Jump to content

Fiberglass vs. Aluminum - pros and cons


Recommended Posts

This should be a long thread!! :D

 

Unless you are pounding the great lakes day after day... I'd never go back to a fiberglass boat.

 

Wayne nailed it ...if you fish the shallows alot then tin is what you want although they will handle the great lakes quite nicely...they ride the top of the water creating a bouncier ride and the rougher water on the great lakes will limit a few days that heavier boats can still go out...ive had both tin and glass but since i only fish the great lakes anymore...its glass all the way for me to smash through the waves as opposed to being launched over them....there are definatley times i miss the tin boat for sneaking into shallows but since my primary depths range for 60-140 FOW ill sit back in comfort...but honestly...a tin boat will teach you to respect the lake...where a glass boat will teach you to get into trouble..(me anyways)

 

Good Luck with your decision

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rocky in Northwestern Ontario so aluminum outnumbers fiberglass 100 to 1 around here it seems. If I had a fiberglass boat I would never again have a shore lunch :)

 

 

My buddy has a glass boat and I cringe every time he beaches it on the rocks up here. :o

It's bad enough doing it with an aluminum boat. :glare:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a lot more to how a boat rides than aluminum vs glass. Boat weight, hull design, driver skill, how the boat is loaded, and proper motor height are all very important. There are a lot of good reasons to buy glass, just like there are a lot of good reasons for tin. We all have our preferences, mine is tin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've had many aluminum boats, the last one being a Lund ProV. My last 2 boats have been glass, including the current one you see in the picture. As has been mentioned, each have their place. If you are bumping it against rocks and such aluminum is the way to go. A dent in aluminum is relatively easy to repair, not so in fiberglass. Fiberglass cannot tolerate any flexing, so if you have a poorly build glass boat you'll get a lot of cracking of the gelcoat which is expensive to repair. Glass boats tend to be heavier so you need more power to push them. However, the well built, high-end aluminum boats are almost as heavy as a glass boat. As far as ride goes, I would say that glass boats are generally smoother. I agree with what some have said in that it depends on hull design. If you're jumping waves the subsequent pounding will be better absorbed in a glass boat... at least, that's been my experience. If your playground will be L. Erie then I would strongly suggest to get a quality glass boat. Some aluminum boats are very well made, i.e Lund, so they will also do well on the great lakes. But they tend to give a wetter ride mainly because of the way the hulls are designed.

 

As far as the "absorbing water" comment....well, I didn't know glass boats were sponges. :)

Edited by Gerry
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Weight has zero effect on how well a boat runs rough water guys,its all hull design drivers excluded.

 

 

With respect I disagree. Interestingly enough the question was posed on The Hull Truth website. Although opinions vary as to the degree or significance of the hull weight on ride, I found it more interesting that all things being equal, weight can have a positive impact, but as speed increases weight can have a negative impact on ride comfort. http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/199019-weight-vs-ride-comfort.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as the "absorbing water" comment....well, I didn't know glass boats were sponges. :)

 

 

i was talking more with older boats i guess...once you start getting any hairline cracks in the gel coat water can penetrate... i was told that the gel coat is you 100 percent waterproof barrier... and fiberglass/resin isnt 100 percent water proof... this is just what i was told mind you...it could be wrong...

 

however

 

our older fiberglass boat... water started to penetrate and water-log any floatation and wood... the boat gained a couple hundred pounds....and i know a few others that experienced the same thing.... and these were all people that leave there boats in the water all season...

 

thats just my experience.... and what ive been told...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With respect I disagree. Interestingly enough the question was posed on The Hull Truth website. Although opinions vary as to the degree or significance of the hull weight on ride, I found it more interesting that all things being equal, weight can have a positive impact, but as speed increases weight can have a negative impact on ride comfort. http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/199019-weight-vs-ride-comfort.html

 

well I was thinking in terms of 1-2k lb. fishing boats and they are talking about 25-50k lb. boats but I would guess the hydro dynamic principles would be the same.If you took a light boat and loaded it down the ride would not improve, conversly there are some boats that are heavy for the hull length but are horrible in rough water. Would they be even worse if they were lighter? I dont think so just as putting weight in your boat wont make it better. Hulls designed with a sharp deadrise keel running too the bow will improve ride a ton, putting 4 fluffy guys in a 18' boat full of gas an gear wont make it run smoother than when its light. Im talking about running on plane not plowing waves at 15mph though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Resale I would think is better with a aluminium vessel...

 

I have fished Lake Ontario and Lake Erie for the last 27 years in my 16' Grumman without any issues....except maybe a small leaking rivet here or there.....When I fished tournaments I would stay out in 6' waves....but that was when I was much younger.....LOL.....

 

IMHO aluminium has many more advantages then glass does.....much light, less outboard needed and smaller tow vehicle needed.....with today's high gas prices I wouldn't consider a glass boat.....but if you can afford it and have a marina to dock it.....well then you might want a glass boat.

 

Good Luck and have FUN in your new vessel.

 

Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recent Topics

    Popular Topics

    Upcoming Events

    No upcoming events found

×
×
  • Create New...