Anybody ever go from a fiberglass boat to a tin boat?

I know most people say once you get in a glass boat going to tin is not really an option…

I currently have a 177BT warrior. It’s a 1999. Great boat, great ride, and runs great, performs well, in really good to excellent shape etc… my only 2 complaints are 1) it is a little cramped for myself and my growing 12 and 14 year old boys. The older one is 6 foot and the younger one 5’8… they are only growing bigger, and 2) I would love a newer boat with a 4 stroke. I am looking at the prices of used glass boats and anything I would like seems to be out of my budget. I have found several 18.5 – 20 foot tin boats that fit a little better in financial plan. I am wondering if a larger and wider tin boat would ride nearly as well as my warrior. I have been in big glass boats, but a 1775 pro v is about as big of a tin boat as I have been in, at least on a day the wind is blowing and it get choppy out there. I fish the Missouri river where I could make a 15 mile run in pretty good waves and dont want to get beat up. I also fish Winnie and Leech every year.

I guess I am wondering if I sell my 177 and go to a 18.5 foot boat that is a bit wider if I will notice a large drop in ride quality. What say you? Thanks

Simple answer. Yes, a large drop in ride quality.

IMO.
With the big water you fish, you will get beat up in a tin boat.
Precisely the reason I went to a glass boat.

Here is my view point.
At the age of the two boys it won’t be the three of you sharing a boat much longer. The boys will be in sports, working or chasing girls. You might get one to go with you occasionally but both will become rare. If you really like the Warrior keep it and re-power with a four stroke if thats what you want.

I’m seriously considering going from glass to tin. But my fishing is changing also. I’ll be going from a 20′ glass tiller fishing bigger water down to a 17′ or 18′ tin fishing rivers. I fish alone 90% of the time. Even at that I’m having a hard time convincing myself to give up a glass boat.

The thing i’ve found about boats is you have to do what works best for you and your fishing style vs what other peoples needs are.

Dutchboy wrote:

The thing i’ve found about boats is you have to do what works best for you and your fishing style vs what other peoples needs are.

Ditto to what Dutch boy wrote. and I’ll add;
Have you sons made comments about being cramped? Can you scale down on just how much equipment you all carry on board? (we all tend to take everything plus the kitchen sink)

Have you discussed with your sons what their interests and goals are? Not while you are out in the boat (which may affect their response) but just during some alone time? Do they have other hobbies now? Yes, girls will take center stage for a few years.

If you enjoy the boat and they enjoy being with you, they and you will make it work. Repowering is certainly a viable option.

jbg1219 wrote:

I guess I am wondering if I sell my 177 and go to a 18.5 foot boat that is a bit wider if I will notice a large drop in ride quality. What say you? Thanks

Am I not following something with these forum questions?
Neither of the other 2 replies answered the OP’s original question.
No wonder these threads get derailed so often.

You will hit waves harder and bounce off more waves. However, you will reach to that next wave a littler better with an 18’ vs 17’ boat. I have not ridden in a glass tiller but have been in glass wheel boats. I’ve found it makes the most difference when driving straight into the wind. Otherwise, the impacts seemed rather comparable between aluminum and fiberglass. I fish winnie multiple times a week in an 18’ aluminum tiller. When it gets too bad for that boat, I’m not sure I would like to be out in anything.

I fish a lot in a 17′ glass boat. Does it handle waves better than a similar sized tin boat? Absolutely. I really don’t think it’d be that much better than an 18.5′ tin boat though. My next will almost certainly be tin to get more size per $ for family.

I agree with what was stated that if it’s too rough for an 18.5′ tin boat, I wouldn’t want to fish it regardless. Is it possible? Sure. As I get older do I want to fight those conditions anymore? No.

Ride quality in rough conditions is very much a function of hull width and deadrise. A wider hull means more surface area to slap the water or a rougher ride, regardless of the hull material. To improve your ride in rough conditions in the metal boat, look at hull design and a deep V deadrise greater than 18 – 20 degrees. My boat, for example, is 18 degrees at the transom and variable to close to 30 degrees at the bow. Chines and strakes are also important to look at as they mitigate the side to side rocking.

I guess if I am going to move back to wheel boat, I would like to get into a pro v or similar of another manufacturer… never owned anything but lunds and warrior… except for that one crestliner I refuse to speak of…

I know some of you are boat gurus and know all the lines pretty well… I would be open to anything 18.5 foot or bigger and quality build. Any of you guys want to throw out some models to look for on the used market. I am pretty sure I want to stay away from the tall sides of a tyee or trophy. I know I would prefer a Yamaha outboard. I would entertain a SC or full windsheild boat. Really just looking to be able to get up and move around a bit within the boat and not be tripping over each other.

I have a lead on a used Alaskan 18 but have been in one of those alot and not sure even airwave or smooth moves would even come close to making up for the ride quality loss.

I had a 1890 BT Warrior with a 140hp, simply the best, then decided to sell and go to a 20′ Lund Proguide 2075, have to admit it is quite a nice ride, but its not apples to apples. I am getting older and may go back to a 18′ tin boat, I do have a bad expensive habit of changing out boats. I’ve decided when it is rough, I just will not go out, good luck with your choice

I also think you will see a significant drop in ride quality, especially with a wider boat. Will also be more challenging to backtroll precisely and follow contours in a wider tin tiller.

Suggestion – look for an older glass tiller (18.5-20′) and repower w/ a newer motor and electronics… can stretch your money a bit. Something along these lines: https://warriorboatsinc.com/classifieds/advert/1998-warrior-v1890-eagle-bt/

-or-

Something like this with a little TLC will look like new and you wiill spend significantly less than half of a new model: https://warriorboatsinc.com/classifieds/advert/2014-v2090-btt/

good luck and let us know what decision you make!

https://siouxfalls.craigslist.org/boa/d/sioux-falls-2018-blue-wave-2000-sl/7256620738.html

Have a 2000 single counsel 2025 pro v and the rides not great when it’s windy compared to glass. But the room makes up for it for my needs. Don’t “mind” aluminum’s ride, but am use to it. Glass is so much smoother and would be more than just cautiously apprehensive to go from glass to aluminum. Way easier to do the reverse and that’s the normal progression. As an owner of aluminum and who fishes in friends glass big tillers, the ride is far better in glass, obviously. Granted my hull is the older pro v system, but aluminum is still aluminum. There’s certain things I like better than glass boats with aluminum boats, like it doesn’t rock side to side as much and has lower side walls. For me personally that’s a big deal because I have some vestibular issues and that side to side rock of glass gets to me a little some days. But it’s also why they ride better. The Yar-Craft big tiller that’s for sure and if money was no object that’s the boat I’d have. Would highly suggest riding in some aluminum on some windy days either with a friend or find a guide with an aluminum boat. Crestliners do have a better ride on some of their bigger boats but just not a ton on the used market. As far as the Lund Alaskan’s, you’d be taking way to many steps backwards as far as ride goes in really choppy water. Good luck with it.

Old Thread here… I wound up selling the warrior and bought a very clean older sylvan 19 Pro select. I have only had it out 3 days in NW SD for some perch fishing this fall but this thing is big and deep and was pretty good to me for the first trip with it. Next summer I will put it thru the paces and if I am happy with the ride I will keep it or upgrade to a newer rig. The only box that did not get checked was a 4 stroke main motor. It does have a 4 stroke kicker though and that will be good for those days of pulling cranks over the trees and dragging magnum killers for the pike up north.