| If you're thinking of buying a fishing boat you | | | | water and onto and off a trailer or even a roof |
| have a number of choices. Basically you can buy | | | | of a car. It's incredibly strong and will take a stack |
| an aluminum fishing boat, a timber boat or a | | | | of punishment. It needs very little maintenance |
| fiberglass fishing boat. | | | | and will last forever. |
| Personally I'm a huge fan of aluminum boats, and | | | | A fiberglass boat on the other hand, has some |
| would never buy a fiberglass boat. Here's why. | | | | drawbacks. It is heavier. It is less resistant to |
| You're buying a boat because you want to be | | | | impact, and more easily holed. It takes a little |
| fishing, not working on boats. If you want to be | | | | more maintenance, although much less than a |
| working on boats buy a timber fishing boat and I | | | | timber boat. And if treated badly it can absorb |
| can guarantee you'll spend many hours working | | | | water. Be careful not to damage the gellcoat, or if |
| on it. If you love that then fine, but for me I | | | | you do repair it before you go out again. |
| want to be fishing, not working on boats. | | | | And whereas an aluminum boat retains a very |
| So timber is out. But what about fiberglass | | | | good resale value because they are so tough and |
| compared to aluminum. After all you see a lot of | | | | durable, fiberglass boats can be more easily |
| fiberglass boats out there. | | | | damaged and for this reason may not retail their |
| What do you want in a fishing boat? Well you | | | | value as well. |
| want it to be tough. Water resistant. Impact | | | | So for me it's an aluminum fishing boat every |
| resistant. Low maintenance. Long lasting. Light. | | | | time. I've had all 3, timber, fiberglass and |
| Easy to use. | | | | aluminum, and will be sticking to aluminum. |
| Aluminum is all of these and more. It's extremely | | | | And the best thing about aluminum boats is that |
| tough. It is welded not riveted, so is totally | | | | they are so tough and durable that it is far better |
| waterproof. It is highly impact resistant. That | | | | to buy a used aluminum boat rather than a new |
| doesn't mean that it can't be holed, but it's pretty | | | | one. A new boat is expensive, and like all things |
| hard to do. Rather than get a hole aluminum tends | | | | new will lose a lot of it's value as soon as you buy |
| to dent. This is great. If you hit something, as I | | | | it. So a used aluminum boat is much cheaper, and |
| recently did, you end up with a dent and head | | | | will retain it's value to when you sell it you'll |
| home feeling silly. If you hit something in a timber | | | | probably get most or all of your money back. I |
| or a figerglass boat chances are high that you end | | | | bought a used boat 2 years ago and it's worth as |
| up with a hole, and someone needs to come and | | | | much or even more than when I bought it. |
| get you because your boat is sinking. | | | | So if you're pondering your choices between the |
| Aluminum has a very high strength to weight | | | | different types of fishing boat, make it a used |
| ratio. So it's light and easy to handle, both in the | | | | aluminum fishing boat. You won't regret it. |