Looking To Buy A New Deep V Aluminum Boat - Opinions Needed

[WHARFRAT]

Just my two cents, If you get a deep V, and fishing is your main interest, I wouldn't go with a Walk-thru windshield. You'll hate it. It's inconvenient, and it takes away from the front. My wife liked it, b/c she could ride w/o wind in her face.

Also, if you like to get into tight places, I wouldn't go much bigger than 17.5'. I had a 19.5' and I like to fish docks down at LOZ, That extra 2' made a big difference. I don't have a deepV anymore, but went down to a 17.5' and can maneuver anywhere.

If you plan to keep the boat for a while, please consider the construction. Its really makes a difference down the road in a few years. Like KJ said earlier, Lund, Crestliner and Alumacraft are great boats. I've ridden in Lunds and they are the Cadillac of aluminum boats, I'd love to have one, it's the price point that stops me. I've ridden also in a Crestliner Fishhawk 18 footer, and it compares to the Lunds, for ride and the price is more in my range. I think Alumacraft is in that same class.

Good Luck with your purchase.

[kjackson]

I'll throw a further two cents in on the Sea Ark...that hull looks a lot like the hull I have. Mine is an 18-foot Starcraft/Smokercraft/Sylvan (same company but different brands and not made by Sea Ark) Sportsman series that was designed to be an entry-level sled for NW rivers. It is stable as all get out and provides a comfortable ride, if you're running a tiller. My wife won't ride up front in a chop because it is rough.

This boat is heavier and with the operator up front will be a smoother ride. But with that bow, it will likely slam into waves a bit more than comfortable. It looks like it is decently laid out and would be easy to rig.

As for a disclaimer, I've owned three Lunds (and am still kicking myself over letting one of them go), and I am prejudiced. I'm currently looking for a Lund but will buy the right Crestliner or Alumacraft should I find one. I fished my Lunds in Washington saltwater, the mouth of the Columbia and over interior Washington in some pretty serious water at times and never had an issue. My current boat, though, can't take big waves as I found out when I poked a freighter wake in a tide rip and took green water over the bow.

JD-- I know you're looking for new but Smithville Marine north of Kansas City has an 18' Ranger Cherokee walk-through deep vee with a 150 Suzuki.

[Old plug]

What i want to know does anyone have any info about these brands being merged under one company. I seen a sign on the building that used to be the G3 building on hwy 44 in Lebanon. There were several a few popular names on there under one company.

I will go along with Warfrat about the mobility in fishing of a deep V. But if its safety first you need one.

just last evening i had a bad experience on LOZ that made me thankful i had a deep V. I was coming hame and i seen a cruiser about 35 ft coming down the lake making the largest wake he could make. They do that so that friends and others can follow along and jump the wake. The wake he was throwing was at least 5 ft high. Small boats are swamped every weekend by wakes like that. I was able to rude it out without any water coming in the boat. Had i been in anything else including a bass boat i would most certainly shipped a lot if water. Another thing bad about large wakes you do not always see them until its too late. Some years back i had several family members visiting here at the time I had a 24 ft pontoon. We had 8 people on there and was heading down into the main channel around the 6 mm. My son was diving and we suddenly came into one of those giant wakes that you do not see. We made the top of the first one and the pontoons front dropped and we dove right into the second wake. The pontoons back lifted so high the motor came out of the water. Water hit the front door door tore it off and rushed in about 2 ft high. Lucky for us she just sort of backed up and settled down on the water and all was ok. So if your going to want to deal with the likes of LOZ be prepared boat wise whatever you buy. Myself I have about reached my limit with it. We are looking now at places in Hermann Mo area. I might be out if here in another year.

[kjackson]

On mergers...I do know that G3 is a Yamaha company as is Skeeter.

Lund, Ranger, Crestliner are all part of a conglomerate. I think that company also owns either Brunswick or Mercury or some combination.

Sylvan, Smokercraft and Starcraft are part of the same company.

Lowe owns or is Sea Nymph.

I'm not sure about Alumacraft...

[fishinwrench]

I believe the big 2 are still Brunswick and Genmar.

[Old plug]

That name Genmar rings a bell. That might be what i seen on the sign. Trouble with that is the companies usually do not operate independently. In the end you have one boat with many names. Materials and construction are about the same.

[kjackson]

I believe Genmar is gone; if I remember correctly, it was a bankruptcy. Here's a link that shows something interesting: http://www.brunswick.com/brands/marine-boats/

Also, Stratos, Ranger and Triton are owned by the same company, Fishing Holdings LLC

[Wayne SW/MO]

Lowe was bought, along with others, by Brunswick after OMC went belly up. They had taken over the R & D for Sea Nymph just before they folded. They now own Lund and Crestliner if I'm not mistaken.

I'm not sure what is being built in Lebanon. It could be that they have consolidated some lines, I know they were headed that way with Sea Nymph and simply putting their decals on some Lowe boats.

Bombardier bought the OMC outboard division. They were in the snowmobile business and rumor was they wanted the E Tec technology and would drop the outboards shortly after the acquisition. That turned out to be untrue with Evinrude alive and apparently well.

[Wayne SW/MO]

That boat better have a deeper v than it appears it does in that picture. LOZ would tear that boat to pieces. I cannot imagine speeding around LOZ in it.

Most modern bass boats with a pad hull don't have enough V to do much more than help them turn. If you were to be comfortable on LOZ I think you would need something similar to what makes it rough, but who wants to fish out of a 24' Bayliner cuddy? :lol:

[Lancer09]

I have No boat knowledge to add, but if you do want to use a fly rod in it get a stripping basket. Not the kind that sits on your waist. A kitchen trash can works just fine and works as "storage" when your not stripping line into it.

Hot gluing some stiff weed eater cord into the bottom will help prevent line tangles.