Aluminum boat prices
- Thread starter Blackmax
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Sculpin
Well-Known Member
The bottom line is that. Alloy hulls hold there value. They don't corrode with the proper bottom paint systems, electrical system, etc. They are in demand and on the rise. Hence the increase in price. They are a once in a lifetime investment for some people. My boat is trailered all the time. It has zero corrosion and it's a 2003 hull and built like a tank. I have no problem repowering it again years down the road. My son could take it over and my grand kid's could take it over with just repowering it. Knowledge about alloy hulls is cheap and worth looking into. They are great IMHO.
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Ha ha ha! I knew that one was coming! Surprised it took you so long.
In all honesty, it came down to seating and commode, lol. That and we liked our first 188 quite a bit. I ran a fleet of Hourston 17'ers and SeaRay Laguna 19s out of Tasu Sound back in the early nineties. I was far more impressed by my 188 than either of the other makes. The one we ended up with is in awesome shape, had the 5.7 power and a duoprop. The significant savings by going that route gave us lots of room to customize and improve for our purposes.
I would have really lived to have found a Monaro that fit us as well as our current boat, but it just didn't materialize.
Funny about the whole boat thing; when I was making a living building and modifying other peoples' rigs, I had a boat that just sat in my yard; now that I don't build or work on other peoples' boats, we have a boat in the water that we use regularly. Ironic.
The dream to build my own Aluminum is still alive on the drawing board, just going to have to evolve there for a few more years. Maybe once the child has finished post secondary education I'll get my chance!
Sculpin
Well-Known Member
I hear yeah on the economy thing. I myself have looked at bigger boats in glass due to the economics of the purchase. I only need a bigger boat for the tuna fishery and overnight trips to save on fuel. In hind site I keep looking back and it's a trade off with my little gal doing day trips. She has done everything I have asked her to do and she has not bit back yet. She may be the smallest in the tuna fleet but she makes it up in toughness. 1/4" bottom and sides with full 3" sched 40 side rails. Not 1/2 pipes....full pipe rails. I don't need bumpers at the dock lol. This gets back to your post about custom builds and quality etc.
I hear you on the production boats and them being overpriced. I agree fully. I have seen 8'6" trailerable boats going for close to 200g??? It doesn't make sense to me. You could have a nice heavy duty custom boat built for that.
I hear you on the production boats and them being overpriced. I agree fully. I have seen 8'6" trailerable boats going for close to 200g??? It doesn't make sense to me. You could have a nice heavy duty custom boat built for that.
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wildmanyeah
Crew Member
If you're young and can take being tossed around like a sardine can then aluminium boats are nice. If you want to bar fishing on the river too there extra awesome.
If you're old and have a bad back then a nice deep V glass boat with reinforced side ribs and completely sealed sealed stringers with reinforced foam is great for a smooth ride. Campion 18 foot seems to be the most desirable boat locally for fishing but the used market for them is worse than the current housing market.
Heavy aluminium are really great too but they don't get the fuell economey.
If you're old and have a bad back then a nice deep V glass boat with reinforced side ribs and completely sealed sealed stringers with reinforced foam is great for a smooth ride. Campion 18 foot seems to be the most desirable boat locally for fishing but the used market for them is worse than the current housing market.
Heavy aluminium are really great too but they don't get the fuell economey.
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T
The Jackel
Guest
Hey Rednex3 Northwest does not paint his boats so what you see is what you get, no bondo. Your post was fairly long winded and I didn't read it all but i saw someone say you bought a campion.... had one would never buy another biggest piece of junk for a boat i have ever owned, hope yours works out better than mine it was a total lemon on all fronts and absolute **** on warranty for anything!
Mr. The Jackel:
Just out of curiosity, what are you running for a rig now? What made your previous Campion a lemon? Which model, year, and how does this affect the entire line of boats from the first one produced up to the most current hull number rolling out the factory door today? How experienced were you with marine construction methods and materials when you purchased that boat? Was it surveyed at the time of purchase? Was that survey, if completed just to satisfy the insurance company? Did you know the full history of the hull? You painted a pretty broad stroke, with no supporting information there, based on only the fact that "you read in a post I bought a Campion" after stating that you haven't "read my post because it was fairly long winded". There was a ton of information there, that you only skimmed through by your own admission. Believe me there's tons more; what I provided just barely scratches the surface. The only manufacturer's name or model information I provided anywhere in my post was regarding a choice between two boats that we as a family narrowed down to our final choices.
Nowhere in my post did I state the fact that Northwest Aluminum Craft uses body filler in their product. As well, at no point did I state any manufacturer's or model names relative to just a small (very small) sampling of prevalent defects (welding and otherwise related) in PRODUCTION aluminum hulls. If you have spent time in the industry or on the water, you will remember when no custom manufacturer painted anything other than the bottom of their aluminum hulls unless specifically requested as an option. Even then, it was usually only the cabin, sides were left raw (sometimes clear coated) and decks were non skidded. Different trend with modern boats after Coastal Craft lead the charge towards a full product line of painted hulls. It now seems to be the inverse of the past, where no paint is almost an option to be be requested. Kind of like a manual transmission in a new car or truck, you're going to have to request that as a specific option most of the time.
"What you see is what you get" Northwest does put out a BEAUTIFUL PRODUCT. But just how deep are you looking here, and do you really understand what you are looking at say under the floors/decks, or behind the trims, or under foam sprayed into cavities, or the geometries of motor mounting, etc? How about construction inside the fuel, water, gray/black tankage and/or tankage mounting systems? Are you aware of a certain industry practice that pits the metallurgical properties of one material against another in an almost seeming ballet of planned obsalescence.
I could have run my mouth about the names and models of a number of different manufacturers, (both production and custom) because under the paint and polish of so much product on the water, that the owners truly love, are nothing more than polished floating turds, but I did not. Paint and big shiny motors do not make a piece of crap any less turd-like just because a person is sucker enough to fall for it.
How many boats have you built, or participated in the building of?Commissioning, approving drawings/design work and cutting cheques for purchase doesn't count.
I know my posts on this subject can be "long winded" but found inside them is a lot of actual real world application of skills and materials from multiple generations of professional and pleasure marine industry experience.
Best Regards
Rednex3
Just out of curiosity, what are you running for a rig now? What made your previous Campion a lemon? Which model, year, and how does this affect the entire line of boats from the first one produced up to the most current hull number rolling out the factory door today? How experienced were you with marine construction methods and materials when you purchased that boat? Was it surveyed at the time of purchase? Was that survey, if completed just to satisfy the insurance company? Did you know the full history of the hull? You painted a pretty broad stroke, with no supporting information there, based on only the fact that "you read in a post I bought a Campion" after stating that you haven't "read my post because it was fairly long winded". There was a ton of information there, that you only skimmed through by your own admission. Believe me there's tons more; what I provided just barely scratches the surface. The only manufacturer's name or model information I provided anywhere in my post was regarding a choice between two boats that we as a family narrowed down to our final choices.
Nowhere in my post did I state the fact that Northwest Aluminum Craft uses body filler in their product. As well, at no point did I state any manufacturer's or model names relative to just a small (very small) sampling of prevalent defects (welding and otherwise related) in PRODUCTION aluminum hulls. If you have spent time in the industry or on the water, you will remember when no custom manufacturer painted anything other than the bottom of their aluminum hulls unless specifically requested as an option. Even then, it was usually only the cabin, sides were left raw (sometimes clear coated) and decks were non skidded. Different trend with modern boats after Coastal Craft lead the charge towards a full product line of painted hulls. It now seems to be the inverse of the past, where no paint is almost an option to be be requested. Kind of like a manual transmission in a new car or truck, you're going to have to request that as a specific option most of the time.
"What you see is what you get" Northwest does put out a BEAUTIFUL PRODUCT. But just how deep are you looking here, and do you really understand what you are looking at say under the floors/decks, or behind the trims, or under foam sprayed into cavities, or the geometries of motor mounting, etc? How about construction inside the fuel, water, gray/black tankage and/or tankage mounting systems? Are you aware of a certain industry practice that pits the metallurgical properties of one material against another in an almost seeming ballet of planned obsalescence.
I could have run my mouth about the names and models of a number of different manufacturers, (both production and custom) because under the paint and polish of so much product on the water, that the owners truly love, are nothing more than polished floating turds, but I did not. Paint and big shiny motors do not make a piece of crap any less turd-like just because a person is sucker enough to fall for it.
How many boats have you built, or participated in the building of?Commissioning, approving drawings/design work and cutting cheques for purchase doesn't count.
I know my posts on this subject can be "long winded" but found inside them is a lot of actual real world application of skills and materials from multiple generations of professional and pleasure marine industry experience.
Best Regards
Rednex3
T
The Jackel
Guest
Wow RN3 i didn't know i was talking to the boat building expert of SFBC. Campion was bought brand new, blistered right out of the gate, asked me if it was kept inside, i told them no, they said it is getting wet, won't cover it.Plumbing for the gas was all f*cked up, had to fix it myself. it goes on and on. I am no expert in boat building nor do i pretend i am,but apparently you are. As for my Northwest I did a fair bit of research and most of that was talking to Doug, fishing and going on the water in numerous ones that he built. Loved all of them. Was in the shop every few days to watch the build, Doug was probably happy when it was finished so i wouldn't stop by every day, happiest i have ever been with a boat and i would and do recommend them to all . On another note one other friend bought a campion and the thing totally came apart, he had to fight tooth and nail and went to court, was not a good experience, his new one seems to be holding out ok. If you reply can you keep it to one paragraph 
Sure thing, one paragraph. We both know we are each informed and opinionated now. Certainly never disputed anything with regard to Northwest's quality, at any time ever. That's what you get when you move into that arena. Pay for it too, but money well spent. Congratulations on being and having one the floating gems sir.
kaelc
Well-Known Member
Getting back to an early comment, a deep V 18 foot aluminum can handle the Straight, Swiftsure Bank and the west coast of the island. Yes, the wham bam of a light boat in 3 foot chop is really too much for most, so suspension seats are a great but $ upgrade for those who like to travel in weather.
My dad's old riveted aluminum starcraft from the late 60's still is an amazing boat and with luck, mine will see 50 years of use and grandkids in it.
I agree with the thread starter, keeping a boat is the best idea, until and if, the dollar comes back to par. Right now the cost or aluminum, power, parts are all priced in USD. A 74 cent dollar and 12% tax make buying almost any boat a challenge, hence people selling boats to friends and family. Are US buyers still snapping up Canadian boats?
My dad's old riveted aluminum starcraft from the late 60's still is an amazing boat and with luck, mine will see 50 years of use and grandkids in it.
I agree with the thread starter, keeping a boat is the best idea, until and if, the dollar comes back to par. Right now the cost or aluminum, power, parts are all priced in USD. A 74 cent dollar and 12% tax make buying almost any boat a challenge, hence people selling boats to friends and family. Are US buyers still snapping up Canadian boats?
T
The Jackel
Guest
Thanks now get on with your build would like to see what you can do!
Fisherman Rob
Well-Known Member
My neighbour bought a used Campion, and so far it's been a great boat. Has an Evenrude fitch on it too. He figured if it was going to blow up, it would have done it long ago.
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