Aluminum Utility Boat

Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

Well-known member
Supporter
After several years of looking for the right boat used--and I have not given up!--I'm considering buying a new aluminum boat to hunt and fish from. Tired of dealing with leaky rivets, soft transom, a boat a little smaller than I'd like, and the other compromises I'd have to accept with anything I've been able to find used. I'm approaching 60--this will be a boat to get me to the end of my hunting and fishing days.

Ideally I could power it with a 20 hp 4 stroke Suzuki I already own. Don't care that much how fast I can get across the lake at WOT, but I do want to be able to get on plane and travel comfortably.

I'd like something around 16' with a beam over 60". Tiller steer. V bottom, not a john boat. Don't care about decks, live wells, comfy seats. This is a work boat, used to get me to places where the fish and ducks are.

Bonus points for light weight, no wood in the transom.

There are a ton of makers out there. My original thought was to find a 16' Lowe, to replace the 14' old beater that has served me for 20 years. But it looks like they are no longer in the utility boat market. Lunds are heavy and expensive. Looks like Alumacraft, Smoker Craft, Star Craft, Prince, Crestliner are all options and seem pretty similar.

This will be used for a combination of protected salwater, larger rivers, lakes and ponds.

Thoughts on what to pick and why would be most welcome.
 
Hi Jeff,

Duranautic boats are solid, all welded, utility boats. I have one that is over 50 years old that my late Dad bought brand new in 1974 precisely for the usage you described. It is still my primary hunting and fishing boat. You could power it with the motor you have too since they are not that heavy. I have a 25HP Johnson on mine and it scoots right along.

marathonboat.com

DuraNautic Boats - Marathon Boat Group

Length 16′ Max HP 50 Weight Capacity 1,230 lbs View Model DuraFish Deep-V Fishing Boats All the right features. Angler ready. https://vimeo.com/1111375771?share=copy#t=0 Length 10′ – 14′ HP Range 3 – 15 Weight Capacity 400 – 580 lbs View Models The Duke Jon Boats Built to withstand generations...
marathonboat.com marathonboat.com
 
Mike M. said:
Hi Jeff,

Duranautic boats are solid, all welded, utility boats. I have one that is over 50 years old that my late Dad bought brand new in 1974 precisely for the usage you described. It is still my primary hunting and fishing boat. You could power it with the motor you have too since they are not that heavy. I have a 25HP Johnson on mine and it scoots right along.

marathonboat.com

DuraNautic Boats - Marathon Boat Group

Length 16′ Max HP 50 Weight Capacity 1,230 lbs View Model DuraFish Deep-V Fishing Boats All the right features. Angler ready. https://vimeo.com/1111375771?share=copy#t=0 Length 10′ – 14′ HP Range 3 – 15 Weight Capacity 400 – 580 lbs View Models The Duke Jon Boats Built to withstand generations...
marathonboat.com marathonboat.com
Click to expand...
I've seen a few used. Still kicking myself for one I let get away last summer. Are they still being made?
 
Jeff,

You mentioned Prince...Did you mean Princecraft? I have an 18' utility that I bought in 93. They no longer make it as a utility in the 18'er, but the smaller hulls look almost identical. For it's size, it's amazingly light and has never leaked. It appeared to be of questionable construction when purchased, but has withstood many nasty poundings without a leak of any kind. Including a number of times in Maine, on the coast for eiders off Bailey Island. They advertise two 16' models now, I haven't studied the specs but I would be very comfortable with one of those.
 
Princecraft (Canada) makes a great utility boat as does (or did) crestliner and Lund but I would steer away from anything with bench seats. I let an open concept tiller (pedestal seats) go years ago and still kifcking myself. If $ were no object I would RUN to Ohio and have Steve Hoover build me a 16' Ocean series Duckwater but I don't think your 20hp would do it.
 
I have a mod v 16x50” (at the chines). All welded, no wood in the transom. Might be pushing it to reliably plane that hull with a 20. I have a 40 on it an it will run low 30s WOT and that’s plenty for me but power in reserve if I have a heavy load.

Whatever you settle on, I’d floor over the ribs with a 0.125 aluminum sheet and cover that with something that provides good traction.
 
Jeff Reardon said:
After several years of looking for the right boat used--and I have not given up!--I'm considering buying a new aluminum boat to hunt and fish from. Tired of dealing with leaky rivets, soft transom, a boat a little smaller than I'd like, and the other compromises I'd have to accept with anything I've been able to find used. I'm approaching 60--this will be a boat to get me to the end of my hunting and fishing days.

Ideally I could power it with a 20 hp 4 stroke Suzuki I already own. Don't care that much how fast I can get across the lake at WOT, but I do want to be able to get on plane and travel comfortably.

I'd like something around 16' with a beam over 60". Tiller steer. V bottom, not a john boat. Don't care about decks, live wells, comfy seats. This is a work boat, used to get me to places where the fish and ducks are.

Bonus points for light weight, no wood in the transom.

There are a ton of makers out there. My original thought was to find a 16' Lowe, to replace the 14' old beater that has served me for 20 years. But it looks like they are no longer in the utility boat market. Lunds are heavy and expensive. Looks like Alumacraft, Smoker Craft, Star Craft, Prince, Crestliner are all options and seem pretty similar.

This will be used for a combination of protected salwater, larger rivers, lakes and ponds.

Thoughts on what to pick and why would be most welcome.
Click to expand...
Alweld boats Sea ark both good boats. The Alweld boats have more options to choose from.
 
Jeff Reardon said:
After several years of looking for the right boat used--and I have not given up!--I'm considering buying a new aluminum boat to hunt and fish from. Tired of dealing with leaky rivets, soft transom, a boat a little smaller than I'd like, and the other compromises I'd have to accept with anything I've been able to find used. I'm approaching 60--this will be a boat to get me to the end of my hunting and fishing days.

Ideally I could power it with a 20 hp 4 stroke Suzuki I already own. Don't care that much how fast I can get across the lake at WOT, but I do want to be able to get on plane and travel comfortably.

I'd like something around 16' with a beam over 60". Tiller steer. V bottom, not a john boat. Don't care about decks, live wells, comfy seats. This is a work boat, used to get me to places where the fish and ducks are.

Bonus points for light weight, no wood in the transom.

There are a ton of makers out there. My original thought was to find a 16' Lowe, to replace the 14' old beater that has served me for 20 years. But it looks like they are no longer in the utility boat market. Lunds are heavy and expensive. Looks like Alumacraft, Smoker Craft, Star Craft, Prince, Crestliner are all options and seem pretty similar.

This will be used for a combination of protected salwater, larger rivers, lakes and ponds.

Thoughts on what to pick and why would be most welcome.
Click to expand...
Hi Jeff,
Perhaps Fogg's Boatworks in Yarmouth? Could design what you want and also see if a 20hp is a doable feat to plane a 16' boat with people and gear. Although if the boat doesn't draft much, should be easier to plane. A completely open hull and width of your design would be a nice canvas to work from.

They have this 14'er on FB. https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...wse_serp:0b66e592-ea64-4b67-9b7a-433fd8c5fb79

Their website, https://foggsboatwork.com/

On a side note, I know Mark Rae has a Duckwater Waldo series, 16' I believe. He's a great person and would be honest about pros and cons if you were remotely considering that boat.

Good luck in your search.
 
Jeff,

Duranautics are still being made. They are made in upstate NY. They are still pretty popular around the estuaries in MA. I checked on their site and there are a few dealers in NH and Maine.
 
Call me old fashioned but I still like a lightweight riveted aluminum hull.
My old smokercract is a 1987 hull, with center bench removed by the previous owner. Still solid, no flex, no leaks.
I did replace the wood in the transom but that’s an easy fix.
If I were buying new, I’d get an Alumacraft V Series. Or a Lowe 1648 MV Aura.
 
Carl,
I also have a Smokercraft of that vintage. A 1985 18'6" Alaskan. Still going strong and doesn't leak a drop. I did have to replace the plywood seat surfaces. Not sure why they didn't make them one-piece aluminum. As I've gotten older, the middle seat has gotten higher! I was interested to learn that your middle seat was removed and that it didn't compromise hull rigidity/strength.
 

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