First, welcome to both of you from Debary. I don’t stand up very long at a stretch so I seldom bank fish. A 1648 Jon boat can be set up basic and vastly expand your fishing Zone without breaking the bank. Doesn’t have to be a big motor, or even gas powered to do the job. The 1648 is a very stable platform and can be had with little to no interior making storage simple.
For rods and reels, it depends and your targets. Buying a crappie specific setup can also be done rather inexpensive. I use ultralight and 2 lb test but that isn’t for everyone. Bitters bait and tackle sells a Diawa combo for about $30 each or two for $50 if I remember right. Setting up with light line makes them more castable and cuts the frustration factor down. Don’t know what size the Vanfords are but maybe an extra spool with lighter line would also do. We also use a lot of hi vis line because this sometimes becomes a finesse thing and hits are seen as well as felt, as in line moving sideways or twitching as the fish swims towards you. I’m not much on bait and use almost 100% jigs and such, some of which I tie. Slip float or float and jig are often used with good success. Learning their seasonal habits will help you to know where they are when you go. Doesn’t make sense to fish the shallows when they’re scattered in deep water post spawn and so on. Cane Pole posted a concise summary of this a few years back that should be found with some research. Good luck to you and Vagante both, look forward to meeting you one day at a Slabfest.