Aluminum boat vs Fiberglass

[bryand82487]

What are you guys opinions on fiberglass boats such as Tritons, Rangers, Nitros, etc. vs a 17 or 18 ft. aluminum triton, tracker,grizzly, war eagle boat, not a bass tracker, more than likely a duck boat packaged out for fishing. I feel like a fiberglass boat would start to look older faster and would probably not last near as long for me. I fish lakes and rivers mainly but go up in creeks also. I'd like to eventually start getting involved in local tournaments also. Do the guys with the nice fiberglass boats go up into the banks and get their lures or do they just break the line. I guess I think I would enjoy fishing out of a fiberglass boat more in the beginning and utilize all the storage a fiberglass bass boat has and would love getting around to different areas much faster with a 150-200hp engine vs a 75 but am afraid I will tear it up and 5 years from now and aluminum boat would still be in much better shape with less upkeep. What are you guys thoughts and opinions on this that have had both or had to make this decision also.

[Catt]

There is only one name in aluminum bass boats that compares to glass XPRESS

Fiberglass boats will hold up better than you believe if you take care if it off the water, I own a '96 Stratos that has given me no real problems after use in salt & fresh water.

[done]

This could turn into a religious war. LOL. Really, it goes down to what you like, what cash you have, and other variables.

I went Aluminum (Tracker Proteam 175 txw) for a few reasons.

1. Price...the tracker was in my price range. I really want a boat new. I plan n owning it for a LONG time and I want to be the guy doing the maintenance.

2. Weight...I wanted a lighter boat I could tow with smaller vehicles without issue.

3. Hull... I did not want to worry about messing the gelcoat. I learned from my jon I can be abusive (not deliberately). Good example out yesterday ran it slowly over sandbar, brush pile, and some other things. I also have 4 kids and they like me to take them out and beach it so they can jump out on some of the islands in the lake. I can also patch aluminum myself, which is a plus.

4. Fuel efficiency...this goes to the weight, I can fly with a 60 hp OB, and I use a lot less gas than a similarly sized glass would use to get to that speed.

For that, I had to trade off on being a kite on a windy day, some of the glass boats got some SWEET designs I really like, which I could not consider.

As for longevity, there are some guys on here posting about glass boats they have from the 80's and 90's my bud has a trihull from the 70's. Like a lot of things they will last if you take care of them.

[Fishbone]

You didn't list G3. Aren't they a highly thought of alum boat?

[Bassn Blvd]

This could turn into a religious war. LOL. Really, it goes down to what you like, what cash you have, and other variables.

I went Aluminum (Tracker Proteam 175 txw) for a few reasons.

1. Price...the tracker was in my price range. I really want a boat new. I plan n owning it for a LONG time and I want to be the guy doing the maintenance.

2. Weight...I wanted a lighter boat I could tow with smaller vehicles without issue.

3. Hull... I did not want to worry about messing the gelcoat. I learned from my jon I can be abusive (not deliberately). Good example out yesterday ran it slowly over sandbar, brush pile, and some other things. I also have 4 kids and they like me to take them out and beach it so they can jump out on some of the islands in the lake. I can also patch aluminum myself, which is a plus.

4. Fuel efficiency...this goes to the weight, I can fly with a 60 hp OB, and I use a lot less gas than a similarly sized glass would use to get to that speed.

For that, I had to trade off on being a kite on a windy day, some of the glass boats got some SWEET designs I really like, which I could not consider.

As for longevity, there are some guys on here posting about glass boats they have from the 80's and 90's my bud has a trihull from the 70's. Like a lot of things they will last if you take care of them.

X2

I've owned both and currently have the 19' Tracker.  My biggest issues are the WIND.  The boat is light and strong winds makes it like a kite. I couldn't beat the price though.  17,900 new with 90 optimax.  I find myself taking it in places where I wouldn't try taking a 40k rig.  I fish tourny's but not big, serious tourny's.  If I did, then I would be using glass with bigger fish boxes and a lot more motor.

[bass or bass ?]

My boat is a 1977 Glastron Sportster. Granted I've done a lot of work and upgrades, but the hull is all original.  8-)

[moloch16]

I've thought about this question a lot, and the others have nailed the pros and cons.  Weight and wind is the biggest factors.   How far do you tow and what is your tow vehicle.  Then consider where you fish, if there is lots and lots of wind you may get frustrated quickly in an aluminium boat because you'll be blown all over the place.  Then again, if you fish shallow water with lots of debri, aluminium has a shallower draft and can take a beating.  Really you have to think about what requirements you have for the boat, then you can decide which way to go.  It isn't eay, I think about it all the time - I plan to buy a "real" boat one day!

[bowfish12]

If you want to be able to duck hunt as well with it you need to get an aluminum. I have a 17 ft. lowe roughneck with a 50 on it and I fish tourneys out of it as well.

The only bad thing is you can't run as fast or as far as a glass boat, but you can get to places those boats can't.

[Jig Man]

There is only one name in aluminum bass boats that compares to glass XPRESS

Fiberglass boats will hold up better than you believe if you take care if it off the water, I own a '96 Stratos that has given me no real problems after use in salt & fresh water.

X2

[Hot Rod]

Another variable to add to the equation:  Boat Traffic

If you fish in a high traffic lake like I do most of the time you'll appreciate the added stability of a fiberglass boat when "surfing the wakes".  Now that said: i can't fish some of the smaller lakes as easily that I used to fish in my 14' aluminum.  Like everyone else stated: it really depends on where you fish, what you tow with and where you have to store it.

I would recommend any first time boat buyer to start out with something older and less expensive regardless of hull composition to "learn" on.  Then upgrade to new in a couple years if they want.  There is a learning curve.  Its nice to make your novice mistakes with a $1K boat rather than on a $10K+ boat.  Trust the voice of experience on that one.

[DawsonH]

You said you fish rivers and want to fish creeks: One word for that desire: Aluminum.

If you fish river and creek long enough you will hit something, its as simple as that. You can jump logs in aluminum if your careful, in fiberglass I wouldn't do it.

[urp]

As previously stated, its all in what you like. I've got a 17' 1988 Tracker. I like to go in the pucker brush and some of the shallow water--loaded with rock--that a glass boat wouldn't dare attempt. Here in Oregon we don't have some of the huge impoundments that other parts of the country enjoy so aluminum was a no-brainer.

[Jig Man]

Aluminum:  lighter weight, smaller engine can push, hard to position and keep in place in wind or current, most have a rough ride.

Fiberglass:  heavier, need more hp, lost easier to control, much smoother ride, lots more stable fishing platform.

That said if you buy aluminum and want to get as close to glass as possible in the ride, get an Xpress.  However, you will still have the unstable fishing platform, movement and control problems when the wind blows.

[bmadd]

I fish out of an aluminum boat. 17 ft lowe. I fish tournaments with it on KY lake and my top three cons with the aluminum boats are wind is your biggest enemy. Be prepared to stay on the trolling motor or learn to drift effectively. TWO is storage isn't always as good as it is on glass boats. THIRD but not last, if you fish tournaments around here in the summer, you'll want to check out the livewell systems on any aluminum boat you buy. Some are insulated, some aren't. Those that aren't will cook fish in the summertime. Be prepared to use lots and lots of ice. Also, mine didn't come with a recirculator.

What lakes do you normally fish?

[Strike King]

what about the Tracker Avalanche dc?

how do they stack up?

[Catt]

1996 Stratos 258V: Length: 15' 5, Beam: 74, Weight: 890 lbs

1996 70 hp Johnson weighs approximately 237 pounds.

I can go anywhere your aluminum can

[DawsonH]

What about through a log jam that rubs your boat, or over a shoal that is so shallow you have to get out and push?

[Catt]

Gel-coat on glass boats is harder then y'all think and will take quite a beating without damage.

That little Stratos has been all over Southwest Louisiana's coastal marshes sliding over oyster reefs as well as the stump laden lakes of Southeast Texas; after 13 years it has only one scratch through the gel-coat.

If I were afraid of scratching a boat I would not own it

[senile1]

Gel-coat on glass boats is harder then y'all think and will take quite a beating without damage.

That little Stratos has been all over Southwest Louisiana's coastal marshes sliding over oyster reefs as well as the stump laden lakes of Southeast Texas; after 13 years it has only one scratch through the gel-coat.

If I were afraid of scratching a boat I would not own it

Catt is absolutely correct. I have a 2000 19' 6" Stratos 295 Pro Elite with a 200 horse Evinrude. I fish a lake where 4150 of 7200 acres were left with standing timber when it was created in the late 1970s. Quite a bit of that timber has broken off just below the water. Since the lake is stained to muddy at times it is easy to miss one of these trees and go right over the top of it with the electric motor (I stay in the boat lanes when running the big motor). In fact, on occasion I get stuck on top of one of these and I have to swing the boat back and forth with the trolling motor to escape. I have scratches but my boat is solid as a rock. I can also take it into shallow water from 1 - 2 feet. My trolling motor hits bottom before my hull.

A bassboat is a tool to catch fish. If you try to avoid situations that might scratch it you will never realize the full potential of your boat.

[egolfer]

I fish out of a 16.5 G3 with a 40hp.  It runs 30mph which I find too slow.  I spend most of my time on the lower Potomac which can get very rough in the wind and with boat traffic.  However, for what it is I love it.  It has the most storage space out all other aluminums in it's size range.  The rod locker can hold up to 12 rods including 7' rods.  I am not sure if a tracker can hold a 6"6' rod.  I park it in a garage so I need to be able to push the trailer around a little too. 

That said, if I could afford a fiberglass and have some where to put I would go that route.  More space, speed, and doesn't get bullied by the wind.

[ww2farmer]

I fish out of a 16.5 G3 with a 40hp. It runs 30mph which I find too slow. I spend most of my time on the lower Potomac which can get very rough in the wind and with boat traffic. However, for what it is I love it. It has the most storage space out all other aluminums in it's size range. The rod locker can hold up to 12 rods including 7' rods. I am not sure if a tracker can hold a 6"6' rod. .

My 07' Tracker Pt170 will hold 7' rods just fine, and I have had up to 14 rods in the locker.

[fishfordollars]

I started with aluminum boats years ago. they were rough and wet. They make some great boats now. I had the pleasure of checking out the boat for Long Mike before he bought it several months ago. It is a great boat.

That being said I just could not go back from my glass boat. It will run anywhere an aluminum boat will, and will stand up to running over just about any stump you can find(Well you can punch any of them if you try). I've put it places that most would not believe and it's never had an issue. I've examined(Adjusted the claim) on three boats(Aluminum) that have been repaired due to holes punched in them this year alone. There are two at a shop here in Houston now waiting to be welded. I have not seen a glass boat in any of the three glass shops here in the last  12 months due to hull damage(Cracked or punched) that the owners said was caused by an underwater object. The ratio runs just about 10-1.

I did adjust a claim on a Nitro several weeks ago that had a hole punched in it. It was caused by a front bumper on an F250 that creamed it down on 45s between Houston and Galveston. LOL.

[done]

I fish out of a 16.5 G3 with a 40hp. It runs 30mph which I find too slow. I spend most of my time on the lower Potomac which can get very rough in the wind and with boat traffic. However, for what it is I love it. It has the most storage space out all other aluminums in it's size range. The rod locker can hold up to 12 rods including 7' rods. I am not sure if a tracker can hold a 6"6' rod. .

My 07' Tracker Pt170 will hold 7' rods just fine, and I have had up to 14 rods in the locker.

Yeah my 09 pt175 hold 7' rods as well.

[RoLo]

I've owned several fiberglass boats and several aluminum boats,

and love them both for different reasons.

Given adequate upkeep, both materials will likely outlast their owner.

Fiberglass gets scratched & gouged, while aluminum gets scratched & dented.

Unless your boat is 'pink', nobody really cares if it's immaculate

The preferred hull material rests solidly on your priority list of boat amenities.

For example, 'fuel economy' and a 'soft ride' make strange bedfellows.

Roger

[Bassnajr]

Fiberglass>>>>comfort, better ride>>>>>comfort.

Tin>>>>durability>>>>ability to get into areas a larger glass boat can't or won't (shallows, rocky areas, etc.) worse ride.