Engineering and fabrication

What are the advantages/disadvantages of aluminum vs fiberglass bass boat?

I've had a Champion bass boat forever, but today I bought an aluminum G3 boat that was so cheap I couldn't pass it up. The G3 is aluminum. What are the pros and cons?

Public Comments

1. Well...... You can always recycle the G3 for some cash if you get into a pinch...... It would take a whole bunch of empty tall-boy's to make that kind of scratch!


2. an aluminum is much more durable it bends fiberglass breaks.


3. Aluminum will be a noisier hull than fiberglass. As for flexability a fiberglass will flex more under stress. Continual flexing of Aluminum leads to fracturing of the alluminum.

   Aluminum is dfficult to weld and the rivets can leak.

   FIberglass gel coat is not forgiving if you scrape it.... the aluminum if scratched can be painted more easily.

   Aluminum doesnt like salt water and corrosion can be an issue.

   Basically to be honest... I have no real prefference, they both have pros and cons.... And I would have chosen the best for the money i had available... I like the G3 series they have good reputations.

   I also like fiberglass boats

   ...



4. Fiberglass can be molded into any shape, where aluminum cant. This gives designers more control for producing a high performance hull. A fiberglass boat sill give you quieter, more solid ride. Aluminum boats are less expensive, and welded aluminum boats are the toughest boats you can buy.


5. My one and only 15' aluminum Roughneck lasted 2 years

   before I heard the bow weld of floatation compartment pop.

   Pulling up deck plates I found 7 aluminum ribs had metal fatique cracks half-way through. The 40 hp engine runs were

   well within margins so I concluded chop of winter water itself

   had been a tad too difficult for aluminum. The dealer said a new boat would be cheaper than the repair so I had my hull

   recycled. I'm still afloat but my metal only holds a beverage.



6. Fiberglass is heavy and expensive.

   Aluminum can now be moulded into good hull designs it depends how much money you have i spose heavy fiberglass sits better in the water at sea however it will cost you more in fuel to get their. I have a 14 ft tinny and it is great solid as a rock and i can pull it up on oysters or rocks and not worry about scratches..



7. Aluminum boats are cheaper and are fine for fresh water fishing. They will ding if you hit a hard object. Small dings aren't hard to repair, but large dings are difficult to get back to original condition. Aluminum boats are easier to construct, therefore keeping the price down.

   Modern fiberglass boats are made with no wood and contain flotation foam, which make them very stable and bouyant. Contrary to what some believe, fiberglass is a strong, flexible boat building material. Large gashes in fiberglass can be repaired to look like new. Fiberglass can be sprayed into a mold, allowing the manufacturer to offer many different hull shapes and fiberglass accessories inside the boat. A flat bottom, no frills boat (take Carolina Skiff, for instance) can take a beating and hold up just fine.

   Fiberlass boats usually feature a reversed-chine hull that cuts through waves, forcing the water and spray to either side. In comparison, the typical aluminum hull is boxy in shape and tends to plow water instead of cutting through it.

   This site has some good comparitive info:

   http://www.precisionangling.com/articles/Perfectwalleyeboat.html