Aluminum layouts
- Thread starter JasonB
- Start date
george wilson
Active member
one man UFO and MLB layouts are slightly over 120# more or less -- not too bad since there are usually at least two people involved in the layout hunt - one hunting - one tender --- we have little trouble getting the boat in and out of the tender - and we are two old men with bad backs
and i think you can even find some smaller glass boats that weigh less than that
and i think you can even find some smaller glass boats that weigh less than that
Pete McMiller
Well-known member
Jason,
Take a look here: http://216.68.81.212/domino/mlb/MLB_products.nsf/88c8931aaec070e185256a9c00038c5e/a682344abf6e463d85256cff000da875?OpenDocument MLB offers their boats in Kevlar as well as the original fiberglass. I have a traditional one man MLB Classic AND have a touchy back. I had thought that I was going to regret getting the the fiberglass model because of the weight but between two of us we have no problems getting the layout deployed or back into the tender.
Take a look here: http://216.68.81.212/domino/mlb/MLB_products.nsf/88c8931aaec070e185256a9c00038c5e/a682344abf6e463d85256cff000da875?OpenDocument MLB offers their boats in Kevlar as well as the original fiberglass. I have a traditional one man MLB Classic AND have a touchy back. I had thought that I was going to regret getting the the fiberglass model because of the weight but between two of us we have no problems getting the layout deployed or back into the tender.
Lee Harker
Well-known member
Somebody made one here...I think it was cold and noisey.
Robert Stanfield
Active member
think that was Bob that made the aluminum layout .........not sure about the cold we consider anything below 80 as cold or winter weather
Mark Rongers
Active member
Dear Jason,
Although I am not familiar with aluminum layout boats, we manufacture fiberglass and kevlar layout boats.
I can appreciate your concerns for your back. I can also tell you that my wife weighs less than many one man boats, but has carried hundreds of them with me, as we have made deliveries and gone to trade shows.
Pete McMiller (thanks, Pete!) added a link to some data on our kevlar models. I would also tell you that our one man MLB Classic in fiberglass comes in between 85 lbs and 90 lbs. Here is a link to the description on this model;
http://mightylayoutboys.com/domino/mlb/MLB_products.nsf/88c8931aaec070e185256a9c00038c5e/1dd7d26c5a7259d485256b0b000b0f02?OpenDocument
If you're ever travelling south down towards the Indiana State line, I live very near New Buffalo, MI. You're welcome to stop by my house, to see a Classic. You're welcome to "kick the tires" on it, getting inside to check for roominess, and there's a lake nearby. We could toss one in, and let you test stability. The boats have been certified by the US Coast Guard as well.
As I assume you'll be hunting lake Michigan with a layout boat, please see the attached picture. It features a Classic on a typically bumpy day.
Thank you for the opportunity to share some information with you.
God Bless you and yours,
Mark Rongers
mightylayoutboys.com
Although I am not familiar with aluminum layout boats, we manufacture fiberglass and kevlar layout boats.
I can appreciate your concerns for your back. I can also tell you that my wife weighs less than many one man boats, but has carried hundreds of them with me, as we have made deliveries and gone to trade shows.
Pete McMiller (thanks, Pete!) added a link to some data on our kevlar models. I would also tell you that our one man MLB Classic in fiberglass comes in between 85 lbs and 90 lbs. Here is a link to the description on this model;
http://mightylayoutboys.com/domino/mlb/MLB_products.nsf/88c8931aaec070e185256a9c00038c5e/1dd7d26c5a7259d485256b0b000b0f02?OpenDocument
If you're ever travelling south down towards the Indiana State line, I live very near New Buffalo, MI. You're welcome to stop by my house, to see a Classic. You're welcome to "kick the tires" on it, getting inside to check for roominess, and there's a lake nearby. We could toss one in, and let you test stability. The boats have been certified by the US Coast Guard as well.
As I assume you'll be hunting lake Michigan with a layout boat, please see the attached picture. It features a Classic on a typically bumpy day.
Thank you for the opportunity to share some information with you.
God Bless you and yours,
Mark Rongers
mightylayoutboys.com
Steve Sutton
Well-known member
her, weight and the boat weights, and comparing them I thought that you were going to say that you'd been manhandling her for years with no problem and that you do it regularly to stay in shape for the coming season.....
But then I see that what you were really getting at was that you use Elaine for the "free labor" now that the kids are no longer at home....
Jason, my .02.....take Mark up on his offer for a "kick the tires" and then consider that "comfort" in a layout is EVERY BIT as important to enjoying a day on the water as wt is....going with the ligthest wt. means you'll be going with the smallest boat, no matter the mfg, which means you might not "fit" the boat, and that will mean you won't be comfortable in the boat. Both the Classic and the boat Dave posted are "small" boats and are not suited to "big" men. I'm 6'-3" and would like to still be able to say that I'm 220 and am uncomfortable in both the Classic and the Busick boat....I can't get my feet under the front decks of either without laying them flat to the side, (which only works for about 10 minutes), and as a result I can't get down low enough in the boat to utilize the low profile that you're buying a layout for....
Long story short "comfort" is the reason that Mark builds more than one boat. Go with the lightest and unless you're a small guy, (and don't forget the comfort of your partner(s)), you won't be happy with the small boat, even though its the lightest.....In the end you need to look at "comfort" as much as you do "weight" and that means you need to look at a builder that makes a "variety" of boats.
Steve
But then I see that what you were really getting at was that you use Elaine for the "free labor" now that the kids are no longer at home....
Jason, my .02.....take Mark up on his offer for a "kick the tires" and then consider that "comfort" in a layout is EVERY BIT as important to enjoying a day on the water as wt is....going with the ligthest wt. means you'll be going with the smallest boat, no matter the mfg, which means you might not "fit" the boat, and that will mean you won't be comfortable in the boat. Both the Classic and the boat Dave posted are "small" boats and are not suited to "big" men. I'm 6'-3" and would like to still be able to say that I'm 220 and am uncomfortable in both the Classic and the Busick boat....I can't get my feet under the front decks of either without laying them flat to the side, (which only works for about 10 minutes), and as a result I can't get down low enough in the boat to utilize the low profile that you're buying a layout for....
Long story short "comfort" is the reason that Mark builds more than one boat. Go with the lightest and unless you're a small guy, (and don't forget the comfort of your partner(s)), you won't be happy with the small boat, even though its the lightest.....In the end you need to look at "comfort" as much as you do "weight" and that means you need to look at a builder that makes a "variety" of boats.
Steve
