Fish-Hawk.Net

Not trying to start a flame, just want opinions... I've pretty much narrowed my search down to one of the following 2. Looking for 16ft(ish) aluminum, side console boats..

In order,

1) Princecraft
2) Lund

I like the finished look of the Princecraft the best, but Lund seems to have a lot of fans... and DKDODS sells it with a Honda (which is my fav 4-stroke engine)

I've tried to google for reviews of mfgs, trolled forums, etc... nothing of useful info so I'm asking fisher's... what are your opinions on these mfgs? Is there a 3rd that I'm missing that I should consider?

Thanks.

Both are of high quality , I chose a Princecraft 14 foot with a 25 four stroke Merc.....

I like the look of the Princecrafts also but have to pick the Lund for its extra storage compartments.

Buddy of mine has a Lund ...and yeah it has quite the storage arrangement,

Almost as if it was a fisherman who designed it

I bought my boat 9 years ago, and came to the same result that you have now reached - Princecraft or Lund. At that stage I decided there was not that much difference between them, and started looking at other things that I knew would be very important to me, mainly DEALER AFTER SALES SERVICE. After researching several dealers, I ended up at Laurentian Marine with a Princecraft, and have never regretted my decision.

One piece of advice that I consider very important - get as close to the rated horsepower for your boat as possible - you will not regret it.

Both are good boats (I own a Lund with a 75 Yammy). What I suggest is sit in the boat and picture yourself fishing. Boats look pretty roomy when empty. Sit in the boat and look around picturing you and your buddy with all your gear, lunch, extra clothing and boating essentials in it. You'd be surprised at how quickly a boat fills up. The type of fishing you're going to do plays a big part also. A full cover in the fall is a god send, and DONT underpower it. You're going to spend a lot of time in it. You don't want to spend the next 10 years wishing you had chosen differently and complaining about it everytime you get in it.
Good luck.

Thanks guys... I am going to head out to the Princecraft dealer in town and a Lund Dealer and check out the boats. There is an 08 at the lund-dealer that I like, but buying brand-new is sooo expensive.

40hp on a Lund Classic 1625? Thoughts?? I'm guessing this isn't underpowered but i'm asking the experts?

Top 3 aluminum Lund,Crestliner & Lowe..... definitely would buy the Lund and not the princecraft.depends what model in Princecraft you are looking at but when I look at a fishing boat I look for quality not the flash.Alot of those princecrafts aren't great when you get into big waves and I know that Lund will kick it.just my 2 cents

I don't think you can go wrong with either brand. When I was looking for a new boat several years back I thought the Lund was a little more high-end than the Princecraft and that difference was reflected in the prices.

What layout of the 1625 are you looking at? If it's the tiller model, the open floor is the way to go and the 40HP is the max for the boat.

You have narrowed down your manufacturers, now look at design features to decide which is best for you. No one can say brand A will run better than brand B without justifying the design differences.

Read up on the following and get a good understanding of what makes a good deep V hull. Then go talk to dealers with boat knowledge in your back pocket.

1. Reverse Chine
2. 25" Transom
3. Hull Weight (heavier the hull the better the ride)
4. Deadrise
5. Step Hull
6. Performance Strakes

-sheldon

beachburger wrote:I don't think you can go wrong with either brand. When I was looking for a new boat several years back I thought the Lund was a little more high-end than the Princecraft and that difference was reflected in the prices.

What layout of the 1625 are you looking at? If it's the tiller model, the open floor is the way to go and the 40HP is the max for the boat.

Yes, the 1625 with tiller steering... didn't want new, but I like that boat a lot... and 40hp is the max.. for some reason I thought it was 75... So that kind of answers that question...

I have to go sit in it.. see it... going to do that, maybe today.

eye-tracker wrote: Read up on the following and get a good understanding of what makes a good deep V hull. Then go talk to dealers with boat knowledge in your back pocket.

1. Reverse Chine
2. 25" Transom
3. Hull Weight (heavier the hull the better the ride)
4. Deadrise
5. Step Hull
6. Performance Strakes

-sheldon

Thanks Sheldon, I do not know what any of those are... Yet...

I've had my lund for 10 years with a 90 evinrude pushing it and love it.
My decision was between the same to makers as yours and after talking to different dealers I was convinced that after purchase service was best with the Lund people. I bought at Raisin river Marine in Alexandria.
No problems at all with the boat or motor but they still recognize me and say howdy every year at the boat show.

I picked up a Lund last year. Rebel XL 1625 SC, this year they have a tiller model also. The price was very resonable even with a 60 4stroke on it. http://www.lundboats.com/2009_1625_rebel_xl.html

I'd throw Alumacraft into the mix as well. Unfortunately dealers are few
and far between in the Ottawa area.