Fiberglass Bass Fishing Boats

Fiberglass bass fishing boats are by far the most expensive of the bunch. The hulls are made of fiberglass, which is sometimes composite making it not quite as durable, and are filled with compact foam filler so that the hulls are more solid. Fiberglass is heavier material, so the boat itself is heavier than aluminum or plastic. This heaviness allows it to have a smoother ride, even on bigger waters, and decreases the amount that the boat is tossed by the wind. The fiberglass boats usually come with all the amenities, including a lid to protect supplies in case of nasty weather. This boat would be considered the best bass fishing boat by fishermen willing to spend the money on their boat and want a smoother ride and larger deck.

Aluminum Bass Fishing Boats

Aluminum bass fishing boats come in at the middle of the road for pricing. Aluminum is also a sturdy material, but it is not as heavy as the fiberglass boats. This can be good and bad for the fisherman. The advantage of having a lighter boat is that it takes a smaller motor to move it and it also makes it easier on the tow vehicle, since it does not require as much power to tow the trailer. The down side to a lighter boat, even though it is also filled with compact foam filler, is that it has a rougher ride and gets tossed by the wind. Aluminum is also more beneficial than fiberglass when having a little ‘accident’ while on the water. Underwater rocks and logs that tend to crack the hulls of fiberglass boats if hit hard enough only dent aluminum boats. Fiberglass boats with cracks have to be mended so that the crack does not spread, whereas the aluminum boat merely has a little flaw, which could be hammered out if desired. Aluminum bass fishing boats would be considered the best bass fishing boat by fishermen who want a solid boat with a fairly smooth ride but do not want to spend the money that a fiberglass boat requires.

Plastic Bass Fishing Boats

Plastic boats, like the bass Hunter fishing boats, are the least expensive of the bunch. Plastic fishing boats have many advantages other than the price, such as the ability to float in a very minimal amount of water. Another advantage is that a trailer is not required to pull this boat. They are so light; they can be lifted onto the top of cars, in the back of pick up trucks or just carried from the back of a house down to the water. There is also not a problem with mini ‘accidents’ since the plastic merely bounces off of underwater intrusions. This boat would be considered the best bass fishing boat by fishermen who do not mind a reduced fishing platform in exchange for the lightness of the boat and versatility to take it everywhere they want to go.

Hull Construction

Since the hull is made of Pultruded Fiberglass in Ranger bass fishing boats, it already has a strength advantage over other boats in its category. In addition, the hull is filled full of closed cell foam in order to increase the solid nature of the hull and increase flotation of the boat. By doing it this way, the hull has an advanced ability to withstand rough waters and also vibrations from the motor without losing strength or the smooth ride.

Ranger bass fishing boats also have what they call a Rite-Track Keel which allows the boat to have less of the hull exposed to the wind, which allows fishermen to troll and track more easily. Another way they ease fishing is by creating the hull so that the interior space is extra wide. This gives fishermen their space to do what they love – fish!

Quality in the Details

Ranger bass fishing boats are made for quality. Not only is there extra effort and design put into the hull of the boat, but there are plenty of quality design details inside as well. For instance, the livewells are lined with a gel coat that does not harm the fish like plastic lined livewells tend to do. There are also removable filter screens and change-out features at the pumps that allow for quick versatility.

If there is ever foul weather (which there always is!) the lid design of the Ranger bass fishing boats has been improved to block out the weather so that valuable supplies are not harmed. The wiring throughout the boat is also done with higher gauge wire (six gauge) so that it is stronger and easier to work with.

The interior design of the Ranger bass fishing boat is designed for maximum comfort and space, while keeping all of the essential elements at the fisherman’s fingertips. While seated, there is plenty of legroom for even the tallest man. When standing, there is ample room to fish and maneuver the prize winning fish to the livewells. Finally, each model of boat comes with its own custom designed trailer for easy loading and unloading and towing. All of these reasons have the Ranger bass fishing company saying that they are the best bass fishing boat on the market.

Economical

Aluminum bass fishing boats are the soundest option for the money. Especially if the buyer is looking at used boats, he can get a lot of boat for his money with an aluminum boat. Also, depending on the size of the water he is looking to fish in, he could choose a smaller boat, such as a seventeen footer, which is also easier on the pocketbook. When compared to a fiberglass boat, aluminum boats come out a lot less expensive, and although they are more expensive in most cases than a plastic boat, their durability is worth the extra money.

Sound Design

Aluminum bass fishing boats are also sound in design, especially in comparison to plastic boats. Plastic hulled bass fishing boats, such as the Hunter, are created mainly for the novice fisherman and/or family style fishing. They are not designed for the serious fisherman or for any rougher waters that he might experience.

Aluminum bass fishing boats, however, are made to weather some rougher waters. They do have a rougher ride than fiberglass boats since they are lighter, but with the new, deeper V hull designs, aluminum bass fishing boat companies are quickly learning to circumvent the rough ride yet still maintain the stability required for fishing.

In addition, aluminum bass fishing boats are more forgiving of accidental bumps and scrapes from underwater logs and rocks than fiberglass boats, such as the Ranger bass fishing boats, which tend to crack if bumped to hard. A crack in a fiberglass boat tends to spread if not fixed, an issue that is not found in aluminum boats. They are also easier to tow since they weigh less and require less of the tow vehicle.

The aluminum that is now used in aluminum bass fishing boats is also much stronger than it used to be, as boat makers now use a heavier grade in all their boats. In addition, the floatation requirements that used to be an issue are now solved through various types of compressed foam in the hull.

Choices to Make

The first question the buyer needs to decide in his mind is whether he wants to go with aluminum or fiberglass used bass fishing boat. There are pros and cons to each.

Aluminum boats tend to be cheaper than fiberglass boats so it is easier to get more boat for the money, as long as the buyer carefully checks out the condition of the boat. Aluminum boats are also able to take more of a ‘beating’ if accidentally hitting submerged rocks or stumps while fishing. Because they are lighter boats, they are easier to tow behind a vehicle, however, they are also a rougher ride and tend to get blown around in the wind. A good size for an aluminum used bass fishing boat is about sixteen to seventeen feet for a smaller lake.

Fiberglass boats are expensive in comparison to aluminum boats; however, since they are heavier, they have a smoother ride and are not blown about in the wind. In addition, since they have a heavier ride, they work better in larger lakes and rougher waters than aluminum boats. A good size for a fiberglass boat is about nineteen feet, which can be a problem for some used bass fishing boat buyers because of the towing capacity of their cars or trucks. If weight is an issue, then aluminum is probably the way to go.

The Way she Moves

Another choice to make is the way the boat handles on the water, which also requires that the buyer know what type of engine he wants for the boat. In addition, he may want to decide what brand of boat he wants, such as the bass Tracker fishing boats. Every fisherman has their preference in boat. The important thing for a used bass fishing boat buyer is to get out on the water in a variety of boats before deciding on his perfect pick.

All of these factors are what drove Thurman to create the first bass fishing boat, specifically designed for swampy waters and fishing. He made the first boat out of wood and it didn’t have a motor. He created the first fishing platform, so that the fisherman had a place to stand and place supplies. He flanged out the sides of the craft so that it would have excellent stability so that a fisherman could stand and fish without inadvertently being tossed overboard into the murky waters.

From Shreveport to Present Day

Once Thurman designed the first bass fishing boat, he commissioned his neighbors to help him build more and opened the first bass fishing boat store. Soon after, he added an engine to the craft so that the fishermen’s hands could be freed for fishing.

As happens in a free enterprise system, once other people saw the boats, they decided to make improvements and sell their own designs. The Stemco Company was the next to enter the market and their improvement brought about the first bass fishing boats to be made in fiberglass in 1963, which made the production of new boats and new designs easier than building wooden boats.

The problem with the fiberglass hull was that regulations required that it be reinforced in case of damage in a wreck. It was also heavy, so bass fishing boat suppliers again shifted gear and the aluminum boat came into existence. These aluminum boats were lighter and easier to manage, but had even more of an issue with damage in a wreck. In addition, for bass fishing enthusiasts who have a lighter wallet, the aluminum boats tend to be cheaper, although a used bass fishing boat can be found at a reasonable price.

Since their first creation, bass fishing boats have evolved into sleek machines that have all the amenities avid bass fishermen require. The platforms have been elongated and stability is better than ever. They have shallow drafts and are easier to maneuver in the water. One of the main issues with some boats, namely glass ones, is that they are hard to control when pushing sixty miles per hour.