# Anyone purchase a brand-spanking-new V-hull aluminum lately?



## PATRIOT (Jul 22, 2013)

Preferably a bare bones utility V you got straight from the dealer.
What did you get? No flat bottom jon boats thanks.
I'm shopping again and am headed towards the welded .071 gauge Meyer Super-pro 16.


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## bcbouy (Jul 22, 2013)

mines not brand new now, but i picked it up new in dec. 2010 for a really good price.not many boat buyers in winter in canada.14.5 g3 welded hull.i love it.i set mine up for fly fishing and trolling.


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## wihil (Jul 22, 2013)

Haven't bought one, but I've been eyeing up a Polarkraft Dakota 1578WT really, really hard lately. I haven't found that style of boat made by anyone else with that size beam, and the sponson's on the back bode well for the weight of the mandatory 4 strokes they've got out now. If the floor/walkthrough is too much, they've got a bench model without the floor for less.

Short of that, the Smokercraft Alaskan 15DLX is looking good too, lots of room/freeboard for little weight should make it very fuel efficient.


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## PATRIOT (Jul 22, 2013)

That Polarkraft Dakota V1778 WB is probably closer to what I could use, just a bare hull. I like the built-in flotation pods even if they don't have enclosed tops.
I see it is a riveted hull and I have one of those currently.


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## PATRIOT (Jul 23, 2013)

Thought I'd do a few comparisons since we are shopping.
Like the Polarkraft width as well.
One thing I do like about the Meyers is the heavier welded 3-piece hull. (left half, right half, transom)
One dead giveaway about the hull strength is the supports some hulls have right where the seats meet the gunwales.


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## wihil (Jul 23, 2013)

If you're looking to hold closer to 16', then I'd also look at the G3 Guide Series V16 - I think it's a welded boat (to me it really doesn't matter in a boat this size/style if it's welded or not as my current boat is riveted and almost 70 years old and still doesn't leak a drop), but it also has an extremely large beam (84") for stability, and the weight's not too bad a 460#. Still heavier than I'd like in a camp-boat that size.

If you're looking at welded there's also Crestliner Sportsman (who is kind of ho-hum in their stripped down models for the money), and Hewescraft (big money for a basic tinny), and I believe Gregor makes a few really nice basic tins. The HC/Gregor is more of a westcoast style boat and we don't have dealers for them over here in the midwest (we're stuck in Lund/Alumacraft/Crestliner territory for our "style" of tin boats).

I really liked the 2010 Lund Rebel 1650 which was a basic nice, wide open, basic deep V for big water but they discontinued it.


My problem is I was specifically looking for boats that are under the 16' mark - sounds silly but there are a huge number of registration changes and requirements up here for boat that are 16' and larger. Under 16' and you can "slide under the radar" a bit easier.


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## PATRIOT (Jul 23, 2013)

Speaking of the Gregor, I can definitely rule that one out. Test drove a 17' with a 30HP E-Tech a couple of weeks ago. With that "clipper" bow it ran way too high in the water even when properly trimmed. Very hard to see dead ahead without standing up and I run at night a lot. 
Speaking of the E-Tech, the constant click-click-click of what I assume were the injectors firing was very annoying.
Trailering is another issue with a wider boat but I'll have to find a middle ground. My current Lowe 1462 is just perfect, width-wise, behind a Jeep Patriot.
Anyway, whatever I get I'm pretty sure I'll power it with the injected Suzuki DF20A.
Weight-wise . . . 290# for the Meyer hull plus 108# for the Suzuki = 398# . . . not bad.

Our fees are best at 16' and under (even though they doubled a few years ago)

REGISTRATION FEE
0 to 12 ft.
$20.00
12 ft. 1 in. to 16 ft.
$22.00
16 ft. 1 in. to 20 ft.
$30.00


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## wihil (Jul 23, 2013)

Been hearing a lot of great things about the Suzuki's. I got a chance to run a new Yamaha 4Strk a couple days ago in a friends boat, and was amazed at how quiet it was over my old 2stroke. With the Merc plant down the road, everyone seems to run a Merc (personally I'm not overly wowed with them, but they work...). Honda's pop up every now and then, but they're heavy compared to the competition.

Forgot about Mirrocraft too - they've got the Laker series which is pretty bare bones. Personally I was looking at a 1415 Troller for a while, they pop up for very reasonable (~4K) on CL every once and a while.

Lots of good options.


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## PATRIOT (Jul 23, 2013)

Here is another one I was really looking at . . . Wolf Boats up in Canada, but I could never get ahold of them. The Frontier Series caught my eye but I'd need it in a 16 footer. Really like that top rail style and polished aluminum finish.


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## RustyGoat (Jul 24, 2013)

I bought a 2013 Polar Kraft Dakota 1470 in May. With work and weather I haven't got to use it much but its well built. It's a deep v and is so deep that I had to put a floor in it or my feet wouldn't touch with the swivel seats I'm currently installing. The split rear bench is the only way to go and was one of the main selling points. Starcraft makes a similar boat but it was about a 4 hour drive to the nearest place that had one in stock. If I had to buy another boat I would probably spend the extra money and buy the 1578 with the floor and storage. 

I will say shop around. I live in Ohio and there was 2 Polar Kraft dealers that were 2-2.5 hours away, one in Ohio and one in Indiana. I had called and got quotes from the Ohio dealer and was planning to buy there (large selection) but the day before I was in Indiana and went right past the small dealer so I stopped in. It was a small marina with very limited selection but their prices were $300-400 cheaper for the same boat and trailer. I bought a boat off the lot but they said they could get whatever I wanted from Polar Kraft.


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## PATRIOT (Jul 24, 2013)

Maybe you could tell us the difference between the 2 Dakota 1470 models? They both appear to be the same hull but the passenger rating is different? Maybe the "L" is a 20" transom? 
I can't find any specs on the available transoms or the gauge of the hull as well.

Guess I answered my own question . . . upon further review the 1470L does appear to have the taller 20" transom cutout for a long shaft motor.


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## Ranchero50 (Jul 24, 2013)

What are you planning on doing with it / to it?

L designator looks like low transom.


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## PATRIOT (Jul 24, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=323489#p323489 said:


> Ranchero50 » 2 minutes ago[/url]"]What are you planning on doing with it / to it?
> 
> L designator looks like low transom.


The same thing I did to my Lowe prototype only on a grander scale.


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## wihil (Jul 24, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=323489#p323489 said:


> Ranchero50 » Today, 14:12[/url]"]What are you planning on doing with it / to it?
> 
> L designator looks like low transom.



"L" is long shaft transom.

I looked at the 16' version of the 1470, local place had one. Nice boat, but the split seat was sort of a waste on such a narrow beam. And while not a deal breaker, the lack of a splash well kind of bummed me out (I do a fair amount of backtrolling now). I liked the layout of the Alumacraft V16 20" better as there was more room between the split seats.


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## PATRIOT (Jul 24, 2013)

So . . . are you going with remote steering or tiller?
Which motor are you planning?


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## RustyGoat (Jul 25, 2013)

Yeah as mentioned the L is for the 20" transom. Mine is the 15" version so I'm running a Mini Jacker jack plate and a long shaft motor. I couldn't find any nice short shaft motors but came across a great deal on the long shaft. 

The space between the split rear bench is 11" if I remember right from making the floor. It's enough room to sit sideways. With the motor sitting back with the jack plate I was nearly turned around facing backwards to reach the tiller handle last time out. I bought an extension for the tiller handle hopefully I can face forward now.


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## wihil (Jul 25, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=323533#p323533 said:


> PATRIOT » Yesterday, 22:33[/url]"]So . . . are you going with remote steering or tiller?
> Which motor are you planning?




What I really, really want to do is basically duplicate a build I saw on here where a member turned a 15' Alumacraft V into a flat's boat with a center console. I've got the link saved in my bookmarks, but suffice to say it was an interesting combination of both - it was a tiller model (Yammie 20Hp if memory serves) that he had also rigged up with steering for the CC. No throttle control, just steering.

In reality, it'll more than likely stay as a tiller as it'll end up shuttling myself and my 4yo fishing buddy around the lake chain. At least until the next one is big enough to join us, so room and flat floor will be key. 

I'm dang near sold on the Polarkraft, unless a good deal pops up on a used top end Deep V tinny pops up (Lund/Crestliner/Alumacraft). Every now and then you can get a steal, but you have to have cash in hand and be ready to go immediately.


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## mchrist809 (Jul 25, 2013)

I bought a new Polar Kraft 1470 less than a year ago from a dealer. Got a pretty good deal. I love it. Wide, deep and extremely stable. Very well built boat. Like the split rear seats a lot. Haven't done any mods, but lots of room to do so. I use it for large lake trolling, bay stripper fishing, and remote camping. For camping I can fit wife, kid, a weeks worth of gear and coolers. Last trip we got 3 foot seas (on Maine's 5th largest lake) and it kept us safe and dry, though it was hairy. Running a Johnson 9.9 2 stroke. Enough power for the fishing but could use 20 or 25 (hp limit) for camping. Happy to answer any questions.


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## PATRIOT (Jul 25, 2013)

I'm currently running a vintage 15HP Nissan 2-stroke, recoil, tiller, to which I added remote steering and throttle so I have the best of both worlds while starting. Will probably do the same to a new Suzuki DF20A.
The price on the Meyers Super Pro 16 keeps dropping and is now down to $2850 and is headed lower since I want a plain unpainted mirror polished exterior. =D> =D> =D> =D> =D>


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