Crestliner???

OK, need some help here. My buddy is shopping for a new rig. We always fish together so I have alot of influence on what he buys (it is nice having rich friends )

Anyways, he wants an aluminum boat. He wants a full windshield or a good dual console. He currently has the Ranger “Cherokee” series. It is an 18′, with full windshield. Basically, this boat is a crestliner hull, with Ranger guts. It is a very nice boat, but in bigger waves (such as Mille Lacs and LOTW) it is a brutal ride (along with being wet).

I tried to convience him of going to glass, but I understand his point of “rocks”. That is what we primarily fish for both walleyes and muskies. So, once in a blue moon, we crash into them. So, glass would be high maintenance…….

Back to my crestliner question………..He is looking at the 1850, with the dual console. I have been in a few crestliners and found 3 “faults”. One…….The floors seem “softer” than most other boats. Two………the 1750 storage is a bit on the “lack of” side. Three………If the hull of his current crestliner is the same as the new hulls on ranger/crestliner……he is going to get the same hull with the 1850 as compared to what he already has. His Cherokee is a 99 model.

Now, LUND has changed their hulls a bit in design to improve wet/rough water rides. Has Crestliner made much for improvments over the past couple of years???

I tried talking him into a LUND, but he just can’t justify spending that much coin……….I see his point too…..

Besides Crestliner and Lund……….what else is there for good quality, all around metal boats???

We are looking for solid, non-biased advice and facts………

Can anyone help with solid opinions???

James and Dustin……..You both could probably respond best to this since you both have owned or currently own the 1850. How do they handle in big water? Is it wet and rough?

Gary,
The Alumacraft Tournament Sport 175 or 185 is a very nice rig as well. Tons of storage and a pretty darn good ride for a tin boat. The Tournament Sport has the full wrap around windshield and the Tournament Pro can be purchased in a single or dual console model. I’m a firm believer that the “bang for your buck” that you get with an Alumacraft is second to none. Destry at LaCanne’s marine in Faribault is the best there is when it comes to getting down and dirty on price too. They get my thumbs up!

I’d certainly take a look at Lake Assualt boats at lakeassault.com if you’re into aluminum.

Rather interesting story behind their inception and a great looking boat.

Gary,I run a 2002 Trophy 175 and it gets my vote also.I don’t see any difference in this(Alumacraft) and a Lund plus I saved thousands by going with Alumacraft.

Best of luck,

Ryan Hale

I knew there was a reason I liked you Ryan. You hunt pheasants AND run an Alumacraft.
Hopefully this Fall we can hook up for a hunt.

Alumacraft

Gary,

I’m not sure which hull the Cherokee had, but Crestliner has 2 different 18′ hulls. The hull on the 1850 Sportfish and 1800 Super Hawk have a 17 degree deadrise, while the hull on the 1850 Fish Hawk is an 11 degree deadrise.

The sharper deadrise on the Sportfish and Super Hawk should give a better ride in rough water.

Sorry Gary, neither Dustin or I have ever owned a 1850. We both have worlds of time in the 182 TS models though.

I’ve fished a bit out of the 1850 fishhawk and very much liked it. Would it keep you dry on Mille Lacs? Nope. There isn’t a boat built that will keep you dry all the time on big water. Will it perform like a 620 ranger? Heck no. Got bucks and want a big water boat? Go 20 foot tin or glass. BUT… in that 18 foot size class it is the “best buy” I know of when you combine cost and resulting performance. And I like the way the boat is laid out and it fishes just awesome (I wish some of the features in the 1850 were carried over to the TS’s). From my experiences it rides better than similar products at the same length and price from other tin manufacturers.

If used it an option, Scott Fairbairn has a 202 TS in the IDA Classifieds that is just LOADED and priced right.

Wanna test ride in a 1850 w/ a 150 hpdi & T8? I have a good buddy that would likely be more than happy to take you for a spin on Pool 4 and Pepin. He camps out of Everts and is on the river every weekend.

Just let me know.

AlumaCraft

Hey James;

Thanks for the advice and offer. My buddy “Hedder” (Jason) is looking to buy new. I’ll have him get ahold of you. Thanks!

Also, thanks to the others for the info. It helps!

I have a 2003 1850 Fishhawk Muskie edition, with a 135 Optimax, and I couldn’t love this boat any more than I do. I’ve owned a lot of boats, from Lund to Nitro to ProCraft, and this is exactly the boat that fits my needs perfectly. I have heard some people say Crestliner isn’t a good big water boat, but I have been out in rough water in a lot of different boats, all the way up to a 20 foot glass boat, and I have come to the conlusion that there is no such thing as a boat that handles rough water “good”, you’re going to get wet and uncomfortable no matter what you’re in.

Gary,

Check out the 1800 Explorers. I rode in a 1700 model in Canada, and it was a decent ride. It has the IPS hull, lots of storage and it’s wide. I am sure they are quite a bit less than the Pro Vs

I agree with Wads and James, My 1850 is the best boat I’ve owned! It’s got plenty of storage and handles big water relitivly well. Fished 3 people out of it while in Canada and had plenty of room to move around and cast out of.