Newbie here! Aluminum or Fiberglass?

[LSUlefty]

First off, this is a great website. I discovered it while googling for boats. Here's my situation. I grew up Freshwater fishing. That's all I've ever done. Recently I discovered Inshore fishing and now prefer it, but I will be doing both. I live in the Lafayette area and would like to frequent Vermilion Bay/Marsh Island, Pecan Island, Big Lake, Henderson, Larto Lake (Father In Law's Camp) and good ole Toledo Bend.

I need a boat that can handle all of these things. From open Bay Water to the stumps of Freshwater. I was certain I was going to get either an Xpress H20CC, Alweld 19VVCC, or G3 1966. But then I went to the New Orleans Boat show and also liked the TideWater Bay Max and the Scout 175 Sport Fish.

Any advice would be appreciated. Hope to get better feedback than I did on Tigerdroppings.com and Rodnreel.com.

[LSUlefty]

Oops! Just found the "search" tab. Several threads already. lol.

[SaltyShaw]

Thats all you

[simplepeddler]

IMG_0208.jpg

Aluminum all the way!

[LSUlefty]

Yikes! Way too big for me.

[Slidellkid]

Love that boat peddler

[simplepeddler]

Originally Posted by Slidellkid

Love that boat peddler

Thanks sir!.......so do we!!

[specktator]

I have a 17' triton for sale in the classifieds. Check it out. I live in Lafayette.

[I make oil]

What sort of budget you working with?

[LSUlefty]

Originally Posted by I make oil

What sort of budget you working with?

I was hoping for $20k. I know I can get the Xpress for around $21k-$22k and the Alweld around $19-$20k.

[mriguy]

Originally Posted by LSUlefty

I was hoping for $20k. I know I can get the Xpress for around $21k-$22k and the Alweld around $19-$20k.

If you do go with the Xpress H20CC, do yourself a favor and get the 150HP instead of the 115. You will be glad that you did.

[weedeater]

Xpress is gonna be about the best aluminium hull mass produced you can get but stay with the Hyperlift hull if you want a good ride and they will still run pretty shallow

[Hydro]

I won't drift too far off into this subject as it seems to spark allot of emotion...

That said, I own a G3 and have been very happy with it... They are well made, wide, stout (heavy) boats with plenty of structure and full legnth ice runners which are great for crossing timber... All the welds are beautiful and overall fit and finish is up to my expectatoins for what it is (a jonboat)...

It is not a speed demon or something you would want to cross rough open water in on a regular basis... It is a great "back country" or flooded timber boat which is where I tend to fish...

Good luck with your selection !!!

Hydro

[LSUlefty]

I like the g3 1966 DLX. What do you have? Where do you fish?

[Hopedale Hustler]

Peddler who built that boat?

[southern151]

Originally Posted by Hopedale Hustler

Peddler who built that boat?

Gaudet in Sorrento. Built my skiff too. Great builder!

[I make oil]

I had a Xpress H56 Bass Boat. Nice ride and pretty fast I have to agree with the Hyper Lift recommendations.

[Nasty]

I've had both aluminum and fiberglass. All my aluminum boats' (SeaArk; little V and Xpress; flat) welds cracked in Big Lake. In a 2 ft big lake chop, I would travel 8 mph because the your teeth and bones are rattling. My fiberglass bay boat will hit a 2 ft chop at 40+ mph with little discomfort. Aluminum is fine as long as the water is smooth.

[fishaholic82]

It depends on the design of the hull more than it does the type of material it is built out of in my opinion. If its a flat bottom it doesn't matter what it is built out of its gonna be a rough ride. The more v it has the better it will ride but also too much v will take away from its shallow water capabilties. You just have to find what's best for you.

[Slidellkid]

Salty Shaw, sweet Haynie there. You ever sell your Blue wave?

What's the freeboard on that Haynie?