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Posts: 82
Location: Owatonna,MN | Want to hear pros and cons of buying a glass boat vs. aluminum. I have never owned glass and want to get the skinny between the two. I don't fish big wind/big water. The glass boats that I have been considering are Ranger 188vs, Triton Tr-186 and Skeeter Sx190 to give an idea of the type of boat. As for aluminum I do like the Crestliner CMV 1850, but it looks like they quit making it. Seems no one makes an aluminum bass hull anymore. I currently have a 1995 Alumicraft V170 Phantom.
Thanks |
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | It's impossible to compare a skeeter Sx190 or the other two models to any aluminum OR glass V hull boat,IMHO. |
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Posts: 82
Location: Owatonna,MN | Not trying to really compare model to model. Just wondering the differences between a glass bass type hull and aluminum like I have now. Stability, reliability,etc. The glass boats look nice, but thats as much as I know about glass. |
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Posts: 215
Location: Twin Cities | I sent you a PM!!
Have been in both the 188 and CMV alot. The hulls are both stable and reliable, but in the end the Ranger hull is the better. The fiberglass hull will be beat up bad and require repair if you get it up on the rocks. I had the aluminum hull up on the rocks just a few too many times and there has yet to be any serious damage besides the paint on the bottom and my boat control ego. The glass looks nice yes, but you pay extra for those glass boats.
Edited by The Dogger 1/29/2008 10:49 AM
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| I have owned glass and aluminum and once you go glass you will never go back to aluminum...imo.
unless you are on very very rocky waters it is night and day between the 2...get the Ranger and be smiling on the water all day long...my 2 cents. |
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Posts: 227
Location: New Brighton, MN | ok. fiberglass is "nice", but why?
it looks nice, but it's not as durable... It is quieter, but I think durability is pretty important... |
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Posts: 5874
| Not as durable? I've had both, and the aluminums eventually always leaked, if only just a little. I'd say glass is every bit as durable as aluminum. Just that it seems to be ok to hit rocks with aluminum because it's not as pretty.
As for one of the glass choices you listed? I'm not sure I could say one is "better" than the other. You'll have to crawl around them, and depeding on how they are rigged, make the decision. Note that if you troll, it's more difficult to put a kicker on a bass boat, than on a V-hull boat.
Take a close look at the Tuffy X-190. I'd take that over a bass boat anyday.
Good luck with your selection.
Edited by Shep 1/29/2008 2:07 PM
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Posts: 131
| i've had both and would NEVER go back to aluminum.i do put on a keel gaurd but run my boats in ice quite often.no problem unless you hit a "berg' and that would tear up any hull.glass runs faster with a smoother,more solid ride.glass can be repaired just like aluminum can be welded.glass is much tougher than most people think.glass boats also are much quieter in the water while fishing. |
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Posts: 2384
Location: On the X that marks the mucky spot | There's no comparison between the two. Glass wins pretty much every category hands down.
The new materials in glass boats today make them much more durable and increase their lifespan dramatically. The new resins and gel coats make the boats look new longer and the lack of wood makes them stronger, lighter and dramatically improves their lifespan. There's still quite a bit of wood in most aluminum boats. Wood=rot.
The ride quality between glass and aluminum doesn't even need to be debated.
As far as hitting rocks: DON'T! It doesn't matter what kind of boat you have, you're going to have problems. At least with glass the repairs are much more solid and most don't affect the performance. With aluminum, there are many repairs they can't make. Find username TECK and ask him what they said after his name brand aluminum boat cracked after trailering it down a bad road in Canada. Needless to say he's in glass now.
There's a reason why the industry is selling an increasing % of glass boats. |
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Posts: 82
Location: Owatonna,MN | Thanks for the info. I have been leaning to glass, just wanted opinions from people who have owned them. As far as rocks, the lakes I fish won't be a problem. With either hull rocks are no good for banging the boat on!! |
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Posts: 17
| I'd say you can't go worng with the Skeeter SX190. I have an 05 SX180 and am very pleased with it. The price point of the SX Series is great. They handle big water very well. I have fished a lot of aluminum boats and now prefer the glass all day long....especially the bass boat style when muskie fishing.
If you are looking for an aluminum bass boat i think Triton is making some, and the G3's at the boat show looked pretty slick.
Edited by ArnieB 1/29/2008 5:12 PM
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Posts: 36
| Having owned both I prefer aluminum without question. The new Lund's hulls ride as nice as glass with the durability of a tank . check out the Lund Predator it is made for Muskie fishing and they will have a console edition out soon, the 60+" livewell with built in muskie cradle is also a nice touch , the Pro-V's are a nice boat too. They also have fibreglass for you "glass" fans.
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Posts: 36
| http://www.lundboats.com/2010_predator_08.html |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I have been in alot of both glass and aluminum boats.
I personally think if you are fishing small lakes, then there really isn't a "need" for glass.
I have never owned a glass boat and all the lakes I fish my aluminum handles the water just fine.
If your looking for a quality aluminum bass style boat, check out what Polar Kraft has to offer.
The 175 is nothing but casting deck and storage!
http://polarkraft.com/index_template.cfm?series=polarkraft&mainpage...
Edited by MikeHulbert 2/1/2008 7:37 PM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | i fished a polarcraft bass-style aluminum boat and wish i never sold it. it was an outstanding river boat and crossed over with a quick-set blind to hunt ducks in style and could be pulled with almost anything ... that being said i run a 20' ranger glass boat and it's outstanding, but then i spend more time now on big water, so it's the best choice for what i do.
the polarcraft was great because it allowed me different tow vehicle options, it got out of the water immediately with a 70hp outboard and ran the same speed as my current boat.
my ranger sits on a tandem trailer has a 200hp motor and likes being pulled by a diesel truck.
think about your water, what you want to pull it with and make the call based on that.
it i were to go to a smaller lake boat and run rivers i'd be shopping polarcraft, war eagle or Xpress ... these are brands you might not be as familiar with but if you go down south where people use their boats to run rivers and lakes as bass and duck boat combos ... these are considered the "premium" brands. the Xpress differentiates itself with the ability to put big power on the transoms ... it's what the southern dnr runs and they are crazy fast ... i think Heckels Marine is selling them now.
good luck ... but if you want a bass-style aluminum boat ... go shop polarcraft or express. the northern aluminum guys just don't have the time or experience in this style boat that those built down south have had for more than 20 years now ...
good luck
Edited by jonnysled 2/1/2008 9:30 PM
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Posts: 82
Location: Owatonna,MN | Mike H,
I was looking at the Polarcraft website. Which model do you run? |
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Posts: 82
Location: Owatonna,MN | Just for reference, I have a trailer on the Chippewa Flowage and fish that 99.9% of the time. Not small water but doesn't get real rough.(in comparison to the mega lakes). The polarcraft, wareagle and express "bass style" boats are modified V hull types. Nice looking boats, but not for me. The boat I have now is a V style bass boat, but from what I have seen so far no one makes anything similar in aluminum any more. Cestliner quit making the CMV ( atleast I don't see it on the website).
Thanks alot for every ones help!! |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | Scott, I run the Kodiak 1910 single console with a 225 Suzuki.
If you are looking for a deep V boat but don't need a 20 footer, also check out the Kodiak 188, with a 101 inch beam!!!
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Posts: 956
Location: Home of the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs | Scott ,
Saw this Alumacraft Invader and thought you might be interrested
http://www.waterwerks.com/moredetails.html?20700045958&sitecode=wat...
Karl |
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Posts: 144
Location: Green Bay, WI | I just looked at a glass Lund 186 Fisherman... What a sweet looking ride. Looks like it would be a dryer ride than the Ranger 1850/1860. Been looking at the 1850 Tyee (aluminum) but I gotta say I'm being swayed toward the glass boat again.
Edited by bobski 2/2/2008 2:15 PM
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Posts: 1462
Location: Davenport, IA | I just went from an aluminum bassboat (Alumacraft MV Tex Special) to glass (Javelin Venom 17). There is no comparison. Aluminum gets blown around very easily by the wind. Boat control is a lot harder. The Javelin rides very dry. I thought about buying an Xpress or G3, but am very glad I went with glass. And, I probably will never go back to aluminum.
As for Aluminum bassboats, there are quite a few out there. Xpress, Tracker, War Eagle, G3, Triton, ect.
For glass, make sure you look into Stratos. You get a lot more for your money with them than with many other brands. They aren't going to measure up to a Triton or Ranger in every way, but they are pretty close for a lot less money. |
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Posts: 82
Location: Owatonna,MN | The bass style boats from the companies you mentioned are all modified V hulls. I currently have an Alumacraft V 170 Phantom which is a classic V hull just not a deep hull. Modifieds are scary in ANY wind to say the least. Small rivers and stock ponds is what they are good for. I looked at a Stratos 285 Pro XL here at Cabela's and is very nice boat. Rigged with a Yamaha 150 HPDI (which I like) for $24,995.
Seems no one makes an aluminum V hull bass style boat any more. Must not be much market with the great glass bass boats available. |
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Posts: 1536
Location: God's Country......USA..... Western Wisconsin | I spend a lot of time on weedlines and following structure so my 2 cents is with glass. Holds in the wind and "tracks" much easier on the weedline. Drawbacks are price and for the most part you can't get quite as shallow as you can with alum. This is a trade off i am willing to make all day long. I love the way my Ranger "sticks" to the water and keeps on track. |
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Posts: 71
Location: Waukesha, WI | Steve Heiting says, "Pad my a$$ with fiberglass".
Dry storage is important to me for camera, warm clothes,and life jackets and something you don't find in Alum. For several years, I put my life jackets in the boat in the spring and took them out when my boat went into winter hibernation. The last 2 or three years I've just left them in the boat. They are dry and have no mildew. I bought the Ranger 188 because it will handle the LOTW and the bass style can be towed with an Explorer. Unfortunitly, I guess that it can't handle Mille Lacs. |
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Fiberglass or aluminum