lookinforwalleye Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 Rivets!Rivets! another good reason to check out Alumacraft I had one and it was a solid boat! I believe a wise OFC`er once said there is a reason why they don`t weld aircraft...now who said that?
Fish4Eyes Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 Get a Lund or Princecraft and be done with it. Why even risk your safety and hard earned money on a brand that has been known to create problems.
bigbuck Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 Alumacraft makes a nice hull and boat. Comparing apples to apples, I found the Alumacraft a bit nicer inside than a price comparable LUND. Go take a look at them and see if it compares to the Legend. And, don't get less than 75% of the rated power for the hull. Max it out if it's in the budget. If you plan on going out into big water, get a kicker, if your main engine breaks down, you will be in trouble especially if a weather front moves in. Safety comes first. Get a smaller boat with a kicker if your budget does not allow for it in a bigger boat.
doubleheader Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 Seriously, go to Bay City Marine in Hamilton. Price out an similar Alumacraft with a 4-stroke Yamaha... No question, an Alumacraft would be a better built boat but I'd check the deadrise for sure because many of them are pretty shallow and it sounds like you want to fish the big water. Between your choices I would lean to the Fishmaster. That boat is designed for big water. Now I don't know about the Canadian market but a 150 Verado in the US is very competitively priced to a 2 stroke, especially when you consider the additional benefit of the digital throttle which is really sweet. That said, I wouldn't plan to troll extensively with any big 4 stroke any more than I would a 2 stroke. Pick up a kicker motor. I know, more bucks but if you fish the big water enough you'll be glad for the back-up motor plus lots of other reasons to avoid using your big motor. Fuel economy between the 2 and 4 stroke is essentially a wash. I'm running a 200HP Verado now, my first was a 135HP, both are great motors, and I would highly recommend them if you have a trained Verado mechanic nearby. Not that you will need one, but every motor experiences some proble sooner or later.
dave524 Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 Get a smaller boat with a kicker if your budget does not allow for it in a bigger boat. I'd get a 2 stroke for a main and a kicker. You need to watch the total weight hung on the transon with some hulls. Slightly less cost for a 2 stroker will help pay for the kicker, the fuel saving of trolling with it will pay for the rest, total weight of that combo will be close to a large 4 stroke. I came in once on the kicker from way offshore, teleflex steering cable broke while trolling on the kicker, disconnect the ez steer, 8 mph on the tiller of the kicker sure beat any other option alone out there
jedimaster Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 Alumacraft, Princecraft, Lund are the top 3 brands imo. And whoever said the thing about aircraft welding and rivets is a smart man. It is not possible to cnosistently weld alluminum without weakening the material around it. Especially in a factory stamp em out scenario.
Billy Bob Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 I don't agree with a kicker...my fishing buddy had a 18.5 Lund with a 115 hp Yammy for the last 15 years and we always fished Erie and Ontario with it without every having any issues....he just traded in that boat and his smaller 16' Lund for 17' Polarcraft but kept the 115 hp Yammy for the back of it...it's quite and dependable plus it sips fuel like a 2 stroke kicker... I see no reason for two outboards to fish the so called "Big Lakes"...my 50 hp Johnson has never failed me in 26 years of fishing Erie and Ontario...and I had fished the NYS walleye tournaments every year when I was younger....so yes I did a LOT of offshore fishing...10 - 12 miles out or more.
Fish4Eyes Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 I don't agree with a kicker...my fishing buddy had a 18.5 Lund with a 115 hp Yammy for the last 15 years and we always fished Erie and Ontario with it without every having any issues....he just traded in that boat and his smaller 16' Lund for 17' Polarcraft but kept the 115 hp Yammy for the back of it...it's quite and dependable plus it sips fuel like a 2 stroke kicker... I see no reason for two outboards to fish the so called "Big Lakes"...my 50 hp Johnson has never failed me in 26 years of fishing Erie and Ontario...and I had fished the NYS walleye tournaments every year when I was younger....so yes I did a LOT of offshore fishing...10 - 12 miles out or more. You should be thankful you or your friend never had a problem. But in the event you did have a problem with the motor, you could be in for some trouble seeing as conditions can change in an instant on the big water. I agree with the kicker as a back up incase the big motor dies, and for the simple fact that its easier on the wallet to replace a kicker that has been used mainly to troll, rather than wearing out the big motor from trolling and having to replace it. This especially holds true if your buying brand new and don't have intentions of upgrading anytime soon.
Billy Bob Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 You should be thankful you or your friend never had a problem. But in the event you did have a problem with the motor, you could be in for some trouble seeing as conditions can change in an instant on the big water. I agree with the kicker as a back up incase the big motor dies, and for the simple fact that its easier on the wallet to replace a kicker that has been used mainly to troll, rather than wearing out the big motor from trolling and having to replace it. This especially holds true if your buying brand new and don't have intentions of upgrading anytime soon. I do see your point....but with a 20' boat with 3 or 4 guys and gear, not much a 6 or 9 hp kicker is going to do anyways....you're going to be out there a LONG time....I would rather depend on my GPS and VHF radio, not to mention a cell phone...TONS of guys are out fishing the "Big Waters" without kickers....I wouldn't get too hung up on that option...IMHO... You also have a good point saving wear and tear on the big motor...but as said...my buddies 115 hp Yammy is now 18 year old and he only used that boat for trolling the Great Lakes because he also had the smaller boat...but now that motor will do double duty as he got the in-between-er boat so he only has to deal with one boat now.
Cast-Away Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 It is funny how people are so quick to throw certain companies such as Legend under the bus. Just google legend cracked hull. Or legend class action or even search on here, lots of people have had issues with them. Their hull issues were back in the early 1990's and they changed vendors for their hulls after all of the problems. I own a 2000 17 foot riveted Legend that was built by Smoker Craft who also make Starcraft and Sylvan. To the best of my knowledge these are all quality boats as is mine. Jedimaster, i did Google your two searches and came up blank, so perhaps more research is relevant in the future before giving a company a bad name in a public forum?
troutologist Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 Take a close look at the hull design and thickness if you are planning on fishing big water. Sooner or later you will get caught out in it, also its nice to not have to limit your days fishing. I can tell you that the Lund IPS hulls are about the best on the market, they keep you dry and handle big water very well. Have a close look at the 1950 Tyee and the 1875 Impact Sport. They are a lot of boat for the $ and are finished well inside. Just got back from a tournament this weekend and we ran 22km north into a north wind that was 30-40km. Glad I was in a Lund. When comparing motors, take into account the cost of servicing a Verado, which, if I'm not mistaken needs to be done at the dealership for warrantly (not certain). This brings down the cost of the Opti further. On a side note the new verado pros are nice....and fast!
irishfield Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 When comparing motors, take into account the cost of servicing a Verado, which, if I'm not mistaken needs to be done at the dealership for warrantly (not certain). Absolutely not. I let them do the first oil change to look for metal. There is nothing mysterious about looking after the Verado compared to any other engine. Now if you have any computer issues, you're gonna be looking for a facility with the required computer and program to scan and set limits. If it's running fine... it needs nothing but oil/filter changes upper, oil change lower and fuel filter inspect and replacements when necessary. There are two.. ones a water seperator and the other the fine filter. Check the alternator belt and you're good to go.
Terry Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 I don't agree with a kicker...my fishing buddy had a 18.5 Lund with a 115 hp Yammy for the last 15 years and we always fished Erie and Ontario with it without every having any issues....he just traded in that boat and his smaller 16' Lund for 17' Polarcraft but kept the 115 hp Yammy for the back of it...it's quite and dependable plus it sips fuel like a 2 stroke kicker... I see no reason for two outboards to fish the so called "Big Lakes"...my 50 hp Johnson has never failed me in 26 years of fishing Erie and Ontario...and I had fished the NYS walleye tournaments every year when I was younger....so yes I did a LOT of offshore fishing...10 - 12 miles out or more. I was real glad I had my kicker on Saturday as it got me most of the way back to the ramp before the big motor started working again.....thank you 5 hp honda
Billy Bob Posted June 8, 2011 Report Posted June 8, 2011 I was real glad I had my kicker on Saturday as it got me most of the way back to the ramp before the big motor started working again.....thank you 5 hp honda That's good....but I would rather keep one outboard maintained then 2...everyone is different....nice you had something to keep you going in the right direction....
Terry Posted June 9, 2011 Report Posted June 9, 2011 That's good....but I would rather keep one outboard maintained then 2...everyone is different....nice you had something to keep you going in the right direction.... just got it out of the shop on thursday, so you can't get more maintained then that shistuff happens and a kicker is a great thing to have...(for me) and I am glad I had it even to my main motor was just maintained by arguably the best outboard mechanic in Ontario..... I see lots of brand new cars broken on the side of the road and new boats being towed in
ctdd2006 Posted June 9, 2011 Report Posted June 9, 2011 I guess I should sell my legend.... How much?
Billy Bob Posted June 9, 2011 Report Posted June 9, 2011 I see lots of brand new cars broken on the side of the road and new boats being towed in Yep....you pay anywhere from 20K to 50K for a new car or truck and not one of them comes with a kicker..... Just having a bit of fun at your expense Terry.....
Another Canadian Posted June 9, 2011 Report Posted June 9, 2011 If you like the Legend hull, but not the motor, look for something else. When I bought my boat back in 2001, I liked the Princecraft but it was owned by OMC then and I did not want the OMC motor (FICHT) that it came with. I ended up buying a Smokercraft with a Honda 115 on it. It is 18' feet long and rated for a 150. Boat was OK powered, but best was 42mph with a low pitch prop to help it get out of the hole. Insurance was used to buy a new Honda 150 and the boat is far better with the Max hp. A 20' boat with a 175 rating needs a 135/150/175 class of outboard on it. By my quick calculation, you are looking at $35k+ for a new boat. Don't compromise on the Legend, and get the boat/motor/trailer and accessories you want, not what they are willing to sell you. If you start comparing apples to apples, the Legend is not always cheaper when you shop around. There are dealers that will sell you want you want and will negotiate on price to make the sale. PS- Legend also had the length of my boat as 18'8" where Smokercraft had it at 17'8". Depends on if you measure the centreline of the boat, or the gunwale length. Somehow my boat also is 18'8".
jedimaster Posted June 9, 2011 Report Posted June 9, 2011 There are all kinds of people happy with there trackers as well, but you throw that brand under the bus. No offense to anyon that owns either. Speaking from my personal experience and people I know. A Legend is not a brand I would consider or recommend. It comes as much from the the fact that I would never touch a welded alluminum hull as it does a particular vendor. I am very glad that your rivetted Legend that as made by another company is good, as I understand the boat he is looking at has a welded Hull and I would steer as far away from that as possible.
RickOnt Posted June 10, 2011 Report Posted June 10, 2011 Hey Jedi Right On!! I had a '94 Legend 17'8" with a 115 Mariner. The Hull was made by Smokercraft and was riveted. It was a great boat and the only issue I had, was the front livewell, that was welded, split on a run up in the Verendyre Doswere to get away from a storm. As for the OP I would go with the Opti!!! Very little noise or fuel consumption difference to the 4 Stroke and Lighter and Less $$$$. On a 20' boat you need a 150HP. Rick
OutdoorDan Posted June 10, 2011 Author Report Posted June 10, 2011 All, I wanted to thank you for input. I'm in the process of digesting everything, there are many opinions and factors I have to weigh here. I'm definitely taking my time because I want to get it just right. Also thank you to those who have been kind enough to PM me and help me out! Dan
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