large chop and run dry and smooth... Even though the ride of the 18 is less, once you get to where you are going the wideness equates to an extremely stable platform to fish from.. Both boats are dead silent while poling.. I went with a newer version of the Mirage this go round, but I would still say the Mirage II runs a little better than my HPX... Depending on how you fish, I would go with the Mirage.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthurmanFW Posted December 28, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Thanks for the reply, that is what I had gathered from my research. My concern is this Mirage II originally belonged to a guide so it will likely be beat up, plus the motor is original and a '99 run by a guide will likely be about to blow up. If I can get him to agree to quite a bit less the Mirage II would make a good repower/project boat. Are there specific things I need to look for in a 16 year old hull? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 Boats can last a long time if taken care of and being a guide boat is not always a bad thing... One of the worst things you can do to a boat is let it sit... The Mirage in the picture looks to be in good shape and is sitting on a newer looking aluminum trailer.. It's over 10k less than the other Maverick and those particular 90s are known for being bullet proof... I would look it over for general cosmetic stuff and compression check the motor, but other than that it looks like a good deal to me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Blanton Posted December 28, 2016 Report Share Posted December 28, 2016 You should note that the 18 HPX-V in the ad is not the version that you see on the water today. That's the older boat, which was first labeled a Hewes product. It's heavier than the current version and drafts more. The new boat is an improvement in every way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 As Biil stated that's a Hewes Bonefisher for all intents and purposes. If your looking to pole the Mirage II is the way to go on this deal. The $10K in your pocket would go a loooooong way in restoring or repairing any minor defects the older boat may have. You also have to realize that guides have to Kaitlin their equipment or they don't work, yeah it's used but at least you don't lose a night of sleep the first time you bounce a spoon of the console or hit an oyster bar. Just my opinion here but I'd be way more comfortable in a guide run 90hp 2 stroke than a 11 year old F115 with 126 hours. 10-ish hours a year of use, that's a lot of sitting around with seals hardening, belts dry-rotting, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lap it Up Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 41 minutes ago, jason p said: As Biil stated that's a Hewes Bonefisher for all intents and purposes. If your looking to pole the Mirage II is the way to go on this deal. The $10K in your pocket would go a loooooong way in restoring or repairing any minor defects the older boat may have. You also have to realize that guides have to Kaitlin their equipment or they don't work, yeah it's used but at least you don't lose a night of sleep the first time you bounce a spoon of the console or hit an oyster bar. Just my opinion here but I'd be way more comfortable in a guide run 90hp 2 stroke than a 11 year old F115 with 126 hours. 10-ish hours a year of use, that's a lot of sitting around with seals hardening, belts dry-rotting, etc... X2 on statement above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted December 29, 2016 Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 Another thing with the 18. You need to find out if it has an aluminum or fiberglass tank. If it's been sitting that much with E10 in a fiberglass tank that would be a deal breaker for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SthurmanFW Posted December 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2016 All great information and thank you. Some of my exact thoughts about a motor not run much is not good etc. So, with no power pole, no trolling motor, no push pole or jack plate included in this deal do you guys think 15K is a fair price. I was thinking maybe a little high. Also, while I have you guys, does that boat even need (perform better with) a jack plate, would that be overkill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 Depends on where you fish. .. I you fish around hard bottom, like NW Florida where the bottom is granite and eats lower units on the regular, some people like them. .. most people would say no in normal conditions. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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