Re: Looking to buy a new aluminum boat
My take . . . 3 years ago I went through the same decision you have to make. Money was of course always an issue.
I had in my sights the Alumacraft 145 because for the money you can't beat the value and quality of an Alumacraft boat.
But when I went stopped by this dealer in Connecticut he had the Alumacraft and a similar Lund model side by side because he just brought the rigs back from a boat show.
I was able to get into the Alumacraft and check it out. The Lund was like $3500 more and I said to myself what could possibly be worth $3500 more for the exact same size boat???
Well once I plopped myself into the Lund . . . . That's all she wrote. I didn't buy from that dealer because he was asking list prices and wouldn't budge. So I haggled around with my local dealer and paid around 13-14k for a new 2007 15 footer with a 40hp 4 stroke Merc and the trailer.
You need to actually sit in a perspective rig. A test drive is even better. Go to a boat show. Sit in the various brands. Decide on the brand and model and if money is an issue just buy the model you want used a few years older.
If you by new, get the 5 yr extended warranty on the outboard (early in the season many
offer a 5 year extended in the deal for free).
Like I said, for me I figured the extra dollars for the Lund over say an Alumacraft if I paid 3k more over the Alumacraft and I plan to keep a rig for 5 years minimum, that's about $20 extra a week to go first class in the Lund!
I'm still planning on upgrading to a 22 foot aluminum boat with a cuddy, but I'll never sell the Lund
And on the rivets. Lund has a lifetime warranty on it's hull. If you beach an aluminum boat and scrape rocks or pound the hell out of the hull on the waves of course the hull will eventually leak. But I don't treat my toys like that. Might be in 30 years I might see a rivet leaking. I like the secure feeling of a riveted rig. All "fully" welded boats are nice, but expensive.
