What Would You Do?

[RHuff]

Pay a lump sum for a good used boat for around $5K or finance a new one for $12-15K?

[CRANKENSTIEN]

I think your better value is the used boat. Maybe you could financ.e a used 10k boat. I know you won't get the long term but you will get a bigger boat.

[martintheduck]

I choose finance a used boat for $12-$15k. For $15k tops you are getting only a little in terms of new boats. For $15k in the used market you're getting a TON of boat. Also, for $5k in used territory, I've found the pickings are slim for something in solid condition. A 90's Nitro with a 115 recently popped up for $4500 on Craigslist around me and it was in MINT condition. From the pics, it looked like it had seen the water maybe 10 times. Sold quick. Talking to a buddy a few days later, he was telling me how his church friend was sold his Nitro super cheap just to get rid of it.... Turns out it was the same boat that I saw for sale. This Nitro is the first boat I've seen pop up in that kind of shape in the past year.

 

 

Point is - for $5k you can find a nice used boat, but #1 it will be an older model or a nice jon configuration and #2 they don't pop up often, you have to be on your A game to find one.... or just lucky.

[Bluebasser86]

You're not going to be able to get much other than a really small, entry level aluminum boat for even 15K, but you can get a really nice used boat for that much. I bought my 2012 Stratos 189VLO with a 150 Pro XS for just a little more than that. 

[slonezp]

You're not going to be able to get much other than a really small, entry level aluminum boat for even 15K, but you can get a really nice used boat for that much. I bought my 2012 Stratos 189VLO with a 150 Pro XS for just a little more than that. 

Not singling you out Why do so many insist an aluminum boat is entry level? For 12-14k, a 16ft modified v with a 40-60hp motor can be purchased. It would be a wheel steer, either side or center console and either carpeted or camo. Might have a little less storage, a little less hp, and a little less bells and whistles but it's hardly entry level.   

[LuckyGia]

Aluminum boats are considered inferior to fiberglass boats. Almost a quarter of the price, hence entry level.

I love reading about the deals people are finding. When I was looking last year, I couldn't find a decent glass boat for under 20k.

That is why I am riding aluminum

Me ? I will take a 5 year old aluminum boat over a 25 year old glass any day.

That is the question people need to ask them selves.

Do I want a newer boat and motor ?

Or do I want a antique boat and motor for 10 to 15k ?

The most expensive and important part is the outboard.

I'll take a nice minty 25 year old boat if it has a brand new motor mounted on her.

[Way2slow]

I agree, I would never consider an aluminum boat just an entry level boat. It's just a more economical boat. Not everyone has the funds or care to spend what it cost to haul and operate a large fiberglass boat. To safely tow anything over 17.5' in a glass boat, you pretty much need a full size truck. Then you have the fact that it takes a bigger motor to push the glass boat versus a similar size aluminum. This adds greatly to the cost to buy as well as the cost to operate.

Both boats have casting decks, TMs, live wells, storage areas, and will hold the same electronics. Granted, the ride will probably be better in the glass boat, but the fish ain't gonna know the difference.

Twice now I have bought aluminum boats trying to reduce my cost to fish, but both were too small for my likeings, a 15' and a 16', and will probably try another if a good deal comes up on a 17.5/18' with something like a 90 on it.

Where I prefer to fish is 90 miles, and that's also were most of mine and my wife's live. When we go, we have to go in my full size 4WD pickup that is for basically nothing but towing my 20' bass boat. When there we are doing a lot of running around also. I could tow the aluminum with my wife's HighLander at half the cost, my truck gets 13mpg, her Highlander gets 26.

[Master Bait'r]

I'd buy it flat out. You can get a darn nice boat for ~5k and not having a payment is like a luxury in and of itself.

[slonezp]

Aluminum boats are considered inferior to fiberglass boats. Almost a quarter of the price, hence entry level.

I got duped then. My Lund cost more than most similar glass boats.

[Fisher-O-men]

Get the used 5K.  Fixing stuff will make a man out of ya! 

[LuckyGia]

I got duped then. My Lund cost more than most similar glass boats.

Sometimes I don't make myself very clear.

I meant that the " Bass boat elite " consider the aluminum as inferior.

Not me, I also own a aluminum model as well.

Paid cash and that is the real reason.

I just didn't have 60k in my wallet.

[Fishing Rhino]

If aluminum is entry level, what does that make canoes, kayaks, and the small pontoon type plastic boats?

[slonezp]

Sometimes I don't make myself very clear.

I meant that the " Bass boat elite " consider the aluminum as inferior.

Not me, I also own a aluminum model as well.

Paid cash and that is the real reason.

I just didn't have 60k in my wallet.

Your clear I'm just an azz

[slonezp]

If aluminum is entry level, what does that make canoes, kayaks, and the small pontoon type plastic boats?

Childlike

[LuckyGia]

I got duped then. My Lund cost more than most similar glass boats.

You got a LUND aye.

LUND is a good boat aye

[slonezp]

You got a LUND aye.

LUND is a good boat aye

[S Hovanec]

Please tell Lund that their aluminum boats are entry level so they'll lower the prices and I can upgrade from my 17' entry level Lund.

[LuckyGia]

Sweet boat my man.

[Bluebasser86]

Not singling you out Why do so many insist an aluminum boat is entry level? For 12-14k, a 16ft modified v with a 40-60hp motor can be purchased. It would be a wheel steer, either side or center console and either carpeted or camo. Might have a little less storage, a little less hp, and a little less bells and whistles but it's hardly entry level.   

I'm not all all trying to imply that a boat is automatically entry level just because it's aluminum. That being said, being a bit smaller, having less storage, less hp, and less bells and whistles seems to me like it would make a boat more "entry level", regardless if it's a glass boat or something like a Z6 or 176VLO. There's plenty of guys out there that would consider my 189VLO "entry level" because it doesn't go 70mph, doesn't have a dash like a luxury car, only has 2 "tiny" 9" SI/DI/GPS units, and isn't 20+ feet long. My response was simply that, IMO, you're going to get a lot more boat, aluminum or glass, if you look used in the 12-15K range than what you're going to get new at the same price range.

 

Aluminum boats are considered inferior to fiberglass boats. Almost a quarter of the price, hence entry level.

 

Not at all true. The tin boat I was seriously considering getting before I found my Stratos was closer to 30K than it was 20k and was a smaller boat with a smaller motor. Like slonezp said, you get into the Lunds and other big water rigs and they'll run up in price right with the fanciest glitter sled out there. 

[S Hovanec]

I'd take a 2075 Pro-V over a 621 Ranger any day of the week. Are there entry level tin boats? Yes, just like there are entry level glass. Every company makes them.

[FlipSide]

IMO neither of those. I would finance a good used boat for the 12-15k.

Aluminum or fiberglass your gonna get much more boat for the 12-15k being used. Just take your time and shop around

[thomas15]

I think I was in your situation this time last year. We had been mulling over getting a boat and my wife basically doesn't know anything about it so I could have made a great argument for something deluxe. But after giving the matter much thought and looking at many boats, I opted for buying a tinny outright. I paid cash and have had a few issues but nothing that has cost me out of picket. True I have put a few items on it (upgraded electronics for example), but not having any debt makes the ownership experience more enjoyable to me. In short my boat didn't kill our finances in any way.

 

My boat is a tad small but so is my home lake. It isn't the fastest boat on that lake but it for sure isn't the slowest. I see some really nice boats there, but I also see many modest rigs. I have towed more than one disabled boat to the ramp in only a year of ownership. As far as aluminum goes, I have no complaints. It is lighter than fiberglass and is quite durable. We have a 1/2 ton pick up 4WD to tow with but a large fiberglass boat would require getting a new tow vehicle which I don't want to do. I'm very certain that if in the future I decide to get a new boat, it will be another used tin. Compared to fishing on the bank, my tin is way cool.

[Master Bait'r]

If aluminum is entry level, what does that make canoes, kayaks, and the small pontoon type plastic boats?

Completely under the radar... Right where I like to be