1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

Ok - I promise my VERY last post on what boat to buy. You all have been a tremendous help thus far and I'm very close to buying one of the two below. I know both boats are termendously different but they both have pro's/con's. Please feel free to let me have it as I'm a total newb to owning a boat but I've operated boats over the past 15 years (mostly ski/fish). My main goal is to find something I can take my wife and 6 year old out on to tube/ski. I'd also like to take a few friends on occassion. I know everyone's opinions are different but I'm so up in the air between the two that I could really use the advise of people with more experience. If you were looking to do what I want to do which would you pick and why? Please help!!!

1972 Glastron V-156: Boat is in almost mint condition. Owner rarely used it. Boat has been gone through by the local marina where he traded it in and is in water ready condition. I like the open bow design. I'm up in the air on a trihull going back and forth between stability and being beaten up by a larger lake. It's a smaller boat so having more than 4 adults at a time could be a challenge with skiing/tubing. Pics attached below.

1969 Larson All American 186: Boat is in excellent condition. Engine runs nicely and is ready for water. Current owners have used on their on private lake for past 10 years. I like the idea of having a bigger boat with an I/O for skiing/tubing. Probably going to be a more comfortable ride but harder to load/unload at the lake/river. I really like the classic looks of this boat. Pics attached below.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

Pics of the Glastron

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

Pics of the All American

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

In my opinion (and I am very biased).... you don't want an OLD I/O for your first boat.

You'd be crazy to pass on the mint Glastron. It would be a great first boat.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

i would go with the Glastron as well. the open bow will come in handy if you take wife and daughter and friends. my boat is laid out similar to the other and I do regret not getting an open bow for more people capacity.
very nice looking boat.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

Ayuh,... The Larson is an ole Stringer 400,... Cross that 1 Off the list, you Don't want it...

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

why are you still going back and forth?look at the 2, the glastron really has about the same amount of room and is a far better first boat .as for a tri hull being sea worthy i could tell you a few stories about them and there all basically good ,theirs nothing wrong with them ,very stable and trust me, can take a good wave if need be.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

The Glastron. Do it. Do it.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

cougar1985 said:

why are you still going back and forth?look at the 2, the glastron really has about the same amount of room and is a far better first boat .as for a tri hull being sea worthy i could tell you a few stories about them and there all basically good ,theirs nothing wrong with them ,very stable and trust me, can take a good wave if need be.

Click to expand...

I know. I'm retarded. I guess I just want to make sure that I make the right decision and don't make it without exploring other options. The lack of T/T is really the only thing that made me start to think on it (Glastron that is). I know I can install after the fact.

I just want to make sure it's a good experience that I don't ruin by making the wrong choice.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

I know it can be tough to pull the trigger, but I don't see how you can lose if the 156 is what it appears to be.

Buy it and run it this summer. If you hate it, flip for a profit and get an I/O v-hull or whatever.

I think once you have it out and people start making unsolicited offers to buy it, you'll be just fine with the choice!

The T/T is the last thing I would worry about.

I'm jealous of you over the Glastron and you don't even own it yet!

jake

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

Geezuz man, why isn't that glastron in your driveway yet!?

Don't make me come down there and steal it from you.


Ian

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

OK - it's done. Just put a deposit on the Glastron and picking it up Sat.

Thanks to everyone who responded. I know it was rather silly that I even had to ask that question but I think I just needed to be PUSHED a little.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

Fantastic. Good luck with it!

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

cmhouser said:

OK - it's done. Just put a deposit on the Glastron and picking it up Sat.

Thanks to everyone who responded. I know it was rather silly that I even had to ask that question but I think I just needed to be PUSHED a little.

Click to expand...

Good choice. The maintenance on the OB will also save you some down the road.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

You are right on the rough ride in a big pond but that Glastron is 5 times the boat the other one is. Our 2nd boat was a 72 V-166 (a foot longer) and we used the snot out of it. I even had the steering cable come loose and ran it up the rip-rap on the river @ 30mph (cleared the water) and split the hull full length, got it fixed and used the heck out it for several more years. One tough boat. Also has great flotation.

Any repair on the engine/drive on the other one will cost you more than the Glastron, IF you could even find parts.

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

Wow! Just saw your pic of that old Glastron 156 and it brought back some very fond memories! We grew up at a summer cottage on a lake in Northern Indiana; Dad bought me a new '73 Glastron 156 when I was just 13; my first boat other than a tiller steered rowboat. Had an Evinrude 50 but otherwise it was identical to yours. We had a blast with that little boat. Kids being kids, we put that boat thru the ringer and it always held up nicely; built fairly sturdy, lots of room, good ski boat, etc. Had a bunch of boats since then, but you always remember your first!
I think you're going to like your boat... -DK

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

I'm jealous of the Glastron, that's an awesome boat you chose!

Re: 1972 GlastronV-156 versus 1969 All American 168 - Please help me decide!

Good choice.

I see you've made it over to the Classic Glastron site too...I think there's a lot of us on both...and both are excellent resources.

If you're in the midwest...the MN chapter ( CGOAMN.com ) has a huge meet in Late August...so keep a look out for that as well.