HookedOnFishingBoats.com

Should you arm yourself with an alloy?

Somehow, defying all logic, despite the fact that it’s been around forever, aluminum is the most under-rated boatbuilding material in existence. The guys on the west coast have figured this out; in many ways aluminum is superior to fiberglass, and for many segments of the fishing boat market, it’s a perfect fit. Fish out of Alaska or Seattle, and you’ll see just as much tin as glass. But on the east coast or the Gulf, fiberglass rules. Why? Two big reasons: looks, and cost. When it comes to large aluminum boats with construction more complex then essentially building a box grid 18’ or 19’ long, you need some skilled welders on hand—and these guys don’t work cheap. Meanwhile, aluminum boats never have and probably never will look as good as fiberglass. (Note: Tracker does give some of their models a baked-on enamel-like finish that’s darn close, but it’s limited in availability and raises cost even more.) Yet if you can live with a metallic finish and you need a boat with incredibly diverse capabilities, something like AlumaCraft’s new Dominator 165CS should be on your short list.

I tested one at Yamaha’s press intro a few weeks back, and was thoroughly impressed with this tight little package. Its target market is family boaters looking for a multi-use boat that does everything from fishing to toy-towing, but after running the 165 I think it would be an awesome little platform for die-hard anglers who are into big travel.

Why? Let’s start with tow-ability, and the fact that this boat weighs 1,175 pounds fully rigged. Drop one of Yamaha’s new 70-horse four-strokes onto the transom, as our test boat was rigged, and you’ll add a mere 260 pounds to the package weight (the new 70 is over 100-pounds less then Yamaha’s old F-75 and weighs less then many two-strokes this size). Now toss in another 700 pounds for the trailer and assorted gear. Any way you cut it, you get a tow package that comes in right around 2,000 pounds, which is going to be 300 to 500 pounds less then a comparably-sized dual console fiberglass rig.

Next, consider fishability: with multiple seat pedestal bases forward and aft you can fish it bass-boat style with raised seating, or leave the seats at home and fish it bay-boat style, with the raised fore and aft casting decks. There’s a 22-gallon livewell forward and a mini-well (five gallons) aft, with aeration timers and lighting, so live baiting should be no problem. When water play is on the planner instead of fishing, flip up the aft jumpers and you get comfy seating for two more people.

What about seakeeping? Does aluminum give up anything compared to fiberglass? No way. In fact, tin boats tend to float over the waves instead of bulling through them, and impacts are often reduced. It wasn’t exactly rough when I ran the 165 in the Tennessee River, but we met with enough one to two foot boat wakes to convince me that this boat can handle anything a glass boat of equal size would take on. Plus, since aluminum dents instead of shattering, running into a rocky bottom is a lot less painful. Worried about puncturing that hull? Don’t be. The Alumacraft is built with two skins, an outer hull over second sheet of plating that gives the bow and keel an added layer of security. Total thickness in 0.16” while most aluminum boats in this size range have between 0.08” and 0.1” thick hulls.

Whatever and wherever the task dejure may be, the 165 is up to it. And you’ll be doing it for less – less weight, that is, which means an easier trip down the road and an easier time at the fuel pump. After taking that into account, most boaters should realize that the 165’s alloyed attitude isn’t just “as good” as fiberglass for a hull in this size range, but in many ways, it’s superior.

See what the manufacturer’s says at www.alumacraft.com.

LOA – 16’8”

Beam – 7’7”

Draft – 8”

Dry weight – 1,175

Fuel capacity – 20

Max. HP – 90

Price – Just under 20K for a boat, motor, and trailer package including the new Yamaha 70-hp four-stroke.

Observed performance notes w/3 people and full load fuel, single 70 HP Yamaha F-70 four-stroke outboard, swinging a 15” x 19” three bladed stainless-steel prop: