FishBC.org
Active Member
What do you like about current aluminum boats out there and what do you not like?
Last edited by a moderator:
What do you like about current aluminum boats out there and what do you not like?
- Thread starter FishBC.org
- Start date
trophywife
Crew Member
love the comfort of my kingfisher,lightness for economy is awesome, but you give up the deep ride you'd get with a glass, so it is a bit corky in the swell, especially if you like to fish the trough. i have 2625, 9'6", tonnes of surface drag, and is lifetime warranteed as long as i dont excceed 300hp. i have a 225 and with a full tank , gear and 4 big bro's on board it really labours and that has me thinking three hundy isnt gonna be enough, so break warranty and get enough power? or when i upgrade power, live with 3oohp??? rode on a northwest 24' and felt alot similar with the same kind of korky....hope this helps,,, or wher you talkin bout smaller luminums? i am assuming offshore type hulls?
Sculpin
Well-Known Member
I like the Australian designs myself and wish we could see some more of that sleekish sportsfishing design up here. I really like the looks of the Jaxoncraft boats and think he's headed in the right direction. Conrad Marine has some designs that are pretty nice looking as well.
Cheers,
Sculpin
Cheers,
Sculpin
Last edited by a moderator:
trophywife
Crew Member
If you talkin building, buddy of mine built a GW 23. Got the templates and plans from somewhere on the east coast. Never got a ride in it but it was noice.
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
I own a 2004, 20 ft. SilverStreak Hardtop. What I like about it is:
- tough as nails, low maintenance
- quality construction
- well thought out design (deep hull, 4 inch chines, level float flotation, etc) that has been imporved over time
- lots of customization options that you can deal with locally
- if you ever have a problem or what work done on it they are close by
- supporting a local business
I also like Northwest Aluminum Craft boats built right here in Langford
- tough as nails, low maintenance
- quality construction
- well thought out design (deep hull, 4 inch chines, level float flotation, etc) that has been imporved over time
- lots of customization options that you can deal with locally
- if you ever have a problem or what work done on it they are close by
- supporting a local business
I also like Northwest Aluminum Craft boats built right here in Langford
Sculpin
Well-Known Member
That would be cool to see.
FishBC.org
Active Member
Yeah our Naval Architect has been designing what appears quite similar to the Jaxon style, with some interesting ideas of his own Sculpin. What I'm trying to gather here is a good feel for what people want / like without spilling too many beans just yet. The marketing / advertising is already in the bag when we're ready to fly, and plan a few Demo's to roll out in 2012. The only hold back yet to moving forward is a good price on a nice 12 foot brake, and set of rolls, as well, as the TC process but we're working on all of that. I've been looking at the Aussie stuff as well since you mentioned it to me. I believe we may have some secured builds for a lodge or two, based on our first design, and currently the Navy guy is working on the plans / blue prints for our larger models. The hardest thing so far to deal with is coming up with an excellent name, but we think we have one in mind now finally after months of brainstorming it. We're just easing into and testing things as we go, but so far everything is looking good. Been spending a lot of time on the phone with wholesale, and suppliers for things. Located an expert interior woodworker as well for those "fancy" builds. Time will tell but I think we're on the right track with this stuff.
Last edited by a moderator:
FishBC.org
Active Member
^ Check All of those things would be mandatory. I like the sliding door idea as well.
FishBC.org
Active Member
Steering in back will be necessary for the larger models especially those with the sliding doors, because I can't imagine a pilot leaping at a tripped downrigger and smashing through the sliding door in urgency. (I'd probably forget and do that myself hah). I will devise a lock open mechanism too on the door for the purpose on a bad day. Heated seats come to mind as well. Fish storage, another necessity... My partner was thinking ice maker as well.
staying alive
Active Member
I always wanted an aluminum boat but couldn't get over the high price and didn't like the layouts ---agree with the other comment about the aussie designs they have some nice boats. Looked for a long time and considered getting a kit boat from an austrailian firm but chickened out after costing it all out its alot of work to save 20 grand or so. Searched for a long time and found a production boat that had a nice design ---eventually found one in Seattle and bought it-------- a crestliner 236 Eagle --hardtop with a walk around cuddy --- this is my idea of the perfect design for me anyway light enough to tow with a small truck yet gets me to the outside in the salt---also I can take the kids to the lake for the day with it --- it's got a 225 Blackmax (2 stroke)--she flies
Attachments
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
I would agree with the last 2 posts regarding options that make a boat great fishing boat.
Sculpin
Well-Known Member
Here is a good video with lot's of nice idea's. These Duckworths are pretty darn nice and probably my favourite in the cookie cutter production pilothouse market. They have a keep open as well on their sliding door. I like the rod compartment in the floor for out of site out of mind security.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJreogJWKQo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJreogJWKQo
casper5280
Crew Member
Head room coming out the back door. To many hard tops there is not enough head room when you come flying out that back door in a hurry to grab a fish. I have just about knocked my self out a couple times doing that on different boats. We are all not 5'5" tall. Good storage for charts,rods and nets,built in tackle drawers,built-in inverter to charge batteries,wash down pump,fish cleaning table.
FishBC.org
Active Member
Great points everyone. Sculpin bingo. How many times have you had to haul your gear / riggers up the ramp to the truck because you feared someone busting onto the boat and grabbing everything in sight?. Lockable, rod, storage, rigger areas... Check. Possibly on the hard top?.. Save space? Built in lockable tackle drawers , more head room at the back, Cleaning table, pump / washdown, Chart storage, Inverter, with 120 plug ability as well. Check... All great info!
Wow is a very nice ride .... how much?
btw - This baby gets you albi fishing quick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=HpDmtJGgzus
FishBC.org
Active Member
The price reflects a few things. Material.. Aluminum will last you and your kid's lifetime, and weight is less = better fuel consumption PLUS Aluminum is a labor of love. You want something added in future? Easy?
If you want something slapped in a mold, and something that will rot way before you're done fishing in life, go Bayliner lol.
There's a reason why they cost. Aluminum isn't cheap for material but I don't see too many people run fiberglass up on the rocks. Alum is perfectly fine for beaching
Unless they drop the price of Alum materials, the boat pricing won't come down anywhere.
JAC
Well-Known Member
I have had 5 boats over the last 8 years a 3 glass Sangster, Bayliner and Trophy and the last 2 boat have been aluminum hewescraft and Customweld. I just sold my Hewes and bought the custom weld. First off if you buy aluminum I would get suspension seat maybe in the big metal boat they might ride ok but in the 18-22 foot range they pound. Yes aluminum is tougher than Glass but it also has some weakness to Cost, Corrosion and harder to repair if your not a welder. In the cookie cutter aluminum boats there is a big differents between boat maker in the fit and finsh. There is no comparison between my custom weld and hewes on the fit and finish and it has alot more structural suport in it. But that being said the custom weld is nicer but there are a lot of things on the hewescraft that I like better than the custom weld. With the economy the way it is there are many american boat building company at the verge of going under and you can get some great deal down there. Also a lot of these so call cookie cutter boat builders will build custom boat for a buyer and and right now you can get some real value on a build. Cental point OR seems to be a hub for metal boats and maybe worth a look
JAC.
JAC.
