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[jettabambino]

Hi

Looking for a 12 foot aluminum boat.  The more sturdy the better ..looking for recommendation on what brands to get as what to avoid


Also any tips would be appreciated. 

I understand a lot of them leak... How can I fix this

[HOOK]

IF you can afford it then go with a welded boat over riveted. rivets are what ends up leaking over time if they become loose. treat your boat well and they shouldnt leak over many many years. If you can go across the line to Cabelas boat center in Tulalip then you can grab a 1236 (12' 36"wide at bottom) Alumacraft jon for $749 plus 75notary papers then just pay the pst/gst at the border and your done. This is what im going to do once i have time to head down for a couple nights. I have shopped around and for riveted the Alumacraft is the thickest gauge aluminum, highest hp rating and takes the most weight load.


tip - call ahead to make sure they have stock because its their most popular selling boat

[TacoChris]

Sturdy can be heavy.How much can you handle? 12 ft boats can vary a lot in weight. Newer boats are deeper and wider but are more difficult to load without a lift or lots of help. Do you have strong roof racks? Have a friend that went bigger and now he is looking for a boat loader. Boat is too heavy after a long day of fishing. Another friend has a old 12ft boat that is light and still a great boat to fish in. My buddies hate haling my 12 ft and it is not as heavy as some.

Flatbottom are better for standing if you fly fish. V hull better in wind and rougher water better all around boat for trolling.

What do you intend to use for power and how much weight do you intend to put in it. Most boats will have a weight capacity and HP rating marked on the transom.

I have an old 12 ft Mirro Craft flatbottom. Great for flyfishing. Not so great when the waves get big. Poor weight capacity but all welded seems. Rated up to 15hp. Flies in the Fraser with a 9.8 hp and not too much weight. Not much good to you as it is a rare boat. Miiro Craft are good boats but not as common here

Most boats are decent. Quality can vary from year to year as manufactures make changes.  It is difficult to find places that repair small aluminium boats. I know a lot of people do their own riveting.

[jettabambino]

IF you can afford it then go with a welded boat over riveted. rivets are what ends up leaking over time if they become loose. treat your boat well and they shouldnt leak over many many years. If you can go across the line to Cabelas boat center in Tulalip then you can grab a 1236 (12' 36"wide at bottom) Alumacraft jon for $749 plus 75notary papers then just pay the pst/gst at the border and your done. This is what im going to do once i have time to head down for a couple nights. I have shopped around and for riveted the Alumacraft is the thickest gauge aluminum, highest hp rating and takes the most weight load.


tip - call ahead to make sure they have stock because its their most popular selling boat

What do you mean by notary papers?  Do I get that done or is it something I buy in the USA?

[HOOK]

Cabelas will do them for you. the notary papers are because BC residents dont have to pay the Washington state tax. the paperwork is for the border people.

also if you want to troll, fly fish, use it on moving water/lakes that are prone to high winds then look into a modified V. This will be a jon boat with a V front end but only along the underside of the boat. They cost more but really open up all the fishing possibilities. This is what i was looking at but i just dont have enough in the boat fund LoL

[TacoChris]

I lloked at the Cabelas Alumacraft it looks like the wrong photo. The picture is of a Lowe 1236. I don't know if they are the made by the same manifacturer. But if you search the Alumacraft 1236 on the net you come up with a boat that has a differnt back seat. T

[TacoChris]

Did not finish. The Picture I saw in Cableals is of a boat with a U shaped back seat with compartments and is the same picture Cablelas provides for the Lowe 1236,. I found the Alumacraft Sierra  Series 1236 picture and specs on the net and they are slightly different. The seat is strait across the back. Looks like a good boat for the price. Just make check with them to make sure you are getting what you expect.

If you want a flatbottom and price and weight are not an issue the Spratley made here is one of the best. All welded but at 198lbs it is a bit heavy.

[Novabonker]

I'm tickled pink with my inflatable Barbi. I sold my 12 foot tin boat and haven't looked back. A decent sized sister (11 - 12 foot) will run you around a grand, but the stability is awesome.And you can pack it in a car trunk. Aquamarine makes a decent one that won't put you in the poorhouse.

[HOOK]

Taco - Cabelas sucks with providing proper pictures of things, same goes for Wholesale but they also suck at descriptions on almost everything.

I believe the 2012 style may have been very similar to the Lowe but the Sierra is the new 2013 design as far as i can tell. I rather have a straight back seat myself opposed to that little area for my battery/gas tank or having to drill holes to use the cubby holes. Just seems more of a pain for a car topper, in a trailered boat then yes i want alot hidden away.

If you want to do some side by side comparisons. check these 3 companies because they are closest.
Tracker 1236, Lowe 1236, Alumacraft 1236.
You will see the Alumacraft is best, mostly because it has a thicker aluminum, higher hp rating and can handle more payload (IE fat guys LoL)

[buzzbomb]

A friend has a Tracker (or Bass Tracker) and it weighs too much.  It's the same configuration as Mirrocraft Deep Fisherman 14' but the metal is about twice as thick.  Oh, it's sturdy all right but I'm glad he found a trailer because we had a hard time getting it up on the roof rack.

[fishgutz63]

i have had a 10ft crestliner jon boat for a few years now and its very lite for one person to handle,fits perfect on a mini van.very stable n great for standing up and fly fishing . good luck on ur hunt

[HOOK]

I believe the "bass" tracker is a heavier guage then Trackers 1236 riveted Jon. Their riveted jon is around 125lbs if i remember correctly. The gauge is .050 on the Jon for both Tracker and Lowe, Alumacraft is .053 so its slightly thicker

[andy diersch]

Talking about light boats how about the frog boat ?  anyone out there have one of these and can tell me how well or not well it works. looks real cool, is light and safe, but what about the room inside etc ??

[Tadpole]

Talking about light boats how about the frog boat ?  anyone out there have one of these and can tell me how well or not well it works. looks real cool, is light and safe, but what about the room inside etc ??

 Frog Boat? Slightest wave will flood it. Bobo had one. It is probably better as a bath tube.

[bbronswyk2000]

Frog Boat? Slightest wave will flood it. Bobo had one. It is probably better as a bath tube.

Got swamped on Dragon lake. Immediately after that trip I put it up for sale......Proud Spratley owner!!!!