Custom Aluminum Bay Boat
 

Ok....tapping into the market on this and wanted some feed back.

I want a custom made aluminum bay boat. Either 21' or 22'.

It doesn't have to be flashy, I just want it to be a tank, good ride, dry (alot to ask for). Obviously would need to be "double hulled" so the water that comes in runs out the back, and not into the bilge area.

I would want something with a good V, but with a front and back deck and a trolling motor.

The areas I fish would be the big lake area, and outside of vermilion bay.

Trim tabs is a must.

The reason I am looking at aluminum is: once the purchase is made it's a life time boat. repower/reqire/repaint(if need be) the thing in 15 years and you've got a brand new boat.
Would like to still be able to go to weirs in the rockefeller/rolloever area. where a typical fiberglass boat would get scratched and chipped.

Not to sure on how necessary paint is on it. outside or in? The reason I would want to paint the inside would be to keep the surface cool to the touch.

I know finding these boats used is a a needle in the haystack and when you do stumble across them you better have your money ready and pick it up quick(they don't last long on the market).

would want it to be powered by a yamaha, 150-200ish? not too sure, but I don't need it to be lightening fast.

What kind of dough are you looking at for something to be built like this? Recommendations of fabricators is appreciated.
Would like to hear your opinion on my mindset and if I am thinking about this all wrong and should consider fiberglass?

I just had a 21' built by Casey St. Romain (Sportsman's Fabrication). I looked at Scully's, Lifetyme and Hanko's. All fine boats. Casey will build it exactly like you want. Check Sportsman's Fabrication out on facebook. The price of the hull depends on how you have it built. Casey's price is a little better than the others. It took a little over 3 months for him to get to it and build it but it was well worth the wait. If I had to do it again I'd do the same thing.

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just figured out how to add some pics

Mind sharing a ballpark price of that rig?

That a sweet looking rig!!

Beautiful boat

Bare hull was 16500. Then trailer, paint, motor, powerpole, i-pilot, trim tabs, jackplate, vhf, gps etc. rigging and taxes brought it to a around $53000.

drooling...I've got some more saving to do.

American Aluminum Marine. Nuff said!

Alum. Boat
 

I fished out a custom built for 22 years then i started having bad corrosion problems with it where it would get blisters and then you could punch holes through it with an ice pick. no aluminum boat made for lifetime.Some builders do great jobs building them such as american alum. and others like Gravois and Hanko.

very true, if they don't start with a premium grade aluminum it can greatly shorten the lifespan of any boat.

as to paint there are two trains of thought, paint protects against corrosion but if it gets behind the paint it makes corrosion worse and harder to see, harder to get to, and harder to clean up and treat.

the other is an unpainted boat self cleans and any corrosion is minor and easy to spot and treat before it gets bad.

having seen both, I agree with having an unpainted bare aluminum bottom hull is best and if you want color do side graffics only weather its by using decals or have it painted on. as to the interior I would get any custom built boat sprayed with bed liner for looks, traction, long lasting, and sound dampening

Custom Aluminum Bay Boat
 

American aluminum builds a fine boat but they cost about the same as a yellowfin. It is just crazy that a aluminum boat can cost more than a yellowfin.

They have several builders in Pierre part that build some really nice boats. They are a lot lighter than an American but 1/5 of the cost. If you are interested I can bring you to a few of the shops or send you the contact info.

Time will tell. Corrosion can be a problem. Most people I talked to advised not to spray in a liner. Saltwater can get under it and it will corrode over time. Properly prepared and painted high grade aluminum I don't think is a problem. Direct Services who painted it said they had just gotten thru with some Gravois that had to be redecked because they had liners put in and corroded. Casey uses the same grade marine aluminum as Gravois, American Aluminum, Hanko's or the other quality builders. The price did get up there, but it was more the add ons than the hull that did it. All boats a compromises unless you buy one for one specific purpose. I've had a large range of boats. I was just tired of keeping up 2 boats. I sold a 17' alumacraft and a 23' Parker BigBay and Casey built what I wanted. One that I can fish the close rigs, Big Lake or the rivers bayous and lakes of central La. It's a lot lighter than my Parker, burns less fuel, trailers easier and cleans easier, less maintenance. Rides well and dry. Not as well as the Parker, but I don't fight the weather like I used to. Deck does get hotter than fiberglass, and is noisier than fiberglass, but neither has been a problem yet. It's all in what you want. I'm 60. I figure I can get another 20 years out of it.

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I'm partial for sure......but I have been VERY happy with my Gaudet's.......I think he would come in less than American, more than Scully's and Hanko's........but the later two boats are pre-pressed bottoms and not all together "custom" IMO........good boats for sure though.

I've owned boats built by Gaspard, Charles Leonard, Terry Guillot, Hanko's, Scully's and Casey StRomain. Custom Alum boats are nice but NOT lifetime boats if you use them. Every single boat I've ever owned has had some sort of problem ranging from ribs cracking, cracks in the hull, corrosion etc, etc, etc. Something that's not being mentioned here is the difficulty of getting an Alum boat to perform. I've know people to spend lots of money to have a custom boat built to then struggle to get the boat to perform. Sometimes they are never satisfied. That's the problem with a ''custom'' boat. None are the same so there is no telling how a boat will perform. Finally the style of Alum boats have changed alot thru the years. If you look at a 25 year old custom boat the lines are nothing compared to what they are making today. I'm not trying to talk anyone out of getting an Alum boat but these are all things a long time owner has seen and dealt with. I currently own a Fiberglass bay boat, a well equiped factory mud motor boat and a basic flat. I don't see the point of spending the money on a custom alum boat anymore when these others all do what I need for much cheaper. Good luck with your decision. I will say for the money Casey is hard to beat for a nice custom boat if that's the way you want to go.

Check out these boats. http://excelboats.net/BAY%20PRO.html

Not custom but they make a damn fine looking boat.

Love mine. Like others are saying, I do also run a flat boat for other duties. Hard to live in Louisiana and have one boat to do it all. If you have any specific questions about this one feel free to ask.

thanks for all of the input. this gives me a new outlook. I always just thought of aluminum as a "lifetime" boat.
With all of the fiberglass bay boats on the market, the prices are much more competitive for a boat that would fit my needs.....decisions decisions.
looks like i need to go back to the pro's and con's list and weigh out the $$$ spent per years of use out of it.

I would be happy to let you ride in mine as well.............I think you would be shocked with the performance...........not from a top end stand point, but handling is exeptional for any boat...........

well it is in a way but it will need repairs and reconditioning over time.

the key with aluminum is it can be infinitely repaired where fiberglass WILL dry out and become brittle making the boat scrap over time. a well cared for fiberglass boat not left out in the sun should last you about 20 years but the same aluminum boat will last you 50-75 years or more. the thing is that both of these boats will need to be repowered, rewired, and the electronics replaced every 10-15 years or so.

aluminum boats do last forever but its not maint free so repairs and maint will be needed for any boat.

if you are rough on the boat and don't slow down in rough seas you beat the bottom and cause cracks on any boat. with aluminum you get the crack welded and your good as new, with fiberglass you get it patched and you are good as new but over time the fiberglass will get so dried out and brittle the boat has to be replaced. if you hit a stump or log and punch a hole in the hull of fiberglass the boat is trashed in most cases but with aluminum they can cut out the area and replace that section, you cant really do that with fiberglass because you cant access both sides of the hull to do a proper strong patch that will hold and you will never restore the same hull strength and flexibility so the area will not flex the same as the other side and the boat wont ride true anymore as one side gives while the other side doesn't making the boat want to turn when you hit waves.