Bay Boat, LA home grown

[Lucky Louie]

OK, I saw a FINE aluminum bay boat at the boat show made in Louisiana I thought yall would be able to appreciate. It is if memory serves me right a 23 footer. Like the "Animal" I'm gonna add pics each day. This boat utilizes innovations on some much bigger boats in this smaller package that should make it scoot on along pretty dang good.

[Lucky Louie]

Check out this shot of the pad on this hull.......

Yep! It's a step hull....

[Lucky Louie]

View from the side of the boat at the step...

[Lucky Louie]

And of course trim tabs and the self bailing outlet.

[dawgaholic]

Looks like the work of American Aluminum Boats aka Gravois. A magnificent specimen regardless of who built it though, craftsmanship looks great from the limited views.

[Lucky Louie]

Looks like the work of American Aluminum Boats aka Gravois. A magnificent specimen regardless of who built it though, craftsmanship looks great from the limited views.

Not American Aluminum......

American Aluminum is Alex Gravios who went out on his own some time back. (Jimmy's nephew) A whole other company.

Metal Shark is Jimmy Gravios, the ORIGINAL. Jimmy Gravios has been building aluminum boats (New creations) for decades.

While I was talking with him at the show a guide from out of Grand Isle, LA came up to talk that had one of Jimmy's boats he bought in 2001. This guide has been running the boat since 2001. Original boat, third set of motors.

Jimmy also showed me pictures on some of the projects (Creations) he is working on. Even after all the years he has been building boats he still has the drive to come up with new stuff. (Follow up on his visions) I plan to keep in touch with him and post more on the new stuff when he is ready to release them to the public........

They (Metal Shark) has bought some additional property/building and are going to crank on the recreational side of the market.

[dawgaholic]

I was in the neighborhood, lol. IF they are adding a Rec brand in addition to the huge expansion recently announced, then some high end plastic boat outfits might want to take notice.....

Interestingly, I've been tracking prices now for several Years, still holding to that dream of getting one built how I like. The way the market works now (speaking of the GOM/Chesapeake/Atlantic market), builders have opted for the family inclusive style in nearly every line. A true, level deck fishing boat at most any dealer will not be available, you have to go to one of the specialty builders and that means just as much, if not more $$$ than a comparable alloy fisher. I've seen these Gause Built panga style inshore boats (26') going for $150k and while that is at the high end, other popular low volume brands like Blackjack, Young, Calcutta, are all within 10k pole distance cost wise. I think it easy pickings if Gravois goes that route and will not lack for orders once unleashed upon the fishing public.

[Lucky Louie]

I agree with ya Dawg. Them getting back into the recreational market should send shivers down the NON ALLOY guys spine.

There were some glass boats at the show around the same size. They were priced fairly close to the Gravois. (Within 10-25K) Longevity wise there is no way the glass boats can hang with the plate alloy boats. Yes the plate boat will cost a bit more, but in the long run will be a LOT less expensive. Last dang near forever whereas 10 years of heavy use and the glass/plastic boat will be toast.

As an example, year before last while Welder and I were in Venice, LA I spotted a Gravois. (Before we even got close enough to see the name on the boat) It still looked good! I don't remember what year it was, but I remember the owner telling us he was on his second set of motors. (The ones on it at the time were OLD two stroke Yamaha's ) He fished offshore in the Gulf Of Mexico regularly according to him. How many glass/plastic boats can you say the same about?

Many say that painting a plate alloy boat is done to hide the welds. Well when it comes to Gravois/Metal Shark I can assure you that isn't the case. Welder and I spent a DAY in their shop last summer when he came down. We saw them from a pile of aluminum being cut to the finished product. (Every step in-between too) The quality/craftsmanship of the work was IMPRESSIVE. I'm sure Welder will chime in and expand on what we observed at the facility.

Here are two pics of the self bailing drain.

[welder]

As Don has said, the Quality and Craftsmanship that goes into the build of Gravois/Metalshark ore second to none and EVERYONE I shook hands with treated Don and I like we were buying the best they had to offer and gladly spent all the time with us they wanted too, to answer all of our questions.
We were taken on a FULL tour of the plant and got to talk to every associate we came across ( we even have the Shirts to prove it ) in a nut shell... If I owned a boat yard selling Plate Alloy boats the Gravois/Metalshark line up would be on my lot along with Pacific and Wooldridge of course.
Jimmy and Chris, you guys rock.

This would be AWESOME on Prince William Sound...

[JETTYWOLF]

I appreciate for sure.....price, is a mute issue when it comes to a boat that can drive over some BlackJack bay boat!

If I had my druthers, of course. NO cheesy plastic windshield. I love my tall expansive aluminum and glass windshield too much to ever want a dark plastic one. And I'm sure they do glass. I've seen them.

I follow a guide over there that has one. 27 foot. I wouldn't really call a 27' anything a bay boat.
But since it's aluminum, it can float where plastic can't at that size.

I take my boat with three guys plus me in 2-3 foot alot. And I don't even have a tunnel or jack plate.

When I move to the Gulf coast in another life I'll have me a Jack plate.

Yes, I get tired of looking at floating campers. And a wide open fast Trout catcher/also Tuna catcher over there. Sure is nice to see HERE every once in awhile.

These need to start showing around here. They'll say it ain't aluminum.....its BLUE.

DOH! Stupid Florida folk.

[Lucky Louie]

Interior shot.

[Lucky Louie]

Helm shot.

[MacCTD]

Could you get one unpainted if you wanted? I have only ever seen them painted.

[Lucky Louie]

Could you get one unpainted if you wanted? I have only ever seen them painted.

Yes you can get it unpainted.......

[Lucky Louie]

Another hull pic.

[Lucky Louie]

Across transom

[dawgaholic]

Glad to see you doing well enough to post Louie! Any idea when they will put up a site for the rec boat division?

[Lucky Louie]

Glad to see you doing well enough to post Louie! Any idea when they will put up a site for the rec boat division?

Not sure when they will put a recreational site online.

Well "Dawg" I'm not doing well right now, so short post. I have kept Welder updated. Check with him for if i'm having a up or down day. (More down than up right now....)

[dawgaholic]

Hear you Louie, I've lived that way now for 7 Years, Thank the Lord. Godspeed on a full recovery. While one never knows when their time is up, if you think you can, you can is my motto. This said after a Day recovering from a stupid human trick with a mattress.

[spoiled one]

Hear you Louie, I've lived that way now for 7 Years, Thank the Lord. Godspeed on a full recovery. While one never knows when their time is up, if you think you can, you can is my motto. This said after a Day recovering from a stupid human trick with a mattress.

Were you solo or did the trick involve another or others?

[Lucky Louie]

Couple more,

[dawgaholic]

Hear you Louie, I've lived that way now for 7 Years, Thank the Lord. Godspeed on a full recovery. While one never knows when their time is up, if you think you can, you can is my motto. This said after a Day recovering from a stupid human trick with a mattress.

Were you solo or did the trick involve another or others?

Oh I was solo and fighting the wind and an uncooperative glass door and thought I had it whipped once inside. But noooooooooo, the dang dog decided to come down the stairs as I head up and I never saw her. Cut my legs out from under me and away I went! Two days of intense back pain and this AM, freaking spasms that take your breath away.

[Lucky Louie]

Sorry for the delay in adding more pictures. Had some BAD days with the recovery....

Here are a couple more.

[Lucky Louie]

Couple more

[JETTYWOLF]

THT - Building of American Marine twin engine Blue Bay boat:

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-for ... 4-a.html#b

THT - Single engine American Marine, the guy is a boat collector I guess "A GO FAST AND A PREMIUM BAY BOAT??" :

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-out ... 5-a.html#b

I LOOK AT THESE COMPARED TO ALL THE PATHFINDERS AROUND HERE AND HAVE TO LAUGH AT HOW MUCH PEOPLE SPEND ON A BOAT NOT EVEN CLOSELY BUILT AS TOUGH AS THESE. ISN'T A SALTWATER BAY BOAT SUPPOSED TO BE TOUGH? OR A PRETTY BOY BOAT? BUT THATS FLORIDA FOR YA.