Top Aluminum Boat Builders: Crafting The Best Vessels

Aluminum boats are a popular choice for fishing enthusiasts and commercial operations alike. They are known for their affordability, lightweight construction, and durability. When it comes to finding the best aluminum boat builders, several companies stand out for their quality, craftsmanship, and innovative features. Here's an introduction to the topic, highlighting some of the top aluminum boat builders in the market today:

Lund: With a reputation for quality and craftsmanship, Lund has been building boats since 1948 and is particularly popular among anglers in northern climates. Their boats are known for providing a smooth, dry ride, making them ideal for fishing in colder waters.

Alumacraft: Alumacraft offers a balance of quality and affordability, allowing customers to choose their preferred engine brand. Their boats are known for spacious livewells, deep-V hulls, and overall fishability.

Crestliner: As part of the Brunswick family, Crestliner is renowned for its all-welded construction, providing added durability to their boats. They offer spacious interiors, protective windshields, and customizable options to suit various fishing needs.

Tracker: Tracker boats offer excellent value for money, providing a wide range of features at competitive prices. They are known for their comprehensive packages that include the boat, motor, trailer, and a full suite of standard features.

Lowe: As one of the biggest aluminum boat brands, Lowe benefits from economies of scale, often offering lower prices than their competitors. They have a diverse lineup, including modified-V, deep-V, fish and ski boats, and utility boats, catering to a wide range of customers.

Willie Boats: Willie Boats, a custom aluminum boat manufacturer based in Southern Oregon, is known for its meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail. They offer drift boats and powerboats with fully welded aluminum construction, ensuring longevity and superior performance.

Xpress Boats: Xpress Boats, the original all-welded aluminum boat company, offers a range of fishing and hunting boats. Their boats are known for their innovative features, such as the Xtreme Coat floor liner and large storage compartments, making them ideal for serious anglers.

G3: G3 boats deliver exceptional value, with sturdy construction and feature-rich designs. Their Gator Tough Jon boat series, in particular, stands out for its thick aluminum hulls and camo paint job options.

Smoker Craft: Smoker Craft offers a versatile range of aluminum boats, including the Angler series, which provides a shocking level of available accessories. Their boats are family-friendly and fully customizable, making them suitable for both fishing and watersports enthusiasts.

These companies represent some of the best aluminum boat builders in the industry, known for their quality, innovation, and commitment to meeting the diverse needs of their customers.

Best Deep V Aluminum Fishing Boats

Anglers who go out on big lakes and bays where the conditions can be rough will want to use deep V aluminum fishing boats. This is because the V-shape of the hull means the boat can cut through waves with less pounding and spray.

However, very few small aluminum fishing boats have hulls that meet the technical specifications of a true deep-V design. Most professionals would say that among all the different types of fishing boats, the deep-V designation begins when a hull has 20 to 21 degrees or more of transom deadrise (the angle of the V in the hull at the back of the boat).

Crestliner bills its Discovery, Pro Tiller, Hawk, and Fish Hawk boats as deep-V models, with transom deadrise ranging from 17 degrees down to six degrees. The Hawk models feature tall wraparound windshields that shield the cockpit from wind and spray, and the boats are constructed with all-welded parts and offer significant customisation.

Lund's flagship Baron and high-end Pro-V lines are also considered to be among the best deep-V aluminum fishing boats. The 2275 Baron, for example, is a large boat that can hit speeds of up to 60 mph and carry up to 12 passengers.

Other top aluminum boat brands include G3, Lowe, Tracker, Duckworth, and Weldcraft.

Best Aluminum Fishing Boats for the Money

Aluminum fishing boats have a lot of advantages over their fiberglass counterparts, especially when it comes to smaller models. They are lighter, require smaller power plants, are easier to tow and handle, easier to maintain, and tend to cost less. However, fiberglass boats can have more complex hull forms and integrated features.

G3 Gator Tough Jon Boat Series

G3 boats are not cheap and often cost as much as or more than competitors. However, they offer great value for money, especially with their Gator Tough Jon boat series. Even their smallest models have thick aluminum hulls, and their standard packages include camo paint jobs and high-quality trailers.

Lowe

Lowe is one of the biggest aluminum boat brands and offers a wide range of models, including modified-V, Deep-V, Fish and Ski boats, and utility boats. They have a large network of dealers and benefit from economies of scale, allowing them to offer competitive prices.

Tracker

Tracker claims to be America's best-selling aluminum fishing boat brand, and their affordable prices and extensive dealer network make them a popular choice. They offer complete packages with the boat, motor, trailer, and standard features at a clear MSRP.

Crestliner

Crestliner offers a range of Deep-V models, including the Discovery, Pro Tiller, Hawk, and Fish Hawk, with protective windshields and all-welded construction. They also have long options lists, allowing for significant customization.

Lund

Lund is known for its bass boats, and their aluminum Deep-V lineup includes models with deep-V hulls. They offer all-inclusive boat-motor-trailer packages with a long list of features and clear, no-haggle pricing that includes prep and freight.

Best Offshore Aluminum Fishing Boats

Aluminum fishing boats have a lot of advantages over their fiberglass cousins, especially when it comes to small models. They are lighter, easier to tow and handle, require smaller powerplants, are easier to maintain, and tend to cost less. However, once boats get into the mid-20-foot range, fiberglass becomes more popular, and most offshore fishing boats are that size or larger. So, you won't see many aluminum boats designed for offshore fishing.

Some exceptions include boats from Duckworth and Weldcraft, which are built in Clarkston, Washington. Duckworth makes some of the biggest ocean-going aluminum fishing boats, with the largest boasting a 34'1" length. Their boats also have full cabins and plenty of room for anglers. Weldcraft offers similar dimensions and their larger boats can handle up to 900 horsepower.

Another brand to consider is Willie Boats, a small, custom aluminum boat manufacturer located in Southern Oregon. They offer drift boats from 12' to 20' and powerboats from 20' to 28' in length, with numerous bottom-width options. Their boats are meticulously built with high-quality craftsmanship and materials, and they are known for their superior performance.

If you're looking for a more affordable option, you might want to consider Lifetimer or Silver Streak. These companies use thicker metal and a better alloy than some of their competitors, resulting in more durable boats. Additionally, you could also look into Bridgeview Marine, which builds highly-regarded center console boats, or Raider boats, which are known for their awesome aluminum offshore boats in the Pacific Northwest.

Best Small Aluminum Fishing Boats

Aluminum fishing boats have a lot of advantages over their fiberglass counterparts, especially when it comes to smaller models. They are lighter, require smaller power plants, are easier to tow and handle, and tend to cost less. Here are some of the best small aluminum fishing boats on the market:

Lowe

Lowe is one of the biggest aluminum boat brands and offers a wide range of models, including Jon boats as small as 10 feet in length. These smaller boats are perfect for three people and can be powered by a five-horsepower engine, making them ideal for ponds or small lakes. Lowe boats are known for their affordability, with their models usually posting lower sticker prices than their competitors.

Smoker Craft

Smoker Craft offers larger models but also has straightforward 14' and 16' boats in its Angler series. Even the smallest Smoker Craft boats can be outfitted with a bow-mount electric trolling motor, a factory-installed GPS/fishfinder, a seat slider, and more.

Starcraft

Starcraft's small aluminum boat offerings include a 12-footer in the SL series, as well as SF, SF DLX, Alaskan, Freedom, and Patriot models. These boats are no-frills and easy on the wallet, requiring minimal maintenance and offering simple trailer, launch, and retrieval processes.

Xpress

Xpress, the original all-welded aluminum boat company, offers a range of fishing boats, including the HD16DBX, a 16-footer perfect for bass fishing, duck hunting, or bow fishing. The HD16DBX can be powered by up to a 50-horsepower engine and comes with a BackTrack single-axle aluminum trailer.

Willie Boats

Willie Boats is a small, custom aluminum boat manufacturer located in Southern Oregon. They build drift boats and powerboats ranging from 12' to 28' in length, with various bottom width options. Willie Boats are known for their meticulous craftsmanship, using only the highest-grade aluminum and offering a "lifetime warranty" for buyers.

Best Aluminum Bass Fishing Boats

Aluminum bass boats are extremely popular due to their compactness, sturdiness, and fishing equipment. They are designed for bass fishing but can be used for other types of fishing as well. Here are some of the best aluminum bass boats on the market:

Crestliner MX21

This tournament-level aluminum bass boat is as big and powerful as its fiberglass cousins. The MX21 can be rigged with up to 250 horsepower and features huge casting decks, a 45-gallon livewell, large tackle storage compartments, and twin rod boxes that can hold a total of 10 rods. The hull is made of 0.125-inch gauge aluminum, and the boat has a fiberglass console with space for 12-inch flush-mounted electronics. It also comes with a recessed foot control for the trolling motor and a tandem axle trailer. The price starts slightly under $53,000.

Lowe Skorpion 17

Lowe is a well-known manufacturer of bass boats, and the Skorpion 17 is an excellent choice for those looking for affordability and value for money. Starting at under $20,000, it offers a modified V hull, an outboard motor with 20 to 60 horsepower, an aerated livewell, a foot-pedal-controlled trolling motor, and four comfortable seats. While it may not be the fastest bass boat on the market, it provides everything you need for a fun and successful day of fishing.

Lund 2075 Pro V Bass XS

If you're looking for a serious contender to a fiberglass bass boat, the Lund 2075 Pro V Bass XS is an excellent option. This tournament fishing boat can seat up to four people, making it perfect for families or those who want more space. It features two large casting decks with bow and center rod storage, a 28-gallon aerated livewell, and can be rigged with a potent 250 horsepower engine. The price starts slightly over $60,000.

Ranger RT198P

The Ranger RT198P is a great choice if you're looking for an affordable bass boat that doesn't compromise on performance. Priced at around $39,000, it offers 150 horsepower, flush-mounted electronics, and a range of fishing equipment. It has clever storage space and well-thought-out extras, such as a retractable rod strap, a cooler, and center rod storage in the spacious front casting deck. The sleek appearance, color-matched trailer, and suite of extras make this boat stand out from the competition.

Tracker Pro Team 195 TXW Tournament Edition

Tracker is one of the biggest builders of aluminum boats, and their Pro Team 195 TXW Tournament Edition is their premium model. Priced in the upper $30,000 range, it's capable of speeds in the 50s and comes fully rigged and ready for fishing. It includes a Minn Kota 70-pound-thrust electric trolling motor, an onboard three-bank battery charger, a Lowrance HOOK2 Reveal 5-inch fishfinder, and a single-axle trailer.

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