When I was a kid my dad used to take me fishing up at Big Bear lake. We would rent a wood boat about 12' long with a small outboard. I loved it. Now I am an adult living in Montana and we have so many lakes up here and I want to buy something similar. However, I noticed basically no one sells wood boats anymore but they have aluminum ones. Is wood just a thing of the past ? Are the metal boats better ?
Wood or Aluminum Boat ?
- Thread starter SunFlower
- Start date
lugueto
Adventurer
We've been carrying aluminum boats for over 20 years. They're much lighter than wood boats, which means they're easily transported (we carry ours on the trucks' roofs). Also, they're much more durable. These are surprisingly stout and can take a beating. Welded ones are better than riveted ones. Although riveted ones can be repaired easier.
tarditi
Explorer
Aluminum - hands down, if you do anything other than trailer & boat launch.
I used to have a couple boats called a "Garvey" - flat-bottomed boat used widely in the Barnegat Bay (NJ) - they were durable work boats, but DANG they were heavy. All cedar. Could be rowed and had a transom that could hold up to about a 20hp engine or so. I never thought much about the weight until I sold one to someone who tried to load it onto their pickup truck.
I used to have a couple boats called a "Garvey" - flat-bottomed boat used widely in the Barnegat Bay (NJ) - they were durable work boats, but DANG they were heavy. All cedar. Could be rowed and had a transom that could hold up to about a 20hp engine or so. I never thought much about the weight until I sold one to someone who tried to load it onto their pickup truck.
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
If loading into a truck bed you can't go wrong with a little 12 foot Valco welded aluminum boat, tons of info online and you can find them used for around $600.
I have both, an old aluminum fishing boat, and a modern plywood rowboat.
An aluminum boat is definitely easier to own. It can remain outside all of its life with little care or maintenance.It can be ignored for many years and be ready to go at a moments notice. It can take a lot of abuse while in the water.
It is also cold in cool weather. It is very noisy, any movement in the boat seems to broadcast the sound across the water. Usually not the most pleasing thing to look at.
Aluminum boats are plentiful, easy to find and usually quite affordable.
Wooden boats do require a bit more maintence and attention, which if you like the boat really doesn't seem like work. You do need to be aware of how to properly store it when not in use. Depending on the boat, that may mean inside storage if there is bright work you want to protect.
There are many things that make a wooden boat worthwhile for some of us. Wood is beautiful, if aesthetics are important to you a wooden boat can't be beat. Wood feels comfortable in all weather, feels nice on the skin, never to hot or cold. Wood is quiet, seems to absorb the sound rather than amplify it.
I might make the analogy that wood is like an old Land Rover, while aluminum is like a new Subaru.
I love both of mine for different reasons.
If you have fond memories of wooden boats from your past it's worth looking into wooden boats, whether traditional or plywood. You may fall in love, or you may decide aluminum is the right choice for you.
An aluminum boat is definitely easier to own. It can remain outside all of its life with little care or maintenance.It can be ignored for many years and be ready to go at a moments notice. It can take a lot of abuse while in the water.
It is also cold in cool weather. It is very noisy, any movement in the boat seems to broadcast the sound across the water. Usually not the most pleasing thing to look at.
Aluminum boats are plentiful, easy to find and usually quite affordable.
Wooden boats do require a bit more maintence and attention, which if you like the boat really doesn't seem like work. You do need to be aware of how to properly store it when not in use. Depending on the boat, that may mean inside storage if there is bright work you want to protect.
There are many things that make a wooden boat worthwhile for some of us. Wood is beautiful, if aesthetics are important to you a wooden boat can't be beat. Wood feels comfortable in all weather, feels nice on the skin, never to hot or cold. Wood is quiet, seems to absorb the sound rather than amplify it.
I might make the analogy that wood is like an old Land Rover, while aluminum is like a new Subaru.
I love both of mine for different reasons.
If you have fond memories of wooden boats from your past it's worth looking into wooden boats, whether traditional or plywood. You may fall in love, or you may decide aluminum is the right choice for you.
