glass or aluminum

Have you looked at the Sylvan Vipers?

Your not gonna find a lot of options in the glass department for 20-30k, especially if you are looking for a bigger boat which I assume you are since you primarily fish Sak.  Aluminum boats have come a long way in the recent years but your still gonna get a smoother/dryer ride from glass.  I personally would stay away from the vipers but thats just my 2 cents.  I know a few guys who run stratos's and really like them.

I bought a new Stratos last year and in love with it. great boat for any water, river, small lake and big water. Everyone that I have spoken with since getting mine and I ran into 2 other Stratos owners this weekend are also in love with their boats. If you are around or close to the Jamestown area, glad to take ya out sometime and let ya come along for a spin or a day fishing from it. I have had this boat on Oahe and Sak with winds anywheres from 35 to 50 mph and it handles it great. I don't like those type of conditions but for tournies????? This weekend on Devils Lake my buddy and his Skeeter and me in my Stratos, we both determined I had the smoother and drier ride.

 
   If I had that kind of money I would 100% go for a big glass with a big 4 stroke to push it. Depends on the shape of the hull but basically fiberglass will cut waves off to the side and rides higher ... aluminum somewhat pushes/plows. We have a stratos with a v6 150 which maxes out at 56mph with 3 people. Nothing against aluminum though...probly a better choice in bigger rougher water then devils lake.

How about durability, can glass handle being run up on shore like aluminum?

I would use that 30,000 and look for a good used Ranger 620vs with a four stroke on the back. Buying a brand new boat off the floor you take a bigger hit then driving a brand new car off the show room floor. Many awesome Rangers for sale out there and you cannt beat those boats very nice ride and awesome to fish from

I run my glass on shore when we are on the river or at a beach party on some lakes, just like anyother boat, you should always try to avoid rocks but I have hit a few sandbars clipping alone at a pretty good clip doinked a tree pullin cranks and a buddy of mine while prefishing for the Big Muddy this spring beached his glass on a sandbar doing 35 mph  and did no damage. I would say they are durable. Also it was either at the Governors Cup in 2007 of one of the last Fall Classics out of Garrison if story is true, someone broke an aluminum boat and sunk it on a hard wave.

simmsjs Said:
Also it was either at the Governors Cup in 2007 of one of the last Fall Classics out of Garrison if story is true, someone broke an aluminum boat and sunk it on a hard wave.

I find this very hard to believe.

mod1220ga Said:

simmsjs Said:
Also it was either at the Governors Cup in 2007 of one of the last Fall Classics out of Garrison if story is true, someone broke an aluminum boat and sunk it on a hard wave.

I find this very hard to believe.

I heard the same, believe it was one of the Tracker stamped aluminum hulls.  Not a riveted hull.


When it comes to the glass vs. aluminum conversation it really is all about personal prefs and fishing style.  I drive aluminum because I grew up beaching boats on the shoreline of Sak all the time.  And those were gravel shorelines, not sand or mud.  I'd beach a glass boat on sand or mud but not gravel. 

BTW, I have NO complaints about the dryness of my Lund Fisherman.  She cuts waves fairly well (not quite as good as glass) but is not a wet ride by any stretch of the imagination.  And I know wet as my last boat was a Smokercraft.  Now that was a wet ride in any little chop.  This is an area which aluminum hulls have made a lot of progress.

I get a kick out of glass is drier, a couple years ago my wife and I were killing them on
Sak and my brother and another guy wanted to follow us , they had a 21 foot Ranger ,
it was very windy , probably 30 when we went out , by the time we hit the spot
to fish they were soaked , they stayed soaked all day long , my wife and I were dry .

It really all boils down to personal preference , everyone wants something different out
of a boat , thats why I have aluminum, but the dryness factor does not fly for me

I have a 1880wx skeeter water ready and fully loaded for sale if you want fiberglass, IT has the walk thru window you are looking for. I'm asking $29,000 for it give me a call if interested in it 701-240-7436

Goose you have a PM.

Pheasant 54 Said:
I get a kick out of glass is drier, a couple years ago my wife and I were killing them on
Sak and my brother and another guy wanted to follow us , they had a 21 foot Ranger ,
it was very windy , probably 30 when we went out , by the time we hit the spot
to fish they were soaked , they stayed soaked all day long , my wife and I were dry .

It really all boils down to personal preference , everyone wants something different out
of a boat , thats why I have aluminum, but the dryness factor does not fly for me

How wet you get regardless of boat depends on the driver, period!

I vote glass.  I have owned both.  Fished in both.

Running up on rocks?  I don't know about anyone else but I steered clear of both with my aluminum and my glass boat.  There is plenty of shore out there.  Now if we are talking little rubble or driveway style rock?  A glass or aluminum will be just fine.  A keel guard is a necessary thing for the glass boat.  With it, you can do whatever you want with it.  Again, I'd steer clear of rocks with any boat I owned.  They aren't cheap anymore and they sure as heck are not cheap to repair.

As for dryness, glass boats are drier boat in the overall.  As the previous poster said, I also get a kick out of the dry argument.  One day, I'd like to take the "driest" boat out there and take them down to Beulah Bay country.  We'll also invite three other of the "driest" boats.  We'll run side by side down the windy water and then stop to document the dryness.  Then we'll take a while to dry off.  After that, we'll run the waves an opposite way, and vice versa. 

Actually, I already know the outcome.  Everyone will be wet.  Where the test comes into play is who is not AS wet.  The ONLY way to do a "dryness test" is to have a controlled experiment.  In the real world, EVERYONE will get wet in their boat.  The ability of each boat when it comes to dryness will depend on design.  Those with the seats up toward the bow more are going to most likely be dryer.  But I can tell you this, better have a mouth guard.  The ride toward the bow is much rougher.  Those that have their seating toward the rear are most likely going to be wetter.  But their ride is going to be best.  Anyway, the whole point is there is no such thing as a dry boat.  There are boats that are going to get you wet by "bow spray", there are going to be boats that get you wet by actual waves coming over, and then there are going to be boats that it just doesn't matter, they are going to get you wet in both regards.

The whole thing with dryness is mute in my opinion.  Well, unless you get technical.  I still believe SOME glass boats offer a more dry ride given the circumstances.  But I'll never say my Warrior is dryer over the next because I bet you anything if you matched up another 17 foot glass boat against mine we both will get wet.  Dryness comes from the size and the layout of the boat.  Give me a 20 foot tiller boat and it will be dryer than my 17.  The differences in dryness come in how the wave is cut.  If the boat pushes the wave out and low (like many glass boats are designed to do) they will be fairly dry.  If the boat is designed to slap the waves a lot of fine splashing mist type action occurs.  That will make for a more annoying drive.  I had that problem in my smaller Lund but it isn't fair for me to say the Lund was wet because I am comparing a 16 foot boat to a 17 foot boat.  Uff da, I am rambling.  Okay, the whole point again, be careful with the dry argument.  All boats will get you wet.

The argument and my best argument against aluminum is the ride.  In glass, they absorb shock better than aluminum.  It is just in the design.  When you give it the onions in rough water you can hear the difference.  There's more "rattle" or "shock" sounds with the aluminum.  With the glass it is more of a smooth thud.  The design of boat makes a difference.  Molds like fiberglass boats just seem to be more rider friendly.  At least in my opinion.

Then we can go to storage.  Hands down, aluminum boats can offer superior storage because they are riveted all over the place.  Fiberglass boats are held hostage to what can be done.  Although, that depends on the style of the boat.  You can get great storage with fiberglass boats but you will be looking at a bigger style boat.


  

Do the right thing and wrap your a$$ in glass.

100% the 3 most important factors in dryness of a boat..
     1) driver ability
     2) windshield
     3) boat length

Tim summed up most of the debate but glass affords some different shapes that you just cant do with aluminum.  Better bow flare, etc.  I just got a new to me boat, learning how to drive it in the rough stuff is a humbling experience to say the least, but I have no doubt it will get better with more seat time.

For 20-30k you should be able to get a decked out 2-5 year old glass boat that many guys would envy.  Many come to mind, but Ranger 619-621, Warrior, Skeeter WX/ZX series,  Yar Craft, Lund glass or Prov  (personal preference vs Fisherman or Tyee series),   Stratos DV or XF series,  Crestliner Fishhawks, and many many more to chose from.   Go to walleyecentral.com or walleyesinc.com, or walleyesfirst.com and look at the classifieds.  Many guys with smoking deals out there right now.

Well, Tim on this particular day , it was controlled, we both ran the same distance
on the same course to fish , fished the same way and came back the same way .
Tough to have it more controlled than that .

That said , you are right on any certain day , it may be tough for anyone to stay dry

One downside to glass is manuverability in trees.  Glass boats will get stuck on logs where aluminum will bounce off.  Just another thing to take into consideration. 

pheasant,

I wasn't implying anything against you.  I just learned my own lesson in saying "my boat" was the driest.  Depending on the situation, everyone will get wet.

I can garauntee I won't get wet in my boat but that will require me driving very critically.  Many don't want to do that so when you take on the big waves with the boat, getting wet is probably inevitable.

Another thing with wetness of a boat would be trim and balance of boat loads.  If the person running the boat knows the power of trim they will be much drier than not knowing the power of trim.  Likewise, boat balance and setup makes a difference.

I have a Lund and like it but man can I get wet on occassions.   Right Tim!!  My next boat will be glass and probably a Yar-craft or I'm becoming more intrigued by the Lund line.  In comparing ride, you can't beat a glass boat IMO.  I also think aluminum boats get pushed around a lot more in the wind.  They just don't sit down in the water like the glass boats do and can get hard to maneuver.  Yeah, Yeah, Tim will say better buy a tiller.  I just get to disoriented fishing backwards all day!

Tim ,

No, I didnt take it that way