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PabloS
Nomad
Posts: 187
Registered: 4-8-2003
Location: North central AZ
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Aluminum boats and outboards???
Thinking of getting back to fishin the SOC Islands around BOLA and Loreto after a10 year layoff. We had a whaler and now thinking about a welded
aluminum hull, outboard 4-stroke power, we will trailer down and also use at lake Powell and other Colorado river lakes. Open to suggestions, we will
be buying next year doing the research now.
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tehag
Super Nomad
Posts: 1248
Registered: 1-8-2005
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Boat
Gregor!! Mine's now 32 years old and just fine.
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Alan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1626
Registered: 4-6-2005
Location: Yucaipa, CA/La Paz
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http://www.gregorboats.com/oseries.htm
Just push it with a nice and quiet Yamaha 4 stroke.
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AcuDoc
Nomad
Posts: 331
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: The Seven Seas and Thailand
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I've had a 15.5' gregor tin boat w/25hp 2-stroke and for the last few years a 16.5' center console klamath tin boat w/50hp 4-stroke.
Both gregor and klamath are great boats for the cortez and all that you mentioned. I'd difinately go with a center console. My gregor wasn't and it
sure is nice to have for any number of reasons now.
Also go with a 4-stroke for fuel economy, no oil mixing and sure is quiet compared to 2-stroke.
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BajaBruno
Super Nomad
Posts: 1035
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: Back in CA
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Mood: Happy
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I'm looking for a Valco Bayrunner 18'-21' right now.
I've fished out of smaller Gregors and they are nice boats for lakes, but the freeboard for Baja is is too short for my taste . I would guess that
the longer models have higher sides.
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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jimgrms
Senior Nomad
Posts: 664
Registered: 9-30-2005
Location: oceanside ca
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Mood: its always good
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Pablo
go to www.duroboat.com these guys make a really nice boat, that will last forever
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Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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We have a 15' Alaskan with a walk thru console and twenty five HP motor and love it!! Very comfortable seats and with onboard gas tank it is
incredibly stable. We fish it a lot in the Columbia and big water in BC.
Iflyfish
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BajaBruno
Super Nomad
Posts: 1035
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: Back in CA
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Mood: Happy
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Unfortunately, Flyfisher, altough the Alaskan may be a great boat, it is so rare on the used boat market that it may as well not exist.
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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BajaBruno
Super Nomad
Posts: 1035
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: Back in CA
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Mood: Happy
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Well, jimgrms, the DuroBoat may last forever in the right hands, but this boat, also, is very rare on the used boat market--assuming a used boat is
what Pablo (and I, by extension0 is lookin for.
Of course, the Bayrunner is not too common these days, either, on the used boat market, so maybe it is just the time of year, or this year, or that
these boats are just very dear to their owners.
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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comitan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4177
Registered: 3-27-2004
Location: La Paz
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Mood: mellow
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Check out Iboats.
http://www.iboats.com/used_boats/boats--10/power_boats--100/...
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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AcuDoc
Nomad
Posts: 331
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: The Seven Seas and Thailand
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Have to disagree with soulpatch, my 16.5 klamath has been put through its paces not only by me but Hook and Pescador and we are all impressed with its
seaworthness. I have personally had it in 5-6 foot seas and its a great boat and handles very well.
And of course a 19-21' would be great but I've been very happy with my klamath and as I posted my old gregor too.
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BajaTrooper
Junior Nomad
Posts: 57
Registered: 3-5-2007
Location: somewhere cold and wet
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Check this deal out...
http://phoenix.craigslist.org/boa/300982661.html
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Pescador
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3587
Registered: 10-17-2002
Location: Baja California Sur
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I have been fishing out of aluminum boats in Mexico since the late 50's early 60's and have learned quite a few lessons in that time. Gregor used to
make a great boat but it definately needs some reinforcement if you are going to use it hard with constant pounding. Klamath is a good choice and has
now taken over the old Bayrunner from Valco production. Both Gregors and Klamaths have one problem that you need to be aware of: The boats have a
deep V for entry into the waves and a flatter rear end. When you are going downsea on a quartering entry at planing speed, you are actually sliding
on the flat rear section of the boat, but when the nose enters the wave infront of you, it causes a rapid direction change which is a little
unsettling the first time that it happens to you. The Valco Bayrunner was probably the worst for this happening but Klamaths and Gregors also have
this tendency and have to be trimmed carefully.
The Klamath Boat that Acudoc is talking about was mine for many years and I sold it to him when I upgraded. I now have a Quintrex which I found
after a lot of research and looking. It is heavily constructed with 1/4 inch plate on the bottom, full flotation which will keep the boat upright if
it should swamp, and the heaviest reinforcement for ribs I have ever seen on a boat. They were going to be sold and built in the southeast but that
deal fell through and now are being imported from Australia and handled in British Columbia.
Aluminum boats, properly built, are great for Mexico as they take less fuel to operate since they are lighter. You are on the right track as to
looking at a welded boat, as riveted boats will not last with the pounding.
check out :
http://www.quintrexboats.com
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backninedan
Senior Nomad
Posts: 865
Registered: 3-8-2003
Location: Loreto
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I have a 21 foot "lund" that has been excellent. Rides well and fuel usage is excellent.
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Crusoe
Senior Nomad
Posts: 731
Registered: 10-14-2006
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Pescador.....Please excuse my dumb question.....But what model of Quintrex boat do you have? I have gone to their web site and it is very confusing
as to who and what they are trying to sell? They seem more like a brokerage. Do they actually build these boats under their name in B.C. or just
exactly what are they in business to do?........ Thank you
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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Aluminum boats used in Baja
First one was a 16' Lund tiller that I had customized into a center-console bass-boat design. First used here in 1973, it worked well in the Cortez
for 3 years with countless round trips from Coyote Bay to Tortuga, San Marcos, and Ille del Fonso islands. Designed for different uses, the boat's
rivets broke loose after so many rough trailer rides around the area. Would leak a mite. Once I tied up to an offshore shrimper and later checked on
my Lund...the only thing holding it from sinking was the heavy deckline stretched taunt.
I took it back to the factory at New York Mills, Mn. and they fixed it for free. Lund has almost a monopoly on the aluminum market in Canada and
northern tier states...a great fresh water boat.
I finally sold that Lund with it's 50hp Johnson on the beach in Coyote to a neighbor who used it for many years after...she loved it's name, 'The
Happy Hooker'. Eventually it ended up as a panga fisher with the local fleet, and I would notice it's distinctive blue hull on the Mulege river bank
when going into town. After the flood, it disappeared into the Cortez and is most likely attracting octopus as I write this.
I went to a welded 18' Alumacraft after the Lund. I have seen mostly Gregor, Bayrunners, Klamaths here over the years. Good boats for the salt and
chop.
[Edited on 3-29-2007 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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bajaandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 769
Registered: 2-7-2004
Location: North County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Adventurous
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pescador
Both Gregors and Klamaths have one problem that you need to be aware of: The boats have a deep V for entry into the waves and a flatter rear end.
When you are going downsea on a quartering entry at planing speed, you are actually sliding on the flat rear section of the boat, but when the nose
enters the wave in front of you, it causes a rapid direction change which is a little unsettling the first time that it happens to you. The Valco
Bayrunner was probably the worst for this happening but Klamaths and Gregors also have this tendency and have to be trimmed carefully.
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As a Gregor 19' center console owner, I can attest to the fact that this is true. Really caught me off guard the first time it happened. I believe
they call this little occurance "chine walking". But as Pescador noted, it only happens in a quartering, following sea.
But I have to say... I love my Gregor boat. Light weight, easy to launch and maneuver. I have a 50 hp 4 stroke, and that's more than enough to push
that boat around. It'll do a comfortable 24 knots on a smooth sea.
subvert the dominant paradigm
"If you travel with a man, you must either fall out with him or make him your good friend."
JBL Noel
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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My second aluminum Baja boat...Alumacraft tiller 18'
I have always been partial to tiller boats for fishing. Not just for following structure while backtrolling live bait slowly.. (not something too
many Cortez fishermen do..but they should!) I also like the extra roominess of the boat and ability to move around, storage, etc. Center consoles
are certainly comfy, but do take up valuable space in a small boat. I have 'large' beer coolers.
This Alumacraft was a tank here for the 7-8 years I used it. All that was needed was to add a few extra stiffeners to the hull as a precaution
against rough trailering and wave pounding. Powered with a power tilt 50hp Merc 2 stroke and SS prop, it did it's job well. Ran me out to sea at
about 31-32mph on calm days. It also had one of the biggest livewells I have seen on an 18-footer.
[Edited on 3-29-2007 by Pompano]
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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cbuzzetti
Nomad
Posts: 193
Registered: 5-22-2006
Location: Atascadero, Ca
Member Is Offline
Mood: Lookin for a vacation
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I have just returned from my first trip with my new Gregor 15 Baja tiller with 30 hp Honda. This boat has the in floor 18 gal gas tank and front 12
gallon bait tank with bait pump. The floor plan is wide open, no seats going across the interior, no 6 gallon tanks on the floor. 5 different spots
you can install seats or just move to desired location.
The hull sides (free board) is quite tall for this style of boat. As well as a 7' wide beam
I ran this boat out of Estero de Coyote up to Abreojos to fish the reefs. Weather was good most of the way. It did get windy but the swells were only
2-4 feet with long intervals.
The boat was very dry and handled excellant as far as I am concerned. On the downhill run the boat did not show any tendency to broach or slip. It was
blowing about 15-20 at that time but swells were still small. So I cannot say for sure that it will not happen.
On the SOC side I fished out of San Lucas Cove and San Marcos Is. The wind had been blowing for a couple of days so there was a 3' wind swell from the
North as well as a 10-15 knot breze. The boat ran really well up hill and again was very dry. This boat is easy to stand up in and fish as long as
both occupants dont rush over to one side. The interior gunnel height is just at my knee and I am 6' tall.
The things that I have noticed about this boat that do need some tweeking are:
The 30 hp Honda is not enough motor for this boat if you are going to fish 3 people, it is rated for 40hp max. Get the 40.
The boat rides best if weight is all the way forward (bait tank full, tackle and ice chest up front) This dramatically improves ride quality (no
pounding). Some of this can be done with in factory installed fixed trim tabs. I spoke to Woody Gregor today about this and he explained the procedure
for adjusting ride trim with tabs. It involves a 2x4 and tapping the tabs down until you get the ride you are looking for. It is nice to have acces to
the owner of the company for questions.
I plan on installing coaming pads on the rear half of the gunnel. This will make leaning against the gunnel while fishing more comfortable.
Over all I felt very safe in this boat (it is the smallest one I have ever owned, it is my 14th). I am sure there are better boats, and the Baja
series is not inexpensive. But it does have a great layout, a manageble size and light enough that it can be mussled onto the trailer if beach
launching. And of course it is fully welded. I feel this boat gets a two thumbs up. It is worth a look for a new boat buyer as these are hard to come
by used also. I know I looked for 6 months.
BajaBuzz
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BajaBruno
Super Nomad
Posts: 1035
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: Back in CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy
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Lots of good info here. I'd be interested in hearing more about Normads' experiences with their aluminum boats. Thanks to all so far who took the
time to write .
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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