Fiberglass vs Aluminum

[kdawg]

I'm getting a new (or slightly used) boat this spring. I pretty much had my mind made up on a aluminum boat,having owned two prior and liking them both BUT my mind got to wandering, and since it's going to be a long winter, I'll have plenty more time to ponder. 1) What's the benefit of one over the other? 2) Can you back troll in a glass boat - when I look at the backside, they look too low, and without splashguards, can you backtroll in 3 footers without putting your boat on the bottom of the lake? Most of my fishing will be for walleyes on Lake Winnie. Like I said, I've owned a crestliner and alumacraft, and have fished out of a Lund Pro V many times and was planning on buying another aluminum boat, but thought I should look into a glass boat, since I've never looked into them before. The more input, the better. Thanks.

[rodmaker]

Go to the boat forum back two years ago I put a post titled ranger , yarcraft , warrior which one and why. Ton of info there.

Before I bought my used 2003 yarCraft 1895 storm (tiller- two years ago) with a Merc OptoMax 135 I always owned aluminum boats.

All I can say is if you fish big water Mille Lacs, Gull, LOW, GO GLASS. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!

I fish ML at least 15-20 times a year. I have splash guards, alot of glass boats come with guards. I backtroll alot up there and have no problem. Rangers sit lower in the water but if you get either a Ranger,YarCraft or Warrior you will not be disappointed.

I got The YarCraft because of the extra room on the main floor. Two Rod lockers one 8 ft and one 9 ft. I like the electronics compartment - enclosed. Ton of storage.

The hulls on glass are molded and push the water away better from the hull than the aluminum boats, they are quieter in the water. You can only bend aluminum so much for the hull.

Give one a try.

If it's ok here - adm let me know I can give you a person grom YarCraft who helped me locate my boat. I do not work for any of the 3 boats I mentioned. Give glass serious cconsideration!!!

[kdawg]

Let me be a little more specific. I will be buying a full windshield boat. I don't know if this makes any difference, but I'm putting it out there. Do all glass boats have the option of installing wave whackers? The reason I ask, is I've never seen one with any type of splash guard on them (and I've seen a lot of glass boats on the big lake). BTW, I did look for your previous post, but couldnt find it using the search feature, or scrolling through a couple dozen pages. Thanks again.

[Northlander]

Go glass if you can.

[rodmaker]

I would guess so. Look at the warrior, & Yarcraft consoles. Very nice. I don't know how long they keep prior posts out there. I'll look also. This was a huge post with alot of great feedback.

[mojogunter]

I ran a couple of Pro-V's for 10 years (1775&2025) and liked them, but thought that even the 2025 rode quite rough and I always seemed to get wet on big water, and I would see Ranger's blow by looking like they didn't get beat up at all in rough water. This spring a bought a Ranger 621VS. I will give you some things I like better about the Ranger vs. Lund. The ranger is much much smoother in rough water. You don't get the spray blowing back onto you, because the hull shoots the water away lower than the Lund so the wind doesn't catch the water to blow back into the boat and get you wet. Because the Ranger sits so much lower in the water the wind doesn't blow the front end to the side in high winds making it almost impossible to stay trolling on a break line with the bow mount like in a Lund. Because the Lund did this I would back troll with the Lund to stay on the break line, but I had to add wave wackers to do so. My Ranger does not back troll because it is too low, but now that I can still control the boat with a bow mount I don't need to back troll. The Lund has a better system with the live wells, and bait wells. My live well will drain down overnight if I don't keep a pump running to keep my minnows alive. The Ranger has Minnow bags rather than a bucket, I didn't like it at first, but now I am used to them and they are okay. In my Lund water never came over the front while trolling or drifting in big waves, it does in my Ranger. I have also fished in a Yarcraft tiller, and that was a nice boat, but I am not a tiller guy. If you fish on big water a lot I think that glass can have more advantages over aluminum. For me if you don't fish big water often then the things I like more about glass boats won't come into play. I would at least try and get out in both before you buy, so you are happy with what you end up with. I am sure there are plenty of people here that would take you out to see what their boats are like. I know my dealer put me in touch with a local pro to go for a test ride before I bought. Good Luck

[WingDing2]

I've had 2 Lund Pro V's a Crestliner Sportfish and a Warrior 193DC.

I dont understand why it took me so long to figure out why I ever bought an aluminun boat.

Nowdays with the technology in polymers and resins. Glass is the best choice.

[Northlander]

Plus the price of tin boats is going crazy!!!

[Carpenter]

I have the glass Lund Tyee GL 186 and love it. rides great & we stay dry. spend most our time on gull or WFC.

i have the 175 verado w. smart craft gauges. rides best at 30+. gauges say i get about 8 gal/hr fuel consumption in the low 30's. she really sucks gas at WOT though. 18-19gph at 6500rpm around 52mph. motors quiet, we can chat while cruising w/o shouting. i don't understand why anyone would buy anything w/o a full windshield. given we have to stand in the summer to get a breeze, but it's nice on those cold nights like tonight when coming off the lake, or if it's raining. i looked at the reata 1850 too, but found a better deal on the Tyee 186.

[bassNspear]

once you go glass, you will never go back to alum. The ride is so much better!