Alumaweld Owners ???

[Pete]

1. How has the boat held up over time? (paint, upholstery, flooring, top)
I'm on my second 20' Intruder / Sportjet. Scrapes from anchors and crab traps have been the bigget problem. The seats are still in great shape after 5 years. Some problems with hull integrity were completely addressed under the warrantee.

2. Do you have enough storage?
I have 5 box seats, so all fishers can face the correct direction while fishing. That's plenty of storage for me.

3. Would you buy another Alumaweld?
Absolutely! Knowing the company will continue to be around and warrantee issues can be dealt with locally, in addition to having a talented, stable service department are very important.

4. What would you change or do differently?
I have a SportJet. Since I got it, my fishing has changed and I'd go with a prop if I did it again today.

5. What did you have on it that was a waste?
n/a

6. What do you think of the dura-frame top?
I have a steel frame on my folding top. My previous top had aluminum tubing. The steel is much better.

7. What seating configuration do you like? (we are leaning toward 4 seats with arms, no benches)
I have 4 seats without arms. I find that the arms get in the way, restrict turning and grab pockets on a pitching sea - but it's really a matter of taste. The bench seat might be nice for a picnic, but they point the wrong direction for fishing.

8. Did you have the scuppers enlarged?
I have not enlarged the scuppers. I've been in heavy seas and wished they were bigger, but it's a close call. If you're taking enough water to need bigger scuppers, it might be time to head home, anyway.

9. What is your overall opinion? (quality, reliability, enjoy-ability)
I'm very happy with my boat, overall.

[wannacatchem]

Shaker King....I'm the guy in the green Stryker that was dodging logs with a fish on a few weeks back. I've owned a boat for a whole month and half now. Definetely go with the outboard. My next boat will not be an inboard because of the lost floor space. I have the benches in my boat and like the storage, but I'm thinking about seats with arms like you. I'll enlarge the scuppers myself, but if your getting it new, I would definely have it done. See if you can talk them into a fuel flow meter rather than a gas guage. Unless it's just me, mine doesn't work worth a dang. Get two wipers. The top works great. Easy to set up/take down and store. Leaks in a few places, but better than sitting in the rain. Big Water anchor system is a must. So far, I really like the boat. It's fast enough for me (~34 on the GPS), seems well put together and solid, and has turned my wife into a fish killin machine.

regards

[slabhunter]

My experience with Alumaweld has been very good. I own a '94 Sea Skiff with over 1,500 main motor hours on it. My other boat is an '02 Intruder with 130 main motor hours powered with a 140 Suzuki 4 stroke. The big boat had a couple of minor bugs to work out(fuel sender and wiring), but she is holding up very well. She has the front seats and one bench. This is my dry storage. There is a 150qt. cooler where the other bench was. I like the colapsable top since I trailer the boat quite a ways. The scuppers are stock however I made a bow cover out of 3/4 plywood for going coastal. About the only thing that I would do differently is the sea drive option(yes) since this boat is used in larger waters. Alumaweld produces a good product and I would buy another boat from them. </font><ul type="square">[*]<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Hans Mak</font>[/list]<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">

[AuntyM]

1. How has the boat held up over time? (paint, upholstery, flooring, top) The zolotone interior was not clear coated so it tends to get grainy stuff on plastics and vinyl. Guess that problem has been solved with the newer ones.

2. Do you have enough storage? Have the bench seats. Mostly yes, but more storage will be coming in the form of a rear mounted custom fish box for sturgeon or halibut.

3. Would you buy another Alumaweld? Without hesitation. Saw one Friday at the Monroe Sportsman Show that I would love to own. They are a foot wider than my current boat.

4. What would you change or do differently? If you get a sport jet, do not get the kicker mounted on the starboard side. Makes it hard to load the boat when it leans so much.

5. What did you have on it that was a waste? Nothing I can think of.

6. What do you think of the dura-frame top? We have a stainless frame. Still looks good.

7. What seating configuration do you like? (we are leaning toward 4 seats with arms, no benches) I like being able to seat 6, as we usually can fill them during shrimp season and summer steely fishin. We have removed one on the starboard side on occasion and used folding chairs for lengthy trips that are more comfortable.

8. Did you have the scuppers enlarged? No. Never had a problem, even in Puget Sound. We always make sure they are cleaned out though.

9. What is your overall opinion? (quality, reliability, enjoy-ability) I think we got what we paid for. A darn good boat and a good value.

[snit]

I went from a 18' Fishrite with a 150 pump to a 20' Intruder with a sportjet. I've had 2footitis for a year now, and the sportjet package was "the most bang for the buck". My Intruder is '99 model, with air seats and benches, with an extra tall top w/stainless bows and highway bars. The top is very stable, roomy, and made of high quality material. I think the original owner "upgraded" for the top on the boat though.

This boat was a "deal of the day", that's why I bought it. It combined most of the stuff I wanted in a VERY affordable upsizing of vessels for me. I like the storage in the benches, and I generally only fish 2-3 people so the benches aren't a hinderance during fishing. My new boat wasn't used very hard (like I use them) so it's still in excellent condition, the paint is in good shape, but the tape striping is loose in a few spots. If I was ordering a new one, I'd opt for no paint though. The flooring appears very sturdy, more so than the floor covering on my old '93 Fishrite (I had to re-cover it). Be sure and sharkhide it while it's new. I just spent a week polishing the lower half of the hull, and then I applied sharkhide. I DON'T like polishing now !

Dislikes...the fuel tank takes up the whole floor (38 gallons) so there's no room for a fish box. I have one in the bow though, but I don't like carting slimy fish over the seats. The welds aren't nearly as pretty as other producton boats. I like the sportjet, but time will tell (I've only had this boat a couple of months) on how she likes trolling. I'll probably have to buy a TR-1 for the kicker, not that that's bad :smile: (cause alot of my fishing is trolling and I used to use an EZ steer with my outboards).

In closing,I think they're a good boat for the money, but ask me after a full season and I'll be able to offer a better opinion.

[HOGTIDE]

I am on my second Alumaweld. I have owned a Super Vee and now own a 20' Intruder SJ. Both boats were built rock solid. Ran the Super Vee through everything I could think of for about 9 years. I have had the Intruder for about 3 years now....I have run it from 5" of skinny whitewater to offshore with no land in view . It's taken some bigwater bangin'....no problems!

My personal view is that their interior design and materials are far and away the best in the business. Check and compare the quality of their seats and proprietary flooring.Their oversized factory-made, welded-on cleats put the others to shame, also. The material and sew job on my SeaMark top is super...no complaints.

Their paint was weak about 10 years ago, lots of peeling problems. But today, their multistep process is again, one of the best in the business .

I have bench seating which is comfortable for a family. I am not sure if I would do it again...toss a coin. It does provide tons of storage and my pals seem to love it for a snooze on the anchor.

I have the Pro-Guide Transom with the built in Hot-Hands and Mini motor well. It is definitely an option I would get again. I also have quite a bit of diamond plate on the gunnels which make a practicle durable surface. The interior courtesy lights are rarely used....but look really cool!

Alumaweld's/ Stevens Service Dept. may be one of the boat's strongest attributes. A huge professional shop close to Portland makes things easier when troubles do occur.

My only gripe with Alumaweld is all of those vinyl graphics on the outside. They make a very nice craft....why cheese it up with with bunch of 10 foot long stickers.

Enjoy your boat!

[ 02-29-2004, 02:35 PM: Message edited by: HOGTIDE ]

[Flatfish]

We have a Super Vee Pro.

It has held up great to it's use( it was a guides boat for several years before we bought it).

Seats, floor, and paint look fine. Top is brand new, so I can't say how long it will last. But I am willing to bet it will in another 10-15 years.

It has plenty of storage. If I wanted more, I can have it made up( stuff like in floor fish boxes and custom tackle storage areas are fairly custom items. No boat maker can make one boat that totally satisfies every buyers wants and needs). I will add a couple things to make me happier, but I cannot say bad things about Alumaweld( or any other boat maker for that matter) because they did not give me a place for my 3.492 metric tons of junk I NEED to fish for a day.

I would buy another in a heartbeat.

Ours has a cowling that is rather wide( about 10" per side). It shrinks the boat considerably more than it has to IMHO. I would also have no paint on it at all. But I am a slob who keeps running into things, and paint shows wear worse than metal does. It sure does look good when it is clean though. Too bad I am too lazy to keep it that way! [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

I have the T-8 Yamaha kicker( and this will be an unpopular statement. But I am allowed an opinion, so here goes) which is the high thrust 8hp unit. I hate it. It cavitates in slow water at high throttle. It does not troll at that sweet speed I need for springers where I fish. It was cheaper than a 10 with a bay kit and all the power tilt,elect start( which is sweet). No prop choices ( other than the 140 dollar factory unit :shocked: . Yep 140 bones for a kicker prop...jeez) to slow it down or speed it up) No microadjust ( like my beloved Merc 2 stroke) engine speed. And the needle jet is a lemon. The next kicker will be what I wanted in the first place. Not an attempt to save money.

I am not sure what a "Dura Frame" top is, but Dawn insisted on a top. We got whatever Stevens is offering. And to tell the truth, when it is cold outside, comin into a warm heated space is pretty darn nice. Too bad I can't see around the thing well enough to run with it up. But it sounds like you are getting a steering wheel model, which is ultra bueno in the cold weather.

Ours is an open guide style boat. 4 seats on boxes and a Cap'ns chair. Which is pretty much how open boats are rigged. My only advice on seating is try to figure how many folks you will fish most often. Then try to figure out comfortable seating. The salesman should be a great help. Listen to him more than I did. They want to sell you what will be best for you.

Scuppers were the Costco sized units when I got it.

As far as quality, no boat makers make a poor product and stay in business for long. Our boat has seen a lot of hard hours( 4 dudes, 500 pounds of gear, 200 days a year on big water) and to be honest it has held up great.

A couple things are worth saying...

1- No one boat is best for everything. I love our open boat in warmer weather. But in December, things are a tad chilly for everyone involved. And a closed bow really would be best in the ocean. But I realize that the advantages outweigh the downsides for us.

2- Your satisfaction will also depend on customer service post sale. This is a subject that I did not fully understand until recently. And I am happy to say, everyone has treated us very well. Better than I have expected to be honest. A refreshing change for us. The folks at Stevens in Tigard have been a pleasure to deal with. Thanks to you all. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

3- If your salesman tells you that your component is not widely used anymore, he really means it. He will most likely offer a suggestion for a replacement. I did not listen to Chad on a few items. So far, everything that has come back to bite me has been on his short list of .." Ya know, the guides have all swithced to this unit here. Maybe you would like to consider it instead...". the pros want you to have what will serve you best. Listen closely before deciding they are wrong.

We are as happy as could be. I wanted some very specific stuff. And I am glad I waited for the right ride to come along. We plan on keeping it for a long time, so try to figure out what works and what wont before you order. Even if it takes some homework on your part, you will be much happier in the long run.

Rmember one other thing, if you want it later, it is only money. If it is important enough, the money will be available.

Good Luck and enjoy the new ride.

Mark and the dog.

[David Johnson]

I've owned two drift boats and three sleds that were Alumaweld. I've always had great performance and service and they hold up to thousands of hours of hard use.

[Reel Fun Fish'n]

I'm on my 5th A-boat as I call them. A sea-Dory, a VS a 21ft super-pro V drift boat. And now a 23ft super-pro V.
I guess 5 of one brand tells you how well I like the products.
I have never owner a windshield boat, maybe my next one when I get older.
I dont know what a dura frame top is either, buit I went with stanless steel bows on my new top and have never regretted it much better then aluminum bows.
Theres lots of very good aluminum boats out there. Everyone has price and products but what your rally buying is service and I can say Stevens both their sales and service departments are top notch in my book.
I looked at Northriver and fishrite before I had the new boat built last June and after thoses experiences I went back to Alumaweld

[Shaker-King]

Thanks everyone, once again I am amazed at the vast amount of knowledge that exists on this board and the eagerness to share helpful information.

The dura-frame is a welded fixed frame with storage bins up top with the same canvas cover. The top on our current boat only comes down when we tow.

[blacktail519]

The problem with the duraframe top, is they are a pain to remove. I have a 2002 intruder, with a folding top, and had the extra tow supports added, and my top is easily towable to about 6o-65 mph. No folding it down for transport :grin: Mine is also for sale in the boats and tackle classifieds on here... I am going to upgrade to a bigger Allumaweld

[5-Cents]

I probably cant add anything new to this thread as there have been a ton of great comments. I do have to get on board with everyone else and say I am 100% totally happy with both the Alumaweld boats I have owned. I am just in heaven with my new ride [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img] It's exactly what I wanted and the staff in Tigard went the extra mile to get me into it

One of the main things that I notice about Alumawled over other brands is that the storage space is awesome compared to other boats the same size. I have at least twice as much storage room in my seat boxes and glove box compared to other boats of the same size. That does not sound like a huge deal but when you are trying to fit all your gear on your boat you will see how big a deal it is.

The material used for the seats and the seats themselves hold up great and are very comfortable compared to other boats.

The biggest thing that convinced me to purchase another boat from Stevens was the service department. Any time I ever had a problem Scott and his crew took care of me straight away without any problems. The boats are beautiful and can pretty much sell themselves but the service department will keep you as a customer!

[Shaker-King]

We are looking at getting a new 20’ outboard Alumaweld Intruder. We will probably go with a 130-150hp four-stroke prop motor. I would like to know what you think of your boat after owning it awhile. I know there are a lot of other great boats out there but we want to know what current or past Alumaweld owner’s experiences have been. So here are a few questions to spur your thinking:

1. How has the boat held up over time? (paint, upholstery, flooring, top)
2. Do you have enough storage?
3. Would you buy another Alumaweld?
4. What would you change or do differently?
5. What did you have on it that was a waste?
6. What do you think of the dura-frame top?
7. What seating configuration do you like? (we are leaning toward 4 seats with arms, no benches)
8. Did you have the scuppers enlarged?
9. What is your overall opinion? (quality, reliability, enjoy-ability)

Thanks for any information your willing to share.

[Straydog]

I have owned at 17' Sea Dory since '90 or 91 with no problems. I have been very happy with the boat!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

The paint would be fine if I stayed out of the brush and buddies didn't beach too close to me, but I don't worry about that. I bought it to fish and where I fish "stuff happens".

In my experience, you will do just fine with an Alumaweld boat.

[corkyking]

Something to consider. I have an 18’ Intruder SJ and, although I’m not certain, I believe that there is actually more room with the SJ because you lose the distance from transom to the motor well partition and I’m sure that you gain useable space if you have a swim platform. My ¾ swim platform is plenty big enough for a 96qt Igloo and the fuel tank for the kicker. ‘course the motor housing can seem to get in the way but I still think that there is more room. I’m going to add 4” to the motor housing to accommodate more sound foam. The noise of the SJ is annoying. It’s a design flaw that Alumaweld will have to address someday but it is correctable after-market.

I put a kicker mount off the end of the transom. I mean it’s an aluminum box that mounts my 2stroke 8 horse 15” off the transom. If I had it to do again I would either do the same or maybe one of those hydraulic jack plates. I wouldn’t use the cut-out for the kicker that the company peddles.

I have air-ride seats that I’d never give up though they add weight. I put a 96 qt Marine Igloo, with a cushion on the 300lb capacity lid, behind each seat.

I don’t like using the top. It’s a pain putting it up and down. I wouldn’t own one if it wasn’t sooo nice on some rare occasions. I do like the windshield though.

And, let’s face it, for the money the thing is a hot-rod. I get 40 knots GPS at 4300 rpm and it will go faster. But it’s not just speed, the thing turns hard enough to scare the heck out of you. You have to pay attention to how many people you take with you so you can do a head count when you’re done showing off.

[LIV2FISH]

I have had a 18' Intruder for a little more than a year now and the only regret that I have is that I didn't go with the 20'. The built in flotation takes up space that could be used for other purposes. The storage is great, plenty of under seat and glove box area. I have the 75hp Honda 4 stroke with a 9.9hp Honda 4 stroke kicker. Wish that it was a little faster, tops out at about 32mph with 3 fishermen onboard, but the fuel economy is great. All in all, I have been tremendously happy with the boat overall and would purchase another in the future.

[k9jeff]

Mine is a 1987, it has held up well and I have abused the heck out of it. Its a flat bottom which is not what you are looking at, but , it has held up great and it has been everywhere without hull problems.

[Pickles]

I personally do not have an alumaweld, mainly because I didn't want to pay extra for their name, but I go fishing with my friend a lot and he couldn't be happier with his SuperVee Pro.