Aluminum boats allow people to spend a nice time on the water. Such boats are usually equipped with outboard motors, which move to the surface of the water truly exciting and interesting. Along with practicality and durability, modern watercraft became attractive, comfortable, safe, and durable.
Today, the consumer is offered a wide range of aluminum fishing boats. In this article, we will try to determine the most important selection criteria.
Basic parameters for choosing a boat
Passenger capacity and load capacity. You need to start your search with an indicator such as carrying capacity. The number of passengers and the amount of luggage that you can take with you depends on it.
- For water trips, heavy equipment and gear are not required. Therefore, passenger capacity is easy to calculate by evaluating the weight of each crew member. For example, a boat with a load capacity of 250 kg will be enough for two adults and one child.
- Fishing enthusiasts are more difficult to make up their mind on the number of hobby colleagues. Each crew member takes fishing tackle, provisions, and in case of an overnight stay, a tent, sleeping bags, air mattresses, gas or gasoline stoves, etc. In this case, luggage can take 1-2 anglers. If the boat has a load capacity of 300 kg, then fishing is only possible for two. Finval EVO 475, for example, can take 4 passengers or 3 fishers with equipment.
Overall dimensions of the boat. The length and width of the boat affect not only the interior of the vessel. Aluminum boats are transported to the shore on special trailers or in the luggage compartments of minibuses or truck bodies. The outboard motor is also selected for the length of the body. The larger the boat is, the harder it’s for an anchor to hold it on the water.
Steering. To steer an aluminum boat, two steering options are used:
- The simplest and most affordable is the tiller. The captain of the vessel must sit aft and steer the boat by moving the tiller from side to side. However, with two passengers in front, the steering view will be limited.
- It’s much more comfortable to drive a motorboat while driving in front. The console protects the helmsman from the wind, and with the help of an awning, you can go to the goal even in heavy rain.
Console features. Manufacturers do not agree on the location of the console. For boat trips, the front position of the helmsman looks optimal, and vacationers sit comfortably in the central part of the boat. But for spinning fishing on board for 2 people, it is more practical when the console is located in the center of the boat. Then we get two zones where every angler will feel comfortable while casting bait or fishing. Very convenient is the design of the windshield with a door in the central part. With this arrangement, the landing and disembarkation of passengers, loading, and unloading of equipment through the bow of the boat is facilitated.
