Re: FISHER Boats?
I second the vote to also buy from not only a quality aluminum company but to buy one with widest beam you can afford.
My last boat (a 2006 13 foot Sylvan Alaskan Deluxe tiller model) I found when our medium sized, dog who is about 80 lbs would pace back and forth from side to side because he liked to look out of each side while underway the boat would sway from side to side and it was a pain to have to keep correcting the steering.
That boat was 66 inches wide and it does not move now when the dog paces around. My 2007 Lund is 76 inches wide and it's main selling point to me was it's wide Sport Track gunnell railing that I can attach and remove accessories without drilling any holes.
This railing also gives the boat an overall stiffer ride in choppy waters, so it feels like a bigger boat for it's size (this is a selling feature that Lund pushes as to their hull design).
But my next boat is going to be as an above poster said which is to buy a boat with at least 85 inches, because what I've found with this 76 inch beam it's very tight squeezing between the drivers seat and the passenger seat. I spend many hours on the water (was on Lake George 9 hours just yesterday) and I would like more room onboard. Wider boats are just more stable on the water.
I did my homework before I bought . . . all the boats that were mentioned above are all quality builds especially when you get into their top of the line models.
Everything else is just personal preference and all the various brands have features (the bells and whistlers or the sizzle) are designed to try and sway you buying into their boat brand.
Just don't get caught up in listening to the dribble that each dealer is going to tell you why the lines they sell are absolutely the only one you should be buying.
P.S. I recently bought my new Lund from the only Lund dealer in my area in Albany NY. This dealer also has a Marina on Lake George NY. Each year they sell their large rental fleet at the end of the year as used boats.
This year when I went up there to launch my new Lund, I noticed their whole rental fleet is now made up of new Triumph boats.
A dock worker said he thinks that Lund (which was recently bought out by Brunswick) is now trying to squeeze the Marina owner to buy all their new boats in a package deal with all accessories from Lund with Mercury outboards (because Brunswick owns Mercury along with the accessory companies). Who knows, maybe it was that they may have had a cheaper deal from Triumph???
But I also found this too to be the case at other Lund dealers. I didn't need the electronics, trailer or trolling motor, but the several Lund dealers that I went to for a quote out of my area would only sell me a full package deal.
My Lund dealer split up the package and I respect the fact that he ordered his entire rental fleet with Triumph boats this year rather then let Lund hold his feet to the fire if that was the case.
But next year if I upgrade I'm sure I'll be told how great Triumph boats are!
So my 2 cents from my experiences is the top names and lines of aluminum boats are all pretty much equal in build quality. Go with as wide a beam as you can afford. Test drive each boat and see which handles and feels right by you!
The first boat I looked at last March when I went boat shopping was the Alumacraft 145. This is definitely a really nice boat but when I saw it side by side next to the Lund 1425 Classic I immediately saw big differences but that's why there was a $3500 cost difference.
Do your homework and enjoy which ever one you finally choose
Fisher makes quality boats and they are really nice looking rigs, they aways turn my head when one cruises by me (but so does a blonde in a bikini
)
