Thread: What kind of boat do you have, or would like to have?

I'm with duncan. I don't mind bouncing off stuff in my Ranger, I'm usually not going fast enough to hurt it when I think there's a chance I might hit something. I worry more about my prop and lower unit. Last trip with Jared we bounced off a couple widowmakers and bent my skeg up a little, that's the stuff I worry about.

i have a fisher all weld alum. i have been a welder the last 40years so if i punch a hole in it i can fix it .and it will go up in the brush and rocks . a boat is what ever you can have .

I had a Tracker Tournament 17. I lent it to my Brother in law and when he was towing it down the road, the trailer came off the truck and passed him on the road. Long story short, bent the top rail of the boat when it hit the tree. This was in Longview, TX. When I tried to get it fixed, there were 22 fiberglass boat repair businesses withing driving distance. There was no place that repaired aluminum boats. I finally found a welding shop that said they would give it a try. They did a pretty good job but I learned right then that there was a lot more need for fiberglass repair than for aluminum repair.

Originally Posted by FAADAN

I had a Tracker Tournament 17. I lent it to my Brother in law and when he was towing it down the road, the trailer came off the truck and passed him on the road. Long story short, bent the top rail of the boat when it hit the tree. This was in Longview, TX. When I tried to get it fixed, there were 22 fiberglass boat repair businesses withing driving distance. There was no place that repaired aluminum boats. I finally found a welding shop that said they would give it a try. They did a pretty good job but I learned right then that there was a lot more need for fiberglass repair than for aluminum repair.

And you learned that fiberglass can be repaired, where aluminum boats can't really be fully repaired in most cases. I wouldn't be as worried about a low performance 75hp or less boat, you may not notice. But 90HP and up you will notice problems with aluminum. I've read about plenty of people who ran up on something and dented the pad and had all kinds of problems. I think glass gets a bad rap for no reason. Those fiberglass boat shops are there for accidents, and for people who will get every scratch repaired.

In the end it comes down to a personal choice, I get that. So many metal boat guys make claims about glass, but have never owned one. I'm not saying this directly to you Faadan, but it is usually the case. I've heard first hand when several of the truman glass owners on here have hit things on Truman. Ed, Hog, Kevin and Charlie, Me, Double D, and more, I'm yet to see a hole in a boat. Double D darn near launched off a stump by the island before pretty bob and I'd have sworn he had punched a hole. Nothing. Kevin and Charlie with Lower units is another thing, but I think their sponsor takes care of those.

Originally Posted by mduncan62

And you learned that fiberglass can be repaired, where aluminum boats can't really be fully repaired in most cases. I wouldn't be as worried about a low performance 75hp or less boat, you may not notice. But 90HP and up you will notice problems with aluminum. I've read about plenty of people who ran up on something and dented the pad and had all kinds of problems. I think glass gets a bad rap for no reason. Those fiberglass boat shops are there for accidents, and for people who will get every scratch repaired.

In the end it comes down to a personal choice, I get that. So many metal boat guys make claims about glass, but have never owned one. I'm not saying this directly to you Faadan, but it is usually the case. I've heard first hand when several of the truman glass owners on here have hit things on Truman. Ed, Hog, Kevin and Charlie, Me, Double D, and more, I'm yet to see a hole in a boat. Double D darn near launched off a stump by the island before pretty bob and I'd have sworn he had punched a hole. Nothing. Kevin and Charlie with Lower units is another thing, but I think their sponsor takes care of those.

I agree that fiberglass boats today are tough. I think a good share of the repair work that was being done was replacing rotted transoms. With the new solid fiberglass transoms, that's not much of a problem. Trailering accidents are probably more of an issue than on the water accidents too. Cosmetic work probably keeps a lot of them busy too.

I have only had metal boats, I want a fiverglass boat, cause I have fished with friends who have them and they are nice.

Have stayed out of this but can't stand it any longer. Mike / pvasst is right, lakes like Truman cause more issues with lower units and props than anything. Don't want to sound like a know it all because there's a lot I don't know, ask anyone I fish with or my wife. But have been around all types of boats for many years being in the business I'm in. Am frequently in and out of the highest volume repair facility in the fiberglass fishing boat business and have seen things at dealers and with boat owners that are hard to imagine.

A "through and through" hole that allows water incursion in a glass boat is a rare duck and typically confined to highway accidents or high speed on-water impact events. The gel coat surface, the outer shiny sparkly coat that we all see is .030 thick or so depending on the manufacturer and serves the same purpose as makeup on an ugly woman at closing time, it hides what's underneath. It can be chipped or broken but behind it is many layers of reinforced and bonded fiberglass that make up the actual structural integrity of a glass fishing boat.

Pierce the gel coat on the bottom of a quality built glass boat and I'll say that you can't break the under layers with a sledge hammer, they are tough stuff. I'd go a step further and say if you give me a chisel and a hammer I'll put a through and through hole in an aluminum boat sooner than you can a glass boat by a far cry. In addition, repairs can most often be made from the outside of a glass boat if required. Not always the case with aluminum.

Not saying that aluminum is a bad choice or that glass is the only way, I own one of each. When a buddy or acquaintance purchases an aluminum boat I'll be the first to tell him congrats on the new rig. It's a personal choice based on beliefs, fishing style, and passion for a particular construction type or boat brand but at least decide what's best for you based on fact. I tire of people that have never owned a fiberglass boat or that had a 1970's version Swampcraft or whatever offbreed they had telling people they own aluminum for fear of putting a hole in their boat. Mistreat or act foolish with any boat and you'll have more more issues than if you act rationally, that's no different with a boat than it is with a vehicle.

Never owned an aluminum boat before but have had three fiberglass boats and will never change. I have never had any problems with mine.