Advice on a new boat please

this is how Lund boats should have made the transom for the money that they sell their boats. Two sheets of marine plywood glued together with west marine epoxy after the transom are covered by 2 layers west marine epoxy outside No staples are used at all and when assemble each bolt or drain tube is covered by 3m marine sealer

Looks like a done right build.

If I ever have to do mine I think I would use Coosa Board. It’s a fibreglass reinforced synthetic HDPE.

some information about coosa board

Can you screw into Coosa board?
Finally, due to its foam composition, Coosa Board has less screw retention than plywood and should be thru-bolted or secured using special fasteners like stainless steel t-nuts.

and just IMO is to expensive for an old boat

https://www.boatoutfitters.com/material/pla...eet/coosa-board

Your answers are here. 👆

I would also say on any transom why would anyone not through mount? I don’t have anything on my transom that isnt through mounted except my graph transducer which is glued and screwed.

I was just saying I would use it if I ever redid my boat transom as I will never get rid of my boat.

I've had a "04 Lund MrPike 18. It was a great riding boat, however, over time the rivets started leaking and the floatation foam seemed to be holding a lot of water. Also had a transom issue. Now I have a Kingfisher warrior sport with a 150 Suzuki. If you look at build quality, you'll see Kingfishers are best built. I looked at a lot of brands before buying.

This post has been edited by JungleJim on Dec 06, 2022 - 08:40 am

It’s exactly what I’m talking about.

You did all that work and installed another plywood transom?

I think Lund boats are marketed extremely well but it is still a riveted hull. I have a 1992 Crestliner which is completely welded and has a lifetime warranty on the hull. Its been a great boat for downrigging in the early years and cottaging lately including tubing and waterskiing. Its a 185 sportfish and will last me a lifetime.
Lunds retain value very well and everyone wants a Lund but other boats are built better. Just my opinion.

Rivets are actually much stronger than welds when it comes to Aluminum. Aluminium loses strength when heated. One of the reasons the Welded. Crestliner hull are so awesome is the channel/groove system they use with welds inside and out on each panel but the welds don’t overlap.
Lund I know some pretty bad stories about but doesn’t everyone know a bad story about any brand.

If I was to get a riveted hull again it would be a PrinceCraft again.

Those Kingfishers I have never heard anything but great things about them.

I've been boating on Georgian Bay for the last 30+ years and have had a number of boats in the family from Limestones, to Whalers (traditionally good "bay boats")

A few years ago I picked up a 2019 1775 Lund Impact. I love to fish, so this was the first time buying a true fishing boat. I was worried it wouldn't handle the big water on gbay, but with the 8ft beam, the boat handles extremely well in rough water. You'll get wet from the spray, but I've never felt unsafe. I fish the back bays for pike, walleye, muskies, and I have a set of Scotty riggers for salmon and trout. for the riggers, given the gunnel is narrow, you'll want to mount the base on the back deck in each corner and then use a riser post for the downriggers... it works perfects and is a very clean look (not an eye sore)... I run a Helix 10 on the dash and a minkota on the bow. Love the set up. I will say by one issue with lund is that there compartments are not water tight... if I leave anything in the compartments, I expect them to get wet in the rain which just seems like a poor design.

Rod locker is great too, it fits my 8ft musky rod.

Overall very happy with the impact for its versatility... open water or back bays. If I were going to get something else, I'd have a hard look at Kingfisher. Amazing west coast boats, but come with a higher price tag.

Had a 1992 Crestliner that I sold in 2017 for this very reason along with the added weight of a 4 stroke on a hull designed for a lighter 2 stroke. Transom groaned from time to time and i trailer alot.

Went to a Kingisher, cheaper and stronger than a Lund in 2017. No idea of prices now. Very happy with my choice. No wood in my transom.