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Thread: 18' aluminum boat opinions

  1. #1
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    Default 18' aluminum boat opinions

    After hunting with pharmhunter I will be purchasing an 18' boat. Really liked his Triton. I will be buying used and wanted to have a few other options to look at. I know small boats, but don't know much about the larger boats in the same brands. I really want it to ride in rough water as well as an aluminum boat can.

    Thanks fellas
    "Think A Guy Like Me Worries About Percentages?" Tin Cup

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  2. #2
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    Seaark

  3. #3
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    Also opinions on side console vs center console. Alex's boat is a CC and I thought it was great. I mostly will fish and family out of it.
    "Think A Guy Like Me Worries About Percentages?" Tin Cup

    "Some get spiritual cause they see the light, and some cause they feel the heat" Ray Wylie Hubbard

    "P.S. I love turkeys. Mostly just hate those who hunt em." Glenn

  4. #4
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    Xpress and excel are going to be your best options far as room goes if you are going to use it as a dual purpose boat I would suggest side console because it frees up a lot of floor space, sea ark is another great option if you get the right model. But in my experience you can get more of the “extra things” that you need on a hunting/fishing boat if you look into Xpress or excel. I think you can get a 1860 Xpress with a Yamaha 70 from Marshall’s around 17-18k that comes with graph, tm, etc ready to go to the water I have an excel 2172 that you are welcome to come look at . I know it’s not the size you are looking at but you can get a feel for the fit and finish of them
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  5. #5
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    Side console for the floor space. Tiller guy myself.

  6. #6
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    If i get a console i want a center and move it as far toward stern as possible. I think an 1860 with a 90 tiller would be a bad ass boat.
    "Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phone Man View Post
    If i get a console i want a center and move it as far toward stern as possible. I think an 1860 with a 90 tiller would be a bad ass boat.
    Agreed
    Last edited by SpottailSpecialist; 01-04-2020 at 11:47 AM.

  8. #8
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    I have a 15' tiller handle boat for duck hunting and such. I want a boat that can fish and take the family out in comfort. Tiller handle isn't an option for this boat.
    "Think A Guy Like Me Worries About Percentages?" Tin Cup

    "Some get spiritual cause they see the light, and some cause they feel the heat" Ray Wylie Hubbard

    "P.S. I love turkeys. Mostly just hate those who hunt em." Glenn

  9. #9
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    Got an 18’ center console Ranger MPV that has been good to me so far. Takes rough water better than same sized war eagles I have fished out of. Big front deck. Worth a look.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by JBK View Post
    I have a 15' tiller handle boat for duck hunting and such. I want a boat that can fish and take the family out in comfort.
    In that case I’d get a used fiberglass bay boat or something similar
    Sea Ark 1542 w/ Yamaha 40
    Xpress 16 w/ 50 Hammer
    War Eagle 15 w/ 30 Hammer

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  11. #11
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    I have a seaark 186RXV and it has a 15 degree bottom and does well in chop. Use it for everything. Kids tubing, bass fishing, saltwater fishing, oysters and duck hunting
    Last edited by wcliving; 01-29-2020 at 10:15 PM.

  12. #12
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    Look hard at the Xpress XP200CC. Tons more room than a 18 footer with a 115hp versus 90hp for 3K more.

  13. #13
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    I can't stand a side console in an aluminum boat. I haven't seen one yet that doesn't list to the side in a bad way. I'm a center console or tiller guy myself. Currently shopping for a big aluminum as well but looking at 18' and longer. I'd love a Gator Trax Strike Series in 20' with a CC and a 200hp on the back! It's got a pad hull and you can configure it any way you like. The price tag is pretty "stroke" inducing though! Prodigy also makes a pad hull aluminum that carries a hefty price tag but can be configured to fit whatever needs you have.

    If I was looking for a cookie cutter boat I would take a hard look at the Ranger RB190. A little longer than what you want but I crawled all over the 20' model that is sitting at Berkeley Outdoors and was impressed with the design. I wish the sides weren't so high but for a family boat that would help with piece of mind if you have little ones.
    Living in Moncks Corner but looking forward to moving back to the West Coast in 2020 where there are more ducks and less duck hunters!! LOL

  14. #14
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    Ranger.
    Quote Originally Posted by cajunwannabe View Post
    Man is merely a two legged locust, devouring wild lands, developing and prostituting wildlife and fisheries under the guise of "use of the resource" for tremendous profit and moving on. Will it ever end?

  15. #15
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    Thanks guys.

    Definitely made my mind up to go CC. I’m still pretty set on aluminum. I still want to take it duck hunting and maybe shoot an alligator every now and then. I haven’t thought about Ranger. Honestly I don’t know anything about them. I will definitely look at them. And obviously I will hang the largest motor on it that the budget will allow for!
    "Think A Guy Like Me Worries About Percentages?" Tin Cup

    "Some get spiritual cause they see the light, and some cause they feel the heat" Ray Wylie Hubbard

    "P.S. I love turkeys. Mostly just hate those who hunt em." Glenn

  16. #16
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    Ranger and Triton aluminum are the same boat...
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  17. #17
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    I've lived a very happy and fulfilled life with a two-boat combination of a small aluminum duck boat and a 19-20' glass boat for taking the family out...I actually had four at one time that included a 15' Key West and a 20' cuddy. I loved that little skiff and should have never sold it...
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  18. #18
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    I have an 18' Xpress I have been debating on parting with. I love it but it just really never gets used except in the spring and a couple times in the fall.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by JBK View Post
    After hunting with pharmhunter I will be purchasing an 18' boat. Really liked his Triton. I will be buying used and wanted to have a few other options to look at. I know small boats, but don't know much about the larger boats in the same brands. I really want it to ride in rough water as well as an aluminum boat can.

    Thanks fellas
    You want to buy mine?? Just saw this post.
    Last edited by PharmHunter; 01-30-2020 at 10:07 AM.

  20. #20
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    I thought you had a large boat already?
    Skybusters: Magic Does Not Apply to Shotgun Physics

    Skybusting, or the art of trying to magically propel steel shot 100 yards into the air at a passing duck, is a sure-fire way to ruin your own chances, and everyone else’s chances, at actually killing a duck.

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