Aluminum boats the pro's

[Steve_W]

For the lakes that I fish a Aluminum boat has all the advantages over fiberglass.
1  lighter
2 low draft (the amount of water it takes to run)
3 Low fuel consumption on the water and getting to the water
4 Low maintenance (can't remember the last time I waxed my boat or even wiped it down O ya  Never  )

This is all relative to the water you fish and your budget/wife.
For me I can get from the head water's to the dam in the largest lake I fish in 30 min,most shorter.Also most of the lakes I fish have 25 hp limits on them,
And I love being able to go places that the glass boats don't,I can run on plane in 6 in of water and scratches don't bother me in the least.
Don't get me wrong if I lived somewhere that I needed a bigger boat or fished tournaments where you need the extra time fishing rather than running, a glass boat with a big motor would be nice, Provided I had the money .

[Rickoos]

Some very good points Tim........
There are places & times for both types of boats........
I like to watch the PWT and just look at the boats they use,,,,,,75% of them are Aluminum.....Lund, Tracker

Ricky

[Ouachita]

If the current trend keeps building most pressured lakes will have low speed limits within a few more years as the various enforcement agencies are able to meet the challenge. These 225 HP powered boats won't find many places to play. All of us collectively are not showing up at the polls to defeat or even know about the proposals aimed at getting us off the lakes. What would you do if you woke up and learned your community voted a HP limit of 50? I might hold off upgrading to a big boat and motor, possibly already being in compliance for the next decade.

Jim

[Jared LeBlue]

Aluminum boats definatley have an advantage in certain conditions, but the same can be said for fiberglass. I have owned both and wish I had one of each. The wife isn't too kind to that idea. I can put my glass boat in almost any water my aluminum went. I just have to be a little more careful. As for horse power ratings they have them here on the marshes but you wouldn't want to put a big boat in those two and three foot grass flats anyway. I don't believe the majority of public waters will ever see a horse power rating on them. Believe me when I tell you boat and motor manufactures would not let that happen. Now with that said I do believe that in the upcoming years that you will see more lakes with speed limits on them.

[spetro]

every boat has its niche.......Every pilot of his craft is a captain.  Be proud  and strut your stuff

Being that it is off season......Especially for you folk to the north.  Take the time to take a boating course.

There  will soon be a "thread of honor".

This thread will be  only for folk that has passed a boat safety course.

It don't cost much..........and it don't take long.  But the knowledge that you.....and your kids will gain, will be unmeasurable..

Click here and pick your state. (side note.....I haven't told Mike and Laurie about this yet  )

http://www.boat-ed.com/

[bass1cpr]

     Aluminum and welding is cheaper than fiberglass and fancy flake and the repair time is less.
     I think I'll paint some nice flake stripes on my Tracker just so I can scratch them off in the standin timber.

[LoonyToon]

  Great Topic--------I wrote sometime ago about wanting to but the Tracker Avalanche with 150hp motor and someone told me to check them out in Big Water (Lake Eire, Roaring Point etc).......This boat was smooth as silk in the waters around my home--Nanticoke, Pocomoke, Wicomico, & Potomac Rivers, but I went up to Michigan and fished the Detroit River where it flows into Lake Eire....Wild is all I can say. Waves pounded and raised and lowered it so quick I thought I was on a trampoline.......Boys up there said TOO Flat a Bottom, they don't hold up well here except in the small lakes & ponds................I guess what I'm trying to say there are advantages and disadvantages to all boats.........Even the Skeeter I bought catches hades sometime on the water, but my next ride is my last one I'm buying..19ft6", 94" beam, 200 ETech/Mercury(can't make up my mind) Sweet riding machine built for ALL waters-----------Come Ride with the Legend

[Rickoos]

Very nice post filled with good info Okuma500,  I just learned to not to go fish the Detroit River where it dumps into Lake Eire because I get very sea sick very quick.......

Ricky

[Ouachita]

Rattle. a few years ago on election day one November a ballot issue was defeated by just 90 votes. Earth First. PETA, and Friends of Wildlife put on a campaign to stop hunting and fishing on public waters in Garland County. Few anglers even knew it was a voting issue, and could have widened the defeat gap considerably. The environmentalists learned a big lesson not to go for too much at once, but to whittle at it with smaller gains over a longer time period. They are circulating petitions to go for 50 horsepower limits as well as speed limits, and are succeeding around the nation. They are showing a video of a bass boater chasing ducks at high speed, the harassment of wildlife being illegal. Another video documents hundreds of dead bass left from a large catch & release tournament in warm water in Oklahoma. Those videos will probably be shown all over America eventually, convincing the average voter it's time to do something for the wildlife. The boating industry didn't come to our aid in the last vote and I doubt they would next time, possibly partly because of the politics of getting issues on the ballot with very little if any advance warning. Each time any opposition to such ballot issues is going to cost more to deal with.

Jim

[Jared LeBlue]

I don't doubt that there are some sneaky legislation out there, but I can assure you a multibillion dollar industry will rise above those legislations and quash them. They may exist for a short term but will be over tuned in time. Bass fishing alone is a huge industry but it's not the only sport out there that boat and motor manufactures depend on. Imagine them putting that horse power limit on all the lakes in your state or any state. Skiers, recreational boats, as well as fisherman would be outraged and you can bet what ever politician pulled that crap would not have a job in following term. Team that up with the boat and motor manufactures and you would have a huge problem. The bottom line is money talks in politics.These activist are a small group of people that make a lot of noise but have very little backing compared to industry. Yes they will pull some crap every now and then and yes they will get away with it but if your fishing, hunting, and outdoor enthusist get together they can undo all the craziness. You are right however on watching the polls. We as sportsman all need to go to the polls, read what we are voting on and make sure we vote.

[bass1cpr]

     I'd have to agree with Rattle they may try but the boating industry will protect their business. Four cycle engines came about by legislation of emissions control not a quieter motor.

[Ouachita]

I'm not communicating this well enough. No politicians are involved. I don't believe even if ALL politicians sided with the boating industry they could overcome the voting power of whole communities. Here's what I'm talking about. I could pass around petitions and hope to get enough signatures to write in a ballot issue to prohibit wearing white hats in public. Let's say all politicians spoke up opposing that plan. It wouldn't matter much except maybe influence some votes towards defeating the measure. What counts is whether there are more people voting for the prohibition than those voting against that. If the vote carries, you get in trouble for wearing the white hat. The boating industry might plow millions of dollars into the contest trying to turn it around, putting ads on TV, trying to win votes in favor of no boating laws like that. But in the end, a small group of environmentalists can and do influence the majority of voters who are not boaters. Maybe the boaters could rally enough support for their cause, but that doesn't happen. The anglers of Garland County didn't even bother to look into the issues, shocked we came that close to being run offthe lakes. I asked the county clerk what it would take to reverse the passage of such a measure. "Another ballot issue, if you can get enough certified signatures to get your issue on the ballot."  Well, that requires lots of money, considerable coordination of affected sportsmen, lots of advertising, lots of door to door contacts with voters, possibly most of whom remember they already voted to prohibit boating. Meanwhile, the small environmental groups have LOTS of mega bucks to spend, lots of volunteers, are coordinated, persistent, and knowledgeable, attacking weaknesses in the sport such as re-airing the video showing the harassment of wildlife. Another ballot issue could easily result in an even larger vote to maintain current prohibitions.

PETA and the others are actually boating to follow anglers, videoing us, taking photos, and harassing on the ramps, citing freedom of speech. Many anglers just don't care for confrontation, so they avoid contact by staying away, and most are still not registered to vote, not as well informed as the opponents to our sport. I've had to call the sheriff to try stopping them from opening livewell lids on the ramp looking for anything illegal they can find.

It's going to take a lot of federating of sportsmen to prevent those things from blooming into full scale anti fishing/boating/hunting laws. Would our legislators act to stop such attacks? I'd say no, as that's a good way to end political careers, speaking out in favor of industry while appearing to oppose environmental stewardship.

Jim

[Jared LeBlue]

Ouachita, I understand your concerns but sometimes there are things that go on that make no sense and they kind of wash away overtime. In order for something to be LAW it has to pass through legislation period. People can petition and put crap that don't make any sense on a ballot but think about this who is going to enforce it? We have tons of laws on the books that never get enforce because quite frankly they are stupid.I don't know about other states but I can tell you that would never fly here. Hell if that was the case all the hunters in this state which is about 80% of the state would sign a petition to open a new season on PETA. Like I said before Ouachita I think you bring up a good point as to watch for things that are going on in your community. Stay involved and stay on top of things. Good point thanks for bringing it to our attention.

[bass1cpr]

     I lost my last post  This is getting  IT's the pro's of Aluminum.

[Ouachita]

Here the "legislature" kicks in for state-wide issues, but for local issues the legislature has nothing to do with it. They might get involved in the event of an unconstitutional measure locally, or maybe the state SC. A for instance was in the last election there was only one thing to vote on. Approve or disapprove of casino gambling. It's been recirculated many times, formerly soundly defeated by voters. This time the issue was limited to our city instead of allowing county residents to help decide. It passed by about 100 votes. This community is in shock. The very thing most of us are opposed to passed. Our only recourse will be maybe next election day, if we can get it on the ballot again, and get enough people to come out to vote.

Any local community can vote to prohibit or allow anything the state constitution allows them to decide on. Allowing or banning sport fishing in their county is one of those sovereign rights even if concerning federal impoundments. If it requires more taxes to enforce those things, they will levy the taxes too.

Ultimatebass members, are you registered to vote? Do you stay informed about local and state issues, voting intelligently? If your employer lets you off to vote do you choose to slip away fishing instead? Do you know what your representatives think about our sport? Would you help campaign to remove those unfriendly to outdoor sports or get an issue on the ballot and turn out a friendly vote? Are you aware of the rising tide of defeats for anglers, boaters, and hunters nation-wide? Would you be willing to find and help financially support organizations working to preserve our sport? Your answers to those questions directly affect the future of fishing.

Jim

[topcat]

Heres my two cent worth....I agree with Ouachita...we need to be concern and get involved...in our community.....

I own a fiberglass boat.....but I am for the Aluminum boats...cost less to operate......and less maintenance....and it will cut insurance in half........and it can go where other boats can't go... I am for a speed limit on the water......say 25 mph it will save lives....if we all had Aluminum.........

last but not least we need to get the racing out of bass fishing...we are not racers...we are anglers .......from first light to 3:00 is....... enough time to win a tourney....you don't need 70 mph boats we just need skills and confidence.........they win more tourneys than 70 MPH boats do..........

Topcat

[clubber]

On the aluminum boat issue, for awhile I owned both an aluminum and a fiberglass boat. Had to retire (employer sold out to a Canadian operation). Could not afford two boats. The fiberglass basically just sat in my driveway for a couple of years. Just sold it a month or so ago. Hated to see it go, but like Tim Tool most of my fishing is on smaller lakes with 25 - 50 horsepower limits. And if I have to, I can go on larger lakes, But I sure miss my Skeeter with the 150.
And I agree with Ouachita on watching legislators, being a gun nut I know what it's like to see very stupid legislation passed. If you don't watch, someday it will be against the law to even possess a gun. In Illinois we have a Firearm Owners Identification Card that you have to own to even have ammo. Has not stopped one single crime in the years that we have had it, but still the law.

[OutdoorFrontiers]

There are definite pro's and cons to both hull materials.  If the area I fished was primarily rocky rivers, I would probably go with aluminum, but that would be the only reason. 

An aluminum boat will dent on a rock, where a glass boat might crack.  But, punch a hole in a hull and in my area, getting aluminum welded isn't a cheap proposition.  And the repair looks like it's been repaired.  I watched a fiberglass boat get a hole fixed and once the body shop was done, you couldn't tell where the repair was done!

With fiberglass, you can mold any contour you want in the hull, making a better performing, more efficient hull.  That translates to better speed (if you're into that kind of thing), smoother, dryer ride and greater fuel efficiency.  There are only so many ways that aluminum can be bent.  The new Trackers are an exception to that, but I've still heard that the ride isn't as good as a glass boat.

Lighter weight?  Not any more.  My Fast Cat C20 hull weighs in at roughly 1,150 pounds, measuring 20'3" in length, 8'6" in beam and it's glass.  An AlumaCraft Dominator 165 CS, at 16'7" and 90" beam weighs 25 pounds more!  Not to pick on AlumaCraft, but in order to get one of their boats that has similar room and capability, their hull weighs in at 1,772 pounds!

I don't understand how a boat that weighs more (aluminum) can cost less to operate.  You need horsepower to push weight, so I'd have to say that I can use less throttle on a lighter weight boat to go just as far and fast.  That translates to less fuel used, which means less cost to operate.  I used to guide from a 17' boat with a 75 hp outboard.  I had two 6-gallon gas tanks and by the end of a typical guide day, I'd be running on fumes and personality.  With my old boat, a 21'6" Cobra Coosa 216, running a 250 hp Mercury 250XB outboard, I'd burn about the same amount of fuel every day (12 gallons), but we'd be at the fishing spots in half the time, so we could either fish each spot longer or get to more spots.  And I was doing it in a larger, more comfortable and safer boat!

Maintenance?  I washed and waxed my aluminum boat, keeping it looking good, so I'd say that's a wash (pun intended). 

Insurance premium cost is tied to the replacement cost of the boat, so if you have two hulls that cost the same, the premium cost will be roughly the same as well. 

Go where other boats can't?  I don't know about that either.  I couldn't find a listing for draft specifications on the AlumaCraft website, but my Fast Cat will float in 9 inches of water.  Unless you're in a jonboat, I can't imagine an aluminum fishing boat drafting less water.  I know I used to go up a creek into another lake with my 21'6" bassboat without problem, but numerous Lunds, AlumaCrafts and Tracker Targas ran aground and couldn't make the trip.

A speed limit on the water?  How is that going to be enforced?  I don't know about your area, but in my home county, we have over 1,000 lakes.  Wisconsin also has the least number of game wardens per 1,000 anglers in the country.  So enforcement is going to be a problem. 

Besides, don't we have enough governmental regulation in our lives already?  What happened to responsibility and personal accountability?  I'm a firm believer in going as fast as conditions will allow. 

If the lake is busy, I don't run "balls to the wall", if the weather doesn't allow for faster operation, I don't go fast.  If there are stumps and rocks or other navigational hazards, I slow down as well.  But, if everything is safe, I'll run fast.  I can get to more spots in one day cruising comfortably at 60 mph than I can at 25 mph.

Tournaments and speed go hand in hand.  When you have 100 (or more) anglers on a body of water, the first one to the spot is the first one to fish it.  That means a better chance of winning, and that's what tournament fishing is all about, winning.  Plus, you have a time limit. 

Up here in northern Wisconsin, we don't have a lot of really big lakes and reservoirs, but in the middle U.S., the south and the west, that's pretty much all the water besides rivers there are.  So, if you're part of a tournament, and you found good fish 60 miles from the landing (that's happened to me), and you have 8 hours in which to run to your spot, catch your limit, and get back to the weigh-in site on time (to avoid late penalties), 25 mph just isn't going to cut it.  2 1/2 hours there, 2 1/2 hours back, that's five hours just spent running the outboard.

I do agree, skill and confidence is what is going to win the tournament, but it's also nice to have access to spots that aren't being pounded by the other guys in the tournament.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

Steve

[snapper340]

Heres my 2 cents worth, outdoorfrontiers, I agree wholeheartedly. weight has alot to do with fuel consumption, but hull shape also has alot of effect on the amount of fuel you'll use. take aluminum for example, it's thinner than fiberglass which means more noise from the boat that bass can hear. the ride on most aluminum boats can be rougher than fiberglass (hull shape, and lightweight). aluminum has a higher puncture strength than fiberglass, but I can repair fiberglass myself. I say, go with what you like to use, whether it be aluminum or fiberglass. if I had my way, I'd have one of each.

as far as speed on the water goes, I believe it should be up to the boater. if it's safe, go full throttle, if not, slow down. yes there are people out there that disreguard their safety, and the safety of others, but there are also people like that on our roads. It don't matter if they post speed limits on the water, there will always be someone out there that will not obey the speed limits, and we will keep having the same problems we are faced with today.

I believe in safety inspections and boater safety courses, they teach those of us who care how to safely operate our boats, but alot of people out there don't care about that.

back to the main topic, I don't believe one type of boat is better than the other. there are conditions that warrant both types of bass boats. use what you like and send in pictures of what you catch, we will enjoy them, no matter what you caught them out of.