I am looking for a 17-18-19 foot tiller. Preferrably a 90 horse or bigger. I located alumacraft tournament 2006 175 with 90 horse 4 stroke Yamaha and 2005 185 with 4 stroke mercury. Lund 2004 1800 pro V with 90 horse e-tec and 2003 1775 Pro V with 75 horse 4 stroke yamaha . Crestliner 2006 1850 Fishhawk. Cost wise the Crestliner is the best deal (set up with a 2007 90 horse optimax new style handle) and priced better than others with what it has to offer as far as extras. Different people tell me different things about the various boats I mentioned above. I don't know what to believe anymore. Which is the better boat. Or are there not much differences and just don't worry about it, or are there significant advantages to one boat over the other. I pretty much know the differences in motors. Clueless about the boats. Help!

Four stroke EFI will allow for slower trolling, no smoke and quieter. Hole shot with a four stoke can be slow but not a problem. Fiberglass provides a drier and smoother ride.

I'd say the Alumacraft tp's and the Lund Pro V's are very close in qty & options

The Crestliner is a welded boat (not that it's bad thou)
And it has a single plate bottom. The others are double plated hulls (twice as thick)
It's my option that the Crestliner while a very nice boat would compare to lower model's of the
Alumacrafts or the Lunds
TP's and Pro-V's are top of the line

I do own a 03 Alumacraft 185 TP with a 90hp Yamaha

For motors
There all nice these days. I do like the 4 strokes being that there quiet

My personal opinion (take it for what its worth), is that layout is as important as deciding between those specific boats. How does storage look (rod, dry, and otherwise), how is the electronics space, other add-ons (rod holders, tarp, trailers, updated electronics, etc), livewell space and location, seat spacing and placement, bowmount or transom mount electrics, wavewackers, hours on motors, etc.

Get em on the water (speed, holeshot, stability, etc), how is the comfort of your seat, how does it feel spacewise hanging on to the tiler handle for an extended period of time, 2-3 guys moving around in them safe/comfortable, light visibility where the electronics are placed, etc.

Lots of factors only you can decide on. Good luck with the decision.

I have a somewhat smaller tiller boat than the ones you're looking at. It's a Lund Alaskan with the e-tec. One thing to keep in mind is slow trolling. With the e-tec and Yamaha, you can dial down the idle RPM to slow troll. I don't think you can do that with the others.

For me, slow trolling was one of the reasons i went with a tiller boat in the first place.

Good luck. let us know what you decide. They all sound like nice rigs.

Four stroke EFI will allow for slower trolling, no smoke and quieter. Hole shot with a four stoke can be slow but not a problem. Fiberglass provides a drier and smoother ride.

I think I have the motor thing figured out. The boat thing is confuseing to me. The crestliner is set up the best and is the bargain of the day. People tell me the crestliner isn't a very good boat. It looks good to me.

Crestliners are fine boats. They dont ride like glass, but wont leave you stranded either.

Layout is key in a tiller...seat position relative how you are running the boat. Must be comfortable to back troll and forward troll all while having ahold of a rod and viewing your electronics. I know on my tiller i had to put a 2nd pedestal mount in just for trolling the **** at night since you fish off the starboard side forward trolling. Original location was to close to the side thus no leg room. And of course **** trolling you must have your ducks in row for complete control and comfort. My suggestion would simply be try sitting in them and apply different fishing situations to see which has the best comfort.

Feel free to call anytime to discuss tillers. Be glad to help! They ain't just for gardens.

Steve Fellegy
http://www.npaa.net/memdir/49.htm

i have fished out of lots and lots of different boats in my time both tiller and wheel my current boat is a tiller. the best tiller i have ever fished out of from all aspects is yarcraft. if you want my choice on a tin tiller i would choose alumacraft. i don't think you can go too wrong with any of the major manufactures today no matter what you buy, i think their all good, but, if it was me....in fiberglass (yarcraft) in tin (alumacraft). good fishing

I also have looked at the Alumicrafts and of course the lunds, I have witnessed too many welded hulls with leaks so the crestliners are out.

What help make my mind up, is that the lunds have all their compartments, (except live wells), set up for dry storage. The Alumicrafts do not. This might not be a big issue for you but it is for me when my boat and gear are a dock in canada for 7-10 days.

My 2 cents and waiting on a used 1825 pro-guide with a 90hp to come up for sale.

Duran

Feel free to call anytime to discuss tillers. Be glad to help! They ain't just for gardens.

Steve Fellegy
http://www.npaa.net/memdir/49.htm
I want to thank all of you that responded to my plea for help. Steve told me to call him, so I did. That guy is a bundle of knowledge. He had an answer for everything. Made my decision easy. Thank you so much Steve. Appreciate letting me take away part of your Sunday afternoon.

I ended up going with 2006 alumacraft 175 tournament with 2006 yamaha and a T8 yamaha kicker.