Looking for aluminum boat advise

Boggsjp

Button Buck
Thinking hard about getting an 1860 in the new year. Looking mostly at the grizzly and alumaweld’s. Any experience with these or more would be great,y appreciated. I’m also not sold on any particular outboard brand and still need to decide between 60, 75, and 90.

Any and all input welcome.

Context- family of 4 (2 littles and we parents). Mostly fishing lakes but will get to the salt 5-6 times per year for shallow water reds.

Thanks in advance!


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dc bigdaddy

dc bigdaddy

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Get all you can afford. That 18 footer will get small with 4 people. Get as much motor as it is rated for. It has a throttle.

Brands, They're aluminum, but Lowe, Xpress, Alumacraft, G3, all about the same.

SeaArk, appears to be in a different class by its self.

I have the Xpress with a Yamaha, I'll go back to Suzuki next time.

Get what you want, not what a bunch of forum guys tell ya.
 
dc bigdaddy

dc bigdaddy

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Also, you have kids, don't get the regular green or camo paint. They get hot, I mean hot to the touch that will burn. Get a white finish of some sort
 
Mr.Gadget

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Like others have said... SeaArk!

You can order and spec the boat to the color, floor, extras.....

If it is a fishing and family boat, get the lighter color. I really like the sharkskin color paint.
Also floor go with tread plate no matter what slick floor the paint tends to come off fast and they are very slick.

I have a 20' Seaark VFX that was custom ordered and has a few items that are not normal set up.
Also just placed an order for a other that is a 1648 open. Also has a few extras. Some of the dealers did not know you could order them like I did with those extras. Seaark changes stuff like that all the time.

I would not buy a Lowe. May have had problems with them and several I know were buy backs.
Just go look at Cabelas. I orderd a boat in he 2016 time frame. It showed up leaking, crack welds from shipping and problems with the way it was built.
They did a 100% buy back and still last time I checked have it on their lot for sale.
It look like a used boat when I got it and needed a bunch of fixes. They added some metal to the bottom to fix it and still was not riding like it should.
Alumiacraft has always been good but they just changed ownership or something.
Remember that the place down at the coast had problems and AKMcallam stopped selling them for some time.

If you spend the money to get what you want and like from Seaark you will be happy for years.
 

StumpJumper

Button Buck
Hi, I have owned a alumicraft and an xpress boat. I still have my xpress. I will tell you alumicraft isn’t nearly the quality of xpress. Don’t buy riveted boat. All welded. I used to fish a lot of tournaments in Texas. I had really good days if the bite was shallow, I could get to spots fiberglass boats wouldn’t go. Xpress boats are TOUGH as nails. But aluminum tends to get blown around more. Get a good trolling motor, problem solved. I hope this helps you. Good luck hope this helps you.

-Bob
 

Boggsjp

Button Buck
Thanks for all of the input! I ended up getting a killer deal in a 14’ deep v from my neighbor to scratch the itch until I can afford to go all out on a more family/big lake friendly boat.

Took it out this past week for a test run and I’m pretty impressed so far. No leaks and runs like a champ. Not exactly my dream boat but it’ll do for now.


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DRS

Old Mossy Horns
I have an 2001 Express it has been through hell and back. It is a tunnel hull and I run the Tar River. The Tar can be tuff on a boat and outboard. Think they went to a thinner hull now but still comparable and are tough boats. I liked how the ribs were designed. I even threw mine in the road once, some how both transoms tie downs came loose at the same time. Hooks and eyebolts. Still didn't and don't leak. Should have bought lottery tickets, I guess. Suzuki would be my choice of outboard. 1860 at least a 75 HP or you are going to be way underpowered. Can't go wrong with a Sea Ark.
 
Mr.Gadget

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I will say something for people looking boats now.
Motors are hard to come by. Many big catfish boats setting new on lots with no motors.
There is a big backlog for anythig to mount on a boat. The factory installed motors are gone for many big lines.
 
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