Florida Sportsman Best Boat - 18’ to 20’ Aluminum Skiffs

If the areas you fish have shallow oyster beds, submerged rocks or stump fields, an Aluminum Skiff like the G3 Bay 18 DLX, the SeaArk 2072 VFX and the Alumacraft 2072 can stand up to a lot of abuse and may be the best boat for you.

[@TumboJ]

I own a 2015 Xpress H20 with a 115 and I draft with the motor up 8 inches! I was just out in Crystal River and was in .9 feet and didn’t touch bottom and was able to hook into some Reds! Loving the aluminum!!

[@cbassfishin9494]

Please do a 2020 version of this with Ranger RB200, Vexus 1980CC, and Alumacraft 20 Bay; I'll be making this exact purchase decision very soon.

[@1FishinAddict]

That short dude got quite a mouth for salesman, I’m almost convinced.

[@fritzhiser4659]

Chris farley wannabe

[@greathornedowl3644]

Thanks for the review. Munson boats are pretty phemoninal. I’ve loved Xpress boats after seeing them on SEEK ONE youtube channel.

[@leeadams5941]

The last one I had was a Fisher, when I got rid of it there were five stress cracks in the hull and the only thing keeping it from sinking was the foam in the hull...

[@haresplitter]

Starcraft has been doing quality aluminum boats for a little while now.

[@jimmygaribaldi]

Can you guys do a review on the Ranger rp190?

[@sslawnservicegray]

Which one of them is the crappie fishing model

[@mottledduckiller]

I have been fishing out of a 1991 bass tracker 170txw with a 2000 70hp johnson. These bay boats are set up exactly like my boat. The one great thing about my boat is it drafts 6" with me and a buddy. It seems that people have finally come to their senses about aluminum boats in salt. *don't put your bass boats in salt, it will eat them up in less then a year especially fiberglass bass boats. I've had to rewire and reinstall a couple of things including a saltwater trolling motor.

[@Billster1955]

What size prop is on the Alumacraft 2072 boat? My buddy has the same boat with a Mercury 115 HP motor and is wondering if his has the right prop.

[@tigersaint124]

That G3 is calling my name

[@chemarburnham9159]

2nd comment loving florida sportsman and reel time keep it up ^_^

[@woodytay78]

I live in Maryland and fish freshwater and the Chesapeake bay. The Chesapeake can get rough time to time. What's your opinion of these on the Chesapeake bay?

[@duck_rifle5879]

I’m in Va and will be fishing the bay as well. I’m going with a Prodigy Bay Boat. 22 foot center console.

[@bkeenan85_outdoorlife]

what about the xpress bay boat line up? would like to see you gents do a review on them... thanks!

[@brucegoose6717]

I with you. Express is what I'm looking at

[@reelchristianfishin7397]

Agreed! I think Xpress H20B would have put some of these top names to shame.

[@DipsetTheAdon]

I'm in the market for an aluminum boat such as the SeaArk. Are there any older models that have similar qualities but at a more affordable price? This would be my first fishing boat and it seems the duality it can provide would be ideal in my current location in South Florida.

[@JesseKlaus]

I was looking for something older but the older AL boat designs just don't provide the seating options I wanted.. and the financing terms for a new boat really aren't too bad. Just don't run it to the full-term.

[@simonadventum]

Didn't add how much they draft, that's very important info and should've added it

[@k11keeper]

Is there any reason why they don't make offshore boats out of aluminum down in florida? Up here in Washington a lot of ocean salmon boats are aluminum but it seams almost all boats down that way are fiberglass.

[@CaptDavesSportfishing]

+k11keeper Because in Florida it's all about "looking cool". I have a built in Washington 26 foot best bay boat..I go in 2 foot. These guys are just selling ad sponsor boats.

[@marzsit9833]

@@CaptDavesSportfishing yeah, it's important to look cool in a touristy place like florida. most of the washington coast is rough and rocky and draws a different type of tourist.. my boat is a 16' center console welded aluminum workskiff, not pretty but not a weakling trailer queen either. it's built to take severe punishment and abuse and keep it's crew alive. foam-filled double-bottom so it's unsinkable as long as it's not overloaded.

[@CaptDavesSportfishing]

@@marzsit9833 disregard what ever you see here in this video to ''pure advertising'''

[@CaptDavesSportfishing]

But Rick makes fun of aluminum boats.....I love the over acting. There's so many other boats built tougher and no so production, "See Louisiana" built alloy boats.

[@margaret36able]

Where are the dealers destribitors

[@blueberryisabella3741]

I'll buy one

[@jason8104]

Wow, how come no Xpress?

[@hermanhunter6531]

Allumacraft is Xpress

[@user-wu2gg7dv6n]

@@hermanhunter6531 no

[@roddog24]

Why is Rick yelling

[@DrRobrez]

Why does the title say skiffs? These are bay boats

[@MrDavidelliottjr]

Yea. I never seen any skiffs in this video

[@terryogletree2128]

All these production models come in a distant second to Gator Trax

[@AlexCruz-wc1yo]

What's "unexpensive" unless you are wealthy anymore? 😝😝😝

[@TangoUniform300]

Really? You guys are talking trash about rivets coming out?

[@howabouthetruth2157]

+Three Swords What the heck are YOU talking about. I used to own a 16 ft riveted aluminum crappie boat, and that damn thing sprang leaks all over the bottom of that hull......and YES........it was THE RIVETS THAT WERE LEAKING. In 2004, I bought a G3 HP 170, a 17' 4" long with a 90" beam, all welded 100 guage 5052 aluminum bass boat, even the decks were all welded 100 guage aluminum, no wood anywhere. The "HP" in the model name stands for "high performance" and let me tell you, that boat HAULS ASS and pops up on plane in only 3.5 seconds with the 115 Yamaha 2 stroke & stainless prop. With a half tank of fuel and only me in it, it will run 56 mph. And with 2 people, full tank & all gear, it will run 50 mph. That's very impressive for a 115 on a 17 foot boat. And the boat is holding up just fine. You can have your rivets. All welded 5052 aluminum is where it's at nowadays.

[@TangoUniform300]

Sounds good to me

[@indybob770]

Hey Rick you don't have to yell..... We can hear ya fine. Couldn't watch entire video.

[@fishinjunkee1701]

Florida Sportsman gets paid for this crap ! I have a 16 ft Grizzly Tracker and will out fish these guys and these boats ANY DAY !!!!! Name the place and the time and I will be there, I fish from Pensacola to Cedar Key all the time

[@rshort15531]

Is it aluminum? I'm in Panama City and I'm looking at the tracker grizzly 2072. I'm wondering how well the aluminum holds up in saltwater.

[@TheReelFishermen]

Glass is king, always will be. Glass is inexpensive to own and operate too. No way I'd take one of these boats in a bay in anything other that flat seas.

[@marcusyoung2870]

Depends on where you live. Aluminum will always be cheaper and you don't see many glass boats in the PNW, even offshore

[@Gonzo1968]

Glass also double the price and weight sooooo... 🙄

[@user-ym9wb2mk5e]

Lol, is Texas and Louisiana boys beg to differ! When you add things to the aluminum boats, you can weld or rivet and no worries. Try that will glass, esp these new colors and flake gel coats. With an aluminum, we can haul gators and big fish, come home and leave it or spray it down and walk away. Rocky bottoms, no problems. Only issue I worried about at times is getting stuck in lightning storms….