Tin vs glass vs wind affect?

[10sne1]

What are your experience wind being blow around in a tin boat vs a glass boat. I am bass fishing more and looking to go from my 1870 aluminum to a 21 glass bass boat. I am good with how the aluminum takes the wind. Thoughts on what I’m going to experience with glass? Thanks

[Crappie Bob]

The glass boats I have had in past years didn't blow around as bad as any of the tin ones did.

[T-Mac]

The construction material isn't as important as the physics involved . The operative factor is the amount of freeboard exposed (to the wind) above water line -vs- the amount of hull in the water.
ie: A pontoon boat blows around much more easily than a low slung boat with a lot of surface area in contact with the water.

[FloridaFlyer]

I have had them all and fished over 40 years in several different boats...the best thing that ever happened to aluminum boats us the Ultrex.

The aluminum does blow around more but it has a lot of advantages over glass and the Ultrex really fixes the blowing around. If it is blowing bad enough that the Ultrex doesn't sort of fix it.....then it is too %$#% windy for me to be out there anyway.

I don't like fishing in the wind anyway, but not because of the boat. I fish a lot of plastics and topwater... and it is just too much work and unpleasant. I don't care who you are, you can't cast and fish a Senko in the bad wind. LOL.

[DearJon]

What are your experience wind being blow around in a tin boat vs a glass boat. I am bass fishing more and looking to go from my 1870 aluminum to a 21 glass bass boat. I am good with how the aluminum takes the wind. Thoughts on what I’m going to experience with glass? Thanks

Glass boats tend to be both heavier and sit lower in the water than do their aluminum counterparts. These two factors will combine to cause the wind to affect your drift less than a comparably sized tin boat. As an added bonus, hull slap in a glass boat tends to be slightly muffled when compared to a metal hull, so you can be a little bit stealthier. You will be pleased. Downside to the glass hull is you have to be much more careful not to ruin it by running up on the shore or bumping over some submerged logs at low speeds. As with anything, there are pros and cons to both.

[10sne1]

Thanks for the reply’s and info. I would like to stay with an aluminum, but not many 20 to 21 foot quality hulls available. I want, need a leaning post. DearJon, love the looks of the 21 Blackhawk, but not any to be found in or near Florida. Agree100% on Ultrex. Looking at a mako 21lts. I fish 80% fresh/bass and 20% shallow saltwater. Thanks for the info.
ps. I see dearjon is from Tampa, where did you get your boat? Thanks

[SSN671]

Take a look at the Gator Trax Strike Series. .190 thick and built to your specifics. You'll have to wait a bit, but you'll get a boat built just the way you want it.

[tcesni]

Some tin boats sit higher in the water than others (compare a Tracker to a RT188). Other than the amount of freeboard above water hull design also matters where a pad hull will be moved more easily than a flatter hull such as a RT188. After this weight really does matter.

[Mechanic Bob]

I fish 80% fresh/bass and 20% shallow saltwater.

My fishing is very similar to yours. I have found my RT198, no carpet, Aluminum trailer, works very well for me. I fish the shallow salt for Reds and Speckled Trout, Rivers for Stripe Bass and Reds, and lakes for Bass. Much more mentally comfortable in my tin around the shallows when I had a 518CI. Down sides are rough water handling and overall smoothness of the ride.
My boat sits low enough, where it is not effected by the wind.
You can see how my boat is rigged. I do need the 36V trolling motor for the currents is fish.

[2dwoods]

I fished both and I think weight has alot to do with wind blow ,I fish a big o and its light and blows way more than my champion did and there both glass and if I ever wanted a aluminum boat it would be gt

[vaw121]

I went back to aluminum, my skeeter had and ultrex and my new boat has a ghost. Not looking back.

[10sne1]

Vaw121. What type Aluminum?

[10sne1]

Mechanic Bob,
do you feel the 198 to be stable. I found these rangers taper a lot in the front and makes for less front deck space and stability.
my present aluminum is 7 ft beam in back and 6 ft in front. With wide bottom for stability. The 198p is on my list, but I an large and enjoy a leaning post

[Crab orchard renegade]

I'll answer and sit back to see what Bob says also. My 198 is as stable a fishing platform as I've fished out of. That includes glass boats.

[King_Fish]

I'll answer and sit back to see what Bob says also. My 198 is as stable a fishing platform as I've fished out of. That includes glass boats.

X2....
See my signature below, and the front deck on a 198 is huge. I can tourney fish (sh_it laying everywhere) w/ my partner and I up front all day long, no problem..... Granted my partner occasionally smacks me in the head while casting, but that's another story... (his casting sux).

I also agree with the consensus above on the wind and ride factor of a tin rig, no matter how you slice it they are not as stable as a heavy glass boat, but it's not a disqualifying factor for me, and they are close. I finally invested in a TM upgrade (Tour Pro ) and I'm expecting a huge improvement in the TM vs wind/current work load i.e. with my tin in wind and heavy current i've gotta stay on that TM...

good luck, young man

[javjoe]

I'll answer and sit back to see what Bob says also. My 198 is as stable a fishing platform as I've fished out of. That includes glass boats.

Same here, very stable platform! It does move more in the wind compared to my previous glass boats but not enough to be a problem.

I also will be upgrading to a Ghost or Ultrex this spring, leaning toward the Ghost!

[DanR]

Like everyone else mentioned, you definitely fight the wind more with a tin rig than a glass boat. But now I'm so used to it now, I don't even notice it. The way I fish, I'll always have a metal bottom boat

[Hydro870]

Totally depends on the tin boat you are talking about, they really can't be lumped into a single category anymore. For example, the Lund Pro V bass fishes very similar to fiberglass, if not better, when it comes to stability in the wind. It's a heavy boat. It definitely outperforms fiberglass when it comes to not getting your feet wet on spot lock in big waves. The modified Jon boats are completely different, they get blown around, but anchors and trolling motors with spot lock help a lot.

[DanR]

Totally depends on the tin boat you talking about, they really can't be lumped into a single category anymore. For example, the Lund Pro V bass fishes very similar to fiberglass, if not better, when it comes to stability in the wind. It's a heavy boat. It definitely outperforms fiberglass when it comes to not getting your feet wet on spot lock in big waves. The modified Jon boats are completely different, they get blown around, but anchors and trolling motors with spot lock help a lot.

Beautiful boats... out of my price range but that 189 must FLY with a 200 on there

[ilhunter65]

It depends a little on your type of fishing but i owned a 1760 roughneck for 20 years and it was a great boat for fishing crappie and hunting but
as i have gotten older and with some health issues i found a old 20' champion and there is no comparison to how much better it is to fish in.
I crappie fish fall and winter as long as we don't freeze up. The champ can fish in twice as much wind it rides better and is quiet compared
to the aluminum boat.