Aluminum fish and ski

Jimmymac5225

Recruit
Joined
Jan 16, 2021
Messages
1
I have been looking around at fish and ski options. I currently have a tahoe fish and ski but would like to upgrade to a boat more geared towards fishing but I have two kids that love to tube and ski all the time so that is important. I have been looking at Lund, alumacraft, ranger, and Crestliner. Looking to spend 50k max. Anyone have suggestions? Thinking 175 hp and a deep v to make sure I can handle the waves. Lake place is in Minnesota so wind and high waves are always an isse.
 

TyeeMan

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 27, 2006
Messages
849
I've been a Lund guy for years so I guess I'm kind of biased. My current boat is 1997 Lund 1950 Tyee Grand Sport with a 5.7L inboard outboard. It's a deep Vee and built like a tank. We don't ski but mainly fish and cruise. We spend a lot of time on Leech Lake and Gull Lake in the Nisswa Mn. area.
I have a Minnkota Ulterra bow mount trolling motor which works really well.

That boat has no problems with 3 or 4 footers on Leech when it blows up.

I would check out the new Tyee (not the fiberglass one) or the new Crossover series looks like it would do everything you're talking about. I don't think you'd go wrong with either of those.

For what it's worth, as of the last few years, Crestliners come out of the same factory. Crestliners are a welded hull, not riveted. The argument as to which is better goes back years and years. If I couldn't have a Lund, Crestliner would probably be my 2nd choice.

Alumacraft just never really did anything for me, , that's just me.

I couldn't tell you anything about Ranger aluminum boats other than I think they just started making aluminum boats in the last couple of years, , , I think.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
I'm currently running a 2002 Crestliner Fish Hawk 1750 dual console with a 115 Merc. so I can vouch for the Crestliner hull which I really like, especially the "reverse chine" aspect of the hull.....makes for fast planing, tight turning, good dry ride characteristics without having to have the large flared bow, and at WOT, very little wetted area of the hull...making for better use of your available HP for faster speeds when running higher RPMs. Go to the Crestliner www and you can pull up hull information on most of their hulls over the model years...my 2002 is listed there. The 115 is more than enough power for my single person uses....forget the max rating. I think you'd do better in the 18-19' area with a 150 engine...should be very happy with that, whatever brand/model of boat you buy.

Lund and Alumacraft both have nice offerings for what you are after and I don't remember on the reverse chine, including at the stern, but I would make that distinction if deciding between the two and otherwise I'd entertain either if your selection is reduced to them.
 

Lowlysubaruguy

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
514
If you could land the welded aluminum Crestliner you will find a lot of both worlds. It would be my first choice. you will get lowere fuel consumption higher speeds good handling lighter tow weight. The 22 foot model has a lot of features as well. I did not see a price listed on it. But I’m a big fan of welded aluminum if possible for fresh water use.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
If you could land the welded aluminum Crestliner you will find a lot of both worlds. It would be my first choice. you will get lowere fuel consumption higher speeds good handling lighter tow weight. The 22 foot model has a lot of features as well. I did not see a price listed on it. But I’m a big fan of welded aluminum if possible for fresh water use.
Crestliner pioneered the welded hull, I think I recall reading on their www. They have an extruded tongue and groove keel (for example) where the aluminum bottom sheets tuck into the extrusion, then welded on both sides (inside and outside). I have been running welded aluminum hulls for over 40 years off and on and never had a break, nor heard of one needing to be repaired, even with stump damage where the sheet was deformed up against a support member where the stump slid along the bottom and would come upon a rib. Never ran one welded as comprehensively as is the case with the current boat.
 
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