Lund vs. Crestliner

[Rost]

Wow, you guys are still arguing this one huh? Whoever it was that said this arguement can be compared to a Ford-Chevy-Dodge arguement is right!

Lund, Crestliner, and Alumacraft are the three top dogs. People like their brands for different reasons. We could argue until we're blue in the face which is the best. Yet we'd never be able to prove which is best.

So why even ask?

[JWB475]

Some "Hull Facts" on the Big 3 Aluminum boat builders since people are kicking around numbers in this thread that don't add up, this info is from each manufacturers HSOforum:

Alumacraft Tournament Pro Series

Hull Thickness (Sides/Bottom): .080/.100

Twin plated hull from Bow to Stern

Alumacraft Navigator 185 Series

Hull Thickness (Sides/Bottom): .080/.098

Twin plated hull from Bow to Stern

Alumacraft Navigator 175 Series, and Magnum Series

Hull Thickness (Sides/Bottom): .080/.080

Twin plated hull from Bow to Stern

Lund Pro-V Series

Hull Thickness (Sides/Bottom): .080/.100

Twin plated Hull from Bow to Midship, IPS2 Hull

Lund Mr. Pike, Pro Angler, Fisherman (except 1800 and 2000), Pro Sport, and Explorer Series

Hull Thickness (Sides/Bottom): .063/.080

Twin plated Hull from Bow to Midship, IPS Hull

Crestliner Tournament Series

Hull Thickness (Sides/Bottom): .090/.125

Welded Hull

Crestliner Fishhawk Series

Hull Thickness (Sides/Bottom): .090/.100

Welded Aluminum Hull

[Valv]

Well as a liquidator of boat parts I can say something about all 3 major brands, I get all the parts used to manufacture the boats and I definitely can see some brands have more "quality" parts than others.

Hull thickness has nothing to do with quality, they ahve been studied to have particular results using welded aluminum or riveted aluminum.

A bottom hull 1" thick doesn't mean it's a better boat......

It's like saying a Yugo has .125 thick fenders and a Mercedes has .80, it makes no sense at all.

This debate will never end, we just have to agree we all have our own preferences for some reason.

[JWB475]

I guess I disagree with your stance on Hull thickness. While the design of the hull is the major factor in how well a boat performs, I also feel the thickness of the hull has a lot to do with it.

I had an older Alumacraft, that did not have a twin plated hull, and it also used much thinner guage. I now have a new alumacraft with the twin plated hull, that uses thicker guage aluminum. The design of the two hulls was very similar.

There is no comparison to how solid the new hull is, and how well it performs in the rough stuff, I don't take anywhere near the pounding I used to when runnign across the lake when compared to the old boat.

A Yugo and a Mercedes fender don't bounce across 2-3 foot waves....

Get into whatever boat you are considering, get it on the lake, see how well it handles, and how it rides.

[Valv]

Design and technology is what makes your hull better not thickness of aluminum.

Quality of electronics, electricals, paneling and accessories, and more is what makes quality of your boat.

At the begin they were .200 and .250, do you want to trade it for them ? It was thicker !!!

Yugo and Mercedes don't bounce on water, but on asphalt, and they save your life depending how they are built. Older cars had thicker metal, did they save more lives ?? No.

Debate is still the same, there will be no winner out of this discussion.

[lots of luck]

Quote:

---

Wow, you guys are still arguing this one huh? Whoever it was that said this arguement can be compared to a Ford-Chevy-Dodge arguement is right!

Lund, Crestliner, and Alumacraft are the three top dogs. People like their brands for different reasons. We could argue until we're blue in the face which is the best. Yet we'd never be able to prove which is best.

So why even ask?

---

I asked beacause a lot of us average "Joe's" dream of the day when we can walk into a dealer a plunk down the required funds for a brand spanking new boat. I know looking at the prices, that if my current economic status was to never change I would never be able to purchase a new boat. Let's say I some how am able, well I want to make the most educated purchase possible.

That is why, "I ask why?"

I also didn't ASK for arguments.

I asked why Lund owners did not purchase a Crestliner and why Crestliners did not purchase a Lund.

Also I would not simplify this as a FORD-CHEVY-DODGE argument. Automobiles are not boats thus the comparisons are not there for a million reasons.

[Guest]

I like my Tracker because of the large casting decks

[Valv]

Quote:

---

I like my Tracker because of the large casting decks

---

I like my Yugo because of the large casting decks

[zepman]

LOL,

I am crestliner owner (new 1850 fishhawk) and I looked at Lunds and Alumacrafts for the better part of two years before I plunked down my cash for the Crestliner. I, too, at the beginning of my search tried to compare all the little variances like hull thickness, rivets to welds etc.... At the end of my search it came down to one thing and one thing only. I felt the Crestliner was a more versatile boat than either of the other two brands. That's in no way saying that they were inferior boats. I fish walleye hard in the spring and again in the fall. By mid-June thru mid-Sep I become 90% bass and panfish orientated because my 5 and 7 year olds are with me all the time. I need to keep them busy to stay on the water. The Crestliner with it's huge front and rear decks allow me the versatility that I wanted in a boat. Boat layout, storage and outright fishability of my rig has far surpassed any of my expectations. For the way that I fish and prefer to use the spaces in my boat I know I made a good decision.

By the way, if I fished walleye 90% of the time my decision would have been different. I would have picked the Alumacraft. Lund, in my opinion, has not done anything as far as boat layout is concerned to impress me very much. They are however, an exceptional boat.

[Nova]

Just to put a little different spin on this here is my 2 cents. I started 14 years ago with a used lund because since the early days the fishing boats were red and silver lunds. I then upgraded to a new lund and 6 years later another new lund. I liked all 3 boats, but from the tyee to the pro v console to the pro v tiller I never found one that handled big waves well. I fish Mille Lacs exclusively and it's almost never flat. This year I finally went to a glass boat. I only ran it one weekend, but it was rough and the boat performed incredibly well. I always stayed away from glass for money reasons, but I finally took the plunge and don't know why I waited so long. I didn't buy a ranger so don't think I dropped $40,000. As far as the tin boats go I have only run a Lund and like everything but the ride in rough water. Good luck, and like most people are saying, make sure you buy the boat that fits you and your needs not the boat everyone else has. Do just what you are doing and read and listen open minded to every opinion.