Battle of the Aluminum What Would You Choose

[TritonTRXV8]

With my "Camo" color boat, you cannot tell whether it is clean or dirty.
Ain't going to have the boat "Owns" me.
Mechanically, I will put my boat up against anyone, but keeping it "spit shine", no. That is where the boat owns you!

My boat trucks yard equipment house yard everything is always clean but I own it i paid for it. Me personally i just dont like being a slob. Dont make keeping stuff nice out to be a bad thing its a choice just like you choose to not care about it.

[Great Scott]

I dont want my boat to look used
muchless abused. Clean is NOT a sin.
LDS

[Mechanic Bob]

Don't get me wrong. I just don't have to spit shine my boat after every use. It is clean, but with the finish on my boat, you cannot tell if there is road dust or not.
There isn't any fish guts or slim on my boat.
But I guess everybody has to step on a towel and remove their shoes before they get into your boat.

[bshort]

But I guess everybody has to step on a towel and remove their shoes before they get into your boat.

Never thought about that. And here I was making everyone wear shoe condoms.

[TritonTRXV8]

Don't get me wrong. I just don't have to spit shine my boat after every use. It is clean, but with the finish on my boat, you cannot tell if there is road dust or not.
There isn't any fish guts or slim on my boat.
But I guess everybody has to step on a towel and remove their shoes before they get into your boat.

Shoes are fine. Smartasses no.

[justsomeguy]

I have one rule, dont step on my seats, thats it. Smart asses are welcome as it makes the day go by and every one of my 5 brothers are definitely asses, ones pretty damn smart too.

[madmurph]

Welcome back!!

[contium]

I never really understood the “less upkeep” statement on aluminum boats compared to glass. If its a plain jane boat then yea but just about all the nicer 18ft and up aluminum boats are painted on the bottom as well. So aluminum or glass if you arent willing to wipe the whole boat down and keep it waxed its gonna look just as crappy. If you fish nasty rocks or beach alot that can warrant it but a big rock can punch a hole in aluminum all the same. When i think of upkeep i think of maintanence on the motor and trailer hubs etc and that is the same regardless.

So true. I have owned many glass and "plain jain" bare aluminum boats. The bare aluminum boats were pretty care free. My last aluminum boat was a Ranger RT178. Being painted, I found myself cleaning it as much as a glass boat and just as afraid to scratch it up. I went back to glass for my current boat. I would love to have a beater jon boat or something as a second boat.

[TritonTRXV8]

So true. I have owned many glass and "plain jain" bare aluminum boats. The bare aluminum boats were pretty care free. My last aluminum boat was a Ranger RT178. Being painted, I found myself cleaning it as much as a glass boat and just as afraid to scratch it up. I went back to glass for my current boat. I would love to have a beater jon boat or something as a second boat.

At least im not the only one standing in my corner.

[Rmck11]

Thats why i went with camo. Love it.

[Drothgeb]

I’m expecting delivery of my new boat in a few days. It’s a custom built 21’ aluminum CC bay/river jet boat. I fish the rocky Potomac and Susky, as well as the Chesapeake. I liked the Xpress, but needed something heavier duty and wanted an inboard jet, so I went custom. I had the interior painted white. But all of the walk surfaces are covered in Sea Dek, so I’m not worried too much about scratches. I will be pretty anal about keeping it clean. But it is a boat that I plan on running hard, so some scratches are going to happen.

[Cbump]

If you had the choice, which option would you choose and why:

Xpress X21
Vexus AVX 2080
Ranger RT 198P
Crestliner PT20

Vexus. It's the best looking, customer support is top notch, the fit and finish is way better than the others I have looked at. (Haven't looked at Crestliner).

Xpress has leaking hatches and the finish is rough. Tough boats though. Ranger around here can only be had from BPS and I would never trust them with my boat.

[Cbump]

Vexus offering seadek now too! Sorry just realized this was an old post.

[Hydro870]

Do any on this list have riveted hulls? If so, those would be the ones I would be looking at.

Xpress X21
Vexus AVX 2080
Ranger RT 198P
Crestliner PT20

[Marty1656]

Xpress