New Boat Opinions?

I’ve started checking around for a new to me boat, and looking for input from the great boat minds here. I had a Pro V single council that I liked a lot, but my wife wasn’t a big fan of as she’s more interested in comfort for pleasure cruises. We also have a little Werm, and plan on having another one in the near future, so I’m also interested in something for the whole family even though I will use it fishing probably 70% of the time. The boat will be beached at the cabin, and also would like to use it for camping trips to Vermillion and VNP, so pretty set on Aluminum. I like the idea of having everyone in front of me in a tiller, but also fish in a lot of terrible weather so a full windshield would be nice and feel like the FW would prefer that also. And I fish all over the great state of MN, so something a little easier to tow would be nice. I’m thinking like an 18′ Lund/Aluma/Crestliner with a 150 or slightly larger engine. What am I missing? What would you recommend? TIA!

I highly recommend having a windshield. I fish in some terrible weather and having a windshield is so much more comfortable. My buddy has a single console Crestliner and making runs in the cold is miserable. Being able to hide behind the windshield makes even the cold more enjoyable.

I’m a Lund guy but there are a ton of options in what you are looking for but get a windshield and a bimini cover for the family. I’d also go with the biggest motor you can get for pulling tubes and such.

I’d really take a look at the Lund impact for what you’re saying. I have the lund rebel and we are 99% just going out on the lake and back not towing it or spending a ton of a time at once in it. If we were doing longer trips I would’ve went for the impact with the extra room.

motor wise don’t go light. Not too many guys out there saying they wish they had went with a smaller motor.

Matt Moen wrote:

Being able to hide behind the windshield makes even the cold more enjoyable.

I’m a Lund guy but there are a ton of options in what you are looking for but get a windshield and a bimini cover for the family. I’d also go with the biggest motor you can get for pulling tubes and such.

X2 on this. Nothing will put a damper on a family outing than having the wife and baby get splashed with cold water. Plus the bimini is not just for poor weather. Times when the sun is baking, that shade can be very welcoming.

That and you’ll have even more skin cancer prevention.

Yeah, I loved my Lund and am interested in an Impact or Pro-V, but am open to the Aluma/CLiner comparable models. Motor wise I’m not looking for something to set a speed record, if it can run 35-40 mph, pull the kids tubing, and troll down to 2.5-3 mph that would be perfect I think (I plan on a 101 or 112 lbs TM, and using that for the majority of trolling I do).

The bimini top would be a must if I was looking at boats again. one regret on my end is not having a setup where one would work, and I could care less about rain its the shade needed when the sun is blazing.

slipbob_nick wrote:

bimini top would be a must

Yeah if we go full windshield, like I’m leaning, I’d definitely want a bimini and one that connects to the windshield making it somewhat enclosed.

There was a pretty good thread last week about the Impact and Competitor. Can’t go wrong with either. The 150 on the Impact scoots pretty good…

brian_peterson wrote:

There was a pretty good thread last week about the Impact and Competitor. Can’t go wrong with either. The 150 on the Impact scoots pretty good…

Thanks, yeah I was following that. Do you know if there is a hull difference between a Pro-V and Impact?

Yes, my 2014 only has the IPs1 hull. It may have changed since? My only negative is with the way the boat tracks and tends to get blown around somewhat easily.

1875 is a big boat, here’s mine next to a friends WX1910

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I know it’s glass but my family & I love our Triton Allure 192. We have the family package with bimini top, ski pole and comfortable seats up front that can be taken out. So far in the 4 times we have had it out (Was new to us in May) it’s been used 3 times for family trips and only once for fishing. It’s a big boat and I kind of wish I had a 175 or 200 that it is rated for but I didn’t have that option. I love the extra floor space for kids or fishing tackle!

Impact 1875’s are a great boat, but with a full windshield they are like an aluminum kite.

Competitors are awfully similar. In all honesty, I’d price out both and probably go with whatever is cheaper. Service should not be an issue anywhere on either rig.

Mine likes to stop in at Barnacles for a cold one once in awhile.

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As many have said, you cant go wrong with a full windshield boat for famliy outings and for colder weather fishing. I went fro ma single console boat to a full windshield and will never have anything but a full windshield again. Its more comfortable for the wife on the nicer days and more comfortable for me when I am fishing up to ice season in the fall/winter

brian_peterson wrote:

Mine likes to stop in at Barnacles for a cold one once in awhile.

Funny how some boats have a mind of Their Own.

brian_peterson wrote:

1875 is a big boat, here’s mine next to a friends WX1910

Well gee, that harbor looks all too familiar. Here’s my little blue boat sitting in the same spot.

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Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

X2 on this. Nothing will put a damper on a family outing than having the wife and baby get splashed with cold water. Plus the bimini is not just for poor weather. Times when the sun is baking, that shade can be very welcoming.

x100. The windshield is a major plus with families and the bimini top is honestly priceless. You wouldn’t think about it, but rain, high sun days with no clouds, its a blessing to have the top up. Saves taking out rain gear all the time and when the little “werms” are with, they can take a nap in the shade and not roast.

I know it’s against the grain, but if I were shopping to replace my Tyree right now, the big 3 Midwest aluminum manufacturers wouldn’t be in my consideration. I would be looking at the west coast style boats, namely a Hewescraft. Build quality and durability in our local boats is marginal at best, IMO, when compared to the west coast rigs. My 1850 Tyee has served me well, but the little things seem to be low quality and just slapped together. A few friends Hewescraft boats appear to be have way more durability designed into them.

Full windshield for sure. Four stroke for me, they troll down nicely and are so quiet for when just tooling around with the family. My older Lund has a removable front platform and then snap in bow cushions. That really makes it nice for boating days vs fishing days.

Personally I’m planning on fiberglass for my next boat. When I bought current boat the aluminum was so much lighter and cheaper. Now the aluminums have gained serious weight as they get fancier interiors. And they are not cheap either. Get prices and weights on both before you rule out fiberglass.

With a new boat, the make or break for your happiness seems to be not so much about “what boat”, but the dealer/buying experience.

Time and time again we’ve seen dealers fail to deliver and frustrated new boat owners are left high and dry by slipping delivery dates. The dealer blames the factory, the factory blames it on a bunch of BS, and the customer is left holding the bag with no recourse and no boat.

Buying an in-stock boat is one thing, but if you order a boat:

1. Don’t sell your old boat until AFTER the new boat is delivered if at all possible. How many times have we seen it where guys sell the old boat because the new one has an April delivery date. Then May passes. Then June…

2. Get the delivery date in writing. The delivery date means the date when YOU can drive off the lot with the boat in tow, NOT the date the boat arrives unrigged from the factory and then the dealer gets to add 3-4 weeks to get it rigged and prepped. If the dealer won’t give one or tries to weasel it with a bunch of fine print and mushy “should, could, etc” BS, walk away.

3. Demand an exit clause in writing. If the dealer’s contract doesn’t have this in clear language, create your own and make them sign it. If the dealer fails to deliver on the delivery date you should be able to walk away and the dealer must return your deposit on demand.

We won’t see any changes until we demand them.

Grouse

Timmy wrote:

I would be looking at the west coast style boats, namely a Hewescraft.

I don’t disagree, they are a lot more sturdy. But I spent some time in Delano looking at Kingfisher’s and they are definitely built for durability not comfort. Hewescraft seems to have pretty much the same lineup and interior design which I know the FW would veto, and lack of deck space on the bow for casting is a huge negative in my book. The only West Coast boat that is comparable to the MN boats interior design that I’ve seen, is a Starweld. But they seem to have a big problem with listing and poor dealer/manufacturer service, which would only be made worse by being located in MN imo.

fishingchallenged wrote:

Get prices and weights on both before you rule out fiberglass

My reasons for going tin are mainly beaching it at the cabin, on the rocky shorelines of VNP and Vermillion, and towing weight. I’ll def be checking out the weight differences, and could be wrong on the concerns for beaching fiberglass? A lot of my buddies have glass boats and I’m a fan no doubt, just don’t think it’s right for my needs, but that’s why I started this thread.

Grouse, good info and I agree, but I will be looking at slightly used boats via private sale or on a dealer trade in. Sticker shock on a new purchase coupled with the 10, 20 or 30 year loans they want to send down the road with each boat is a deal breaker for me.

18’ crestliner Sportfish SST is my dream boat…make me jealous.

ClownColor wrote:

18’ crestliner Sportfish SST is my dream boat…make me jealous.

That looks like a good option!

I am now following. I am in the same boat @BigWerm. I have been looking for about a year.

Narrowed it down to a 1800 Tyee, 175 Trophy. I have to have the creature comforts for the kiddo’s.

The only thing with new I have to add is sometimes the financing is better for rates and terms. Plus dealer incentives.

tucrs wrote:

The only thing with new I have to add is sometimes the financing is better for rates and terms. Plus dealer incentives.

Yeah, I have a buddy that works for an Alumacraft dealer and their rates really aren’t any better than I can find on my own, but they will finance it out a lot further which is not something I’m interested in. There’s a few threads on here about financing and the local Credit Unions and Banks (Firefly, Spire, Bell Bank etc.) are pretty good on rate including on used models.

Although I really like my Impact, My next boat will most definitely be glass. Looking real hard at the Lund Tyee 189GL. Skeeter WX1910 is right there too.

Each guy will use and take care of their boats differently. I’ve seen 5 year old boats beat to he77 and 20 year old boats that look showroom new. Point is it doesn’t matter if it’s a tin boat or glass boat. It’s how it’s handled and taken care of that matters. An informal survey of the rocks at VNP is they can’t tell for sure if it’s a glass or tin boat being crashed into them. Most of the guides are switching over to glass up there, they just are careful (as you will be) where they ground the boat. The keel guard takes care of the keel real well.
A glass boat unless one of the big 20+ foot models seem to sit down in the water and catch less wind. But thats just my opinion.

My only 2 concerns would be
1) whats momma want.
2) what can I afford.

I have never once considered what my friends would like me to buy. We can hop in their boat next time if they don’t like mine. You are making the payments and only you truly know how much fishing use vs family use it will get.

In my case, the wife never gets in the boat so it’s a 20′ tiller and it will always be fiberglass.

But you do what you gotta do. It’s your cash.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tucrs wrote:</div>
The only thing with new I have to add is sometimes the financing is better for rates and terms. Plus dealer incentives.

Yeah, I have a buddy that works for an Alumacraft dealer and their rates really aren’t any better than I can find on my own, but they will finance it out a lot further which is not something I’m interested in. There’s a few threads on here about financing and the local Credit Unions and Banks (Firefly, Spire, Bell Bank etc.) are pretty good on rate including on used models.

Good point!

I still know what you are going through. I am curious what you buy I am trying to convince my wife to go glass as they are more stable for kids and fishing out of. Aluminum still seems like the choice for me.