Vexus Aluminum Boats

[TrophyFishR]

13 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Y'all are really gonna pin me down on this, ain't ya? 😎 

Ok here goes, and I'm sure I'll catch hell for it.  I like flat across the back transoms in an 18 footer, no extended wannabe built-in jackplate designed into the hull...I want every inch of that floorplan available, single console because I like room to dance, enough front deck for 2 guys to fish up there. One good sized livewell with a timer system, not 2 half-assed sized ones...if it has 2 then I pull all the plumbing out of one and turn it into a lunchbox (they hold ice like a Yeti when surrounded by foam). A 24v trolling motor, and 150 pony's on the back because the 150 platform is tried/true and about as dependable as outboards get.  An add-on 6-8" manual jackplate for a bit of lift.  I'm still a fan of cable steering, and I hate Hotfoots with a passion.  Plain old easy to replace analog guages, and either standard rocker or flip switches and a breaker panel (no fuses). And put that breaker panel somewhere besides on the console.... don't clog up the helm real-estate with things I won't be touching very often.   

Once the rigging and setup is done I have no desire to monitor water pressure, and I don't want a trim guage. Gimme a tach, voltmeter, and a fuel guage.... that's all I care to keep track of while running.  

In the 18 footers I'm a fan of Nitros, Rangers, the old Hydra-Sports, Stratos, and Triton.  I mostly like those because they sit down nice and level to fish.  I hate a bassboat that sits adrift all squatted with its nose up in the air (BassCat, Charger, Bullet, ect.) Drives me crazy.   

of the boats you mentioned, which specific year models do you like the best?

which year model 150 outboard do you prefer? 

[Devan S.]

13 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Y'all are really gonna pin me down on this, ain't ya? 😎 

Ok here goes, and I'm sure I'll catch hell for it.  I like flat across the back transoms in an 18 footer, no extended wannabe built-in jackplate designed into the hull...I want every inch of that floorplan available, single console because I like room to dance, enough front deck for 2 guys to fish up there. One good sized livewell with a timer system, not 2 half-assed sized ones...if it has 2 then I pull all the plumbing out of one and turn it into a lunchbox (they hold ice like a Yeti when surrounded by foam). A 24v trolling motor, and 150 pony's on the back because the 150 platform is tried/true and about as dependable as outboards get.  An add-on 6-8" manual jackplate for a bit of lift.  I'm still a fan of cable steering, and I hate Hotfoots with a passion.  Plain old easy to replace analog guages, and either standard rocker or flip switches and a breaker panel (no fuses). And put that breaker panel somewhere besides on the console.... don't clog up the helm real-estate with things I won't be touching very often.   

Once the rigging and setup is done I have no desire to monitor water pressure, and I don't want a trim guage. Gimme a tach, voltmeter, and a fuel guage.... that's all I care to keep track of while running.  

In the 18 footers I'm a fan of Nitros, Rangers, the old Hydra-Sports, Stratos, and Triton.  I mostly like those because they sit down nice and level to fish.  I hate a bassboat that sits adrift all squatted with its nose up in the air (BassCat, Charger, Bullet, ect.) Drives me crazy.   

I've never understood this logic of all the add on features stuffed on everything for boats and vehicles. I agree 100% although I prefer a tin boat I also prefer my vehicle be the same way. 

Guess there's just not enough profit in the base model.

[fishinwrench]

2 hours ago, Devan S. said:

I've never understood this logic of all the add on features stuffed on everything for boats and vehicles. I agree 100% although I prefer a tin boat I also prefer my vehicle be the same way. 

Guess there's just not enough profit in the base model.

I kinda think most of it is because guys gotta sell their wives on it before they are allowed to buy the blasted thing....and women love overly technical gawdy things with lots of buttons and LOVELY SEATS.  

I mean you KNOW it was for the benefit of women that GLITTER ever got its debut.  Seriously!   

And then came dual consoles.    That $#!t is all for the ladies.   

[fishinwrench]

2 hours ago, TrophyFishR said:

of the boats you mentioned, which specific year models do you like the best?

which year model 150 outboard do you prefer? 

Whatever year they changed their hull design on the 18 footers, that's when my love affair began to fade.   

Oh boy...motors....  I'm a huge fan of the old Evinrude XP/ Johnson GT crossflows, biggest gas hogs ever but tons of low end grunt and they just run forever....and sound cool as hell.

The early Mercury 2.5L EFI's are pretty solid, but I cringe when I say it.

Also love the Yamaha Vmax, which is honestly probably the best V4/V6 outboards ever made.  Just about as close to perfection as carbureted outboards can be. 

[Basfis]

Wrench I get your shorter flatter fishing preference. maybe not quite as short but certainly not the current battleship direction of today. 
 

my personal favorite was a 2003 zx200 skeeter with the 200hpdi Yamaha. I had 4 different versions of that 19’ platform and that one I wish I still had. Ran well, could trim to run however without the bow falling, turned like it was on rails, take off from anywhere on the trim cylinders and got good economy. Maneuvering around and behind docks was easy enough, fished flat so stumps on Truman weren’t too bad. Bow didn’t drift bad in a cross wind.  
 

Well thought out and built boat. 

[fishinwrench]

22 minutes ago, Basfis said:

Wrench I get your shorter flatter fishing preference. maybe not quite as short but certainly not the current battleship direction of today. 
 

my personal favorite was a 2003 zx200 skeeter with the 200hpdi Yamaha. I had 4 different versions of that 19’ platform and that one I wish I still had. Ran well, could trim to run however without the bow falling, turned like it was on rails, take off from anywhere on the trim cylinders and got good economy. Maneuvering around and behind docks was easy enough, fished flat so stumps on Truman weren’t too bad. Bow didn’t drift bad in a cross wind.  
 

Well thought out and built boat. 

Yep I'm sure that was a fine all-purpose bass rig.   I never fish mainlake stuff, always up a creek somewhere, and I seldom run more than 15 miles from where I launch from..... therefore I don't need a 19-20'.     

But if I did long mainlake runs and liked to fish out in the wide open spaces there's a 201 Hydra-Sport one of my customers has that I really REALLY like.  You can hold a square dance on the deck of that bad boy.  

[45acp]

18 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

and women love overly technical gawdy things with lots of buttons and LOVELY SEATS.  

You nailed it right there.

When I was boat shopping last year it was down to two.  A Legend SS 1860 sled hull with a 2001 model Johnson 90 jet, and an Alweld 2060 semi-V with a 2012 model BRP 150 jet.

The Legend was slick.  Had new carpet, a nice wrap job, bimini top, and new paint on the trailer.  Really a pretty little boat, but it looked like crap under the covers.

Bilge was filthy, gas tanks were crap, fuel lines were crap, under the hood was all greasy and nasty, wiring was a mess, etc.

The Alweld had a nice river scum patina and ugly blue carpeting.  But it was clean where it should have been clean.  Good wiring, onboard charger, and absolutely

spotless under the hood.  The Alweld was $3500 more than the Legend.

Wife wanted me to buy the Legend.  I said Alweld and I told her all the reasons why.  She still said Legend.

I bought the Alweld, and she's still mad about it, but I don't care.  I made the right choice.

[snagged in outlet 3]

19 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

I kinda think most of it is because guys gotta sell their wives on it before they are allowed to buy the blasted thing....and women love overly technical gawdy things with lots of buttons and LOVELY SEATS.  

I mean you KNOW it was for the benefit of women that GLITTER ever got its debut.  Seriously!   

And then came dual consoles.    That $#!t is all for the ladies.   

I never asked my wife about mine at all.  She never saw it until I pulled into the driveway.  Same with cars.  She doesn't care at all.  She always says"If you're happy I'm happy"

[45acp]

1 hour ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

I never asked my wife about mine at all.  She never saw it until I pulled into the driveway.  Same with cars.  She doesn't care at all.  She always says"If you're happy I'm happy"

Wanna trade?

[snagged in outlet 3]

15 minutes ago, 45acp said:

Wanna trade?

No way!😁