Glastron Boats and quality?

[rwidman]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

Who dug up this old therad?

I had a Glastron GS429 from spring of 2003 until I sold it a year or so ago after buying my trawler:

It was a good boat and if we hadn't fallen in love with the Camano and trawler lifestyle we would still have it.

Unlike many other posters, I haven't owned a lot of boats in my lifetime so I can't say it was better or worse than brand X.

I will say it was a well built boat with brand name parts. More photos here:

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/13606135

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

Love my 1996 GS205 40th anniversary

 

[CVX20SPRINT]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

Can't speak for the newer ones,but I love my old CVX20 Sprint.I was looking for a Sidewinder SS when I came across this one.Soon as I saw the picture of it I new I had to have it.Seems a lot of the newer boats are styled like my old Carlson.Great looking boat for being over 30 years old.

 

[crackedglass]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

Although this is an old post, over a year old since it's start, I'll ad that I've owned several older Glastron V hulls, all were good boats, none were Carlson models however. I had one trihull, and although I loved the boat and it's layout, it was the worst riding trihull I've ever been in. Anything more than a 6" chop over about 20 mph would jar out your fillings.
My favorite was a 1971 V170. The only trihull I had was a 1972 V176 Swinger.
Every one I owned though needed it's deck replaced, but all had good solid transoms and stringers. The V176 pounded so bad that it eventually cracked just ahead of the windshield after seeing some bad weather one day and about 3 miles of 4' waves. It flexed up front, breaking loose the upper hull around the rub rail, then breaking the upper cap on the left side at the rear of the aluminum rail.
I fixed it and sold it the following year. All of my Glastrons were old when I got them, all were 20+ years old but all of my boats are that old or older.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

I guess I'll weigh in since I own 2 of them currently, both 1976 models. The older ones are prone to some issues like rotted floors, stringers, and transoms, BUT, there are a blue million of them and most were left out in the weather. Show me a boat form the 50's, 60's or 70's that survives 30 years in the rain. My old tri-hull T-166 was treated in such a way. A few years ago when the transon started to show problems, I found that the wood had rotted out of the stringers, but I never saw flex as the stringers were pretty much encapsulated. New floor, stringers, and transom later, and she still rides like a chanp. My V-195 was taken better care of by it's previous owner. The floor, stringers, carpet, seats, etc. are all original. I'd argue that until sometime in the late 70's when MGMT changed, Glastron was ahead of most in style and construction. After that, I don't know, but I like the new styles very much. I would take one oof teh 205/215/235 BR's in a heartbeat.

The new ones strike me upper mid level boats. VEC is interesting if it holds up long term. I don't think I'd hesitate to buy a Glastron I like of any age, but I'd approach it as any other boat purchase, check it out well because the condition is a product of the care that was taken for it. New I wouldn't sweat period.

 

[korygrandy]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

Love mine! I think this is a very respectable boat. The VEC hull construction lives up to it's reputation...enough said. It planes very quickly and it has a very smooth ride even in chop. I really like the way they look in and out of the water and I like there paint scheme. I see a lot of glasstron's on the lake so I'm not the only one that feels this way about them. Anyone thinking to buy one of these won't be dissapointed.

I don't take guests on my boat to try and impress them with stainless steel hardware and teak this and cool instrument panels that...I take them on the boat because it floats on the water and we want to enjoy the water.

Not sure why this thread was ressurected but I wanted to add my .02 to any future buyers.

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

Just rebuilt mine this last winter. Check out my rebuild thread.

 

[Cool Brees]

Kinda shocked by this thread.

Kinda shocked by this thread.

Glastron WAS a great boat in the 60s and 70s. When Bob Hammond ran the company, Glastron was the pioneer in design, luxury and performance. Once they were purchased by a conglomerate all that was left was the legacy.

Glastrons are good boats, solid boats, but they are a typical production boat. There is NO significant difference in quality from other mid tear boats. Four Winns, Crownline, Larson, Sting Ray, Monteray, they are all about the same quality. Glastrons are made in the same factory as Larson. Some models share the same hull molds.

Glastrons are nice boats, but most boats are nice boats. They are not at the same quality level as Cobalt, Chaps, Formula, Chris Craft, Ebbtide or Bryant but they are not in that price level either.

 

[NCLakeboater]

Re: Kinda shocked by this thread.

Re: Kinda shocked by this thread.

Glastron WAS a great boat in the 60s and 70s. When Bob Hammond ran the company, Glastron was the pioneer in design, luxury and performance. Once they were purchased by a conglomerate all that was left was the legacy.

Glastrons are good boats, solid boats, but they are a typical production boat. There is NO significant difference in quality from other mid tear boats. Four Winns, Crownline, Larson, Sting Ray, Monteray, they are all about the same quality. Glastrons are made in the same factory as Larson. Some models share the same hull molds.

Glastrons are nice boats, but most boats are nice boats. They are not at the same quality level as Cobalt, Chaps, Formula, Chris Craft, Ebbtide or Bryant but they are not in that price level either.

Not the case anymore. Glastron moved their production to Cadillac, Michigan where they share the same facility with Four Winns. They no longer use the VEC technology but instead are building their boats with traditional fiberglass lay up in molds.

 

[stic88]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

hope they are a good brand, i just picked up a 1975 v178 trihull with a 85 johnson. original motor. i am new to boating so i hope i didnt make a huge mistake. i traded a 85 honda motorcycle that had its issues. i like the looks of the boat and know that it will be a winter project to get it seaworthy. have to do the basic stuff to the motor, tune up, carb rebuild, water pump, etc... hull seems in good shape for baking in the hot desert sun for a few years, just hoping i can bring this classic back to the water. i think it looks sexy.

 

[CaptainSkip]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

They were good enough for Bond...James Bond.
"Live and Let Die" had a good Glastron boat chase.

 

[NCLakeboater]

Re: Glastron Boats and quality?

They were good enough for Bond...James Bond.
"Live and Let Die" had a good Glastron boat chase.