03-04-2010, 06:08 PM
I have a 14 foot aluminum boat that I LOVE!! It is the only boat I have owned, but my family has had a few glass boats. they do run a little smoother and quieter, but you cant beat the durability of the metal. I have shoved my boat on the side of my shed and pulled it out and to clean it i just hose it out. if i have to really clean it i use 409. its a snap. with the glass boats you have to wax them like a car too, at least once a year twice to keep it looking good otherwise paints fade, get hazy all that stuff just like a car. If you get a crack or ding in the glass, you will learn one of two things, either how to create a fiberglass patch yourselft, or how expensive it is to have fiberglass repaired. with my aluminum if I get a crack in it I pull out the blow torch and the alumi-weld sticks and patch it up.
I have NEVER had a problem beaching my boat when we are camping or anything else, and it is light weight enough that I can both pull it on shore so it does not float away AND get it pushed back into the water when any waves beach it for me.
one thing I am going to do to help "fix" the ride issues and dampen the noise on it is I am having a spray in bed line material painted into the passenger area up to the gunwhale. for two reasons, to help with the sound and rough ride, and to give a good traction surface in the boat. Cabelas has a gallon or pint of this stuff for sale for about 80 bucks, the gallon covers 50 sq feet. plenty to do my 14 foot dream there is also a primer for metal and one for wood you need to have pending what you are putting it onto. very cheap, and they make 6 or 7 colors to choose from. after that I want to paint my boat like a OD green or something just to keep the weather off my metal, provide a little seal to the surface.
My boat is a 1963 something or other, all i can read on the steel plate is 1963. the DMV charges me 18 bucks a year to register it, and I am WAY under the requirements for extra insurance, which for any boat with 50 or more horsepower it is a LAW to have at least liability. so think about that when you are checking out the I/O 454 with 310hp on it too. that is another bill.
needless to say, I reccomend aluminum for durability and versatility. for fishing. I do not do any other "water sports" so for my needs my 14 foot aluminum dream is perfect.
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I have NEVER had a problem beaching my boat when we are camping or anything else, and it is light weight enough that I can both pull it on shore so it does not float away AND get it pushed back into the water when any waves beach it for me.
one thing I am going to do to help "fix" the ride issues and dampen the noise on it is I am having a spray in bed line material painted into the passenger area up to the gunwhale. for two reasons, to help with the sound and rough ride, and to give a good traction surface in the boat. Cabelas has a gallon or pint of this stuff for sale for about 80 bucks, the gallon covers 50 sq feet. plenty to do my 14 foot dream there is also a primer for metal and one for wood you need to have pending what you are putting it onto. very cheap, and they make 6 or 7 colors to choose from. after that I want to paint my boat like a OD green or something just to keep the weather off my metal, provide a little seal to the surface.
My boat is a 1963 something or other, all i can read on the steel plate is 1963. the DMV charges me 18 bucks a year to register it, and I am WAY under the requirements for extra insurance, which for any boat with 50 or more horsepower it is a LAW to have at least liability. so think about that when you are checking out the I/O 454 with 310hp on it too. that is another bill.
needless to say, I reccomend aluminum for durability and versatility. for fishing. I do not do any other "water sports" so for my needs my 14 foot aluminum dream is perfect.
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