Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

bassmann1 · Feb 8, 2012

I'm thinking about a new boat, can't afford a real fancy ( expensive ) one, but I'd like to know if someone has an Allison ( maybe mod. XB21 ), or any of them for that matter. I know they are fast, but I want to know about the ride in rough water ( 2ft or better ).

Philster · Feb 8, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

I don't think they are ever going to get good rough water reviews. Never been in one, but like some classic Checkmates made for skimming across lakes, they just don't have the V or real deadrise for rough water.

haulnazz15 · Feb 9, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

You won't likely find a "bass boat" made that takes 2' waves/chop well. The best you could do on that style of boat is more like the older fish-n-ski models which had a bit more deadrise, but were consequently much slower. It doesn't get must fast than an Allison, but the speed comes with the penalty of rough ride in darn near anything but light chop.

cyclops2 · Feb 9, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

I picked up a fantastic bass boat in 2002.
305 V8 50 mph. Has easily run in 3 1/2' waves for hours.
AND

I catch bass from it.
Wife loves my black Chaparral 186 SSI Bass Boat. Let her pick the color at a boat show.
There is NO BUDGET limit on that boat each year.

Philster · Feb 9, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

Rich, you might "whoosh" the OP with that one.

I've caught fish from my old Scarab, but it wasn't exactly a fishin' machine!

cyclops2 · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

The simple fact of bass fishing is. People & lures catch fish in a full day of fishing.

NOT A 60 mph boat. Unless somebody has a lure that catches fish at 60 mph.

Pure expensive ego image pushed onto members. I do drift & catch bass in 2' waves. 0 mph.
................................................................. I do Idle in front of boats piers & docks& catch bass.

Philster · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

I know, but a big part of the culture is the boats. This guy is really into that part of the culture if he wants an Allison!

I agree, though. If it were all about fishing, they could use a variety of rigs. We fish in our little flat-bottomed Alumacraft -- which looks like a military reject/leftover -- but all the neighbors spend their life savings on frisbee-bottomed, 80 MPH go-fast bass boats with no gunwale height to catch fish and then they want to run around the backwaters like hot rods, but their boats are made for a swimming pool on a calm day.

haulnazz15 · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

All depends on where you boat. If you are a weekday boater on an inland lake, I suppose "swimming pool" boats are just fine as you aren't dealing with the same conditions as someone on the Great Lakes or Chesapeake Bay. If you like the rush of speed but also like to fish the shallows, it's hard to beat the bass rockets.

haulnazz15 · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

cyclops2 said:
I picked up a fantastic bass boat in 2002.
305 V8 50 mph. Has easily run in 3 1/2' waves for hours.
AND

I catch bass from it.
Wife loves my black Chaparral 186 SSI Bass Boat. Let her pick the color at a boat show.
There is NO BUDGET limit on that boat each year.

What do you do with the fish after you catch them, as I don't know that the Chap has a livewell system. It it convenient storing rods/tackle in the ski locker or under seat cushions? How about fishing off of the bow when you have 1 sq ft of room to stand unless you want to sit? Higher gunnels are going to catch wind more often as well which will cause unwanted drift. You must have a lot of fun maneuvering in a small cove or up against docks/shoreline using the I/O as propulsion, unless you installed a long-shaft trolling motor.

The bass rockets are designed to be optimized for fishing in shallow water and to be easily maneuverable in tight spaces. Lots of deck space with ready access to the fishing tackle. It's something that a bow-rider just can't simulate. You can catch bass from a jet ski or a paddle boat, but it doesn't make it the best platform for it.

Philster · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

haulnazz15 said:
All depends on where you boat. If you are a weekday boater on an inland lake, I suppose "swimming pool" boats are just fine as you aren't dealing with the same conditions as someone on the Great Lakes or Chesapeake Bay. If you like the rush of speed but also like to fish the shallows, it's hard to beat the bass rockets.

Do not mistake me as criticizing the bass boats. I think if you like that way of life and you have speed in your veins, go for it! Especially since the waters are flat and the boats work in the shallows and are built for fishing. I can fully appreciate wanting to zoom across the water at high speeds.

For me, I need a real V bottom boat for zooming, but since we do fish, and it's bass, crabs and back bays/shallows, we have a utilitarian boat for that.

But the bass fisherman culture is what it is. They just can't get into too much chop with those bottoms and lack of real gunwales, etc. Allison is at the extreme end of the speed culture, so it's a no-brainer answer to the OP.

haulnazz15 · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

Philster said:
. . . For me, I need a real V bottom boat for zooming, but since we do fish, and it's bass, crabs and back bays/shallows, we have a utilitarian boat for that. . .

That's why you should have one of each!

Philster · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

Precisely!

cyclops2 · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

The Lake Ontario junction of the St. Lawrence River is more like a ocean & inlet when it comes to being down wind and waves of 2' to 6' if you get a squall or HAVE to go out today.

As a result I sometimes take the 19' Chaparral as the MAYDAY boat towing the 16' short shaft Lowe Aluminum with the 9.9 hp & oars. 2 times I almost was ready to cut the 16' loose . I time was a totally unexpected intense squall. Fortunately I was able to get downwind behind a island & think about ever going out in the Lowe & fishing in a area with no beachy island to run the boat up onto & anchor on sand. I am rigging / the marina / will mount a towing " A " frame at the rear . I can store the spring loaded poles under the 7 .5' rear bench seat.
There is nothing like motoring into 12" of shallows, lifting the 9.9 up & switching to oars as I cross the flats & enter a 1/4 mile long pool, fed by a dammed up pond. The pool is LOADED with BIG fish having no fear of the Lowe or me being 20' away. Catching & releasing big large & smallmouths with baitfish tails hanging out of their mouths is very satisfying.
45 minutes of that spot carries me for days.

It is in Canada.

lncoop · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

Okay, so when are we going? That sounds like Nirvana.

cyclops2 · Feb 10, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

In about 50 square miles, I have only 3 places like that. Even my wife does not know where they are.
I do remember to put my socks completly over the cuffs. To keep out the panicky snake that drops into the boat once in a while. I also wear a complete head, neck & face cover, gloves & glasses for the same reason.

All worth it.

Bamaman1 · Feb 11, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

Now getting back to the original question:

No lightweight boat hull that goes as fast as a Allison will have a comfortable ride. I had a Bassmaster Elite tournament fisherman friend that drove an Allison bass boat @ 105 mph GPS--and was scared to death.

I've never been jolted as hard in a boat than in a 13' Allisoncraft skipping across the water. I've also had friends with low profile Checkmates that were pretty tough on the kidneys. The same would go for a high performance Skeeter or any other sleek modern bassboat. These are simply not pleasure boats, but a purpose built fresh water fishing boat.

The Bassmaster Elite fishermen are using 21' boats with 250 hp 2 stroke engines--mainly the Mercury Optimax XS's. Some are using the new Yamaha SHO 250 hp engines. They're running the low 70's, and a 50 gallon fuel tank. Big bass boats ride pretty well because of the wide transoms, length and relatively high weight. Few people need more than that.

Just give me a good Ranger or Triton bass boat anyday.

KDAVID1 · Feb 11, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

haulnazz15 said:
You won't likely find a "bass boat" made that takes 2' waves/chop well. The best you could do on that style of boat is more like the older fish-n-ski models which had a bit more deadrise, but were consequently much slower. It doesn't get must fast than an Allison, but the speed comes with the penalty of rough ride in darn near anything but light chop.

My Ranger 354V handles 2' waves surprisingly well

Philster · Feb 11, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

I say that you don't know what two-foot waves really are.

cyclops2 · Feb 11, 2012

Re: Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

It is always the man who catches the fish.

Not the 200 hp motor.
Saw a guy spend a hour fishing all the docks & boats in a 1/4 mile diameter bay. Very NICE fish . Rubber worm.

He would be deadly off of a construction barge pushed by a tug boat.

Still, on a bad weather day. Covering lots of ground is the only way to hold position or move up the board.

Anybody have a relatively new Allison Bass boat, wondering about the ride

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