# Help with aluminum hull



## Bamajo (Apr 11, 2013)

I really have outgrown my towee skiff and I am thinking about going to an aluminum hull in the 1760 size range. I mostly fish rocky rivers and freshwater lakes but make a few trips down to the coast each year. I was wondering if anyone knows of a company or has seen an aluminum mod v with catwalks along the edges with rod storage underneath. Something like what a hewes or other flats boat would have where the rods are tucked underneath where they can't be stepped on or damaged. Gator tail makes a neat hull with cat walks but since they are mostly made for mud motors I think the hull would be too flat for what I want. I'm trying to stay away from center console due to greater costs and stick with a tiller. Basically a tiller steer that can handle rocks, anchoring and fishing tailwaters for stripe, and a few inshore trips each year. Any input? Thanks for any feedback.


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## JET4 (Jul 14, 2014)

https://www.sabineskiffs.com


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## Matts (Sep 2, 2015)

I easily rigged a weld craft to hold 8 fly rods but no protection like with a walk around gunnel.sabine will be your best bet, hands down.


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## matt146 (Aug 18, 2013)

Prodigy makes awesome boats and will build anything you want. I had one with a mud motor that had rod locker and cat walks but they made some hulls for outboards that I was dreaming about


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## Randall (Dec 1, 2017)

Check out Cast and Blast boats.


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## Bamajo (Apr 11, 2013)

Any of you guys run a prodigy hull? As far as price I think that is more in my budget. I have talked with the prodigy guys about a 1754 hull. I'm just wondering how the vrake hull handles in chop and if I can really fit fly rods under the cat walk.


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

I don't think there are many options. Sea Ark makes some "Bay Extreme" models that have tunnels and better deadrise, but almost all the other aluminum rigs I can think of are going to have very flat bottoms and not ride particularly well in a chop.


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## not2shabby (Sep 14, 2016)

If the Versatile is more than you need, Sabine also makes a micro. Very capable and inexpensive relative to other new skiffs.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

I've run a few Al boats and by far hands down the best riding was the Versatile by Sabine skiffs. They are the only Al boat manufacturer, that I have seen, that installs trim tabs as a standard feature. Standard here meaning 99% of the skiffs built to date have had tabs. You don't seen that on any other manufacturer but I don't think there is another MFG'er who is purpose building Al tech poling skiffs. To date, I have not run the micro but that might change Friday...


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## BDann (Apr 3, 2017)

Bamajo said:


> Any of you guys run a prodigy hull? As far as price I think that is more in my budget. I have talked with the prodigy guys about a 1754 hull. I'm just wondering how the vrake hull handles in chop and if I can really fit fly rods under the cat walk.


I’ve been looking at Gator Trax boats. They are pretty similar, and are more than willing to customize. I’m thinking about the 1754 also, and may have some removable bow fishing light rails built for the front deck.


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## No Bait / Lures Only (Apr 10, 2011)

View Uncle J's in Louisiana, he will build anything you want with aluminum. Very good reviews on his boats, currently I am going to visit his facility in Morgan City, La.


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## BatesInTheZone (Feb 2, 2017)

Check out the Xpress duck boat series, especially the ones with the Hyper Lift hull. I love mine- its the best of all worlds for me- tough as nails, floats very skinny, rides smooth because it has a pad like a bass boat, rod lockers, etc.


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## matt146 (Aug 18, 2013)

I had a 1854 prodigy with a surface drive and loved it. It didn’t take a chop great but with a surface drive I rarely ran open water. But a surface drive will not get the bow up. On my 18er a fly rod would have fit under the catwalks.


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## Bamajo (Apr 11, 2013)

BatesInTheZone said:


> Check out the Xpress duck boat series, especially the ones with the Hyper Lift hull. I love mine- its the best of all worlds for me- tough as nails, floats very skinny, rides smooth because it has a pad like a bass boat, rod lockers, etc.


Which hull model and length did you go with? The H16DB with aluminum trailer and 40 yamaha for 14000 sounds likes a good value.


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## BatesInTheZone (Feb 2, 2017)

I went with the H16DB, but I did put a Yamaha 50 on it, which is the max for that boat. That gives it plenty of power- I can cruise at about 34, and top out close to 40, which is as fast as I care to go in it.

There are quite a few accessories you can get from Xpress also. I have the grab rail, and the utility tray that attaches to the T rail. It has a light and power point on it which is handy. One of the things I like about it is that the front storage and the side rod box are both carpeted. The LED bar on the front will light up everything.

I'm a duck hunter as well as angler, and I had them put a trolling motor on a quick release bracket, that I can pop off and put a winch on during duck season. Its really a versatile boat. I can't say enough about it.

With the accessories, the Yamaha 50, and a Humminbird Helix 7 G2N, I think I paid right at $17k out the door.


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## Bamajo (Apr 11, 2013)

BatesInTheZone said:


> I went with the H16DB, but I did put a Yamaha 50 on it, which is the max for that boat. That gives it plenty of power- I can cruise at about 34, and top out close to 40, which is as fast as I care to go in it.
> 
> There are quite a few accessories you can get from Xpress also. I have the grab rail, and the utility tray that attaches to the T rail. It has a light and power point on it which is handy. One of the things I like about it is that the front storage and the side rod box are both carpeted. The LED bar on the front will light up everything.
> 
> ...


How shallow do you think it can float with the motor in the up position? Have you had any problems with water getting in the foam in the hull or do you worry about it becoming water logged over time?


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## BatesInTheZone (Feb 2, 2017)

With the motor up, I've had it floating in 6 inches. but I would feel more comfortable in 8. I was poling it from the bow standing on a cooler. Obviously, I would need more than that to get up. I don't know what it would run in, since I don't have a lot of water quite that skinny that its a concern (I'm in East Texas).

I've had no problems with the foam at all and don't anticipate any. My prior boat was a Ranger 1860 IFA Redfish Edition, and I had a huge problem with that. I don't want that again. The Xpress is more nimble, rides much smoother, rides drier, and has less hull slap than the Ranger. For about $10k less.


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## BatesInTheZone (Feb 2, 2017)

The only complaint I have is about the motor itself, and not the boat. I would like to be able to put a tiller extension on it, but can't figure out how to do it since the tilt/trim switch is on the end of the yamaha handle, and I don't want to rewire the whole thing.


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