shopping for an aluminum boat

[rbyeab]

Looking for advice on purchasing a used aluminum boat. I am looking for an easily towed boat and thinking aluminum about 16' walk through, with a 60hp or so...I am in seattle and want to fish the sound as well as tow over the pass with my 6 cyl vehicle to eastern washington. I also want stability and am told the lunds and smoker crafts are considerably more stable side to side than some of the others..like fisher, etc. Is there an apreciable difference on stablilty...am I on the right track for the boat I am considering..?

Rick

 

[ezmobee]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

Most of the major companies make a boat like you're looking for. The Starcraft 16' SuperSport is an example of an older model you can pic up relatively cheap. My experience with many of the aluminum hulls is that they are quite stable, they beat you in the chop pretty good but are very stable. You're on the right track for something you can tow with your vehicle. If you check out the Starcraft manufacturers section here on iboats you'll see some SuperSport projects. Great boats.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

Stability can be based on the beam..... many of us here are starcraft fans however I consider most of the aluminum boats equal.

Look at dimensions and do a comparison. Look at the beam and look at the height of the sides. I had a Ranger Bass boat that was incredible for stability but I really did not care to have it in big water. IMO there is no huge difference in all of them.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

Aluminums are inherently unstable as the hull is light weight. A matter of physics....corks bob and sinkers don't!!!

Flat bottoms (river boats) are inherently stable (for the breed of aluminum) but are noisy in a chop (while trying to fish) and will beat you to death. They will plane out with the least hp and most mph per hp up to a point.

Vees and Modified-Vees are much smoother riding and dryer (usually have higher sides), but are inherently unstable (laterally); course beam modifies everything....more beam, more stability on anything. Also the deeper the V usually the higher the gph in fuel consumption, and the more hp required to obtain a certain mph.

Unless you were in a river where the wind was not a problem, I'd steer away from flat bottoms.

Having had all of the above (and more toys of different materials and all), on numerous occasions, I feel qualified to respond to your question.

Gotta decide what's important. Just remember, no boat will do everything you may decide to do. Realize that and buy what you want for the job you want done.

Mark

 

[Boatist]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

I am a fan of Crestliner's older aluminum boats and like the facts that it is all welded.
It does not have hundreds of holes filled with rivets that do not leak when tight.
Both Starcraft and Lund have been good boats and both have rivets.

Crestliner and klamath are all welded.

Klamath by far the lightest but are nothing fancy just a good solid hull.
I would rate Crestliner next lightest then Starcraft and then Lund.
Crestliner and Lund now have the same parent company.

For me in the sound I would want a closed bow just for the added safety if you get into some bic chop or breakers.

I do not belive Crestliner makes a close bow any longer.

Only problem with these 4 brands is most people keep the boats and do not sell.

 

[dave11]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

I had a 16 ft Starcraft and ran it hard for 15 years. Great boat. I have a 16 ft Alumaweld now. Even better boat, but you won't find a used one cheap.

 

[cobra99]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

I have a 16' bass tracker deep v and the boat is pretty stable on rivers and lakes.It has a 40 horsepower johnson and the boat isn't a speed demon but it will run around 25-27 miles per hour. The boat boat weighs around 2500 pounds with trailer and it is very easy to push around and launch by yourself.
The v haul will make the boat ride a lot smoother. I have a friend who has a 17' bass tracker which sits lower on the water and isn't as stable. The beam is a lot narrower but it is still a good boat.

 

[wa2712nj]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

If you are in Seattle consider a local brand - Duroboat, made in Snohomish County.

The boats they make would be classified as "skiffs", and the largest is 16 foot. Rivit-less construction.

I have a used 14 footer that we use in the sound as a fishing/crabbing boat.

If $ was no object I would buy an Alumaweld or North River.

Boating conditions here are a lot different than, say Florida or anywhere on the east coast, and tastes in boats seem to follow that. I would definitely opine that the most sought after boats for the sound tend to be aluminum (although I would also be happy with an Arima).

-dm

 

[cranksbait]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

I own a Lund 1675 Explorer SS with a 75 E-tec. This boat is amazingly stable and smooth. I have had six guys (average 200 lbs each) fishing in it at once with no problems. I have run in 3 foot whitecaps at 35 mph with ease and not slapping or noise. It is a very solid boat that I am very happy to have. Tons of storage. I pull it and stop it easily with my Honda Ridgeline (6 cyl truck) to give you an example.

 

[T Wardy]

Re: shopping for an aluminum boat

In about a week I am going to have a new Alumacraft Classic 165 CS with a 60HP merc 4 stroke EFI.....very similar to the Lund 1675. I think Lund and Alumacraft are two of the better aluminum boats made overall in terms of hull design and features....but that's just me