I wonder if we are all even thinking of the same boats? Sure, Lund makes little 14' riveted bench-seat boats like your dad had way back when, but I don't want to use that on the Columbia, or even a lake anymore than I want to drive his Jeep Willys
My Lund is heavier than my Jetcraft, by quite a bit. For the same length, a Lund will be as heavy or heavier with most boats they compare closest to of the NW style. This obviously isn't because of the thickness of the aluminum, it's all the wood and amenities that are in there. The decision I had to make was more of an oranges-to-oranges one. So I will compare boats I consider to be of the same class from Alumaweld and Lund.
The Lund I would consider for this area would be a Tyee 1850. Full, wraparound windshield, front casting deck, rear casting deck, full top with side curtains and backdrop. I would mount a Columbia river anchor system and move the bow-mount trolling motor to the side (I did this with my Lund when I had it out here for five months).
The Alumaweld I would compare it to is the Stryker Sport 18. This boat would get you no funny looks in a hog line out here. New it is probably much cheaper than the Lund (over $10k cheaper). Used, for a 10 year old Stryker vs a 10 year old Lund, very close. Since that was the market I was in, that was the choice I had to make.
Lund Tyee (Alumaweld Stryker Sport)
Length: 18.5' (18.25')
Beam: 96" (85.5")
Cockpit depth: 27.5" (26")
Transom Height: 25" (20")
Deadrise: 16° (14°)
Weight: 1530 dry, unloaded (1060, 1200 max)
Min/Max HP: 115/200 (115 max)
Fuel: 40 gal (38 gal)
Obviously the Lund will have all sorts of things most NW people don't want (that I do), like 3 batteries, two large livewells, bow-mount electric, 12v receptacles all over, seven drink holders, rod lockers that are way too small for the fishing we do, storage all over the place.
Nobody has suggested to use this Lund to go up rapids. Nobody will. Still, I don't think anybody need fear fishing out of a Tyee vs the Stryker for everything else we do out here.