FloridaFishinFool Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 On 12/21/2015 at 0:34 PM, A-Jay said: Again, if competence were directly related to income, the Presidential Elections would look a whole lot different. Have a good one A-Jay Very true Aluminum means problem solved for many of us. The big rich fiberglass boats go one way and us aluminum boats and air boats head in the other direction hoping to avoid the other. Simple as that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan S Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 The whole "fiberglass big rich boat" thing just seems like a little bit of jealousy to me...But what do I know, I'm one of those fiberglass guys that rips up and down the river. BRB, gotta go find an AL boat to wake. I'm glad you think I'm rich, could you pass that information along to my bank? Where do plastic boats fit into the hierarchy? Kidding aside, no body of water is immune to inexperienced or inconsiderate boaters. You just learn to deal with it. I've seen boneheads in everything from canoes to yachts, has nothing to do with financial status. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaFishinFool Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 No, not jealousy. I don't want one of those boats. Never did. And here in Florida there are boats galore to be had cheap too. I could afford a bigger boat if I wanted one, but I choose to not go through the trouble and hassle and added expense. So it is not jealousy you are reading in my words. I have no desire for a boat like some of them have. I just left the gas station near the river and ran into one of those big rich man's boats- big enough to live on. It was so big the rig blocked up the parking lot up. They pumped more than $300.00 of fuel into it. Huge twin 200hp Suzuki outboards. That boat was so big it could run over any bass boat and not even notice it. "Hey George, did you feel a bump? Nope..." So no, nothing to be jealous about there. I like having a nearly maintenance free boat that is economical on fuel. I fill a 6 gallon tank and it can last 5 outings or more. Some of those big rich boats will blow through 6 gallons in less than an hour or a few miles. I am not jealous of that! Boats like that can run the river north of Sanford where it is deeper and dredged out for them. But where I go with my aluminum boat, they can not go. Aluminum to the rescue! When I describe a rich boat, it really is a rich boat. Some cost in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars and more. I would not consider a used fiberglass bass boat as fitting into the same bag as a "rich" boat- though some do cost tens of thousands too, that was not what I was attempting to describe. Not even close. Most of those guys are on par with us river rats and follow the rules and show respect for their fellow boaters. My point may have been miscommunicated. I have passed up nice used fiberglass bass boats and trailers with 125hp outboards for $2,000. That is not what I would describe as a rich boat- not even close. I'm in Florida near the coast. Think really rich past average bass fishing boats. Bigger my good man. That is what we have to deal with around here quite often. This photo was taken just minutes ago at the last gas station before the river ramps... and yes, boats this size and much bigger routinely run up and down the river... Here are some abandoned boats in the St. Johns river us tax payers will have to foot the bill to remove. Notice these are not bass boats... most are deteriorating rotting fiberglass boats and definitely not formerly owned by the working class type of guys... Definitely not your average working man class of boats there... I simply tried to point out that generally the bigger the boat, the less respect and consideration for others I have witnessed over the years. The smaller the boat, the more respect and consideration for others I have witnessed. Aluminum boats has its limitations and advantages. The original OP asked what he might expect transitioning into an aluminum boat. Hopefully I brought some details into the discussion that I had not read previously on the subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gulfcaptain Posted December 21, 2015 Super User Share Posted December 21, 2015 3 hours ago, FloridaFishinFool said: No, not jealousy. I don't want one of those boats. Never did. And here in Florida there are boats galore to be had cheap too. I could afford a bigger boat if I wanted one, but I choose to not go through the trouble and hassle and added expense. So it is not jealousy you are reading in my words. I have no desire for a boat like some of them have. I just left the gas station near the river and ran into one of those big rich man's boats- big enough to live on. It was so big the rig blocked up the parking lot up. They pumped more than $300.00 of fuel into it. Huge twin 200hp Suzuki outboards. That boat was so big it could run over any bass boat and not even notice it. "Hey George, did you feel a bump? Nope..." So no, nothing to be jealous about there. I like having a nearly maintenance free boat that is economical on fuel. I fill a 6 gallon tank and it can last 5 outings or more. Some of those big rich boats will blow through 6 gallons in less than an hour or a few miles. I am not jealous of that! Boats like that can run the river north of Sanford where it is deeper and dredged out for them. But where I go with my aluminum boat, they can not go. Aluminum to the rescue! When I describe a rich boat, it really is a rich boat. Some cost in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars and more. I would not consider a used fiberglass bass boat as fitting into the same bag as a "rich" boat- though some do cost tens of thousands too, that was not what I was attempting to describe. Not even close. Most of those guys are on par with us river rats and follow the rules and show respect for their fellow boaters. My point may have been miscommunicated. I have passed up nice used fiberglass bass boats and trailers with 125hp outboards for $2,000. That is not what I would describe as a rich boat- not even close. I'm in Florida near the coast. Think really rich past average bass fishing boats. Bigger my good man. That is what we have to deal with around here quite often. This photo was taken just minutes ago at the last gas station before the river ramps... and yes, boats this size and much bigger routinely run up and down the river... Here are some abandoned boats in the St. Johns river us tax payers will have to foot the bill to remove. Notice these are not bass boats... most are deteriorating rotting fiberglass boats and definitely not formerly owned by the working class type of guys... Definitely not your average working man class of boats there... I simply tried to point out that generally the bigger the boat, the less respect and consideration for others I have witnessed over the years. The smaller the boat, the more respect and consideration for others I have witnessed. Aluminum boats has its limitations and advantages. The original OP asked what he might expect transitioning into an aluminum boat. Hopefully I brought some details into the discussion that I had not read previously on the subject. They can be working man's boats now.....lol I'm sure they are going cheap when they are in that condition. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlF Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 I went from a float tube, to a motorized canoe, to an aluminum fishing boat. I think the biggest difference between a kayak and an aluminum bass boat (besides all of the previously mentioned issues) is the maintenance factors which you encounter with the boat. With the boat setup, you have to maintain the trailer, batteries, motor, pumps, boat body. Ive never owned a fiberglass, so my maintenance is relatively minor compared. But once in a while, when I find myself spending time and money on maintenance and repairs, I miss the ease of the plastic/inflatable alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racerx Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Looking at all the perspectives on here, I don't think there IS one perfect mode of fishing between them. Each will have their strengths and weaknesses, and each of us will have our own preferences and biases. For ME, I started in a canoe a year ago, and quickly grew tired of hoisting that thing on and off my vehicle! Since most of the time, I fish, alone, and I liked having access to many spots not reachable by a boat, I bought a kayak, and couldn't be happier. If wind is an issue, you should be running an anchor system. Boat traffic, and wakes was cleared up by adding outiggers that could be added or removed on a whim, plus it can allow you to stand up and fish, with plenty of stability, if you kayak isn't already stable enough.. These days, many people are adding trolling motors, and not just the high end Torqeedos, to get far out, quickly, and with little effort, and you don't need something really powerful. 15-20 lbs. of thrust is usually adequate, and they can be bought rather cheaply off someone on Craigslist. All this is possible, and with MUCH less cash than a boat. Like I said, this is just me, but I DO read all the time of guys selling their boats and going with a kayak, and never being happier. Whatever your choice, I hope it's the right one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaFishinFool Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 3 hours ago, Racerx said: ...I DO read all the time of guys selling their boats and going with a kayak, and never being happier. Whatever your choice, I hope it's the right one. That is not a good option for me in central Florida. Or I should say not the safest option for me around here. We have some really big alligators around here and lots of them. A kayak might look kind of tasty or might trigger a territorial attack response from a big male alligator or a big female protecting young and nest, or it might think the kayak looks kind of sexy! And back up in the remote swamps and woods around here that is the last place any kayaker would want have any up close problems with a big, aggressive, hungry gator! There are places in Florida help won't come until long after it is too late. So no, I can not say I would be happier in a kayak due to environmental reasons. God knows I would not want to be in a kayak when an 11 or 12 foot gator got aggressive maybe wanting to eat a fish I had on the line reeling in close to the kayak is like offering a dog a bone. No way! Just too dangerous for us here. Other than that, they are great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racerx Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Ooh! Good point! I watch kayak bass vids where people are fishing around gators, and I'm thinking "Screw THAT!". I saw Bill Dance in a TUBE, with a gator within rod's reach and thought "Uh-UH!"! The gator started to trail him! Just watched a Yankangler vid, a bunch of them went fishing in the Everglades. Now, I like fishing, but not THAT much! Yeah, I'd stick with the boat, if I were you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjfishman Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 I am over 60 and find I use my aluminum deep v less and less. As we age we need to stay active and kayaking is a good way to do that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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