Time for "Tin"?
June 30, 2009
After investing 50K or so in a fiberglass bass boat, it’s easy to feel guilty if you don’t take it out every weekend. It sort of turns into a cabin – it starts to be the only thing you do because you feel like you have to get your money’s worth. Not all of us are professional anglers and as much as we love fishing, most of us have other things we like to do; hunting, hiking, hanging out with the family, etc.
These days everyone is looking to save a few bucks here and there. The economy has made it necessary for some to give up fishing altogether. It can be hard to justify having such an expensive toy in the garage, especially because every time you take it out, it costs you again in gas and supplies.
If you spend most of your time making long runs on big water you definitely need a big, heavy boat. But if you fish mostly small lakes and rivers, maybe it’s time to check into an aluminum fishing boat.
We finally decided to make the move to aluminum because of a combination of the reasons listed above. It was a move that was a long time coming. We had been thinking about it for some time and it required quite a bit of courage. We had fears. Once you sell your fiberglass boat and buy an aluminum, it’s difficult and expensive to change your mind. But since we haven’t fished a tournament in years and prefer to do our fishing on smaller, quieter lakes these days, we finally mustered up the courage and took the plunge.
We were lucky enough to find a used 17-foot aluminum Crestliner bass boat in excellent condition. Two guys had owned it for years but their unfortunate medical problems kept the boat in the garage where it stayed in pristine condition. After years of running a 225 Yamaha HPDI, the little 90 hp Johnson sounded really loud the first time, but it started right up. The maiden voyage began.
It’s amazing how quickly you get used to things. We’d been blasting down the lake at 70 miles per hour for years, and now we were toodling along at about 40 or so. Less if the water was rough. But hey, the lakes here in central Arizona aren’t that big. Even at 40 mph it didn’t take long to get from one end to the other.
The boat is very fishable, too. The decks are roomy and there is plenty of storage. It’s carpeted just like any other bass boat, so the dog is comfy. I did notice that it tips a bit more when both of us are on one side, but it isn’t like you feel as though you were about to be tossed in the drink. After a full day of running and fishing, we decided with great relief that we were VERY happy with our new little aluminum bass boat. We can’t wait to pull it up the mountain to Flagstaff to fish for pike at Lake Mary, and it’s going to be ideal for the little trout lakes in the high country.
Aluminum boats are strong, light, fuel efficient, easy to repair, and resistant to leaks, corrosion and rot. If you fish alone, an aluminum is much easier to handle. You can also downsize your vehicle because an aluminum boat can be easily towed behind a smaller truck or even a car. Our Jeep Liberty doesn’t even notice the 17-foot aluminum boat we tow behind it.
Layout
If you haven’t looked at aluminum fishing boats lately, you may be surprised at how well they are organized. You won’t have to give up rod lockers, dry storage, or livewells. An aluminum bass boat has plenty of room for all the tackle we hauled around in our 19-foot fiberglass boat. In fact, it seems even roomier because the sides aren’t as thick. Aluminum boats have all the bells and whistles that are available on fiberglass boats.
Weight
The lighter weight of an aluminum boat gives you better fuel efficiency on the water and off. The one disadvantage, of course, is the ride. A lighter boat just naturally rides a bit rougher than a heavy boat. When the water gets choppy you have to slow down. On the plus side, since these hulls are lighter you can go faster with less horsepower on calm water. We’ve had ours out on Bartlett on Free Fishing Day and it rode just fine, as long as you’re not in a huge hurry, which we rarely are. Heck, half the fun of fishing is looking around! We spotted bighorn sheep on the Yellow Cliffs.
Repair
If you smack into something in a fiberglass boat you’re looking at major repair bills. Even if all you need is a touch-up on the gel coat it’s costly. Aluminum, on the other hand, just gets a dent. You can usually pound it out yourself with a hammer and piece of wood. If not, a patch can be welded on. Aluminum boats are extremely durable – they stand up to impacts and will also resist corrosion in saltwater.
Noise
I’ve heard a lot of guys complain that aluminum boats are noisy. That may be true if you have a utility boat where the hull is the floor, but in an aluminum bass boat there is a raised deck and carpeting, so it isn’t much noisier than a fiberglass boat. Aaron Martens recommends stealth no matter what kind of boat you are fishing from. He makes sure that the gear he needs is already on deck before he eases into position. No opening compartments or slamming boxes around for him. Keep your lures handy and don’t stomp around and you’ll be fine.
Price
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty, shall we? At my local Bass Pro Shops Tracker dealer, a fully rigged 19-foot fiberglass bass boat can cost over 32K out the door, and that price can actually go much higher depending on the motor and options you choose. For $8,000 less you can get the same size bass boat in aluminum, and don’t forget you’ll save money every time you take it out because you’ll use less gas in the boat and in your tow vehicle.
Tournaments
Hey, there’s no law against using an aluminum boat in a tournament. In fact, if you fish a lot of them, you’ve no doubt been spanked by guys in tin boats. More and more circuits for “aluminum boats only” are springing up around the country. These circuits often have rules that exclude pros. Whether you fish tournaments or not, saving money is something most of us need to do these days, and an aluminum boat is one way to save big. Check your local classifieds for a used one – they last forever and you can get some really good deals.