fishing boats Aluminum Vs Fiberglass For Beginners

[ATA]

Guys I decide to start this topic because it was my question since day first when I think about getting a boat. Ive ride Both Fiberglass and aluminum, Bass and multi fish boats.

First let me tell you who wins, The Fiberglass is the winner. I know the aluminum boats are cheaper in Gas(for the boat and vehicle you towing it with) and they cheaper in price, If you planing to fish once a month in small lake/pond and you can pick a date with no wind at all then you are welcome to buy aluminum boat, Otherwise I strongly suggest to get a fiberglass boat.

You want best tool for the job.Boat you want to enjoy fishing ON WATER not on the road, I dont care what Aluminum boat you are talking about< I personally love the Xpress boats they are the best aluminum boat yet, But still I would go with fiberglass because I want to be safe on the water and enjoy the fishing and I dont mind pay for that. We talking about days and days on water that this decision can change your exprince from a crap to best fishing day of your life.

Guys sorry for the spelling and grammar, I am still shaking from my Deep V aluminum boat ride yesterday ??? 

[cyclops2]

Still use my Aluminum super shallow draft 1984 Lowe 16'  for weed area, fresh water bays.  I DO cross safely in 8" of water a couple of times a day.  They are in there.  Bought it new.  I do go anywhere with motor up & using the oars.  See you later.   

 

My 2002  Chaparral plastic SSI 186 and 305 V8   with 32" of water needed ?   ?

[A-Jay]

@ATA

I have no problem completely disagreeing with just about all of that.

Operating any rig safely will ALWAYS come down to the decisions, abilities & experience of the operator.  Regardless of the boats hull material.

A-Jay

[WRB]

Big water following sea or down swell is always a little drier ride. Good video AJay.

Aluminum vs Fiberglass bass boats comes down to where and how you fish. Small lakes a smaller boat is OK as line bag as you use common sense.

Castiac is a small lake that often kicks up 3” white caps with the wind pushing waves onto the boat ramp, no fun trying to trailer the boat. 14’ aluminum or Fiberglass bass boat under calm conditions is perfectly safe, under 3’ white caps can be dangerous.

Todays aluminum bass boats like AJays or high end Vexus are very stable fishing platforms.

I prefer a Fiberglass bass boat vs aluminum and owned both at the same time. The aluminum was used on all the local lakes including lakes without launch ramps. Advantage was no worries damaging the hull with rocking shoreline if I wanted beach the boat. My Fiberglass boats were tournament rigged fast boat that could handle big lakes and provide a stable fishing platform in rough water.

Beginner boater I would suggest a safe boat where you fish, speed comes with skill.

Tom

 

 

 

[Deleted account]

Tis a poor Captain that blames his boat...

[GaryH]

I’m in the fiberglass corner but there’s times I wish I had a smaller aluminum boat for the smaller electric only waters I fish. With that being said if your skill is at @A-Jay level then a  a aluminum boat is good all around. But when in big rough waters I’m glad for my 21’ glass.

[ATA]

Yes guys, I am talking beginners, Also I said myself if it fits your lake and fishing style, They are the best. But for someone that visit every lake and every condition, I dont suggest that. Guys I was against 4' what with 17" deep V and I made it and give a boat back to its owner with no sct=ratch by the end of the day. But it took me more than hour for my 18 miles run to the dock.

So she I said beginners, I really meant it. Ive see people like @A-Jay and @WRB or other pros that killin it with aluminum boats, But look, They are Pros and they have seen a lot. I wish one day I can learn and have exprience like them, But till then I would and suggest for Beginners to get a fiberglass boat if they think they going to face  big water in big lakes.

[Deleted account]

3 minutes ago, ATA said:

Yes guys, I am talking beginners, Also I said myself if it fits your lake and fishing style, They are the best. But for someone that visit every lake and every condition, I dont suggest that. Guys I was against 4' what with 17" deep V and I made it and give a boat back to its owner with no sct=ratch by the end of the day. But it took me more than hour for my 18 miles run to the dock.

So she I said beginners, I really meant it. Ive see people like @A-Jay and @WRB or other pros that killin it with aluminum boats, But look, They are Pros and they have seen a lot. I wish one day I can learn and have exprience like them, But till then I would and suggest for Beginners to get a fiberglass boat if they think they going to face  big water in big lakes.

Bass boats of any material aren't really designed to handle rough seas, sure the larger heavier ones will do ok in the hands of an experienced operator, but 4' tight chop is not a place for them, particularly when we are talking going out for fun. 

Why would you go out in 4 footers in a 17' boat in a recreational situation? Not smart.

[A-Jay]

4 minutes ago, ATA said:

Yes guys, I am talking beginners, Also I said myself if it fits your lake and fishing style, They are the best. But for someone that visit every lake and every condition, I dont suggest that. Guys I was against 4' what with 17" deep V and I made it and give a boat back to its owner with no sct=ratch by the end of the day. But it took me more than hour for my 18 miles run to the dock.

So she I said beginners, I really meant it. Ive see people like @A-Jay and @WRB or other pros that killin it with aluminum boats, But look, They are Pros and they have seen a lot. I wish one day I can learn and have exprience like them, But till then I would and suggest for Beginners to get a fiberglass boat if they think they going to face  big water in big lakes.

Sometimes that's what the conditions call for - slow & steady.

Perhaps you shouldn't have gone out, left earlier or launched from a different location, if available.

Thinking you are going to rocketing through the waves at break neck speed every trip out,

because you have a fiberglass hull, is a sure sign of inexperience. 

 

In the video I posted, if the weather had been on my stern on the way out

and on my bow on the way back, instead of the reverse, I WOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT.

Wind & waves build all day and the bigger the fetch the worse it can get. 

Vessel limitations ALWAYS trumps operator abilities or experience.

I have driven over an hour to a lake, only to turn around and go home, never launching, because the conditions were beyond what was safe. 

Don't end up in a dirty black bag.

A-Jay

 

 

[gim]

I’ve never owned a fiberglass boat and probably never will. It’s just not practical for me. I primarily fish smaller to mid size lakes once or twice a week. I would never even consider going out in 4 footers with the current 18 foot aluminum mod v bass that I have.

 

My parents almost exclusively fish walleyes on big lakes and they have to have a 21 foot deep V fiberglass boat in order to participate in tournaments. Smaller aluminum boats would get swamped.

[813basstard]

Vexus sit higher in the water than any fiberglass boat I’ve seen.  Best riding bass boat I’ve ever been in. 
 

Just like AJ said, there are times you need to be careful and times you need to leave the boat on the trailer 

[Dwight Hottle]

Be careful with what you say. This boat saw & survived a lot bigger waves than 4' on Lake Erie. I use to laugh at the fiberglass bass boats on the lake because they didn't have the same deadrise or built in safety that I did. Safest 20 foot I ever rode in. 

 

 

 

  

[Catt]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Thinking you are going to rocketing through the waves at break neck speed every trip out,

because you have a fiberglass hull, is a sure sign of inexperience.

 

Every year guys from all over the nation come down here thinking they can handle Toledo Bend. What they don't realize is we have boat lanes that you must stay in or risk hitting stumps. 

 

Understand your limitations as well as your boats.

[Chris Catignani]

I have a Triton(TN) 176 Magnum(aluminum) Earl Bentz design performance hull and it weighs 1400lbs. Longitude and latitude stringers...a total beast. The TR175 (glass) weighs 1200lbs.

The only real problem I have with aluminum is that it can get hot on a summer day.

[NoShoes]

33 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Every year guys from all over the nation come down here thinking they can handle Toledo Bend. What they don't realize is we have boat lanes that you must stay in or risk hitting stumps. 

 

Understand your limitations as well as your boats.

i have santee cooper within driving distance from me that’s notorious for the stumps sometimes even in the boat lanes. Pro guy took the foot of his motor off hitting a chimney in 15 foot of water not long ago. 
 

 

I’ve never gone because of its reputation. What’s the protocol?  Run the big motor in the lanes and use the trolling motor outside of it?

[Chris Catignani]

25 minutes ago, NoShoes said:

Run the big motor in the lanes and use the trolling motor outside of it?

Use your topo map...and run where its deep. You can always follow the old river and creek channels.

[Catt]

12 hours ago, NoShoes said:

Run the big motor in the lanes and use the trolling motor outside of it?

 

Idle speed when outside the boat lanes. 

 

The deal with boat lanes is they don't run north & south or east & west but rather every coorandent on a compass. This makes it impossible to run waves at the proper angle. 

 

I think it's first driver & then a combination of all three in the proper proportion; length, width, & horse power.

I have a friend who has a Champion Mean 16, it's only 16' in lenght but it's has a 90" beam & coupled with a 115 HP Merc you feel completely safe in any water.

[cyclops2]

Weight can be more important than hull material.  a 20"  glass is a LOT heavier than a Aluminum boat same shapes.     SOOOO

 

  The lighter boat is ALWAYS SAFER in equal waves.  Aluminum goes over waves. Glass goes THRU waves.

Been there in both types. 

Glass cracks open on rocks.  Aluminum bends inward with no leaks.

 

So that was easy to settle.     

[gm4511]

On 3/27/2022 at 2:57 PM, Deleted account said:

Tis a poor Captain that blames his boat...

 

Absolutely, the Captain is responsible for the safety of their boat.  Fiberglass boats are not inherently safer than aluminum.  

[cyclops2]

You do not want to EVER BE on a glass boat that starts burning........ Any smoke will destroy the healthy life /  body you had.  There are NO healthy burning plastic / glass boats.  Check with any Pulmonary /  lung specialist.  1 of the reasons that made me selling off the very beautiful Chaparral 186 SSI with a 305 V 8 engine.   I have adjusted nicely to the Aluminum.

[WRB]

1 hour ago, cyclops2 said:

You do not want to EVER BE on a glass boat that starts burning........ Any smoke will destroy the healthy life /  body you had.  There are NO healthy burning plastic / glass boats.  Check with any Pulmonary /  lung specialist.  1 of the reasons that made me selling off the very beautiful Chaparral 186 SSI with a 305 V 8 engine.   I have adjusted nicely to the Aluminum.

It stops burning when the hull burns down to the water line ?

[cyclops2]

Taps  Taps     ?

[Goldstar225]

My tin boat serves my purpose and where I fish.  I'll acknowledge the superiority of glass boats in many or most circumstances but I'm not going out in 3'-4' waves even in a glass boat. I'll keep my happy butt on shore and fish another day.

[Bdnoble84]

This does not apply to people like that fish shallow rocky rivers like I do. I know guys in my area that have bought fiberglass and then never take them out because they are scared of damaging the hull on a rock, or if they do they severely limit where they fish because they dont want to take a chance of hitting that boulder 6” in below the surface you cant see. And these are the places that hold the bass and walleye on my river. You just can’t navigate skinny water effectively. Yes you still need to be careful and know where the channel is. If im unsure you wont see me on plane. I’ve seen guys do really stupid things like go full bore in a speedboat accross a riffle i know is only inches deep. But rivers are ever changing and even knowing a river and being cautious, you still risk hitting something. Thats why its a very good idea to carry extra sheer pins and a prop regardless of the boat hull material.

[S Hovanec]

Spend a day fishing here then report back how superior glass is to aluminum.