Buying first brand new boat -- Crestliner Discovery vs. Lund Fury

[scullman40]

I am new to the forum, so if I posted this question in the wrong section I apologize. I have been researching new boats, and am having difficulties deciding between the Crestliner 1450 SC Discovery, and the Lund 1400 SS Fury. I know with these shorter boats tiller steering is usually the way to go for space reasons, but 99% of the time it is just me and my wife in the boat, and I like console steering better than tiller. We are looking for a smaller boat that can fit in my small garage, and we do not typically fish the big lakes with rough waters found in Minnesota. Through looking at the numbers, the Crestliner Discovery has about a 6" wider beam and is around 150 pounds heavier. I know beam and weight do a lot for stability, but is that little bit of a difference going to make the Crestliner a lot more stable over the Lund? Anyone have any experience with either boat, and what did you like and not like about them? We do a combination of bass/northern fishing, as well as trolling and drifting across the lakes, for a reference on how it would be used.

I had an old 15ft Tri-Hull I was able to get rid of (kept the 1983 50hp Evinrude that leaks gas everywhere), and am looking to use the old 1976 Calkins roller trailer it sat on for this new boat. It has lifetime tags, and is pretty sturdy. I am having difficulties finding measurements on how large or small the trailer needs to be to haul these boats around. It may be too narrow, given it is only 49" between the fenders, causing the new boat to sit high on the trailer. The Tri-Hull sat really high, made it really hard to load without load guides I planned on adding in bunks with rollers (and load guides) for added support and still be able to load/unload easier.

Any suggestions or information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[roscoe]

Welcome to iboats scull man.

A few major problems i see, The Lund is only rated for 30 hp, and the Crestliner is only rated to handle 40 hp.

And yes, the trailer is likely to be a very large pain in your backside.

Have you found a dealer that will sell you a new boat, without a motor or trailer? It can be difficult, and sometimes costly, as the dealers usually get boat/motor/trailer packages from the manufacturer.

 

[ezmobee]

And yes, the trailer is likely to be a very large pain in your backside.

A brand new trailer for that sized boat is really inexpensive. Like $1k or less. Something to consider.

 

[TyeeMan]

Six inches wider in the beam doesn't sound like much but it actually really ads up. That said, I'm a died in the wool Lund guy, I've had a number of them. It's a rock solid boat that won't flex and twist when your going over some chop.

I would highly advise not using your current trailer. The trailer can make the entire boating experience a total success or a total failure. Just think about the times you are at the landing and it's really busy. You want that boat to load and unload as fast and smoothly as possible. And hey, if you have a nice new boat, , make it look nice too sitting on a nice trailer.
As mentioned previously, a trailer for that boat will run you about a grand, , maybe. See if you can find a new non-current roller trailer that actually fits your boat. You will thank yourself many many times over.

 

[bassman284]

I agree, 6 inches can be pretty big, especially boats that size. I'm pretty much a Lund guy but I'd be going with the wider boat.

 

[scullman40]

I should have said that I am not going to use the old motor on this new boat, I thought I took that part out of my post but I guess I forgot. New trailers for those boats run around $1100, according to the dealer I was talking to; however, he also said either boat will fit just fine on my current trailer. But from what you guys have said, seems like I would be better off going with a wider trailer that actually fits the new boat. I recall being on the lake in my Tri-Hull dreading getting it off of the lake because it was such a pain to load. New boat, new trailer, new motor. Might as well make it worth it.

I have heard lots of good things about the Lund IPS hull and how it handles the chop. Lund seems to have a higher resale value than Crestliner in my area. But, the wider beam, added weight, and the larger motor (make up for the added weight I am assuming) all seem a little more appealing to me. Not sure how crazy I am about an all welded hull. I know rivets break, but I find it easier to replace a rivet than an aluminum weld (considering I do not know how to weld aluminum). I am hoping to actually sit in these boats and physically look at them, but no dealers in my area have any in stock yet. They do not even have the previous year models either, but I will keep asking around and looking. Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate the info.

 

[scullman40]

Pretty small difference in the specs for these two boats.

Lund Fury 1400 SS:
69.5" Beam
35.5" Depth
56" Chine
545 lbs

Crestliner Discovery 1450 SC:
75.5" Beam
33.5 Depth
58: Chine
765 lbs

 

[bassman284]

Pretty small difference in the specs for these two boats.

Lund Fury 1400 SS:
69.5" Beam
35.5" Depth
56" Chine
545 lbs

Crestliner Discovery 1450 SC:
75.5" Beam
33.5 Depth
58: Chine
765 lbs

6 inches is 6 inches.

 

[Patfromny]

My 77 Crestliner all welded boat has giving me no trouble. Everything still welded together. Lol. I think they are both fine boats but I agree with the rest, 6 inches on a 14 ft boat is alot.

 

[richardgreen]

+1 for the Lund. There is a reason why you see the higher resale prices for them.

 

[Watermann]

The 220 Lbs more I wouldn't think is from the 6" wider beam, it has to be the thickness of the AL on the boat for a 14'r to weight in that much more and even then. I wonder if that's the weight figured in with a max HP motor.

Both Lund and CL have been around for a very long time. I've seen them both torn down and rebuilt here at iboats. Each brand had the same issues with longevity and were ruined by their previous owners neglect.

Which ever one you get buy a cover too.

 

[Teamster]

Boat show season is here,............

If I were you I'd try to go to one or two and see the boats, And see what kind of boat show pricing they have,..

Both are fine boats,...If I had to chose I'd lean towards the C-Liner with the wider beam because I think it would be a more stable fishing platform,...

 

[Patfromny]

I agree with Watermann. I doubt you could go wrong with either boat. Pick the one that you like better.

 

[Streffpilot]

The thing is, You will NEVER EVER EVER EVER wish for a smaller boat. I would go for the 6" wider boat any day. That plus higher HP rating would put me in the Crstliner........

 

[Patfromny]

Owning a Crestliner I would guess the extra weight is from the under deck frame work of bulk heads and stringers. I found mine was really well built structurally and the only problem I had was with the wood work. They built all my wood pieces including the floor, if you can believe it, out of flake board. That was in 77 though, I'm sure that practice is gone. To take a peak below deck on a Crestliner, take a look at the first few pages of my thread. Sorry, my Photobucket isn't cooperating this morning.

 

[Yegboats]

Boat show season is here,............

If I were you I'd try to go to one or two and see the boats, And see what kind of boat show pricing they have,..

Both are fine boats,...If I had to chose I'd lean towards the C-Liner with the wider beam because I think it would be a more stable fishing platform,...

Completely agree.
Something else to consider is the dealership you're buying from, which one do you feel will look after you the best? Do they specialize in marine or is it their secondary business? Are there any boat buyers incentives they offer like preferential service, extra discounts for gears, props and accessories?

 

[ezmobee]

Lund makes a great boat no doubt but Crestliner is no slouch. We ain't talking about a Tracker or something. If you like the Crestliner better I'd go for it. And I think 6" would be a noticeable difference in stability.

 

[scullman40]

Going to a boat show or two is exactly my plan. There is one coming up in Minneapolis in a couple of weeks, and I think there is one in St. Paul this weekend as well. See if I can find a these boats or at least take a peak at the construction of both Lund and Crestliner up close. I have heard Boat Shows can have some pretty good incentives or deals. The one nice thing about Minnesota, is we have boat dealers everywhere, and I am sure I can find one or two close to home that have some good buyer incentives. Great ideas, thanks!

 

[TyeeMan]

Yep, the St. Paul Sports show is going on January 12th to the 15th at St. Paul River Center. Otherwise the Minneapolis Boat Show I believe is January 19-22. You'll see way more boats at the Minneapolis show. The St. Paul show combines boats, campers and resorts.

I remember back in the day when Crestliner went to exclusively all welded construction. Oh my goodness the arguments! The Crestliner guy says to the Lund guy, welding is better, there are no rivets to pop. The Lund guy says to Crestliner guy, welds crack, how many all riveted jet airliners have you seen fall out of the sky because of broken rivets, , cryeye! In either case you would have to abuse the berjeebers out of either boat to get a big failure.

I think you are on the right track. New boat, new trailer, new or newer motor, , sounds awesome!! I just got my new to me Tyee last year and I can't wait for open open water.

 

[scullman40]

Went to the St Paul show and it was jammed packed with a bunch of campers and a decent amount of boats. Did not see a Discovery there, but saw an Alumacraft Escape 165 and a Fury 1600. The beam on the Escape is only 1/2" wider than the Discovery (76" to 75.5" respectively). I compared the Escape to the Fury, and the Escape looked so much wider. I spoke to a dealer and they gave me a really good price quote on the 1450 Discovery. I would have gone with the 1650 Discovery, since the price is not that much different, but the 1650 will not fit in my garage My garage is 20' 5", the 1650 is 21' 6" long, and the 1450 is 19' 8" long. It will barely fit, but it will at least be in shelter during the MN winters.

I am not an options guy so I just went with the basic SC build, with a new trailer, and a new 40HP ELPT Merc (without command thrust). Since it was a show purchase, Mercury tosses in an extra two years of warranty coverage on top of the standard 3 years. I added in the bow mount trolling motor, which I guess comes with blue-tooth capabilities. Have not researched that yet, but I'm assuming that means I can use a remote or my phone to control it. I have been working with the sales guy to get the paperwork together, and hopefully I can get everything signed (if my schedule is willing) in the next few days. Thanks for all the comments and info guys.