HELP -- LUND 1675 EXPLORER/CRESTLINER FISH HAWK

[VANT]

I want to buy a new boat. 16 - 18 foot tiller. I was all set to buy the Lund 1675 Explorer. Sunday, I went to a fishing and boat show. I stopped and looked at a Crestliner Fish Hawk 1650. Some salesman comes up and started talking to me. I told him I was all set to buy the Lund, unless if he could come up with some reason I should buy the Crestliner. He told me to whack the side of the Fish Hawk and then go whack the side of the Lund. So I did. There was a Lund dealer set up about 50 feet away and he had a 1675 Explorer in his display. There was a night and day difference between the two. The Lund felt like whacking aluminum siding compared to the Crestliner. Now, I know that Crestliner uses a little heavier aluminum in the sides of the Fish Hawk than Lund uses in the Explorer and it also has a narrow gunnel compared to none on the Lund. Is that enough of a difference to make the Crestliner seem that much more solid? Is this anything to be concerned with or is it just some salesman's hype? It seems like the more solid feel would be beneficial in rough waters. True or False? I did a search here about the Fish Hawk and found nothing about the metal thing, although there seemed to be quite a bit of conversation about the gas tank in the Fish Hawk being in the rear, making the transom sit real low in the water. Has Crestliner changed that at all? Sometimes, I think too much. Thanks for your input.

[Ole]

I am a crestliner guy, so that's my advice. Make sure and compare the two boats very closly, crestliner seems to offer more when comparing similar models. Get yourself a lund and crestliner catalog and compare. Crestliner has a great warranty too.

My 2 cents

Quit wishing and go fishing.

[Steve]

I am not sure what heavier sides have to do with a boat in this class other than needless extra weight. The hull is where you need your boat to perform, not the sides. With Lund's twin plating in the hull (another .080), you will have no problems. So why don't you go whack the bottom of that Crestliner and then go whack the bottom of the Lund (don't hurt your hand now):).

[MNUser]

I have a 2001 Lund Explorer 1675SS with a 90 Mercury 2 stroke. The boat is wonderful. I was going to sell it and by a Explorer 1800SS with a 115 Yamaha but decided that there was nothing wrong with the boat I had.

Get the boat that best fits your needs. That Explorer is a great boat for the money. The post before said the most when he outlined the hull. My boat is up on plane in seconds and is pretty smooth in semi rough water.

I use it mainly on lakes that are about 15,000 acres and smaller. I have had it on Mille Lacs. It worked fine until it got to windy. an issue with most boats under 17'.

I'm sure you will be happy with either.

[Pro V]

Take them for a ride. I was sold on Crestliner and had to have one. They make a very nice boat.I ended up with a Lund, It has the softest ride of any boat I have owned or tryed out.

[Fritz]

Vant,

They are both excellent boats. I have a Crestliner 1650 with the side console. I have friends with a Lund Explorer. As far as the whack on the side, I think it is just a sales gimmick.

Somebody on this board told me to go sit in the boats I was interested in. While you are sitting there, think about how you fish. Think about all the accessories you plan to put in it. Locators, GPS, radios, etc. Where will it all go? Where do the tackle boxes fit? What about the anchor? Walk on the floor and bounce. What about the lids, do they bend? After awhile sales people will give up and leave you alone.

When I was buying mine, those two boats were on the top of my list for what I could afford. I picked the Crestliner because it fit my needs. Maybe for you, the Lund might be better.

Most likely either boat will work great for you. I know that since I was upgrading from an old 3 wooden seat boat, that it was like night and day when I got my Crestliner. I still love it.

While most of the fun of buying a new boat begins after you get it, enjoy the buying process.

Fritz

[tim]

i too was looking at the same two boats, i ended up with the lund explorer. the two main resons that i was sold on the lund was up front where the trolling motor goes the fishhawks platform was much smaller and by the time i would have gotten my motor mounted there was no room left for anything else like depthfinder, and the other thing i didnt like was that the fishhawks trolling battery was up front in whats suppose to be the dry storage, didnt want my drift sock and life jackets next to the battery, also i would have gone to the 1750 fishhawk to get nearly the same size boat the 1750 would have been 1 foot longer but only 1 inch wider.