Glass boats and wind vs aluminum

[Functional]

Life things changed, I'm able to fish more and enjoy it more (thank you modern medicine). I know I asked about peddle kayak vs a boat a few months ago but the seasons of life are tempting me towards a slightly more refined/bigger boat. Unless a killer deal comes around I likely wouldnt make a move for a few months if not the end of the year. Just trying to get my information in order and target my searches more. 

 

My question is for those who have fished out of glass and alumimum bass boats (for reference im currently in a 2013 Tracker 175 txw) how was the experience when dealing with wind. I feel like my Tracker gets blown around fairly easily when trolling around and it seems like the glass boats I see dont get effected as much if at all. Will the glass always be less effected vs an equal size alumimum? Does a 19/20/21 ft aluminum not really have this same issue? Do specific brands of boat (glass or alum) handle this issue better than the other?

 

If what I'm thinking is right, is it because a fiberglass has more draft and therefore more drag in the water to be effected less? 

[casts_by_fly]

and fiberglass is heavier.  It simply takes more force to get it moving.  A higher freeboard on most aluminums provide more surface area for the 'sail' and a lighter boat allows move acceleration for a given wind.

 

Do you keep your big motor trimmed down while on the trolling motor?  That's a big difference if you don't already.  

[Captain Phil]

Aluminum boats are lighter than fiberglass boats, thus they are affected more by wind.  The higher the sides, the more wind can push them around.  I'm 76 years old and in good health.  Two years ago, I had major back surgery that severely limits what I can do.   Launching and operating a fiberglass bass boat is out of the question.  I sold my Skeeter and bought a 17' Ranger RT178.  My previous experience with aluminum boats was less than optimal.  They seemed somewhat clunky and rough riding.  My little Ranger is a completely different experience.  It rides like a much bigger boat, the floor doesn't flex and the quality and construction are top notch.  The sides are low and I have no problems with the wind.  I have a 24 volt Minn Kota on this boat and it's more than adequate.  My 75 4 stroke Merc pushes the boat to just under 40 mph.  Take a look at the Ranger and I think you will be impressed.

[gim]

6 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

and fiberglass is heavier.  It simply takes more force to get it moving.  A higher freeboard on most aluminums provide more surface area for the 'sail' and a lighter boat allows move acceleration for a given wind.

 

Heavier also requires more power to move, both with the outboard and being pulled on a trailer, thus using more gasoline in both instances.

 

Prior to owning my own boat in 2015, I always fished out of aluminum or fiberglass deep V "walleye" boats growing up.  They are just more popular up here in the north than bass style boats.  The higher gunnels catch a lot more wind, that is for darn sure.  Every once in a while I go back into my parent's boat and the difference is quite noticeable.  Those higher sides are like sails and a gust of wind sends them off course more than a low-riding bass boat.

[casts_by_fly]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

 

Heavier also requires more power to move, both with the outboard and being pulled on a trailer, thus using more gasoline in both instances.

 

Prior to owning my own boat in 2015, I always fished out of aluminum or fiberglass deep V "walleye" boats growing up.  They are just more popular up here in the north than bass style boats.  The higher gunnels catch a lot more wind, that is for darn sure.  Every once in a while I got back into my parent's boat and the difference is quite noticeable.

 

Yup.  That's the tradeoff.  

[gim]

2 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Yup.  That's the tradeoff.  

The really nice tradeoff with a fiberglass boat comes when it gets a little rougher out.  They slice through the waves so much better than an aluminum boat.  You don't bounce around nearly as much when there's waves to drive through in a fiberglass boat.

[Deleted account]

22 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

and fiberglass is heavier. 

 

This ^.  All else being equal (it never is) a heavier boat will perform better in adverse conditions like wind, chop, and current. The trade off is higher required power, and greater draft.

[Catt]

29 minutes ago, gimruis said:

The really nice tradeoff with a fiberglass boat comes when it gets a little rougher out.  They slice through the waves so much better than an aluminum boat.  You don't bounce around nearly as much when there's waves to drive through in a fiberglass boat.

 

Have you fished out of an Xpress, Ranger, or Vexus?

 

Most aluminum bass boats are nothing more than a glorified Jon boats. 

 

You're gonna have to look at shape of the bottom on aluminum bass boats. Xpress, Ranger, & Vexus have a full pad hull, not a modify vee bottom.

 

I would also suggest talking to some of our northern friends about Lund & those type boats.

 

Compare boats not just hull material.

 

[gim]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

 

Have you fished out of an Xpress, Ranger, or Vexus?

 

Most aluminum bass boats are nothing more than a glorified Jon boats. 

 

You're gonna have to look at shape of the bottom on aluminum bass boats. Xpress, Ranger, & Vexus have a full pad hull, not a modify vee bottom.

 

I would also suggest talking to some of our northern friends about Lund & those type boats.

 

Compare boats not just hull material.

 

 

I have a Ranger.  Its an RT178 so it has a mod V aluminum hull.  Its not great in choppy water.  I didn't really buy it for that purpose though, as most of my fishing is on small to medium sized lakes that generally don't get very rough.

 

I think Ranger introduced a RT188 with pad hull so that may the model you're referring to.

 

The comparable version in the Lund lineup is the Renegade.  It also had a mod V hull so I'm guessing the ride would be similar.  Stepping up to something like a Pro-V Bass I'm sure would make a considerable difference, but at about twice the cost.

 

The fiberglass boat I generally get to fish out of is a Warrior 2090 Pro Tiller.  Its a 21 foot deep V fiberglass tournament walleye boat that my parents own.  They almost exclusively fish big water in competition with it.  They head out in waves I wouldn't even consider going out in with my mod V bass boat.

 

I do agree that comparing boats solely based on the material made is not a good way to do it.  Hull design and even whether the boat is welded or riveted could play a role.  I was only generalizing that fiberglass is heavier than aluminum, and what advantages or disadvantages often come with each.

[Dwight Hottle]

Glass boats are generally heavier than aluminim but there are exceptions. My last boat a Starcraft STX 2050 weighed more than a 20 foot ranger bass boat. Almost all aluminum have historically had more dead rise angle & higher gunnels or sides which make them sit up in the water column compared to your average glass bass boat. Also most alm boats are multispecies boats rather than pure bass boats which contributes to their sail effect in the wind. 

 

 

[GaryH]

As already stated the weight and lower freeboard will make the glass boat less vulnerable to the wind. But the top brand aluminum boats are stable also. A lot depends on what kind of water you primarily fish. If you’re fishing big water I would go with either a glass boat or a high end aluminum with a pad hull. 

[Bird]

My buddy has a 19ft glass boat and mine a 17 1/2 mod v aluminum.

His boat is quite a bit heavier, less effected by wind and much quieter in chop.

 

My only complaint with the aluminum boat so far is when I'm in stealth mode trying to sneak up on a hot spot in a chop.

The slap is similar to a drum and makes me wonder how much of this is being transmitted to the fish. Idk

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I forgot how big of a luxury having a low profile heavy glass Bass boat vs. an AI one was until I fished out of one for a day a couple weeks ago.

 

I thought I was going to miss the awesome casting deck and front control foot control TM......but it was the weight of the glass boat that made for such a user friendly fishing experience.   

 

Very timely thread.    Been thinking of buying a restored 17" Tracker, but the glass aspect really gave me pause.   I really want that weight and low sitting profile.  

[Susky River Rat]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

You're gonna have to look at shape of the bottom on aluminum bass boats. Xpress, Ranger, & Vexus have a full pad hull, not a modify vee bottom.

No they are most definitely a mod V. They may towards the back be completely flat but have a slight V in the front over your typical flat bottom jon.  That’s what makes it a mod V not a full V. A flat bottom jon is flat from bow to stern. There is not a V at all in it anywhere. 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Darnold335 said:

No they are most definitely a mod V

 

Uhh no they ain't ?

 

At least not the Xpress's Hyper Lift hulls or Vexus's AVX1880-1980-2080.

[Functional]

yea those vexus 1880+ hulls are WAY different than the pad hulls of ranger or any normal tin boat like my tacker or normal ranger. Express 18/19 and Vexus 1880/1980 were top of my list if I was to go back with a Tin boat. 

 

I'm less concerned about operating costs (fuel to drive/trailer) so we can disregard that. 

 

The lakes I fish arent huge, 20K acers is my local max and the rest are more 4-12k ballpark. Will have the occasional visit to some of the larger more "famous" lakes maybe once or twice a year. Home lakes dont get nuts, I'd say the biggest chop comes from the wake boats and I certainly get beat up in my Tracker, theres no WOT during the weekend when making runs. 

 

I do keep my OB down until I get into skinny waters and understand with that comes more drift but its certainly excessive in my opinion. Front included, if I'm off the TM for more than a few seconds I'm getting blown into my fishing area or objects. I understand boat position is a big part of fishing but its hard when 75% of your concentration is making sure you arent blown too far off track. I'd intended to do power poles until I learned tracker doesnt support that for the transom. While I believe my hull warranty is out (need to read up more) I'm not willing to take that risk and have to pay for a transom fix when I could have gotten a more appropriate boat with that money.

 

Are there any particular brands that have a design that drifts less in the glass world? Guessing by the replies the larger  of heavier of equal size will have the least but My tracker is the fanciest boat I've ever fished out of so I have no clue with these glass boats. 

[TOXIC]

Don’t forget that now a lot of the major brands are offering aluminum boats shaped and designed like full blown glass bass boats. As a rule there are 3 categories of aluminum in my book, the smaller tracker style made by Ranger/triton, etc., the multi species deep V’s and the big bass boat style. 

[WIGuide]

Generally a fiberglass boats will be less affected by wind, but it does still affect them. I feel like the design and how they sit in the water has more effect on drifting than actual weight. The weight difference between fiberglass and aluminum really isn't as big as everyone seems to make it out to be. I think a lot of it started because the design of the boats were so different. Many of the mod-v aluminum boats were nowhere near the width of the fiberglass boats, they didn't have full front decks, and a lot of other additions that add weight. As the aluminum boats have grown, they've also grown closer and closer in weight. If building one of similar shape and specs you can see from Lund Pro-V Bass and Ranger Z518C are pretty close to the same weight, not enough that you would notice pulling them with a vehicle. Same when it comes to drifting, if you're in a tin boat and it's drifting, my first thought isn't "if I put another person in the boat it certainly wouldn't be blown around as much" because that's about the weight difference we're talking about. You can see from below, how a few popular models stack up to one another regardless of hull design.  (Not 100% confident on the listed Tracker weigh, they have the hull listed as the exact same weight as the PT175 despite being a foot longer and the same width)

 

 

As I stated before, I think more of the drifting has to do with how the boats sit in the water. If you compare these three you can see even though the depth of these boat are similar, the Tracker's front end sits up a lot higher out of the water. When the wind catches the side it's more likely to move the lighter end of the boat causing control issues.

 

[Goldstar225]

My tracker PT190 definitely sits bow high so it catches the wind.  Having an Ultrex and choosing to not fish in high wind conditions though makes it a non-issue for me.

[airshot]

Everything posted on here is true, been a boat owner for over 60 years, owned wood, glass and aluminum hulls. About 25 years back we hit a submerged steel barrel at about 35 mph, the whole bottom of my aluminum Starcraft pushed up about 2-3 ft but never leaked a drop, made it back to the ramp but had a tough time getting it on the trailer.  Sort of tied it in place to get it home.  When the insurance adjuster showed up he stated " be glad you were in an aluminum boat". Had it veen a glass boat, it would have shattered on impact and sunk like a rock.  In his 20 years of boat claims he has never saw a glass boat that could have with stood that impact and still float !!

Now...I hope nothing like that ever happens again, but I do know, I will never own another glass boat just for that reason!!  Just food for thought...glass boats can be awesome, beautifull paint jobs, ride nice in chop, solid in the wind, confortable to ride in....but...when in a serious accident....your call.  

[ATA]

I opened same topic before and I got really good feedbacks and comments from boat owners. But at the end youll decide depending on your money and how much boat you can get from your money. Since I had so much difficulty for covid and no income I didnt buy anything yet but I got me a float tube haha... Soon when everything is fine I am going to buy a cheap fiberglass boat to learn to be an owner, and hopefully after couple years I want to get a bass cat that I really like.

[Catt]

@WIGuide

Xpress X19 Pro

Length 19'

Bottom width 67"

Beam 95"

Weight 1390 lbs

Xpress X18

Length 18'

Bottom width 67"

Beam 95"

Weight 1187 lbs

Vexus AVX1880

Length 18' 10"

Beam 95"

 

Vexus doesn't list bottom with or weight.

[Woody B]

I've got a friend who had a Ranger RT188.  He sold it and got a Vexus 1980.  He loved the Ranger but says the difference is night and day.   The Vexus is a foot longer too though.  

 

Added:  My little Tracker (Classic XL) does everything I need it to do.  Had I known everything I know now when I bought it I would have gotten a boat with a little wider beam.  I fish by myself most of the time.  When I have other with me it get's crowded.   I choose not to go out last Saturday with 55 mph wind gusts.  I wouldn't have went out then with a Z521C Ranger either.   

 

For my use I wouldn't consider a fiberglass boat.  

[Fishin Dad]

I used to have an 18’ Alumacraft Competitor with a windshield and a little higher sides.  That thing would blow around in the wind like crazy.  It drove me nuts.  I now have a Lund Pro V bass XS .   Both are aluminum, but NOT the same at all.   The pro V bass does not get affected by the wind even close to the same.  The lower sides, no windshield, and heavier boat make a big difference.  It is still not quite a glass boat, but a very good trade off.  I have a family and the XS layout sold me on a bass boat with 4 seats.  I really enjoyed it last year.  This will be my 2nd year with it.  

[Functional]

Well I think I've narrowed down my aluminum option at least. Decided if I'm sticking AL I want shallow anchors to take care of some of my drift issues. I also agree with them being less fragile IF I hit something,  always been a nice comfort in my tracker. 

 

Crestliner MX: love the huge casting deck, live well, bilge size/ access and weight rivals the glass boats at the same size. Wanted a layout with rod storage on port and/or starboard instead of center. I'll be in and out of tackle more than rod lockers in any given trip and the size of the deck I could keep nearly all my rods out and still have room. 

 

 

Still eyeing glass though. Might just be they look more sleek but I'm always drawn to them. In general though I've looked at thousands of pictures and reviews and they all do sit lower in the front which should help. I also see they have wider decks up front than AL (aside from crestliner) and feeling a little cramped on my tracker that's something I do want in my next boat. I think it will come down to what boat has the best price and meets the most criteria. 

 

- decent bilge access with room for at least 4 batteries

-rod storage not in center

- decent sized live well for 2 anglers

-max hp for the boat (prefer merc or yamaha)

-prefer 18/19ft but would consider a 20' for the right deal. 

- drainage in the compartments if water gets in. (I think vexus or xpress had none and was an issue for someone) 

- not majority red color.... this one is just personal lol. 

 

 

Edit: the falcon f185/195 is on the short list. Really nice laid out boat and some of the best rear access I've seen. Easily fit 4 batteries.