Would you Drive 500 Miles to Buy a Lund????

Carl

Carl

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Staff member
I've been boat dreaming again. 3 boat brands have hulls like I want:
Lowe 1667 WT
MirroCraft 3696 16’ Deep Fisherman
Lund Wilderness 16DLX.

I really like the features and reputation of the Lund and that fact that is rated for a 25 while the Lowe is rated for a 20.
The Mirrocraft is also rated for a 25 but doesnt have the storage the Lowe & Lund have.
The closest Lund dealer is in Nashville, Arkansas.
So I would be driving 500 miles to get it, sight unseen.
Or I can drive 15 miles to buy the Lowe (probably sight unseen as well since I dont think they have sold one down here & would have to order it.).
The Mirrocraft is about 150 miles away.
So, the question is:
Would You Drive 500 Miles to Buy a Lund vs these other brands????
 
is cost a factor

i have a lund -- its a nice boat -- but can i do anything in it guys in other less expensive al boats can't do - no

guess i'd save on the boat and spend more on a good quality motor

JMO
 
I would. If you want a Lund make the trip. If you get there and dont like it... you are out what $150 round trip?

Driving to me is a lot different than for most folks. I drive a lot for work so a 500 mile trip is an afternoon drive.

I'd go for it. Make a trip out of it, if you dont get the boat who cares at least you went and check on it.
 
Cost is a factor. If the Lund is significantly more (as in cant really justify it based on quality & features) then it will be tough to chose it when I may have to drive that far.
However, the wife has told me that I can buy a boat, so this will be the time to get what I want!

As far as motors, it will be a Yamaha 25 two stroke electric start or Yamaha F20 4 stroke electric start depending on which hull I go with.
 
From the Land of 10,000 Lakes. We build three brands here Lund, Alumacraft and Crestliner. All are good boats. Crestliner has a welded hull and the others are riveted. My personal experienceis that the Crestliner handled better and the Lund has a drier ride. Never had a bigger Alumacraft but the smaller ones have treated me just fine. One other bit of trivia is that the transom angle on a Lund is not as compatable for OMC motors as the Crestliner. I used the same motor on both boats and to make it work on the Lund I had to add T&T which was not a bad thing but $$. I also had to wedge the motor out on the Lund. For what is worth I still have my1987 Lund. Would I drive to pick up a Lund, You gosh darn right I would, maybe not 500 miles though. My $.02
 
Like I noted, I'm looking at the Wilderness 16 or maybe the 14 DLX.
 
Carl,
BUY the boat that you WANT. I would not base it on driving distance. I've driven way too far sometimes just to get an R/C model airplane from fellas.....doh (that's one of my other addictions..I mean, focuses).
Jan. 3rd '08, I had a fella drive up from Georgia to pick up a Brant II-X. That was the boat he wanted and that's what he decided to get...gotta love it.
What I'm saying, don't place distance as the primary basis for your purchase. Get what you WANT, and if it turns out that it doesn't fit the bill when you see it......as said above, you're only out the gas money and a bit of time.
Lou
 
Carl, given the recession... I'll bet that one of the types you like will come up for sale over the next couple of months. People buy things they don't need during good times and sell during bad.

I'd be patient, but that's hard to do when you want something so badly, especially since you have the good spouse's approval.

Or, buy the boat, and arrange a fishing trip with someone from here and make a weekend out of it.

Good luck.
 
One other thing to add. You might be able to get the seller to meet you part way with it. I've done that before for vehicles and it worked out OK.

I agree with Lou. Buy the one YOU want, keeping in mind that no one makes the ONE boat anyone needs. Everyone I know that spends a lot of time on the water has a small fleet. I my family we got float tubes, kayaks, an alum canoe, wooden duck boats, a 14'er car topper and an 18' lake boat. And I wouldn't mind a 20' Harborcraft inboard jet if I was as rich as Paris.

I'm into old sturdy hulls with the best 4 stroke motor I can afford, even if I have to borrow it.

Mike
 
Carl:

That lowe is a hell of a boat. I almost bought one before I bought my current lund.

Mirrocraft I am not impressed with but their newer boats seem to be of higher quality than 10-15 yrs. ago.

It sounds like you're looking mainly at a fishing boat -- e.g. not the pure utility, lighter weight, wide-open stripped down Lund hulls like the WC-14 or the SS-16 etc.

In other words you don't really need the lightest weight hull in a given size, and if not, the Lund doesn't do anything more for you other than lighten your wallet more.

In my mind the only reason to pay for a Lund (and put up with its wood floors, wood seats, stupid hatch designs etc.) is if you have an application where sea-handling, load carrying, AND the ability to muscle it around in the skinnies are all in play. If you don't need all three then I think the Lowe is probably the best bargain of those you name. The Lowe and the Mirrocraft don't have the reputation for "toughness" that the Lund has but if you're not breaking a lot of ice and not crunching on and off the beach many times every day... they should be plenty. I have been especially impressed with the longterm durability of the Lowe hulls I've been around.

Have you looked at Crestliner and Duranautic, too? They make good boats in somewhat similar hull configurations.

Cheers...
 
Carl,I will check at our dealer in our area,he is a lund dealer,any specifics on the 16 footer,will have a price for you tommorrow,let me know the specifics,or call me at 618-780-3822 , Brian Rippelmeyer
 
Hey Carl,
No - I would not drive that far to get a lund. But I live in an area where boats are very close by. I agree with the advice to buy the right boat, and if i had to i would drive to get it.
I have written about my preference for Yamahas, and stand by them - although Gene bought a Suzuki and been very happy with it also (and a little less expensive).
Think about the next 7-9 years, and all that you want a boat for, because that is the time frame for your decision.
Send pics!

BTW - the boots that I got from you last fall have been put to good use - my son has worn them a lot. It's my daughter that I need hip boots for - she is the mud magnet. Dang - she can find the mud and sink in it. I have had to pull her out a few times this winter....and the boots stick in the mud...
Dave
 
I totally agree with Lou,
There will come a time when you wish you had bought what you really wanted instead of opting for something a little cheaper. I have shorted myself over the years many times to save money. Now that I'm approaching 60 I realize that I should have paid myself first in many instances, certainly when it comes to a hobby that you truly love. Go now before gas goes up any farther.

Follow your gut regardless of the cost,
Harry
 
It will definately be dual purpose boat: fishing in the spring, summer and fall and duck hunting in the winter. Boats down here don't get a break, mine could be on the water 21 months out of the year!

Weight is an issue but draft is more important. I need to be able to float in ~8" to getinto a lot of the areas I hunt. Dont have to motor in that shallow, cause I can walk the boat in, but I do need to float.

We dont crunch ice much here but crunch a few clams shells & oyster shells. But nothing any normal jon boat couldnt handle.
I will check out those other brands, have not seen them.
Thanks!
 
Carl: I am about to shoot you a PM with some thoughts. I misspoke in my post re: "lighter / more stripped down" because I missed the "Wilderness" part of the post... More to follow.
-M
 
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Too bad you don't live up here Carl at least as far as boat's are concerned. There are used boats in mint condition. Boat, motor,trailer. Different from you, a lot of people buy a boat motor trailer and didn't really get into fishing, hunting out of it. They may put at most twenty hours on the rig and then it sits and sits. Finally property taxes come due or they want some other toy. Boat motor and trailer for sale.... They sit on it for a year can't get the money they want. Down goes the price...The only thing that seems to hold it's price is the motor.

Now thats some thing to consider. You pick out the boat you want and some of us Northerners will look around if we find a deal it would be worth your while to drive a thousand miles to save two or three thousand.

Minn is the land of ten thousand lakes... Wis is the land of ten thousand boats +

We don't get to use our boats for 21 months a year like you do. ( : )
 
WHen times gets closer to actually having cash in pocket, I might have to take you northern guys up onthat. Me & the boy could take a weekend road trip, see some scenery, buy a boat and save some green too.
Soundslike an all around winner to me!
 
FYI: I've been looking for a boat that meets your criteria up here in mid mich. I'll vote for a good used. One of my deal breakers was a flat floor/open floor plan. Another was the ability of my old 25 long shaft Evenrude to push the thing at a reasonable pace. (The weight of a 4 stroke is something I'm avoiding.) I found that to get a tan colored boat in 16' that would work for moderate conditions it amounted to the Alumacraft Lunker and the new Starcraft Pro Camp.

I am anticipating a decent ride from the starcraft (15 deg dead rise) and the alumacraft should have an even better ride.

The whole point is that I found some 2005 Lunkers at the Cabela's in Dundee for REALLY cheap. The hitch was that it's white. I just can't bring myself to paint a brand new boat. :-(

Best of luck,

Scott Smith
 
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