Lunker777 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Hey everyone, Im just curious what everyones preference is ? I have a lead on a 16ft. Welded steel hull with trailer and motor for approx $2000. up till now I have been looking for aluminum.... but the sound of welded steel kind of peaks my interested. Dont have to worrie about rivets coming lose. If for some reason there is a leak, you can alway weld a patch on it. I guess the question is, what would you go with... aluminum or steel hull ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbanger Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 (edited) Weight may be a concern . But durability wouldn't be I guess. What size motor ? would wonder how it performs on the water . TB Edited February 9, 2009 by tinbanger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwl Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 I used to have a 14 footer steel boat, and also used to rent one alot and we brought our own motor and gas to get into a small lake when I lived up north The one I had was a great stable little boat it was however pretty heavy compared to an aluminium, we ended up trading the steel boat for a tinner after a while as we only had the 9.9 to push it with and it was really sluggish with that..lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunker777 Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 The guy who Im buying it from bought it from a friend of his a year ago or so, and says he doesnt remember what size motor it is. he thinks its either a 18 or 25HP ... Im debating weather i should say keep the motor and Ill just buy a nice 30HP or something ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 before you go out an buy a motor find out what the boat is rated for. If you get a 30 and the max is 20 then you need to get a 20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigger08 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Be cautious.I had a 15' steel and it was a great boat......but you needed a 25 or better to push it and don't even think of rowing it.Go for an aluminum if you are traillering,fishing etc.Go for a steel if you are moving equipment,building docks or running over beaver dams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 I wouldn't trade my steel 16' work boat for anything... but not because I use it to fish from. It's for hauling lumber... cement bags.. stone... moving stuff in and out from the island spring and fall etc. Sure wouldn't want it for drifting the weed beds, but we do use it some nights to troll the shoreline. Remember.. steel RUSTS and right thru. I had to totally refurb this one with lots of welding and after 4 summers I've got to do the sides and edges below the water line again in the spring.... and I touched it up mid season year two as well. But trust me (or should I say Leah)... you don't wanna ride in one on rough water ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cast-Away Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Wayne, that green colour on your boat looks familar? HUM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Got it done and thought it looked like a BP oil barrel ! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunker777 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Well the plan for this boat is almost 100% fishing, and judging by the replys... I guess i should be sticking with aluminum. Thanks for the help ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 (edited) Issue is lunker.. you can't lift it by yourself. I use a fork truck in the hangar to move it around. Fine I guess if it goes on the trailer nice etc but they don't cut water that good with a fairly flat bottom. I have a 25HP 4 stroke Honda on mine. Pushes it along very well when not loaded down. Just hard on anybody up front in anything over 1 footers. Edited February 10, 2009 by irishfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwl Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Issue is lunker.. you can't lift it by yourself. I use a fork truck in the hangar to move it around. Fine I guess if it goes on the trailer nice etc but they don't cut water that good with a fairly flat bottom. I have a 25HP 4 stroke Honda on mine. Pushes it along very well when not loaded down. Just hard on anybody up front in anything over 1 footers. ya that totally reminds me of the ones we used to rent to fish Echo Lake we would bring our own motor and gas so we didn't have to haul a boat all the way, and the people who rented us the boat where a great ole couple who only charged us $10 for the whole day..dark..til dark anyways we used to laugh all the time and flip for who was going to be the driver that day becasue even if there was a bit of chop on the water, the person in the fron always got totally soaked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikehunter Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Steel boat? It must be pretty old? I can remember fishing at Port Maitland at the mouth of the Grand with my father and there was a guy there renting steel rowboats. Man they were heavy! And they were old even then! No motor and rowing in a river current, that was work. The only other steel boat I have seen (other than Wayne's photo) is at LaSalle Park in Burlington when they put the docks in the marina in the spring and out in the fall. Like Wayne said, a good work boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbanger Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 (edited) some rental spots still have steel boats ( Pier 69 and Little lake) most likely cause they can take the abuse and no one would steal them.lol Unless you can borrow waynes forklift and float trailer , look for a nice tinney. TB Edited February 10, 2009 by tinbanger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 (edited) For small waters around Ontario I like my aluminum boat, but whenever I'm fishing BIG water I prefer my welded steel hull as I find it provides a much more stable casting platform, specially when the waves exceed 30' Actually, that picture is some of terry's handiwork that he did for me a couple years back, but I still think it's hilarious Back to the original question though, we stayed at a camp up near Gowganda about 10 years back and they had steel boats on a bunch of back lakes that we had to portage to and they were just too darned heavy to move around, specially pushing them into the water and then dragging them back onto the beach, and they also rode terribly when we got into some waves, plus as mentioned earlier, you have to keep them painted or your gonna end up with rust. Definetely go with the aluminum. Edited February 10, 2009 by lew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinbanger Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Love the photo Lew But that fish makes your head look small ! LOL TB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Don't give Terry any ideas Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwl Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 oh definately have to keep them painted, the ones in my refference to Echo Lake where painted bright red and yellow we always called them the Ronald McDonald boats ,probably also a good detterrant for theft. The one we had was also pretty damn ugly..red and gray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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