My Dad bought a Montgomery Ward 14' aluminum boat in 1957. When the Chris Craft outboard motor company went bankrupt he bought three of their 10 HP motors at a steep discount. He put the best one on the new boat. That changed our lives. Water skiing, fishing, swimming and trips on the Big Muskegon River in Michigan made our summers great. He gave the boat and motor to me in the 70s and I used it for years.
You mention thet the market is shifting in the direction of plastic boats and it is, however that shift began 25 years ago and the younger generation ran with it . Kayaks are available for allot less than a grand and are easy to transport and some of the other plastic boats like the Whatly boats are unsinkable and thats hard to beat
I'm 81 now, and I still have the 12 foot aluminum jon-boat I bought from Sears Roebuck for $67.00. That was back in 1968, and I bought a 2.5 horse air-cooled outboard motor with it for another $87.00. I made the mistake of leaving the boat out in the back yard one winter, and something chewed a big chunk out of the transom, but I was able to replace that myself. I've since got rid of the motor, and replaced a few rivets in the boat, but the boat is still useable. I did put a 6 horse motor on it one summer, and scared myself spitless the first time I went full-throttle with it! That said, I'd still like to try fishing from a kayak, or one of the new plastic bit designs, and it just seems like they'd be a decent way to recycle some of the throw-away platic we're burying ourselves with nowadays.
I bought a plastic Pond Prowler this June to finish out the fishing chapter of my life. I’ve had many boats over my lifetime (just ask my wife) and didn’t want to spend much now, not knowing how long I’ll be able to keep going. My last bass boat I gave to my Son, and he traded it in on a Skeeter. So, I can see how a plastic boat could be entry level, or the final level of boating/fishing.
Bought my 2011 Old Town Sportsman 154 (15' square stern canoe) for $400 used with a trailer in 2020. I have made numerous mods to it, including my most recent upgraded 3hp Newport NT300. I love my plastic boat for its simplicity and how light it is (120lbs empty). You are right, the push is towards these smaller fishing kayaks and small skiffs, I think mainly because fuel is getting more and more expensive. The bigger the boat, the more expensive they are to maintain, its very simple!
idt gas price has anything to do with it but instead large boats with high hp cant even go to alot of lakes and rivers...they also dont have room to store it cuz they live in apt and also dont have a truck to tow it..and of course price
83 and been through a lot of boats. I have been kayak fishing for over 30 years. Main design was plastic sit on tops. Grandson is getting my fiberglass fishing kayak. Last year I bought a Hobie pedal drive which I keep on a trailer. I have a 16' aluminum fishing boat that does not get used. I still have a 12" PortaBote with 6 hp engine I bought for hauling with the RV. I prefer it to the 16' boat.
My dad bought a 16 foot Grumman aluminum canoe when he got out of the Navy after WW2 that he and his brothers used. My brothers and myself fished out of it a lot growing up. My nephews are still using it to this day. I wonder how long a plastic canoe would have lasted?
I was introduced to sit-on-top lake kayaks about 14 years ago. I have a 10' Ocean Kayak which is perfect for fishing. It's the only Non-hole-in-the-water boat I've ever had.
My local boating place sells NEW 12 and 14 foot Aluminum Jon Boats from $750 to $1500 and I live in a high desert. So, I get that not as many people are buying them as before, but the market certainly hasn't dried up and blown away. I wont name the place until after I purchase my boat next month. Pretty sure though the little Jon Boats are everywhere. Back when I was stationed in Louisiana I literally tripped over aluminum Jon Boats everywhere.
I like light boats. A 20 hp on a rib can run 30 mph. I can move it by hand, if i have to. Plastic boats are heavy as compared to aluminum. I bet plastic boats are more durable? They would make good rental boats.
My father in law has an aluminum johnboat, he had to buy and assemble a trailer to pull it with, he can’t handle it as easily as he used to at 72 years old. Meanwhile, my mom at 75 has been an avid kayaker and fly fisherman her whole adult life. She can carry her little plastic kayak down to the river and kayak herself to her favorite eddy. She can even put it on top of the station wagon by herself, and take it down (although if here’s a handsome younger man there, she’ll ALWAYS ask him for help😂). The difference between aluminum and plastic is cost, weight, speed of construction, and convenience. There’s no contest, even though I do love fishing from a johnboat.
I like my aluminum boats. Currently own two. I prefer 14/15/16 footers in utility V bottom or flat bottom styles. I run 1967, 1971,1974, 1976, and a 1980 vintage Johnson and Evinrude motors. But then, I’m 64 years old, what else might one expect from me? I cut my boat handling teeth on the ol 1971 aluminum V bottom fishing boat beginning at 12 years old. Yep I still have that boat and enjoy it regularly. Had one fiberglass boat in my life. It was a good one but I’ll stick to aluminum. Can’t kill em off even if you only give them a marginal amount of care.
I have two kayaks, bought them used for about half the new price. The are very fun. It's appealing to be able to throw one on your car and get on the water without the trailer, the ramp, and all the other things that come with a motor boat. I do love my motor boat though, and I'd love one of the new poly fishing boats in the 14-16 foot range.
i am developping a pontoon houseboat. The prototype i live on is about 10 years old, the hulls are made from HDPE. I admit it has none of the charm of wood or even aluminum, but it is just so much more carefree. I can beach it straight onto rock without worries of punctures. I' d never go back to fiberglass, aluminum or wood. The lenght of the hulls is about 40 feet
That's just the ad from BassPro. That $15k bass boat is their bread and butter. Walk into a showroom and you'll find bare-bones aluminum johnboats. My local marine dealer has basic aluminum johnboats stacked like cord wood. They sell a ton.
I've used little plastic bass boats for decades, the little pontoon boats with 2 seats... and ive used kayaks but neither of them servers the confort level of going fishing with others in a boat big enough to walk around in a bit that didn't cost you more than a car. I think we are missing something in the middle... between the kayaks/mini bass boats and 15k bass trackers and pontoons. what form that takes is anyones guess but its largely missing from todays market.
TRIUMPH has been making plastic Boats (ROTOMOLDED) for 20 yrs. I have a 2005 19' Fish and Ski. It is tougher than any fiberglass boat made. Triumph used to have the videos to prove it. It took sledge hammer blows to side that Boston Whalers could not. Then took ones at least 5 times worse and it just bounced off....
I live in a community on fresh water. A fellow recently splashed an aluminum pontoon. Unbeknownst to him he had an electrical fault at his dock and his pontoons were destroyed by electrolysis in less than a week. I note some new pontoons are thermoplastic. That is the way I would go. I have a thermoplastic kayak which has been In hard sun for 12 years. Still perfectly functional but color has faded. Pretty impressive durability. I would imagine plastic is heavier than aluminum tho.
Got to thinking, funny that people are more so buying the small plastic fishing kyacks, & how when it comes to cars they keep getting bigger. Then I realised that yesterday when I took my two boys out on the lake in our aluminium ‘tinny’, there was a father & son whom each had their own Kyack they were fishing from, but side my side. I guess like you said Wayne, different thinking
I'm having an all plastic hog island river skiff built right now. They've proven themselves to have insane durability, and my build is considerably less expensive than an aluminum boat with a similar setup.
What happened to those Livingston boats? I still think those are great when you can row or motor around, sit in a nice seat that can rotate around, be fairly stable, have a Bimini top, and unsinkable. I keep looking for a good one on Craigslist, but they tend to be 4 decades old!
When I bought my 10 ft John boat price and weight was the biggest factors my ten aluminum Jon boat with no accessories on it weighs 88 lbs all the plastic boats with the We're 12ft. And 200 plus pounds with no accessories so I went with aluminum as it would be easier to load into the back of a pick up truck
Wayne the Boat Guy recently You TubeHad a Video on a boat that came in nesting sections and was put together with spring loaded pins, and could be carried in the cargo area of an SUV it would take an out board and there was a canopy set available it was supposedly available through WalMart but a check of their stores and web site showed no mention of it, it was green like the polycraft and had pontoons on both sides of the engine mount I've tried repeatedly to get the video back but it seems to have been taken down I'd like to get one.
I see 12' Sears, Montgomery Ward aluminum boats near me everyday for as low as $300.00. I could buy my Grampa's 12' foot aluminum boat any day of the week.
If the US can't drill for oil and the petroleum sector collapses there won't be any plastic anything. Brilliant. The only reason I don't own a plastic boat is I still have the aluminum boat gifted to me and my brother from our Mom and Dad in 1966. I would like to try a plastic kayak. Thanks for the video.
The main problem I have that keeps me from going with most of the plastic options is size. I have 2 sons and a wife that would sometimes like to go with us. I don't see many good plastic options that can ride 4 deep without being worried about taking a swim.
Sadly kayaking is usually a me thing and boating is a we thing. I started as a kid drifting on a dock float and moved to little boats and bigger boats then back to little boats. It's always a trade between light small cheaper and bigger heavier much more expensive. All to gain stability, safety and comfort. Until you can't afford to move it and sit watching the paddler go by. Plastic is so friendly when you fall on it or hit a rock. Inflatable has advantages but it leaks. Fiberglass is itchy. It's often about what you can realistically lift and launch by yourself without a trailer. Trailers are a whole other problem. We can't get rid of microplastics by making more plastic. We need a comprehensive plastic recycling plan. Trash can be made into boats but it isn't happening.
I had a 2000 Hunter 212 sailboat made from ABS plastic in Florida. The composition of the plastic was not stabile in the MN winters and the cabin top cracked horrible bad allowing water to soak into the roof. I tried DIY fixes and professional repairs but ultimately the boat was a total loss.
It’s about portability. Most younger people don’t own a truck. Kayaks are easier to transport. I have owned a Sun Dolphin Pro 120 for 20 years. My next boat is an Ultra Skiff or Lite Skiff. Nothing wrong with aluminum but prefer plastic. I had aluminum back in the 1980s. Sure the thing is still around somewhere.
With no disrespect to the video, Lund, Smoker Craft, Lowe and Princecraft all appear to be making aluminum 14 footers. And there are a bazillion 10 to 14 foot aluminum boats already out there, so if one prefers metal to polyethylene, they are to be had.
I actually think that in time to come moulded plastic would replace fiberglass boats even in the 20 to 30 foot range.... Why? Because they would be computer controlled blow molded without a skilled fiberglass technician or skilled labour and the hull's price would be one third of a fiberglass Hull.
In my case, you are right. I wanted a little more adventure and looking into plastic or fiberglass. I am the only one that’s going out to the water so I wanted something I can lug around myself.
Hey Jeff, I like you need a little boat that I can haul around by myself, so I mention above SOLO CRAFT, it is small and you can put it on the back of a pick up truck or even on top of SUV or car. Truly I love it. check it out on google.
I think there are only 6 aluminum smelters left in the USA and we only have about 2% of total market share world wide. Not that it's a driver in the small boat market but it's indication of an overall trend. I remember about 20 years ago perhaps longer Triumph Boats had a plastic hull 17-21' center console boats. Obviously ahead of their times. They are no longer in business. They were very tough boats and made extremely well:Roplene construction is a patented dual-wall system made by roto-molding marine-grade polyethylene.
Plastic boats are for kids in bathtubs. I grew up during the 60's running a 32ft wood diesel trawler offshore, out of Montauk, then Shinnicock, and owned 7 different types of boats of my own across my lifetime, from my first boat a 14ft/40hp evinrude 13yrs old, to my custom 25ft diesel stiegercraft that I had built for myself, I wouldn't be caught dead on a plastic boat. I would rather find a 14-16ft GLastron Jetflight and restore it to it's new splendor. I stand a better chance at landing a Carlson. Or a 17ft Checkmate. There are plenty of two stroke sweet water Mercury's to propel my project. I blew up piston 4 and rebuilt the same 140hp Johnson so many times, practicing for AWSA Slalom tournaments, that we kept a 2nd powerhead, so we would never miss a day of skiing.
The price of those fishing kayaks is insane! A 14 foot boat with a 15-20hp engine is way better, more comfortable to fish in and can go everywhere those kayaks go.
There used to be a plastic boat on you tube that could be taken down into nesting sections and carried in the back of any suv does any body recall who made it and where to buy one? It was only a couple of months ago.
Polyethylene boats might become just a historical footnote. I have lots, and they have some great uses. But they'll probably soon be outlawed or taxed out of existence. They are plastic, produce microplastics, and are made from fossil fuels. Don't know what will replace them. Electricity to make aluminum is going to be pricey, bid up by huge demand to charge EVs.
Storing your fishing gear safely in a Kayak is a big problem. You chance losing things to the water. I've owned two Scrambler Ocean Kayaks 13', had some great fun but when you load in the gear you need there's no room to move. You can't stretch your legs out and you'll get a back ache no matter what seat you buy. Also these boats weigh in at about 50 pounds which isn't to much but when trying to lift a 13' 50 pounder in the wind well, it can be a challenge Fish on Los Angeles
for me , I'm gonna a build a 15' plywood/fiberglass . I find the plastic ones quite heavy in comparison. BUT if you like them plastic boats just get out on the water
The car example is a bad one to use for “the market” when that’s all the tax breaks and incentives that auto makers get from the government based off CAFR standards; cars don’t pass fuel efficiency requirements for automakers to not get penalized so the price of cars was inflated and people bought SUVs instead. 100% government intervention
I always thought it was wild that people spend so much on a kayak instead of a 12’ aluminum boat. You’re spending $2,000 plus for a heavy boat with a motor that you can only put one person in. Why brother get something you can put 2 people in or your kids? Plastic or aluminum, I’d love to see small cheap motor boats make a comeback.
If i want a fishing boat i get some cheap wood an build one can do it in a weekend and with a coat of leftover paint every few years they last forever , plastic turns brittle even when it's kept inside , the reason new cars are so crappy is because of the plastic , like the plastic waterpumps that cost a thousand bucks to change or the intake manifolds ect... plastic works well for garbage bags i give you that , anything else well it's plastic hope for the best i guess 🤣
Comparing kayaks to aluminum boats is silly. Let’s see how these plastic kayaks hold up in 30-50 years. A 14’ aluminum boat that is taken care of can last a lifetime. Aluminum boats come in all sizes and are very versatile. Kayaks have there niche and people like them, but a good old aluminum boat is still tops with me!
I have two brass handmade propellers that look soo similar to the one on your bookshelf. I have lil knowledge of boating antiques. Are things like that worth much. I was gonna do a garage art project lighting thing
Not really true , I have owned a poly craft 4.1 metre with a 50hp Suzuki for nearly 15years . I specifically wanted the poly for a few reasons & none were based on price . The poly is a roto moulded hull with a double 10mm skin , it is super wide & stable , very quiet with hardly any noise from water slapping the hull , I fish solo a lot & the boat is tied up at the wharf & the wakes from other boats see it get slammed against the pontoon a lot , no fenders used , there’s no paint to get scratched & absolutely corrosion proof , you can use stainless fasteners anywhere with no electrolysis , you can bash the inside of it about with steel crab trap rings & because of these properties washing the hull down is optional for cosmetic reasons only & not necessary . If you put some nicks in the plastic from say a big danforth anchor , you can just sand them out . The only down side is weight , they are heavy compared to a similarly sized tin boat but that also helps with the stability . If mine were a flash painted or wrapped alloy boat it would absolutely look like crap by now with the use mine gets & not having to think about the corrosion , electrolysis , dropping sinkers , paint protection etc means I can concentrate more on what I do with the boat , hardcore fishing.
An aluminum boat and a plastic kayak are like comparing apples and oranges. Even if the aluminum boat was made of plastic, comparing it to a plastic kayak, they are still totally different. I honestly can't take this seriously. It's more like comparing a pickup truck to a bicycle. I don't think this guy has even used both or he wouldn't have made this video. Who cares what they are made of. It's just a different material. If people are buying kayaks it means people are enjoying the sport differently. Maybe the are more portable or require less maintenance or are easier to store in their condo,or people can't afford a $9k motor or the lake property to go with the aluminum boat. A kayak can go on the top of your car. Last time I checked, you need a trailer or a $100k pickup truck that no one can afford.
i respectfully disagree. You're comparing kayaks to aluminum boats. They are very different crafts for different purposes. Aluminum is still cheaper than the Polyethylene boats they have out now. If you look at Polycraft and Whaly their boats are ridiculously expensive and that doesn't even include a motor. A 15ft Whaly which is just a bare plastic hull and a flimsy plastic helm with no motor, no seating is $15000!!!!. I can get a brand new bass tracker Mod V hull fully carpeted with a trolling motor and new 50hp Merc for the same price. The inside width of these plastic hulled boats also fall short, you only get about 3ft of width to move around. It's just not a great fishing vessel. **I think polyethylene is a cool material but they need to have a competitive price point to sell, as it stands they are just way more expensive than fiberglass and aluminum alternatives**. Lastly. those Ascend kayaks are terrible which is why they are cheap. I had an Ascend 16. The plastic under the seat shattered while I was on the water, it took on water and sunk. A good kayak isn't cheap. A Hobie Pro 14 Kayak is like $7000.
My Dad bought a Montgomery Ward 14' aluminum boat in 1957. When the Chris Craft outboard motor company went bankrupt he bought three of their 10 HP motors at a steep discount. He put the best one on the new boat. That changed our lives. Water skiing, fishing, swimming and trips on the Big Muskegon River in Michigan made our summers great. He gave the boat and motor to me in the 70s and I used it for years.
You mention thet the market is shifting in the direction of plastic boats and it is, however that shift began 25 years ago and the younger generation ran with it . Kayaks are available for allot less than a grand and are easy to transport and some of the other plastic boats like the Whatly boats are unsinkable and thats hard to beat
I agree and kayaks are cheaper, easier to transport, and easier to row or pedal
@@theestablishmenta7903 Try standing up and pissing over the side. 🤣🤣🤣
Boston Whaler, great boats.
I'm 81 now, and I still have the 12 foot aluminum jon-boat I bought from Sears Roebuck for $67.00. That was back in 1968, and I bought a 2.5 horse air-cooled outboard motor with it for another $87.00.
I made the mistake of leaving the boat out in the back yard one winter, and something chewed a big chunk out of the transom, but I was able to replace that myself. I've since got rid of the motor, and replaced a few rivets in the boat, but the boat is still useable. I did put a 6 horse motor on it one summer, and scared myself spitless the first time I went full-throttle with it!
That said, I'd still like to try fishing from a kayak, or one of the new plastic bit designs, and it just seems like they'd be a decent way to recycle some of the throw-away platic we're burying ourselves with nowadays.
You just keep going with the things that you enjoy and don’t let anyone tell you that you are too old! Bravo
boring
kinda strange your setup is now a 20,000 dollar rig😂😂😅
I bought a plastic Pond Prowler this June to finish out the fishing chapter of my life. I’ve had many boats over my lifetime (just ask my wife) and didn’t want to spend much now, not knowing how long I’ll be able to keep going. My last bass boat I gave to my Son, and he traded it in on a Skeeter. So, I can see how a plastic boat could be entry level, or the final level of boating/fishing.
Bought my 2011 Old Town Sportsman 154 (15' square stern canoe) for $400 used with a trailer in 2020. I have made numerous mods to it, including my most recent upgraded 3hp Newport NT300. I love my plastic boat for its simplicity and how light it is (120lbs empty). You are right, the push is towards these smaller fishing kayaks and small skiffs, I think mainly because fuel is getting more and more expensive. The bigger the boat, the more expensive they are to maintain, its very simple!
idt gas price has anything to do with it but instead large boats with high hp cant even go to alot of lakes and rivers...they also dont have room to store it cuz they live in apt and also dont have a truck to tow it..and of course price
83 and been through a lot of boats. I have been kayak fishing for over 30 years. Main design was plastic sit on tops. Grandson is getting my fiberglass fishing kayak. Last year I bought a Hobie pedal drive which I keep on a trailer. I have a 16' aluminum fishing boat that does not get used. I still have a 12" PortaBote with 6 hp engine I bought for hauling with the RV. I prefer it to the 16' boat.
Ive had a 15'x8' plastic roto molded plastic boat for the last 5 years, love it. It's indestructible
Nice!
My dad bought a 16 foot Grumman aluminum canoe when he got out of the Navy after WW2 that he and his brothers used. My brothers and myself fished out of it a lot growing up. My nephews are still using it to this day. I wonder how long a plastic canoe would have lasted?
I was introduced to sit-on-top lake kayaks about 14 years ago. I have a 10' Ocean Kayak which is perfect for fishing. It's the only Non-hole-in-the-water boat I've ever had.
I own a Smartwave 4200, PE Runabout in NZ...best buy for local island hopping and fishing. 40 hp 2 stroke, 250kg .
My local boating place sells NEW 12 and 14 foot Aluminum Jon Boats from $750 to $1500 and I live in a high desert. So, I get that not as many people are buying them as before, but the market certainly hasn't dried up and blown away. I wont name the place until after I purchase my boat next month. Pretty sure though the little Jon Boats are everywhere. Back when I was stationed in Louisiana I literally tripped over aluminum Jon Boats everywhere.
I like light boats. A 20 hp on a rib can run 30 mph. I can move it by hand, if i have to. Plastic boats are heavy as compared to aluminum. I bet plastic boats are more durable? They would make good rental boats.
The plastic degrades when left outside. That’s the downside of a plastic boat.
My father in law has an aluminum johnboat, he had to buy and assemble a trailer to pull it with, he can’t handle it as easily as he used to at 72 years old. Meanwhile, my mom at 75 has been an avid kayaker and fly fisherman her whole adult life. She can carry her little plastic kayak down to the river and kayak herself to her favorite eddy. She can even put it on top of the station wagon by herself, and take it down (although if here’s a handsome younger man there, she’ll ALWAYS ask him for help😂). The difference between aluminum and plastic is cost, weight, speed of construction, and convenience. There’s no contest, even though I do love fishing from a johnboat.
I like my aluminum boats. Currently own two. I prefer 14/15/16 footers in utility V bottom or flat bottom styles. I run 1967, 1971,1974, 1976, and a 1980 vintage Johnson and Evinrude motors. But then, I’m 64 years old, what else might one expect from me? I cut my boat handling teeth on the ol 1971 aluminum V bottom fishing boat beginning at 12 years old. Yep I still have that boat and enjoy it regularly. Had one fiberglass boat in my life. It was a good one but I’ll stick to aluminum. Can’t kill em off even if you only give them a marginal amount of care.
I have two kayaks, bought them used for about half the new price. The are very fun. It's appealing to be able to throw one on your car and get on the water without the trailer, the ramp, and all the other things that come with a motor boat. I do love my motor boat though, and I'd love one of the new poly fishing boats in the 14-16 foot range.
i am developping a pontoon houseboat. The prototype i live on is about 10 years old, the hulls are made from HDPE. I admit it has none of the charm of wood or even aluminum, but it is just so much more carefree. I can beach it straight onto rock without worries of punctures. I' d never go back to fiberglass, aluminum or wood. The lenght of the hulls is about 40 feet
How true. Not many blacksmiths on the corner either.
That's just the ad from BassPro. That $15k bass boat is their bread and butter. Walk into a showroom and you'll find bare-bones aluminum johnboats. My local marine dealer has basic aluminum johnboats stacked like cord wood. They sell a ton.
I've used little plastic bass boats for decades, the little pontoon boats with 2 seats... and ive used kayaks but neither of them servers the confort level of going fishing with others in a boat big enough to walk around in a bit that didn't cost you more than a car. I think we are missing something in the middle... between the kayaks/mini bass boats and 15k bass trackers and pontoons. what form that takes is anyones guess but its largely missing from todays market.
TRIUMPH has been making plastic Boats (ROTOMOLDED) for 20 yrs. I have a 2005 19' Fish and Ski. It is tougher than any fiberglass boat made. Triumph used to have the videos to prove it. It took sledge hammer blows to side that Boston Whalers could not. Then took ones at least 5 times worse and it just bounced off....
This time I have a real question. At 1:56, there's a dark gray boat with a 50hp Honda on it. What brand of boat is that?
Turns out, I found it. For anyone who's also interested, it's a Whaly 455R, manufactured in the Netherlands.
I live in a community on fresh water. A fellow recently splashed an aluminum pontoon. Unbeknownst to him he had an electrical fault at his dock and his pontoons were destroyed by electrolysis in less than a week.
I note some new pontoons are thermoplastic. That is the way I would go.
I have a thermoplastic kayak which has been In hard sun for 12 years. Still perfectly functional but color has faded. Pretty impressive durability.
I would imagine plastic is heavier than aluminum tho.
Got to thinking, funny that people are more so buying the small plastic fishing kyacks, & how when it comes to cars they keep getting bigger.
Then I realised that yesterday when I took my two boys out on the lake in our aluminium ‘tinny’, there was a father & son whom each had their own Kyack they were fishing from, but side my side.
I guess like you said Wayne, different thinking
I'm having an all plastic hog island river skiff built right now. They've proven themselves to have insane durability, and my build is considerably less expensive than an aluminum boat with a similar setup.
That sounds awesome!
Just keep it out of the sun
I paid $100 on a 14’ Valco aluminum boat, yes had a couple of holes to fix but it was an easy fix, I’ll stick with my aluminum for now
Thanks for doing boating fellow Marylander
What happened to those Livingston boats? I still think those are great when you can row or motor around, sit in a nice seat that can rotate around, be fairly stable, have a Bimini top, and unsinkable. I keep looking for a good one on Craigslist, but they tend to be 4 decades old!
When I bought my 10 ft John boat price and weight was the biggest factors my ten aluminum Jon boat with no accessories on it weighs 88 lbs all the plastic boats with the
We're 12ft. And 200 plus pounds with no accessories so I went with aluminum as it would be easier to load into the back of a pick up truck
Wayne the Boat Guy recently You TubeHad a Video on a boat that came in nesting sections and was put together with spring loaded pins, and could be carried in the cargo area of an SUV it would take an out board and there was a canopy set available it was supposedly available through WalMart but a check of their stores and web site showed no mention of it, it was green like the polycraft and had pontoons on both sides of the engine mount I've tried repeatedly to get the video back but it seems to have been taken down I'd like to get one.
I see 12' Sears, Montgomery Ward aluminum boats near me everyday for as low as $300.00. I could buy my Grampa's 12' foot aluminum boat any day of the week.
If the US can't drill for oil and the petroleum sector collapses there won't be any plastic anything. Brilliant. The only reason I don't own a plastic boat is I still have the aluminum boat gifted to me and my brother from our Mom and Dad in 1966. I would like to try a plastic kayak. Thanks for the video.
I love your reminder that wooden boat people used to laugh at aluminum boats. I'll try to remember that when I laugh at plastic hull boats 👍
This is a good report. I’ve looked at aluminum boats but honestly I’m not understanding the high prices.
Boats and boat accessories always seem to be a bit more costly than we anticipate.
The main problem I have that keeps me from going with most of the plastic options is size. I have 2 sons and a wife that would sometimes like to go with us. I don't see many good plastic options that can ride 4 deep without being worried about taking a swim.
i bought a 14 foot aluminum boat not that long ago this year
Sadly kayaking is usually a me thing and boating is a we thing.
I started as a kid drifting on a dock float and moved to little boats and bigger boats then back to little boats.
It's always a trade between light small cheaper and bigger heavier much more expensive.
All to gain stability, safety and comfort.
Until you can't afford to move it and sit watching the paddler go by.
Plastic is so friendly when you fall on it or hit a rock.
Inflatable has advantages but it leaks.
Fiberglass is itchy.
It's often about what you can realistically lift and launch by yourself without a trailer.
Trailers are a whole other problem.
We can't get rid of microplastics by making more plastic.
We need a comprehensive plastic recycling plan.
Trash can be made into boats but it isn't happening.
Seems as though one can build a boat out of many different materials. Whatever works to enjoy the water
I had a 2000 Hunter 212 sailboat made from ABS plastic in Florida. The composition of the plastic was not stabile in the MN winters and the cabin top cracked horrible bad allowing water to soak into the roof. I tried DIY fixes and professional repairs but ultimately the boat was a total loss.
It’s about portability. Most younger people don’t own a truck. Kayaks are easier to transport. I have owned a Sun Dolphin Pro 120 for 20 years. My next boat is an Ultra Skiff or Lite Skiff. Nothing wrong with aluminum but prefer plastic. I had aluminum back in the 1980s. Sure the thing is still around somewhere.
Can't wait to hit Haulover Inlet in this bad boy!!!!
With no disrespect to the video, Lund, Smoker Craft, Lowe and Princecraft all appear to be making aluminum 14 footers. And there are a bazillion 10 to 14 foot aluminum boats already out there, so if one prefers metal to polyethylene, they are to be had.
I got a polycraft 4.5 center console and never looked back!! Tuff as nails, quiet on the water, easy to clean, not heavy at all by comparison!
Same - have an older 4.55 polycraft - tough as boots! Safe, stable, quiet.
I actually think that in time to come moulded plastic would replace fiberglass boats even in the 20 to 30 foot range....
Why? Because they would be computer controlled blow molded without a skilled fiberglass technician or skilled labour and the hull's price would be one third of a fiberglass Hull.
In my case, you are right. I wanted a little more adventure and looking into plastic or fiberglass. I am the only one that’s going out to the water so I wanted something I can lug around myself.
Hey Jeff, I like you need a little boat that I can haul around by myself, so I mention above SOLO CRAFT, it is small and you can put it on the back of a pick up truck
or even on top of SUV or car. Truly I love it. check it out on google.
Great vid. Here in New Zealand the plastic SMARTWAVE is v popular
I think there are only 6 aluminum smelters left in the USA and we only have about 2% of total market share world wide. Not that it's a driver in the small boat market but it's indication of an overall trend. I remember about 20 years ago perhaps longer Triumph Boats had a plastic hull 17-21' center console boats. Obviously ahead of their times. They are no longer in business. They were very tough boats and made extremely well:Roplene construction is a patented dual-wall system made by roto-molding marine-grade polyethylene.
I'm surprised we still have 6 aluminum smelters!
@@WayneTheBoatGuy I didn't do too much research but it might be comprised of only two companies
Plastic boats are for kids in bathtubs. I grew up during the 60's running a 32ft wood diesel trawler offshore, out of Montauk, then Shinnicock, and owned 7 different types of boats of my own across my lifetime, from my first boat a 14ft/40hp evinrude 13yrs old, to my custom 25ft diesel stiegercraft that I had built for myself, I wouldn't be caught dead on a plastic boat. I would rather find a 14-16ft GLastron Jetflight and restore it to it's new splendor. I stand a better chance at landing a Carlson. Or a 17ft Checkmate. There are plenty of two stroke sweet water Mercury's to propel my project. I blew up piston 4 and rebuilt the same 140hp Johnson so many times, practicing for AWSA Slalom tournaments, that we kept a 2nd powerhead, so we would never miss a day of skiing.
Marketing has boosted the cheap plastic boat into big bucks
I’d take my 10 foot livingston over a plastic boat or kayak. I had a fishing kayak and it was hard to fish off.
If there’s one thing I know, it’s that more plastic in the ocean is exactly what we need 😂
In Australia aluminium boats rule. For any given displacement aluminium is much lighter and easily worked.
The price of those fishing kayaks is insane! A 14 foot boat with a 15-20hp engine is way better, more comfortable to fish in and can go everywhere those kayaks go.
There used to be a plastic boat on you tube that could be taken down into nesting sections and carried in the back of any suv does any body recall who made it and where to buy one? It was only a couple of months ago.
The Portabote folds flat, and I have only seen sectional kayaks - but I don't recall seeing a sectional boat
Aluminum is darn expensive no matter what. Even racks for cnc machines are off the charts.
As these youngsters get older backs,knees and shoulders will dictate a ton of garage sales!
My Dad would be so proud. He was a chemical engineer, who spent his career working with polyethylene.
May just be a fad, plastic does have it's problems. Kayaks are great, but when you get old, paddling kinda starts to suck
Does anyone know what type of boat is in the video with
The 50hp honda ?
I have a spine issue anf just cannot sit in a kayak without pain . I like the little pontoons like the bass baby
I'd give this a "like" but back pain is rough and makes a lot of activities challenging!
What is that boat at 1:56 ???
Chris Craft is still a proper boat.
NE Wisconsin. Plastic kayaks have reached cult status. Special launches are everywhere. You can even rent them at the ramp.
They are an easy way to get people out on the water
i know someone who just bought a 185 foot composite hull yacht
I think value added up selling killed the small aluminum boat.
How does it compare weight wise with aluminium?
Polyethylene boats might become just a historical footnote. I have lots, and they have some great uses. But they'll probably soon be outlawed or taxed out of existence. They are plastic, produce microplastics, and are made from fossil fuels. Don't know what will replace them. Electricity to make aluminum is going to be pricey, bid up by huge demand to charge EVs.
I'm going to get a Corsair catamaran. It's made of plastic and apparently, is very hard to sink.
Storing your fishing gear safely in a Kayak is a big problem. You chance losing things to the water. I've owned two Scrambler Ocean Kayaks 13', had some great fun but when you load in the gear you need there's no room to move. You can't stretch your legs out and you'll get a back ache no matter what seat you buy. Also these boats weigh in at about 50 pounds which isn't to much but when trying to lift a 13' 50 pounder in the wind well, it can be a challenge Fish on Los Angeles
Plastic kayaks are cheaper but I prefer something bigger than I can actually move in and put gear on
don't think those can be used for crossing the atlantic without heavy modifications
Keflar boat is one of the best.
Titanium boat is the best boat ever build in human history.
Interesting stuff.
Local police are using SUV and some larger designs for patrol and reaction duties.
for me , I'm gonna a build a 15' plywood/fiberglass .
I find the plastic ones quite heavy in comparison.
BUT if you like them plastic boats just get out on the water
The car example is a bad one to use for “the market” when that’s all the tax breaks and incentives that auto makers get from the government based off CAFR standards; cars don’t pass fuel efficiency requirements for automakers to not get penalized so the price of cars was inflated and people bought SUVs instead.
100% government intervention
Plastic is lighter and can mold into designer shapes and can come in countless piping colors.
Give me a decent plastic boat with high freeboard and built in flotation. A Boston Whaler type boat 14-16 feet
I always thought it was wild that people spend so much on a kayak instead of a 12’ aluminum boat. You’re spending $2,000 plus for a heavy boat with a motor that you can only put one person in. Why brother get something you can put 2 people in or your kids? Plastic or aluminum, I’d love to see small cheap motor boats make a comeback.
Forget to mention inflatables had them for 40 years
If i want a fishing boat i get some cheap wood an build one can do it in a weekend and with a coat of leftover paint every few years they last forever , plastic turns brittle even when it's kept inside , the reason new cars are so crappy is because of the plastic , like the plastic waterpumps that cost a thousand bucks to change or the intake manifolds ect... plastic works well for garbage bags i give you that , anything else well it's plastic hope for the best i guess 🤣
I'll keep my 30-year-old Aluminum 12-foot Lund. I wasn't looking for a cheap small boat then and I certainly don't want one now. LOL
Anyone that actually thinks they will stop making aluminium boats? You can still buy wooden boats 80 years later.
I’m a young 59
And I can build them :)
I hate plastic crap. PU is getting weak in the sun and will degrade from the UV light . Nothing better than a welded alloy boat.. Period!
That are way more expensive than they should be for a soda bottle you can sit in
5:44 , me, too.
With all the push to recycle plastics there's plenty of cheap material available material, so why not plastic boats?
Those fishing jet skis are not cheap...some are $30,000
Comparing kayaks to aluminum boats is silly. Let’s see how these plastic kayaks hold up in 30-50 years. A 14’ aluminum boat that is taken care of can last a lifetime. Aluminum boats come in all sizes and are very versatile. Kayaks have there niche and people like them, but a good old aluminum boat is still tops with me!
I have two brass handmade propellers that look soo similar to the one on your bookshelf. I have lil knowledge of boating antiques. Are things like that worth much. I was gonna do a garage art project lighting thing
Mine is a fake. My daughter bought it at Hobby Lobby!
@@WayneTheBoatGuy i did a quick search.. dang things seem to have some value. Itd be cool to find someone to appreciate them. They are HEAVY DUTY
They are crap in southern tropical heat.
What is the boat at 1:56? With the Honda 50 HP motor.
That's a Whaly 455R Pro
I see many plastic boats but I feel like they may flex with waves and Crack. Isn't that a real danger?
The types of plastics they're using are less prone to cracking than an aluminum boat and probably some fiberglass ones as well.
I need that prop on your shelf if it's a 1 1/8th shaft. Or one like it.
That prop is just a prop - it’s not a real prop!
@@WayneTheBoatGuy lol
I'm team aluminum. I just don't have 12-15 grand to spend on a boat 🤷
Price is the only reason plastic is coming to the fore front. Purely price unless you're looking specifically for a Kayak.
Not really true , I have owned a poly craft 4.1 metre with a 50hp Suzuki for nearly 15years . I specifically wanted the poly for a few reasons & none were based on price . The poly is a roto moulded hull with a double 10mm skin , it is super wide & stable , very quiet with hardly any noise from water slapping the hull , I fish solo a lot & the boat is tied up at the wharf & the wakes from other boats see it get slammed against the pontoon a lot , no fenders used , there’s no paint to get scratched & absolutely corrosion proof , you can use stainless fasteners anywhere with no electrolysis , you can bash the inside of it about with steel crab trap rings & because of these properties washing the hull down is optional for cosmetic reasons only & not necessary . If you put some nicks in the plastic from say a big danforth anchor , you can just sand them out . The only down side is weight , they are heavy compared to a similarly sized tin boat but that also helps with the stability . If mine were a flash painted or wrapped alloy boat it would absolutely look like crap by now with the use mine gets & not having to think about the corrosion , electrolysis , dropping sinkers , paint protection etc means I can concentrate more on what I do with the boat , hardcore fishing.
The better question is, why would anyone want a metal boat?
An aluminum boat and a plastic kayak are like comparing apples and oranges. Even if the aluminum boat was made of plastic, comparing it to a plastic kayak, they are still totally different. I honestly can't take this seriously. It's more like comparing a pickup truck to a bicycle. I don't think this guy has even used both or he wouldn't have made this video. Who cares what they are made of. It's just a different material. If people are buying kayaks it means people are enjoying the sport differently. Maybe the are more portable or require less maintenance or are easier to store in their condo,or people can't afford a $9k motor or the lake property to go with the aluminum boat. A kayak can go on the top of your car. Last time I checked, you need a trailer or a $100k pickup truck that no one can afford.
quite a few years late on the plastic boats
What about carbon fiber?
i respectfully disagree. You're comparing kayaks to aluminum boats. They are very different crafts for different purposes. Aluminum is still cheaper than the Polyethylene boats they have out now. If you look at Polycraft and Whaly their boats are ridiculously expensive and that doesn't even include a motor. A 15ft Whaly which is just a bare plastic hull and a flimsy plastic helm with no motor, no seating is $15000!!!!. I can get a brand new bass tracker Mod V hull fully carpeted with a trolling motor and new 50hp Merc for the same price. The inside width of these plastic hulled boats also fall short, you only get about 3ft of width to move around. It's just not a great fishing vessel. **I think polyethylene is a cool material but they need to have a competitive price point to sell, as it stands they are just way more expensive than fiberglass and aluminum alternatives**.
Lastly. those Ascend kayaks are terrible which is why they are cheap. I had an Ascend 16. The plastic under the seat shattered while I was on the water, it took on water and sunk. A good kayak isn't cheap. A Hobie Pro 14 Kayak is like $7000.