G3 Boats Anyone?

[eyepatrol]

Trying to research all different types of boats out there and am wondering if anyone owns a G3 boat and what your experiences with the boat have been so far? Any info on the fish/ski model would be helpful too.

Thanks.

bc

[MuskyBug85]

a good friend of mine sold his lund and bought a 17' g3 last summer, fished in it twice and i must say it had tons of run and a real nice floor plan, and as a bonus it is made by Yamama and they have the same great service and warrenty that their motors have. nice clean boats at a reasonable price.

[eyepatrol]

I'd have to agree. We just looked at one last Saturday at a dealer in Waseca and it seemed to be set up pretty well. I've got a couple minor issues with the boat (as with all boats I've been looking at), but otherwise the floor plan is pretty good. Warranty really does seem to be top notch too. Price was MORE than reasonable (wow)! Will be taking a test drive in the near future to see how it rides and get a better feel for the boat.

Thanks for the reply.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I saw these at the Sportshow and was also inpressed. I wonder if the low price is to try to counter the Brunswick takeover in the boating market? You can't hardly get a boat with a Yamaha motor these days, since Brunswick owns many of the boat companies. They also own Mercury, so that is the only motor you can get on their boats.

[eyepatrol]

I'm not sure of the big picture situation out there with ownership and such. And I didn't ask why the price was so competitive either, but I wonder if it would have something to do with rigging and how the boats are made since it's all Yamaha product??? I really am not sure. What I had been told though is that Yamaha Corporation had owned the rights to Lund and Crestliner I believe, but last year or the year before Mercury had bought out those rights, so Yamaha decided to keep their presence here in the northern market by selling their boats up here. Apparently, they used to only be a southern market, but once Mercury got the Lund and Crestliner, they extended their boat sales up here to keep a presence in the northern tier of states. That's my understanding of it.

[Valv]

Hey, there is already somebody with a G3 and a problem.... look few posts below.

Geeez..........

[eyepatrol]

Good point. Hard to say right now if the boat is the problem though?? I'll be test driving one of these boats and will be aware of that to see if I notice anything myself.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Valv]

Basscatcher, I was just kidding, it doesn't have a problem, it was just too good not to "pick" on you a little.

[eyepatrol]

Ahhh! Missed that one! I get a little worked up (concerned) about hearing problems regarding to boats I'm looking at. My previous boat was a nightmare, and I just don't want to have that experience ever again!

This whole boat researching thing has really sent my mind spinning with all the makes and brands out there, but I certainly enjoy everything about it.

Wait a tic...when isn't my mind spinning???

[Pikemaster101]

I have one and I think that they are great for the money. The only thing is that i have a 115 on mine with a 8 hp kicker and i think i would get a 150 if i did it again. It seems to plow water and not get up on plane very fast with a few people in the boat. but other than that they are all around great boats and handle great in bigger waves. We take ours to lake of the woods and usally do not have much of a proublem.

[eyepatrol]

Yeah, that's one thing I'd do, is either max it out, or nearly max it out. If it's rated for 200hp, I don't have a problem with a 175 to save a few bucks, or if it's 150, going with a 135, but in that case I'd probably go 150.

[PerchJerker]

G3 really, really opened up their pro-staff this year to get lots and lots of sponsored boats out on the walleye circuits and in the public eye via guides and tv shows. I would think there will be some 1 year old pro-staff boats available next spring if that interests you.

[eyepatrol]

That's interesting. I'll have to keep my eye out for things like that, but I wonder too if they'd be fishing with fish/ski type boats. We're not completely sold on getting one of them, but they are on our list. I know we really were looking hard at the Reata, but things the way they are, I think we'll be going aluminum. There's a dealer I'm really familiar with that sells them, and he has given me phenomenal service in the past on my previous boat, so that will play a factor in our decision making, but won't be the ultimate factor.

Thanks for letting me know about that. I'll keep my eye out for them.