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Posts: 181
| I'm looking for a new boat, wanted to know all opinions on fibergalss vs. aluminum. Would like your opinions on everything from weight, maintenence, cost, fishability, resale, anything you can think of. Weaknesses or strengths of one or the other. would like more than just bye a ranger or lund or whatever I want reasons why you love what you love. | |
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| I have run both, i switched to fiberglass in 1984 and have been running glass ever since, fiberglass boats are hand laid in a mold, everything is glassed together this creates a unibody construction, there are no rivets, welds, screws, etc. to rattle lose, they run faster, have a better ride than tin boats, and also are dryer rideing in rough water, all of your offshore,comercial fishing boats are made of fiberglass,there is a reason for this they hold up better in the long run. the weight factor fiberglass is about the same as tin, there are some great tin boats out there, you need to try out the ride differance for yourself, resale on tin or fiberglass all depend on make and model i would buy a used glass boat before a riveted tin boat , any day. there are many great fishing boats out there by no means am i bashing any of them, i am just giveing my opinion after hundreds of days of guideing on lake oahe,sakawea , these are vast , windy, brutal, bodies of water. | |
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| I too ran tin for many years. Used and new. After being badgered by several of my guide and tournament freinds, I finally went glass. This being quite a few years ago. So as of now, I think I would go without a boat rather than have to go back to aluminum. As stated in the previous post, ride, dryness and overall performance is far better.
After being the auto body business for almost 25 years, I'll also say that glass is no harder to care for than any painted aluminum. The finishes on todays boats must be care for just like a car finish because they are the same type of finish. So both glass and painted aluminum must be kept clean and polished to stay in good condition. One difference is that paint will chip and scrape off easier and it can also absorb stains and dull the finish easier than glass and be a lot harder to get looking nice again.
Most of the premium glass boats are hand laid with a strong composite laid in with the glass, such as with Tuffy Boats, they use Kevlar on the hull. Other manufacturers use a different composite to strengthen their hulls. This creates a more ridgid hull and it can actually withstand a hit with a log, or rock or dock with little or no actuall damage. In the case of a rock, a $40 gell coat repair kit and you can repair it right on the trailer.
Hit the same log or rock with aluminum and you crease the hull of the boat, maybe loosen or even tear off a rivet. There is no fix for this except to go back to the manufacturer to have the interior stripped out, and the damage repaired as best they can. Usually not better than 80%. If it's a crease and it dosn't get repaired, depending on where it is on the hull, it can greatly affect handling of the boat.
Even in the case of a fracture on a glass composite hull, it can be repaired to like new condition. Not just 80%.
So there are some of the reasons I prefer a glass boat. | |
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Location: Minneapolis, MN | If you go glass, get a Hamby's keel protector and you will love your new boat and not have to worry as much about beaching it, an argument that the tin guys like to make. | |
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Posts: 284
Location: Fishing the weeds | I have run a Lund Pro V for many years. I like the boat but, I am switching to glass for the above stated reasons and I find it's a lot easier to control a glass boat when casting to a spot in the wind. Doesn't seem to drift anywhere near as much as a Aluminum boat. This is not a slam on Lund. They make a great product. Just an observation. | |
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fiberglass vs. aluminum