Which Boat?

[Norseman]

I am looking to buy my first boat. I have narrowed it down to an Alumacraft 185 Trophy and a Lund 1800 Fisherman. Either will be equipped with a 115 merc 4stroke and a 9.9 merc 4s kicker. A Minn Kota 74lb thrust and 62" shaft. I plan to use my new boat to fish the great lakes, and lake of the woods, as well as many of the smaller lakes in WI. Any thoughts on these boats good and bad would be very helpful as I am torn between them. They both seem to be very comparable boats, however the most glaring difference is the transom width. 95" on the Lund to 83" on the Alumacraft.
Please help me make up my mind ;)

[mtwalleye]

Lund went to a wider transom to accomodate the heavier weights of the four-stroke motors -- that's what I was told anyway. If you're going to hang a four-stroke and a kicker on there, wider is most probably better. That's my two-cents worth anyway, though you'll get a wide variety of opinions anytime you ask about boats on these message boards. -- mark
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Walleyes Unlimited
www.walleyesunlimited.com

[s.f.]

two great choices for those waters.
two very good companies.

one thing i would consider, becasue i truly feel you will agree somewhere down the lake, is go up at least one horsepower size on main engine.(135 optimax?) those are big boats. although the 115 will get you there and back safe and sound, i will bet those nice flat days you'll want more, especially with a load of gas, livewell water, and three people. go 70 percent of max rating at least. or you'll probably be back two years from now at the dealer, as is in most cases you describe. lund resale value is the best in the industry also.
both great choices...have fun!

you gotta have a lund! black motors are THEE best!

#49

[Bryan]

I agree with s.f.. My brother in law bought a new 1700 fisherman last summer with a 135 hp ficht and it takes all that hp to run it. I don't think 115 hp is enough for a 1800 fisherman. Good luck with your purchase.

[bytemelitely]

Wow, this is the same exact dilemma that I was faced with. I went with the Alumacraft Trophy 185 with the 115 4stroke Merc. The next morning I woke up and told the wife that I screwed-up. NOT ENOUGH MOTOR. The boat is rated 175 hp why would you put a 115 hp on it. I realized that I would be disapointed later on and that is when I marched right down and upgraded immediately. 150 EFI Merc. As far as the boat, I talked to a few friends they convienced me that the ride would be better in the Alumacraft. Hope this helps. Can't wait for the ice to leave!

[Greg P]

Norseman,
The beam on a Trophy 185 is listed at 90". Length is 18'10", which is essentially a 19 foot boat.

I have the Trophy 185 and I really like it. It is very well layed out for both fishing and skiing. This is a fine boat, well constructed and is an excellent investment in your leisure time.

I would recommend putting a bigger motor than a 115. I have a 175 Yamaha HPDI, and it is very fast. I don't think the 175 is a requirment for most people, but I often transport a lot of people and gear a long ways. I would think anything above a 135 would do very well.

Both boats you are looking at are top notch. My preference is with the Alumacraft due to the carpeted gunwales, and the more spacious layout of the bow area when the platform is removed. I have owned two Alumacraft Trophys, and have not had any problems with leaking, or structural integrity.

I do not pound the heck out of my boat, but the 2XB hull is very solid. The ride is smooth, and dry for an Aluminum boat. There were some other posts on the boat board regarding people who have pounded their 2XB hulls for years with no problems.

You can view the full specs on the Trophy at the Alumacraft website. www.Alumacraft.com . According to the website, they are offering a $1,000 bonus right now for accessorizing. I used mine last year ($800) to buy the full canopy enclosure, quite nice.

Good luck in your choice, you cannot go wrong with either boat. If you have questions about how I have it rigged, ask away.

[YAMAHATODD]

LUND! AND MAX THE MOTOR OR AS MUCH AS YOU CAN GET. 150HP TO 175HP WILL PUT YOU MID 40'S TO LOW 50'S. MOST DAYS ON THE WATER WILL NOT BE AT FULL BORE, BUT FLAT WATER DAYS ARE FUN. PLUS RESALE IS BETTER IF YOU MAX OUT. AND LUND FACTORY AND/OR DEALERS WILL STAND BEHIND THERE BOATS 110%. CHECKOUT AN RCL TOURNEY AND SEE. GREAT BOATS. GOOD LUCK AND GOOD FISHING. TODD:) :)

[Hondaman]

I have a 2002 Lund 1900 pro v with a honda 130 and a 9.9 honda,I run 40-42 gps I'm very happy with this set up. DON'T go with a 2 stroke! 4 stroke is the future ,quiet ,smoke free ,stay with your thoughts!You won't be sorry.I really like my lund !Looked at many brands. HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!

[riverrat]

Check into the Sylvan Viper 180, the 115 is plenty of power and its price competive with the Lund or the Alumcraft...plus its fiberglass.....check em out at www.sylvan.com

[RumblesFish]

I have an 2001 1800 Fisherman. I went with the 175 Ficht wow what a set up. If u go wi the 115 you will be sorry. Stay in the 4 stroke,they are the future, but go with a bigger engine. Better resale, and more fun, spend a little more, youll be happy.

[CHUCK JONES]

WE HAVE HAD A LUND FOR 14 YEARS & FEEL THAT IT IS THE ONLY BRAND TO BUY, ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T MAKE ANY MORE CUDDY'S
AGREE UP YOUR HORSE POWER BETTER TOO MUCH THEN NOT ENOUGH

[stinger nd]

I have the 1800 with a 150 opti & 9.9 4stroke. I think that the 115 you are considering is to small for the 1800. If you do decide to get the 115 do you really need a kicker? How does the 135 opti troll down? Maybe forget about the 115 and use the money you save from your kicker to upgrade to a 135 opti.

[Smitty]

I've got a 135 Opti on my 1800 and still like the 9.9 for slow trolling (especially bouncers/spinners). It's so quiet I hardly know it's back there.
With the 135 I run mid 40's loaded, so the 115 may struggle getting the boat up when fully loaded. My uncle has an older 1800 Fisherman ('98) with a 115 and it runs around 40, but the extra width on the new models would probably make that a stretch.

Good luck in your choice. I do love my Fisherman, but the Trophy looks like a nice rig as well.