looking at buying a alumaweld seld can anyone tell about thiers likes and dislikes and what options I shiould put on the boat
Thanks

Don't want to step on any feet but Alumaweld are'nt a very well biult boat from what I learned when I was shopping around for my drift boat. I ended up going with a Willie. it's a much better boat than any aulumaweld that I've ever seen by a long shot. I understand that they are a little more $$ but I believe you get what you pay for. check out www.willieboats.com and at least give Steve at the factory a call and talk to him. I know you won't regret it! I don't!!!

p.s. tell steve Kris from Olympia says HI!!

dcrzfitter

I'm going to have to disagree with the opinion given by dcrzfitter. I'm thinking he's never had the opportunity to fish in an Alumaweld. I've fished Alumawelds for the last 15 years and believe they are great boats. I agree Willies are good boats to, but they're certainly not more spendy. You can get a brand new 16ft Willy guide model w/ trailer and accessories for $4000 now. Just check out the current price at South River Marine. Seems like Willy is mass producing his boats now. Hope this doesn't sacrifice the quality?
I also think you can't go wrong with Fishrites either. Personally if I were buying a new boat I would go with an Alumaweld or Fishrite, but that's just because I can't stand the new gunnel Willy is putting on his boats.

I WENT TO THE WILLIE FACTORY 2 YEARS AGO TO BUY MY BOAT . AND WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THERE PRODUCT. MY ONLY ADVICE TO GIVE YOU IS TO GO TO THE MANUFACTURES AND ASK TO GIVE YOU DEMO RIDES BEFORE BUYING

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I Rowed an Alumaweld for two years before i bought my Willie.Both are good boats but I much prefer The Willie.A little bit better in all ways I think. I called down to Roseberg and asked about used boats and found one with new everything ready to fish with a baker trailer for 3500.00 and I love it. Happy ><> ><>

Maybe the Wiliie is not as much of a price gap as I thought. I bought the 17' with the step threw seat in the front. I really like it and would advise anybody spending that kind of $$ to go to the factory and see how they are made, the grade of metal used and the waranties and the overall customer satisfaction of the products. that willie that is addvertised at the low price is a VERY Basic boat . I started with it and found that affter looking at them that I wanted a little more. As for the gunnel It has gotta be much stronger and professional looking than allot of the ones I've looked at. like Ive said before it won't hurt to call Steve and have him send you some info. I have never talked to anybody that regreted buying one of his boats. I've seen thar shop and they are custom biult and not mas produced. They may be able to make more because of some new benders and brakes but they are still holding up the qaulity that made them famous. Maybe Alumaweld isn't as bad as I've heard from people that had them. I didn't want to step on feet I was just given my personal opionion that's all. and as you can tell I'm very pround of my Willie. What every you decide just make sure you can catch fish and be happy doing it or it's not really fishing. even if that means using a rubber raft.


dcrzfitter

I want to thank eveyone for their input on boats but what I really wanted was input on a jet sled any info out there would be helpful thanks

I`ve owned 3 Alumaweld sleds and there is not a better proforming boat on the river.There is no doudt they cost more than the rest,but if you were to ask any of the guides down south if money was no object what boat they would own it would be alumaweld.(ask clancy holt).Alumaweld is the only boat build on a jig.The others like willie,woolridge,jet craft,Thor,ect.are free welded.Call david lee at dougs boats in woodinville and he wiil fill you in on the details.(425)4832001.

rservat,

Amazing how the boat debate gets started isnt it.....thousand replies to a question you didnt even ask. Funny as hell. Kinda like the FORD vs CHEVY debate.

I am selling a 21ft Alumawled supervee. Killer boat and loaded. It is posted on this site. Check it out and email me if you want more info.

I have the 16' wide bottom willie, I am very pleased with the way it handles, it's my first boat and I will add a lot of options to the boat soon, but I was curious to find out what people are paying for the 17' step through willie/w trailer? Thanks for any input.

I've got three words for you. KOFFLER, KOFFLER, KOFFLER!!!!!! Before you buy anything check these boats out. They're located in Eugene, Or. & are great to deal with. Give Bruce &/or Joe Koffler a call & have them send you a color pamphlet. (541)688-6093. It might even be worth a drive if your real serious.

Ric....does Koffler make an outboard riverboat???

IntenseGK,

I've got the 17' with the step through. I wouldn't get one without the step through now that I have it. I got counter balanced ors the trailer and the mounts for the back seat, the rubber gunnel gaurd(I installed myself and saved some big$$) I allso did the coat-it my self and save more$$. all said and done I gave Willie $4,676.00 I would do it agian without hesitation. The grades of metal they use are far above other manufactures. that really sold it to me and the overall costomer satisfaction. I have yet to hear 1 thing agians Willie boats that hoolds water. some say they use thin metal but don't realize it's harder so is stronger than some other manufactures that are thicker and thus heavyer. I've used my cuzins fiberglass 16' drift boat. It's a nice boat and I liked it. When I took my Willie out It don't compare! the tracking is awsome! I went with the 17' because I like to take a few budys along and 17' allows me to pack that little more wieght a little e-z er It rows really nice with 3 or even 4 big dudes in it and gear. like I said I'm really happy with it and wouldn't trade it for anything !!!

dcrzfitter

Yes Posh II, Koffler does make an outboard sled. I fish out of a friends 22' with a 155 hp jet unit on the back. You should give them a call in Eugene and they'll send you a great color broshure. (541)688-6093. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Been up in the San Juans salmon fishing. Any questions give me an e.mail @ dryfli@gte.net Ric

Rservat, When I went through the process of deciding what sled to buy I had to determine which rivers I'd use it most in. If for example you want to chase sturgeon on the columbia, pick something larger. For me, I fish the Sky, Snohomish, and other local rivers, and I went with a Wooldridge 15 11" Alaskan. Its got a front window but its still pretty small and runs real shallow. Another bonus is they are located in Seattle. Good Luck!

I hope that all you yahoos that are talking bad about Willies realize that he started Alumaweld and sold it to Paige Stevens with the agreement that he wouldn't build boats for a certain length of time. That is why he has just recently started building sleds. And for the guy that thinks Alumaweld is the only boat that is welded on a jig.....WRONG! All of your welded Aluminum boats are built on a jig. If you're in the market for a sled, inboard or out, do your shopping. Most of the manufacturers are building a quality boat. The detail work is what sets them apart. I would look at Alumaweld. Willie, Koffler, Northriver, and Jetcraft. You compare for yourself. Get them to take you for a ride too. The different hulls handle different types of boating. Good luck! See you on the river.

resevrat,

i guess the key word was SLED not driftboat. i own a 1998 17 foot alumaweld stryker open center console, which is currently in about a hundred pieces getting a transom upgrade. if i had to do it again i would upgrade to the super-vee lite. my boat handles great and i am basically pleased with it. i made a post about stryker transom failures and got the same kind of response from people, you know you should have done this or that. i just wanted to let people know about the problem. secondly i have to disagree with a couple posts. first i know that at least jetcraft is using a jig as well. next the harder the aluminum is does not make it better. the harder aluminum is more brittle and more likely to break instead of bending on impact. i would watch the thickness, not the hardness. also really watch the hull warranty, becuase when you need it its too late to find it wasnt what you thought it was. as far as alumaweld i have dealt with them on a couple occasions and got my boats fixed, with a minimum of hassle. i drive an alumaweld super-vee lite at work and its been a good boat, only drawback is that is slow to get on plain. it seems every year the boat builders try to build a lighter boat and it ends up sacraficing construction quaility. i would also recommend willie as well or jetcraft. i just bid out a new jetcraft and the company seemed like they had their stuff together. anyways just my opinion.

[This message has been edited by tyeeterror (edited 07-07-2000).]

I checked out a number of different manufacturers Sleds at the Pyuallup Outdoor Show this year!

I was really impressed with the Wooldridge Boats! They were well made...have an awesome and usable walkthrough...great fishing space!

I noticed that Alumaweld has added their floatation materials (to compensate for the Heavier Motors)to the fishing deck area of their boats, whereas Wooldridge has theirs around the outside of the hull, leaving more fishable space! No big BOX sitting right where you want to be fishin'! I like that!

I'm just a girl, I KNOW...and I'm learning an awful lot, but if I had cash to buy a Sled, it would be a Wooldridge!

Take Care!
L

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"Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds!" Albert Einstein

Rsverat, take the time to look there are a lot of good boats. The two main differences I found was price and detail quality for the price.

If you are getting a windshield definitely get two wipers, dual batteries is also something to think about, full canvas and side windows (back drop curtain)

Definitey test ride, how much does the boat slide, does it handle chop well, etc.

I owned a Wooldridge Alaskan 15'11", excellent for running the shallows and handles extremely well. I sold it and bought a 19' Thunderjet. I wanted something that would handle the bigger water better and cut through chop better, also needed more room. I shopped the Sprotsmen's Show and liked it the best for price, quality and style. Also needed to be a little more versatile for my nieces and nephews (water skiing etc.)

On a note: Dave Lee doesn't work at Doug's Boats anymore. He has his own repair shop, 3 Rivers Marine I believe it is called in Woodinville.

Good luck

Doubletake



[This message has been edited by Doubletake (edited 07-09-2000).]

The thing I like is in recent years there are so manyh good boats now that you can drive a better negotiated deal. Still spendy though. Especially the OB jetpump motors, how do they get away with their prices? ..... Gorillafingers, if you are the same guy that used lureman or fishslayer or whatever, if you kept your posts civil and properly fishing related like the above reply here you'd be OK. If not, sorry GF.

[This message has been edited by Fishtick (edited 07-09-2000).]

I hope Rservat bought his boat last Jule, 1999. I was wondering who stole my username and then noticed the posts were a year ago LAST July until Gorillafingers' post....just in case anybody cares.

My turn!! I have seen several Kofflers on the river and they are indeed nice units. I also like thunderjets. My choice came down between two makers, Duckworth and Boulton. I chose the Boulton because of price and quality. The old Ducks were very nice and the new Ernie Duckworths(one off customs from what I understand) are also, but the Duckworth (post ernie ownership)seems to be less boat and WAY more money. My boat was chosen for double duty fish and fun and I am extremely happy. As for performance, I believe I can catch any boat in any water. If I had no $$$ worries, I would have gone with a Hamilton pump instead of Kodiak and probably would have opted for fuel injection if I did not plan on hopping up the engine. If I were going to buy a boat today just for fishing, it would probably be a 17' Koffler or Thorbuilt W/ a 200hp outboard or better. I would highly encourage four stroke main and kicker, everything runs off of the same tank that way. If your going inboard, go thunderjet or boulton. The most bang for the buck.

after reading the post above i have to say be carefull with four stroke outboard jets. we put a honda on our 16 alumaweld super-vee center console boat at work. four strokes dont turn the rpm that a 2 stroke does, obviously. the boat would not get on plane no matter whatever we tried. we ended up going with a mercury 115 hp or commonly known as a 80 jet. big difference. you can still run your main engine off your primary tank with a vro variable rate oiling system, and a 4 stroke kicker. we also have a 20 foot inboard jet at work with a chevy 350 with port fuel injection. we went with the single stage hamilton 212 with a turbo impellor. great combo, our top speed is about 45-50 mph. the hamilton also had dual angle reverse bucket that will put your bow under water if your not careful. lastley go with the easy clean system and dont forget a sand sump. if you can afford, and your going with an inboard get the flowteck easy shift lever. one lever does it all, like a remote on a outboard.

Sorry if I ruffled some feathers with my opinions fishtick, and no I'm not associated with any other names on this board. I realized that the original question was a year old, but after reading some of the unknowledgeable replies from people that obviously shouldn't be giving advice I had to add my two cents worth. I'm not trying to be hostile , just attempting to put out some useful information, and clean up some of the mis-information. I am an avid jetboater and have been since the late seventies.over the years I've met almost every one of the manufacturers that have been mentioned. So don't be so defensive and keep on fishing.

rsrvrat
what kind of boat did you buy if you did and how do you like it.

A few comments on the tin boat debate. I have fished river sleds in the northwest for the past 20 years. I presently own an Alumaweld SuperVee Pro with a Mercury pump. I'm always looking for a new boat (just for fun). This past fall my wife and I took a tour of all of the major Oregon sled factories, Northriver, Jetcraft, Willie, Fish Rite and Alumaweld. We watched boats being tacked together and examined structure setups and layouts for the various models. Our joint conclusions were 1)They all have super warranties and the welded aluminum is nearly indestructable. 2)The almost identical, super big, super strong stringer and floor structure system in the NorthRiver and Alumawelds was superior to the other three. 3)If you're a welder and appreciate a nice 'puddle', nobody even came close to the Northriver welding , final grinding and all around finish work.4) Willie was the most flexible as far as making a truly 'custom' craft.5)FishRite's 'lay it on the floor and randomly tack it together system was scarey.
Even JetCraft (a huge outfit) was guilty of quite a bit of flex, hammer and tack it welding... no jig, no preformed bottoms or deadrise. My top quality award definitely goes to Northriver and a close second for strength to Alumaweld. However seating, fishing layout and use applications probably outweigh all of these. I like an open , tiller, pure fishing sled, so I continue to go with Alumaweld even though some of the the other boats were much prettier and faster. I wouldn't really be afraid to buy any of these boats.Just get the one that fits your style and put a bend in those rods.

Don't really know anything about outboard sleds because nobody uses them over here but the best built welded aluminum boat money can buy is a Northwest Jet... No competion at all.

Dear Hogtide. if you're talking about a pure fishing sled you're talking about a Thorbuilt. Double rod trays, a stern tray, under the floor fish box and fuel tank. There is simply more fishing room per foot in a Thorbuilt than anything else...period.

CHECK OUT THE "ALUMAWELD SUPER-V WITH THE SPORT JET.

My fishing buddy bought this boat 1 year ago and he gets more compliments and questions than anyone else on the river. He has a 18ft boat. The "sport jet" doesn't lose any horse power at the pump. He has the 170hp. His boat will easily do 50mph. It's a great boat and is very well designed. with the super-v style he is able to run in the salt water without any worries......very stable. This is a fishing machine. It has a fresh water hook up right on the engine for when you use it in the salt to wash it out. I would seriously look at this boat. It wasn't cheap, with taxes and some additional goodies, he spent right around 20k. We have been fishing a lot over the past year and I tell you what, he gets a lot of compliments. My other buddy has a thorbuilt sled, it's nice, but it is a river boat only. Have fun boat shopping.

Tyeeterror could you please be a little more specific on the four stroke jet pump how large was the sled and how big was the engine.
Sorry to hear it din't work out I had hoped that the cleaner burning 4 strokes ( quite too) would find a home on the rivers.

TJN Never heard of a Thorbuilt. Surprised a haven't seen them at a boatshow. Where do they build 'em ? Who do I call ? FYI fishin the Rogue River this past month I noticed a new brand of boat that was being built in Grants Pass. RIVERWILD was the name. A nice looking craft. Wide with a semi vee entry and many nice fishing amenities. Can't seem to find info. on the web. but I bet we'll be seeing more of them.

native son
we had a 1998 alumaweld 16 foot center console supervee lite with a 90 horse honda 4 stroke jet. no matter what we did that boat would not get up on plane. we ended up putting a mercury 115 hp jet or what is commonly known as a 80 jet on the boat. this bigger 2 stroke was a huge difference. the honda just lugged out and could never seem to get enough rpm to get out of the hole. i have still not seen many 4 stoke jets on the klamath river in california. hope this helps.

Tyee Terror
My fishing partner owns the exact same boat, 16 supervee lite with a 90hp 2 stroke and it planes quickly, moving a good sized load right along. Your 4 stroke and pump opinion might very well be on the money, cause the 2 stroke 90 really gets his boat up and going. Thanks for the input...good info to put in the boat buying data bank ! I believe the 4 stroke also weighs quite a bit more, which is a major factor in getting a jet to plane.