Best aluminum boat

[Riverbassfishing]

Fish a lot in the navesink out to the bay and the ocean when conditions are right. I looked at a duranautic 14' and it seems like a great boat. I am looking for a 14' boat cant go bigger or smaller. The one thing i never had in aluminum boats was a welded not ribbed hull.

Will

[tautog]

We had a 14 foot duranautic when I was a kid and it was a tough lil boat and moved like the wind with a 40hp. We would take it all the way off Sea Bright from the Rumson Ramp some days.

[stevelikes2fish]

The duranautic 14' is a great boat for that river. Spent a lot of time in that same boat several years ago. Use to put in behing the fair haven f.d.

[M & J]

A 14 is fine for the area and has a great range if u put a 25 to 40 hp on it. I my self borrow my buddies 18 foot aluminum crestliner in stead of taking out the 30 footer. I grew up on a island in maine and used those aluminum boats for everything. U will get weird looks from some " HIGHLINERS " in there 30 to 60 footers out around the hook but " F " them. Go find the fish and enjoy it. Just know ur limits with the weather. Oh and make sure it has a plug. Some do and some dont but a plug will help u on those windy days with the spray and cleaning the boat on the trailer. Go luck and I ll see you out there.

[Bill T]

I have fished on a friends 14 ft. duranautic & it is a good boat. We actually fish the navesink, Shrewsbury, & Manasquan rivers in it. However i also fished on a 14 ft. Lund this summer & found that to be a really great boat. Good luck, with your search.

[Denlon]

I have fished with my Dad in his 14 foot Duranautic in the Navasink and Shrewsbury rivers for many years. It's also acceptable in Raritan Bay and around the hook in the ocean on calm days.
It's a great boat!

Denny

[NoLimit]

What about the guy with the fold up boat that was fishing SH channel this Sept?!?

That is some serious fishermanning.

Anyways, you know that you are going to push it so you might as well go with the 16' and a deep vee - make sure you get the tall transom.

[duranautic al]

starcraft if u can find one

[Detour66]

A 16" Starcraft, Lund or Sea Nymph with a 20" transom. Power it with at least a 30 hp. These boats are great inshore boats that are versatile and fun to fish out of and very cost effective! Look in craigslist...there are plenty of them.

[JBird]

I've had a Lund for 13 years and I'm happy with it. It's 16 ft with a 30hp. I think a 14 would fly with the same power. I do about 20 knots with a light load. I took it from the river to Coney Island flats one day and burned 3 gallons of fuel:eek:

[jerseyhunter]

My buddy had a 14' sea nymph and we did everything from the bay to along the beach but the hairiest weather and waves we ran into were up in Champlain in Dec or Ontario.

[fish45]

Can't go wrong with a Lund , they are a quality Aluminum boat and they hold great value on resale !!!!!

[Capt. Debbie]

I've got a heavily tricked out Mirrocraft ( 1982 Model) Deep Fisherman II. It's on its 3rd engine (25 EFI Merc) and 2nd trailer. I am original owner.

12 gallon tank in bow ( super range and conterbalance my fat a*s), ICOM VHF, Stereo, Garmin plotter, Lowrance FF, 2500gph Rule bilge pump, permanent mounted drain over side cutting board, Fortess Anchor, re-inforced transom, and bow anchor swivel.

Great bay set up. Primarily crabbing. But back bay stripers and oceanside on nice days.

Love it~!

[GetANet]

Let's see some pics of that BAD BOY!!! Could use some rigging ideas!

[squan63]

make sure you stay way from discovery bought one new from brys in neptune years back within a year split down the rivets they told me to take it to the scrap yard(real nice).i should have bought a duranautic hands down the best small alum boat out there for saltwater use good luck

[Capt. Debbie]

I would. Too large a file.

LOVE the set up!

Let's see some pics of that BAD BOY!!! Could use some rigging ideas!

[Capt. Debbie]

Maybe that's why Bry's leaves them on th sidewalk at night even in a crapier part of town? They are POS's. LMAO




make sure you stay way from discovery bought one new from brys in neptune years back within a year split down the rivets they told me to take it to the scrap yard(real nice).i should have bought a duranautic hands down the best small alum boat out there for saltwater use good luck

[catsmeow]

Duranautic hands down. Funny memory still as vived as the day it happened. In the middle of the Navisink clearing a trolling line when my kids yell Dad ! Dad! a boat is heading right at us. Well a husband and wife under power with a 30' sailboat sitting in the pulpit ram me broadside. Put a huge dent in the side but the boat takes no water and we survive the the impact. The boat was totaled. That was 1985. Bought a 17' center console Sea Nymph and still running it today out of the Rumson Municipal Ramp Had that boat come off the trailer doing 55 mph on Interstate 80 coming back from Canada. But that a story for another day. So I guess Sea Nymph is a pretty good boat too.

[Capt. Debbie]

What's the name of the boat? Hard luck one and two? LOL

Came off the trailer? Totally off? Wow!




Duranautic hands down. Funny memory still as vived as the day it happened. In the middle of the Navisink clearing a trolling line when my kids yell Dad ! Dad! a boat is heading right at us. Well a husband and wife under power with a 30' sailboat sitting in the pulpit ram me broadside. Put a huge dent in the side but the boat takes no water and we survive the the impact. The boat was totaled. That was 1985. Bought a 17' center console Sea Nymph and still running it today out of the Rumson Municipal Ramp Had that boat come off the trailer doing 55 mph on Interstate 80 coming back from Canada. But that a story for another day. So I guess Sea Nymph is a pretty good boat too.

[BCinerie]

My favorite aluminum is a classic lund! I currently have a 1979 lund mr pike 18 ft with a 50 hp evinrude , would take boat almost anywhere! Been on Lake Erie for 15 years and the boat handles the short chop really well! Going to last another 20!

[Poseidon]

I have a 1997 Smokercraft resorter with a 2012 30HP Evinrude Etec on it. I predominately fish the Delaware up around the Phillipsburg area, but the boat has been to Lakes Champlain and Erie and the St Lawrence seaway where the boat did very well. The resorter is 15'6" and weighs 520 lbs dry weight. The Etec moves it along at over 30mph with no problem.

[fishfinder]

My buddy is a guide up in ontario. He is on alumacraft prostaff and absolutely loves the boat. Has fished many other brands and swears they are head and shoulders above. I found it to be great ride with the hydraulic steer tiller and all.

[june181901]

Have a 14' Legend that I got in Ontario. Manufactured by Starcraft here in the USA, biggest difference is the thickness of the aluminum. It is 1.0 vs .85 that Starcraft uses.
I use it in the two rivers, Sandy Hook Bay and around the hook on calm days.
Readily admit that I preferred my 14' Grumman but alas they are gone out of business.

Overall it is a decent boat

[briansnat]

The 14' Grumman I bought last year is over 30 years old and going strong. I guess that says something for for those boats. A fishing buddy of mine has a 20 ft Lund that makes me slightly jealous and I saw a Smokercraft "Big Fish" in a showroom that will be the first thing I buy when I hit the lottery.

[Riverbassfishing]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I went with the duranautic 14. Ill post pictures when the boat is delievered.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Congrats Will !!