Crestliner vs Alumacraft

I am looking at a 2004 non-current Fishhawk 1650 SC and a Magnum 165 SC. Roughly the same price and options. I personally like the “looks” and storage layout of the Magnum but the Fishhawk is a little wider and I want to be able to fish Mille Lacs, Vermillion, Leech, etc. I do not want to start a heated debate between the faithful of each I am just looking for a little guidance. This will be my first NEW boat and I want to be happy with it, at least until it is paid for.
Thanks!!

I’ve been looking at the Alumacraft also. I own a ’01 1750 S/C Fishawk. The boat has been bulletproof. The one thing that stuck out to me on the Alumacraft have been the seats. They look a little “cheap” to me. The only nice seats I saw on the boats were in the Tourney models. I suppose you could upgrade for more dollars. Just my .02

Alumacreaft offers a great new boat called the Navigator. My youngest son, Nate, is fishing from one this year in the 17ft model and theres a ton of room and nice features. I myself have owned two Alumacreafts and two Lunds. There are a couple of pics of his boat on the tournament forum under the freeze your butt tournament pics thread. They make great boats. Smittys Marine in Lake City, Mn. 651-345-3990 has the best prices of any dealer I have seen. He carries Alumacraft and Lund. Ask for Ken or Ron for a great price.

Thanks, Bill

Alumacraft Boats

I would go with the Crestliner. I have a Crestliner Fish Hawk and a few years ago my son hit a wingdam wide open. My dad and I went flying and the lower unit of the motor was ruined. The Fish Hawk, despite going over exposed rocks had only a few minor dents and scratches. The same year I went fishing with a friend of mine who guides out of Lake City, Mn. He had a three year old Alumacraft and the boat leaked. Based on these limited experiences I am partial to Crestliner.

All I can say is you have a tough choice to make At the Freeze You Butt Tourney this weekend, there was all major boat brands at the event. Every one looked very nice and fishabable. We did get to see some real nice Alumacraft Navigator series boats, tiller and console. I was very impressed with them. But, I really liked the Crestliner’s,Lunds,Stealth,Ranger, and Skeeter’s too. I guess decide on what you want in a boat and then go from there. Either way, you will be getting a nice rig

Im not a Crestliner or Alumacraft guy but I have delt with both West End Sports ( Crestliner Red Wing MN) and Smittys Marine( Alumacraft Lake City MN) and they both let you take the boats on the water before you buy!
Maybe try them both!!

Hey Prof,
New rig Good deal..
Make your self happy and pick the one you like the best.
It will be your living space for quite a few fishing experiences, I’m guessing.
So if you can test drive them, if not go sit in them crawl around check all the storage areas..make notes of where you want your electronics, rod holders, spare rods, net, ice coolers, extra clothes, first aide kit, fire extingisher, trolling motors, and alll the other things you plan on carrying.
Just remember you mentioned real big water and 16 footer is still only a 16 footer…so be safe and enjoy your new boating experience.
my two cents..

I bought a Fishhawk last year so of course I am biased but I will try to give you an objective opinion.

The main selling points for me were that for casting, I think that the Crestliner layout has an edge. In a side console model, the front deck is longer than Alumacraft. I have a 17′ Fishhawk and my front deck is over 7 feet long. You also get a lot of extra storage in the extended deck.

On the rear deck, Crestliner uses what I would describe as a “pocket” for the splashwell vs running the splashwell all the way across. In other words, the rear casting deck goes all the way to the transom on either side of the outboard. To me this was a desireable feature for “fishability” off the transom – being able to keep your toes close to the outside of the boat for working jerk baits, figure 8’s, etc.

On the other hand, I do think that the Alumacraft has some very nice features as well. I think that the carpet is of a higher grade. If you are a backtroller, then the wider splashwell would be a plus for catching water and keeping it out of your bilge. I like the fact that Alumacraft puts the gas tank under the floor in the middle of the boat instead of towards the back = better weight distribution.

Construction is a near tie. If I had to guess which boat would survive extreme punishment better, I would give the Alumacraft the edge with the I beams and 2XB bottoms. On the debate of rivets vs welds, all I can say is that I have owned both types (Cliner & Smokercraft) and not had any issues with water leaking through the hull. Both manufacturers back their hulls with a lifetime warranty and you can’t go wrong either way.

I have a 165 magnum tiller and I am on mille lacs all the time. I have not have a problem other than getting WET but you do need to be carefull and us your head. Only you can answer the question that you ask as you are the one that knows how you fish. I do wish that the storage areas were water proof but thats what you get when buying a cheaper boat.
Ron

I bought the 2004 Alumacraft Magnum CS. Between all the boats mentioned here were the things I looked at:

Gunwale – 3 inch vs. 6 inch

Casting deck – I wanted the smaller casting deck, I fish 3 people alot

Transom – looked easier for me to hook up a kicker or just clamp one on (stressing LOOKED)

Seat layout – Having 4 seats vs. 3 was a big factor for me

Seats – adding extra or matching seats on crestliners is pricey they are attwood centrics, alumacraft are tempress

Livewell – I liked the long livewell vs. square

Welded vs. Riveted – personal choice here

Trailer – big fan of trailer with alumacraft but this is usually dealer choice of brands here. I wanted short tongue.

Those just a few things you should be looking at. I am NOT saying buy XXX brand, but just things you should be deciding on for your own personal use. All of the afore mentioned items I chose were for personal preference only.

I would like to mention that if you are looking at 2004 models only, the Alumcraft Navigator has a 60hp limit. The 2005 model 90hp.

Also, Alumcraft has a $250 rebate if you pick one up before April 15th, 2005. This was a bonus for me, I just qualified for it, was not a buying decision at all.

Lunds were my first choice but my checkbook said “no can do” on that one, so I went down on the price.

P.S. All the models I looked at had the gas fill on the wrong darn side vs. my tow vehicle! Now that’s a conspiracy!

I bought mine from West End in Red Wing. They are great mechanics and the rigging was done perfectly.

I have had a lot of experience with both brands. I started tournament fishing with an Alumacraft 195 Tourney Pro (Hook’s boat.) and fished for Crestliner out of the Tournament series boats. And I have used a number of Fish Hawks for guiding. Now I have an Alumacraft Navigator. I am no longer sponsored by ANY boat manufacturer, so I can give you an honest take on both. I looked at what I wanted out of a boat, and wrote it down.
1. I needed a boat for the River & Mille Lacs that I could easily fish 3 people out of for guiding. I wanted to go back to a tiller boat. The Alumacraft Navigator has everything I wanted. It as wide as they come, and the room is usable, and not being taken up by wide gunnels. Plenty of room on the back for a kicker if needed. Rod Storage on both sides of the boat. (Tiller model only.) By the way, my seats are very comfortable. I was not impressed with the new Crestliner seats.
2. I wanted a boat I could move around my garage! I opted for the 17.5′, and a swing tongue trailer. Speaking of trailers, I also wanted a galvanized one. No more rock chips in the paint making the rig look older than it is!
3. Hull. I have had 3 Crestliner TS boats, and used a number of Fish Hawks. I had water in the hull from all of them! Yes, they are welded. But water gets in through the transom, and goes into the boat hull. It also splashes over from the live well, and into the hull. My Alumacraft has been dry as a bone. Yes, it has rivets, and may need attention down the road, and I will deal with it if it does.
Both boats are very well made boats. I was intimately involved with Crestliner promotions. I bought an Alumacraft for a boat that I intend to keep. I believe I got the most bang for my buck. I went through LaCannes Marine in Fairbault. Destry Foyte is a great guy, and will make you very happy with either Crestliner or Alumacraft.
Tuck

Chris, you mentioned Hooks 2000 Alumacraft 195 t/pro. I think about the years of use his boat has had with Tourney’s, guide trips and general use. I know for a fact that it doesn’t leak a drop.
Now granted it wiggles in places that it isn’t ment too. But that has been one good boat. We continue to use it for tournaments do to the fact that it has so much room in it. You can run from front to back and even lay down and take a snoze! I was asked one time why I fish out of a Alumacraft boat. Well the first boat I ever remember fishing in was a 12 ft alumacraft. I have only had good experences in them. I have spent a great deal of time fishing out of the Alumacraft brand boats through the years. The one problem I did have, Alumacraft fixed the hull that had cracked on a Dominator tiller. It was covered under warranty and taken care of! Just alittle to much big wave’s on Mille Lacs!

Alumacraft

Pete, just one comment. My Fish Hawk is four years old and I fish about 100 times per year. I am also a multi-species guy on the Mississippi River. Despite the beatong the boat takes the Crestliner carpeting has held up extremely well. My son has a two year old Prince Craft and his is much worse. I mentioned in an earlier post the kid hit an exposed wingdam wide open with the Crestliner and no material damage. I doubt you could do that with an Alumnicraft.

Many thanks to all who posted, although my decision is not any easier. Both seem like great boats at resonable prices. Maybe it will come down to customer service?

Tuck,
How can you tell if there is water in the hull? You got me thinking now. I don’t believe there is any in mine, but not sure.

I can only vouch for customer service on the Crestliner. West End has been top notch in C/S. I did have a problem with a travel cover and dealing with C-liner direct was not pleasant.
It did all work out in the end. They lost my cover that I sent up to be re-grommeted.

Prof,

I think that it was already said but the best recommendation that I can give is to grab your favorite fishing pole, then jump in the boat on the dealership lot and see how it feels. If you can, take it out on the water for a spin. Take a tape measure and see how the dimensions compare. That’s how I made my mind up.

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Tuck,
How can you tell if there is water in the hull? You got me thinking now. I don’t believe there is any in mine, but not sure.

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I am talking about popping the plug out after a day of fishing, and letting it drain. Windy and rough, or calm as glass, I dumped water out of the hull. Even when talking to my contacts at Crestliner I could never get a straight answer. It never caused me problems structurally, but it was an annoyance. I figured a welded boat should be dry as a bone underneath. If I left my cover on, I would get mold buildup on the seats because the wood would be wet under the carpet. The back side of the wood floor facing the hull actually. Not good.
Tuck

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I have had 3 Crestliner TS boats, and used a number of Fish Hawks. I had water in the hull from all of them! Yes, they are welded. But water gets in through the transom, and goes into the boat hull.

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Tuck,

Can you explain to me how you get water through a welded transom? I’m having a hard time with how you could have this happen with as many Crestliner boats that you have owned.

Up until a year ago, Crestliner left two seams open on their TS boats. Yes, the transoms, and every other part of the boat is welded, but these two seems I had to seal with silicone to keep water out. Even that did not keep water out from below. Look at your livewell. It is not a sealed compartment either. When your water starts sloshing around, where do you think it goes? As pro staff for them, we offered fixes for issues like this. Sometimes they would listen, and other times not.
Like I said, it never caused me structural problems, but it was an annoyance. Also, their transoms were quite a bit lower than comp. boats. Without splash guards, you would scoop up a lot of water in the transom well. It it came up to the carpet line, water would get in behind it as well.

Some possible explainations would include leaks around water intakes, poorly sealed screw holes from mouting transducers or poorly fitted drain plugs, etc. The welds could be fine and you could still have water in a boat. The last 2 crestliners I had didn’t leak a drop but I know Tuck had issues with his.

I don’t want this to become a boat bashing post here. I like Crestliner. That is not my intent. James is right, failing fittings (Notice I did not say bad?) and poorly concepted water movement systems involving multiple pumps and piping double your odds of having water in the boat. Think of the beating they take under the floor? Simple concepts work better. Make sure you ask those questions before buying the boat. If I look in my boat right now, I can tell you that I could probably tackle any type of water movement system problem that I could have. My bilge pump and livewell pump can be accsessed without having a 3rd elbow joint! And the plumbing is simple and easy. I looked at all of that before buying. A good salesman should show this kind of stuff to you.

I have had two Alumacrafts and three Crestliner FishHawks. I think Pete had the best idea…lookem over real good…measure the casting decks etc…then you must decide what your best fit would be for your fishing style/needs.
Whether guiding or fishing with friends I spend most of my time on that front casting deck…sometimes with one or two young people or clients. I liked the layout of the Crestliner with that feature foremost in mind…AND it was the only boat to come with the Yamaha 4 stroke I wanted. Everything else only came with a Merc or Honda around here.
My Crestliners have taken a lot of pretty serious time on the water and so far so good!
My Yamaha 115 4 stroke has been absolutely wonderful! April,August, November…just turn the key and she Purrrs.

The Crestliner comes with a 60 hp Merc 4 stroke and the Alumacraft comes with a 70 hp Yamaha 2 stroke. I have an old Evinrude kicker that I can use for trolling if needed.My understanding is that they are both good motors. Are there motors to avoid ? At this point I am leaning towards the Crestliner because of the larger casting deck and more “usable” space becasue of the smaller gunnel.

Here are a few performance bulletins on the Fishhawk and Magnum. The HP of the motors used are not the same as what you are looking at but it gives you some idea on how they will perform.

1650 Fishhawk (tiller) with 50HP Yamaha 4-stroke
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/products/otb/perfbull/marinepdfs/crestliner/0180-CRS-Z.pdf

165 Magnum CS with 90HP Yamaha 2-stroke
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/products/otb/perfbull/marinepdfs/bulletin_otb_2StrokePerf_HPMidPort_90hp_01188-ALM-Z.pdf

Just got through shopping boats for full time use on lake vermilion. I’ve been on that lake for a while, and i gotta be honest, if you’re on lakes as rough as vermilion, i don’t think a fishhawk is your answer. As i recall, the V is an 11 degree, its not as deep as other boats in that range.

I just got rid of a 16′ Lund that i used on the lake, it was a good boat, but way too small to handle Big Bay every day. It just got pounded, and i took a lot of water becauses it didn’t sit high enough. And as i looked at Fishhawks, esp the 1650, i saw the same problem. Not deep enough in the V, and not wide enough. If the type of fishing you’re thinking about involves big water, i’d look at 17′ Serenity or Sportfish in the Crestliner category instead. Deeper V, wider, and higher sides.

I looked pretty carefully, and bought a Crestliner Serenity 1700. The comparable Lunds ran about 2500 dollars more. The Alumacraft i looked at didn’t seem quite as well laid out. That’s my take. But most importantly, i don’t think a Fishhawk is a good enough boat for a lake like Vermilion, or any lake that gets really rough.

Welcome to IDA chucker1101!!!

The Crestliner will be a dryer boat and smoother in the rough water…it’s the closest thing to glass. The Alumacrafts are tough, but their fit ‘n finish isn’t as good. Both will have about the same resale. I’ve had a Trophy 180, a Fhawk 1750, a
Lund 1700 Angler and currently have a 17′ Explorer. Personally if I were in your shoes, I would buy a used Lund over both of these…especially one prior to the Brunswick takeover. The Lund will keep it’s resale better than both and has a better ride/dryness due to the IPS hull. Good luck with your decision.

My first post so bear with me. I just recently purchased an Alumacraft Navigator 165 Sport; Yamaha 4 stroke 60hp and a Yamaha 4 stroke 8hp kicker. Walk-thru windshield, top, side curtains, back drop, fitted cover and came with a King galvanized trailer; folding tongue so it tucks into one side of my garage. Very pleased with everything.
Nice quality seats so I’m not sure what the poster above is referring to; maybe a different model? This boat is 16′ 7″ with a 90″ beam and can take a 90hp but I didn’t want family members asking to borrow it for skiing; thus the 60hp choice. I use it for local lakes and the Snake River/S.R.reservoirs. Big wide boat; doesn’t tip when you move around. Can’t compare with Crestliner since I shopped it against the Lowe, the Lund, Hewes, Duckworth, Tracker, and a couple of others. In the end I went with a conveniently close, local, longtime Boise dealer. Liked the boat, the package price, and really felt comfortable with this dealer. Didn’t see a whole lot of difference in the various manufacturers within this class. Only two trips to date but on both trips the boat performed beyond expectations plus four nice rainbows on the first trip and two big cutthroats on the second to boot. Can troll with either motor. Bought the 8hp kicker for a switch over to my cartop 14′ when I pull my travel trailer to more remote lakes.
My only comment would be to go with the dealer you have confidence in and with a good, longtime boat manufacturer. They are numerous and all have a good product. You will find small preferences in one vs. another but if they’ve been making boats for a long while, they all turn out a decent product. There is quite a variation in price. So maybe price and dealer are the way to go? One other main reason I chose the Alumacraft was this dealer’s Yamaha exclusivity which I preferred. The other Boise dealers offered only one other outboard make that I didn’t want. Definitely recommend 4 stroke outboards. Wow, are they smooth and quiet. Ohlode in Boise, Idaho