New boat

SLE

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I'm go out on a limb here and make a WAG, my guess from anybody that owns top of the line boat is..............................what they own :eek:. So let me get the list going - Yar-Craft, Ranger, Skeeter, Warrior, Lund, Vexus, Triton, Nitro, Larson, and there might even be a tuffy die-hard in the crowd so I'll throw them in for good measure. just google it, I'm sure you've find a definitive answer!
 


Auggie

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When it comes to fishability, a Lund Pro-V is tough to beat. When it comes to the hull, Yar-Craft is the way to go. I love my 209, there are a few tweaks I wish the engineers would make to the cap. Fishability is good, just a few things I'd change. The new 219 had made a majority of the changes I'd like to see.
I think Ranger has the best rod locker. Not a fan of the horse-shoe. All the big fiberglass boats are pretty nice.
 
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SlamminSalmon

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Get what you like that’s all that matters they all have positives and negatives. It comes down to what you like and can afford. I’m a nitro fan been in a lot of the others but my personal choice is the nitro zv21 it has everything I wanted. Again it’s your boat and your choice. If it has sparkles you can’t go wrong! Whatever you get enjoy! Happy fishing!
 


R@nger_BO@TS

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We’re planning on ethier a ranger which is what we have now and have been really impressed besides the waves over bow or a yarcraft but nitro is still on the table
 

eyexer

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It’s really hard to beat the total package of the nitros. I was the biggest sceptic in the world when the nitros came out due to the tracker nightmares. But they have proven to be extremely durable and the layout is the shit. The ride is amazing and they are as dry as any glass boat made. And they’re a little less money than the others from what I’ve seen.
 
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raider

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i'm on year 3 with a zv18 (same length as the new zv 19)... i'll give you my honest thoughts...

get 38-40 mph with a heavy load and 3 big guys with a merc 150 4 stroke...
rides nice in 1 - 1 1/2' chop - more than that and i'm throttling back to save my back...
stays planted in the water pretty well drifting or trolling...
terrova 112 60" does well in up to 3 footers - 72 would be better...
rod locker is awesome - was cleaning out b4 a canada trip last year and pulled out 18 rod reel combos - had no idea they were all in there...
storage is awesome - i have 18 3700's in the back 2 compartments with 2 laying on top on both sides...
the fancy z seats in mine suck but i think they've changed them...
livewell, baitwell, and cooler are really good - once cooled down, 10# of ice in the cooler makes it all day...
layout is awesome for me as i live in the bow and don't pull cranks often...
no horse shoe is a big plus for me - the back is very spacious, and the bow is huge...
the trailer is pretty meh, but pulls well and works well...
could use more weight up front, but few 19 footers do much better - have limped back to the dock in 6 footers and never speared a wave...

when i went shopping 3 years ago, i built and looked at every 19' aluminum, and was shocked how much they had gone up - which led me to the nitro's... i have about 45k into it with mid level trinkets - which was just a hair more than a decent aluminum... was a no brainer for me... i'd say i'm very satisfied overall for what i paid...

it's no ranger or yar, but i don't make ranger or yar money...

good luck - you will love whatever you end up with...
 

Migrator Man

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Is there any advantage left for an aluminum boat over a glass boat if they cost the same now? For how much better glass boats ride I find it hard to ever prefer an aluminum
 


raider

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Is there any advantage left for an aluminum boat over a glass boat if they cost the same now? For how much better glass boats ride I find it hard to ever prefer an aluminum


if i fished a rocky river i would have a welded aluminum... with the way the quality of everything has been slipping lately, i don't know if i would trust a riveted aluminum after about 5 years... just me, thinking long term...

i'm nervous around shallow rocks and sand bars with the nitro, hoping this will be my last boat...
 

SDMF

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Is there any advantage left for an aluminum boat over a glass boat if they cost the same now? For how much better glass boats ride I find it hard to ever prefer an aluminum

There used to be a big weight savings w/AL vs. 'Glass, sure doesn't seem to be much anymore. Throw in wood floors, transoms, and consoles and AL is an easy pass for me.

If you're guiding somewhere with lots of rocky shores and doing lots of shore-lunches on those rocky shores, then, I guess I could see going AL, but, other than that I surely can't. There's no weight or draft depth savings w/AL and the ride between the 2 isn't on the same planet.
 

eyexer

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I can’t fathom anybody wanting a top end aluminum boat vs glass anymore when they basically cost the same. You would need your head examined unless you had a specific need for aluminum like mentioned above. I can’t understand how manufacturers think they can charge that much for an aluminum boat.
 

3geese4me

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The only reason I went with aluminum over fiberglass was size. I couldn't find a 17 foot glass boat that had a total length (boat, motor, trailer) of 21' or less.
 

LBrandt

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I can’t fathom anybody wanting a top end aluminum boat vs glass anymore when they basically cost the same. You would need your head examined unless you had a specific need for aluminum like mentioned above. I can’t understand how manufacturers think they can charge that much for an aluminum boat.
Because they are made from scrap ford aluminum.
 


AaronJ

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We’re planning on ethier a ranger which is what we have now and have been really impressed besides the waves over bow or a yarcraft but nitro is still on the table

I you make it to the DL area I would be happy to take you out for a rip in my 219.
 

shorthairsrus

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guides are running those green lund alaskans so they can get into the feeder lakes?? They dont look like fiberglass but maybe they are?
 

SDMF

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The only reason I went with aluminum over fiberglass was size. I couldn't find a 17 foot glass boat that had a total length (boat, motor, trailer) of 21' or less.

Interesting. My 18.5' Yar-Craft is 21.5' w/swing tongue trailer.

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guides are running those green lund alaskans so they can get into the feeder lakes?? They dont look like fiberglass but maybe they are?

Ditch-Boat and/or lots of running on gravel would be another valid reason to run AL.
 

Migrator Man

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Interesting. My 18.5' Yar-Craft is 21.5' w/swing tongue trailer.

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Ditch-Boat and/or lots of running on gravel would be another valid reason to run AL.
Yeah I don’t know many people who are going to take a 50k + fiberglass or aluminum boat down a gravel road regularly without some serious rock protection. And any ditch fishing is not going to happen with any full-size 18’ boat glass or aluminum. Small light aluminum boats are about all a guy can use in those small channels and feeder lakes
 


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