Ready for an Aluminum PilotHouse Boat around 26-30 feet

[xrayengineer]

Hello All,
After having a great fishing trip with the Jetty Wolf in Jacksonville, FL, I am seriously looking at getting an alloy pilothouse boat. I recently got rid of my NON ALLOY center console. I had been looking at a Judge Yachts 27 Chesapeake or even a Cuddy Cabin like a Robolo R305. But I hate boat maintenance, chalking gelcoat, staining, all that white blinding you in the sun, spider cracks, and all the fuel consumption.

I have been looking at boats similar to the Ironwoodtuna boat. I have been looking at the Wooldridge 28 boats as well as some others.

I would love to get a used one, however if the price was right, I would get a new one. I would prefer twin engines.

Anyone have any suggestions? This will be a Florida boat used year round. Any features, amenites, special layouts or anything one might recommend for the Florida climate? I will be doing around 70% offshore bottom fishing, drifting and chumming and the other 30% fishing inshore around inlets and jetties and bridges.

Thanks! I did not even know these boats existed!

[Chaps]

Don't even think about an aluminum boat down there in all that heat, you'll cook like a pot roast. Jetty is trying to trick you so he can scoop up your boat when you realize you've made a mistake . . .

Welcome to the alloy forum!

[goatram]

A lot of boats built in the PNW to consider. Neat thing is that you can put on a ac roof unit. Most have insulation to keep us warm with small heaters/stoves providing heat. Painted white might help reflect the heat a little.

There still a few guys out here are buying you used Fla' Boats and shipping them out west because of the cheaper price found there. You might even get a deal form one of the shippers to move a Tin boat east. Good luck in your search and do not let Dave taint your mind about forts on boats. He thinks they are not needed.

Welcome

[xrayengineer]

What is a fort on a boat?

[Chaps]

fort, aka pilothouse or cabin

The alloy hull actually stays cooler because it takes up the temp of the water it's sitting in. All the boats built for the NW have a full bulkhead/door that encloses the backside of the pilothouse. I would think for Florida you would want to leave the entire backend open like a dayboat. Easy enough to remove if you find a used boat.

[ruggit]

There was a good looking Ottercraft on the Seattle Craigs list a little while back. I am still trying to talk myself into it, but it is a little bigger than what I am looking for in a second boat.

Worth a look.

[Sabs28]

There is this Pacific up in Maine.

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2007/Fa ... ted-States

[peterbo3]

I would be putting a pair of small (12" x 12") Bomar style hatches in the wheel house roof if you have fixed glass windows forward. I have clears that I can roll down but just about everybody that I know who has fixed windows has installed vents above the forward seating.

[wickedlester]

i have a glass boat with a fixed solid windshield here in sc... the side windows open aand i have a sunroof. open rear. its still too hot! u will need a partial windshield or at least some way of opening it. outside of that u will love the cockpit. i even have fans installed.. still hot! alloy is a great choice if u decide u want a helluva deal on a glass boat i have a 25 footer with a nice cabin nice trailer and great gel coat. fuel injected 350 mag and lots of teak that requires a ton of maintenance! could be urs... cheap! good luck and be patient as not to regret ur purchase. the right boat is out there

[xrayengineer]

Thanks for he replies. I love that Pacific Patrol boat! I have also been looking at the boats with the smaller pilot houses that you can walk around and the regular center consoles. If I were to get a center console I would want one that was wider with sides on it. Kind of like a small pilot house with a open back. Also with a GIANT T-Top / Hard top.

I would love to get a boat like the Ironwood Tuna or that Pacific 29 Patrol boat that was linked above, but I think that might be a little much for the Florida climate, and my wallet!

Also, if it were a center console, I would like the console to be move forward more than a typical go-fast center glass center console. Everyone always wants to fish in the back of the boat anyway.

We love to fish, but we all have very fair skin, so we have to have plenty of shade to escape to. A typical center console with a T-Top only provides shade for the person in the center of the console between 11am and 1pm ! The rest of the time, everyone is in the sun. I love the Pacific boat style, I think it is the V26 Super Top? The way the top is wide and extends back.

[Chaps]

Alloy boats are easy to modify, like adding to a top. My cabin top used to end at the rear bulkhead but I wanted some outside rain protection so I extended the top rearward about 2 feet. It would have been simple to extend it much further (and even wider) had there been a need.

[JETTYWOLF]

Hello All,
After having a great fishing trip with the Jetty Wolf in Jacksonville, FL, I am seriously looking at getting an alloy pilothouse boat. I recently got rid of my NON ALLOY center console. I had been looking at a Judge Yachts 27 Chesapeake or even a Cuddy Cabin like a Robolo R305. But I hate boat maintenance, chalking gelcoat, staining, all that white blinding you in the sun, spider cracks, and all the fuel consumption.

I have been looking at boats similar to the Ironwoodtuna boat. I have been looking at the Wooldridge 28 boats as well as some others.

I would love to get a used one, however if the price was right, I would get a new one. I would prefer twin engines.

Anyone have any suggestions? This will be a Florida boat used year round. Any features, amenites, special layouts or anything one might recommend for the Florida climate? I will be doing around 70% offshore bottom fishing, drifting and chumming and the other 30% fishing inshore around inlets and jetties and bridges.

Thanks! I did not even know these boats existed!

Hi Jimmy!

Glad to see ya around the alloy shop.
I told ya that all ya have to do is look around here. Good ole Chaps has put together a "Manufacture listing". You'll want to see what everyone does. I don't do suggestions other than Pacific....Because it's the only one I know besides a 14' 1974 Alum-Craft that got me started back long ago.

Pacific though is an affordable boat, well made and you can get so cutomized it's rediculas (I think)

Here's Jimmy folks.
The Masked Angler......or is that "the Trout Ninja?"

and Jimmy & me..(with his hot rod son in the back ground)


No need for an A/C unit and a generator with one like this Jimmy.
Just get sliding windows and the open cabin back.
http://pacificboats.com/pacboats_025.php