Lund/Alumacraft Help!!!

[Jay]

I am going back and forth between the Lund 1800 fisherman and the Alumacraft 185 Trophy. I can't make up my mind so please help.

Is there anyone out there that has ridden/fished in both? Is there that much difference in the Lunds IPS hull? The Alumacraft is a little cheaper and more comes standard. Will I be sorry?

[Greg P]

Jay,
I have not ridden in a Lund Fisherman 1800 so I cannot make a direct comparison. But I do own an Alumacraft Trophy 185. I am very pleased with the boat.

I rode in a Lund 1950 Tyee (sp?) I/O this summer in some very rough water. I thought this boat felt just a bit more solid than the Trophy. But it was noticeably heavier, and even with a 240 hp motor, it struggled to get up on plane without plowing, (we all had to move forward) with 4 passengers. My boat will jump up on plane even with 6 people in it.

The Trophy is extremely solid, I run it on big water (Rainy Lake) regularly and it rides very well. I really like the layout, particularly the bow area. Plus I prefer carpeted gunwales.

My motor is a 175 Yamaha HPDI V-max, and yes, it’s plenty fast, gets up on plane almost immediately, and cruises and handles great.

This is the second Trophy I have owned, the first one lasted 11 years of heavy use without any problems. If an act of God destroyed my boat today, I would be at the marine dealer tomorrow ordering another Trophy 185.

If you have any specific questions about my experience with the boat, or how I have it rigged, feel free to ask.

Greg Pesall

[jay]

Thanks for the info Greg, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer. I'll be sure to email if I have any other questions.

jay

[Eyewitness]

Jay, My folks just bought a new Lund 1800 Fisherman this spring and it is a very nice boat......however, I happen to own an Alumacraft 175 TP console also. I can honestly say I love both boats, but for different reasons. After fishing, joy riding in rough water, etc... I have found that for rough water both boats handle and ride equally well. The Lund is a bit deeper, so if you have little ones or mom in the boat with you, they will feel much safer in the Lund. Plus the winshield is a bonus, although when side tracking big waves you will get wet anyway! They have the sport top option and it is what will keep you very dry. Down side is that it's a pain to fish around up or down. For pure fishability, I love my Alumacraft. I think it's layed out way nicer than the Fisherman in terms of convenience and secure storage. Most of my rod lockers and storage compartments are all lockable. Also. the lower gunwale in the Alumacraft makes for easier fishing, especially if you're jigging or rigging. Don't get me wrong here. They are both very nice boats. It just depends on what your average day on the lake will be all about. I realize that the Trophy is more similar to the Fisherman in regard to windshield and gunwale height. I think the Alumacraft is a slightly lighter boat. Both hulls will do a good job in rough water, just don't underpower your boat. NO matter what! If you can't hold plane on rough water, neither hull will be a good ride, plain and simple. Good luck with your choice. Either way it's a win-win for you!

[Brian]

Hi Jay,

I own an Alumacraft 175 Trophy c/w Merc 135 Optimax. I absolutely love my boat. I have driven a Lund 1750 Fisherman and I can honestly say that although it is a good rough water boat, it does not handle or ride as smooth as my Alumacraft. The only problem I have and continue to have is the windshield. I popped it in rough water the first year and it continues to be a problem to this day (3rd season). I believe it to be a poor design and because of this I have replaced the passenger side console/windshield and am in the process of replacing the driver console/windshield. Alumacraft has been very good and replaced everything under warranty, however, it still is a pain in the butt. Not sure about windshield problems with Lund, however, from what I hear most boat manufacturers have similar problems. You should ask your dealers about any past problems and how they have addressed them before you buy. I remember in the archives of this message board(this summer) that there was quite a list of Alumacraft Trophy Sport owners who were having similar problems.
Other than that, in my opinion Alumacraft is a better all-around boat.
Good luck on your decision
Brian

[Hawgeye]

I own Lund. I will probably own Lund on my next boat. However, I seriously looked at the TP when I was shopping for my new boat and price was a little better but It was no more than about 10% difference. That being said, I would not hesitate to buy the Alumacraft. They make a quality boat. You may see better resale in the Lund depending what market area you are in. I do believe the IPS Hull is a better hull than the 2XB for performance but not that significant.

Overall, if I was stuck in the middle, I would determine which is the best dealer. Do your research on the reputation of the dealers that you are considering and you will get the best product. I personally see more issues with the outboard than with the boat so make sure they have a good service department as well. New boats are GREAT! I bought my first new one last year and I am still excited to get to use it this upcoming spring.

You would never go wrong with the Lund and I think you could be equally as pleased with the Alumacraft. The quality of the dealer may be the most deciding and important factor.

[Johny]

For the guy that had windshield problems the #1 reason Alumacraft has problems with there windshields is because they are rigged at the dealer ship probly by a kid still in high school that doesnt really care, Lund is installed by professionals at the Factory so its right every time... As you can see I am a huge Lund supporter I had an Alumacraft Trophy 185 For two seasons many times it was in the shop for wiring problems and livewell related issues they were fixed and taken care of, but I was not on the water where I'd like to have been...
Last year I bought a 1800 Fisherman w/ Yamaha 150 hpdi and I love it more than life it self, the biggest thing is that IPS hull very very nice improvment from Lund its very dry, Stable, and smokes acrossed the water...
I plan on owning my Lund boat for 5-8 years and thats where the resale value is going to come into play, It is the #2 boat in the world for reasale value (behind Ranger, heck of a great boat also) Lets face it its an investment, and you look cool wearing a Lund jacket and hat anyway...

and the tyee thats a 2500lbs. boat verses a 1700lbs.boat lets talk apple to apples here...