Im looking to get an aluminum bass boat for fishing shallow rivers and lakes and was wondering by those who own a Triton Magnum 197 how they like it.  Does it give a fiberglass like ride? Does the wind blow it around easly?  Is it a good boat for tournament use?

I've owned a Triton aluminum boat now for 2 months. Personally I'd look to buy a boat from a company that ONLY makes aluminum boats and not someone who wants to make glass boats and has aluminum as a side deal. I learned my lesson about how the factory stands behind the aluminum line....owned the boat 2 months - been in the shop for weld repairs for 1-1/2 of those.

Small leaks are acceptable after repairs, as are thumb size gorilla welds for a repair. Triton said as long as it didn't take on excessive water that's all they cover as far as warranty...

Not impressed, I know for a fact they wouldn't let a glass Triton be repaired like that and call it "good".

Just a heads up, I'm sure lots of people have them and love them. If you get one with a factory defect god help you. I could write 5 pages of my dealings, phone calls, letters, etc...and my boat still sets at the dealer.

Yikes!  

Is this trouble you're having at a dealer level or is this the factories response?

I can't speak about the Triton but I can tell you that the Xpress rides like a glass boat.  I have 2 friends with them.  One of them is a 19' with a 200 EFI.  The other is and 18' with a 115 four stroke.

I have never been in any alum. that didn't blow around more than a glass boat.

Yikes!

Is this trouble you're having at a dealer level or is this the factories response?

Both. It's the great catch-22. Factory says dealer is responsible for all warranty work, dealer says take it or leave it.

the triton magnums costs almost as much as a low end fiber boat. I have never heard about problems with the Tritons until the posts here...

but If I were looking into an alum boat I think the advice about going with a manufactuer who specializes is not bad advice...Xpress ( alumacraft) , War Eagle...both have great reputations.

another boat I hear good things about is the Crestliner CMV and CX series boats. This is the boat I would likely end up with but that is decision based on local dealers not boat manufactuers.