Ally craft

[squire]

Was wondering if anyone was able to advise me on the ally craft cuddy cabs compared to other makes of boats? Does anyone own one and if so how do they handle? http://www.ausfish.com.au/chat/images/smilies/cwm1.gif http://www.ausfish.com.au/chat/images/smilies/cwm2.gif

[fisho]

Had an Allycraft Centre Console but found it didn't enjoy my wider reef trips. For inshore reefs - I'd say no worries - If you're heading out wide regularly, my opinion is to go fibreglass or plate alloy and steer away from pressed aluminium boats. ;)

[afro]

Personnally i would never go near allycraft. I had a small tinney and its craked and played up constatly. The person who repaired the boat said the welds were quick and cheap, and not up to the task. When i asked allycraft to have a look at my boat and repair it it sat at their factory for a week without evenr being looked at. I wrote and artical discussing the poor quality of allycraft boats and reqeived many respones confering their poor quality. So from one boater to another steer clear of allycraft, there are plenty of decent boats on the market so why waste your time buying an expensive aluminium anchor.

[marlinqld]

Well the Guru, I have to disagree with you passionately.

I have the 5.1mt reef Prince centre console, and I cant write enough good things about it.

I have never had a cracked weld, never had any problems what so ever with it.

For every arguement against them you write, I could write a good thing. Sorry you had a bad experience with them, butits like everything in life

People have a bad commodore they bag all of them, a bad falcon they bag all of them. Boats, cars everything, has a for and against for them.

I will always love my ally craft, cant complain or say a bad thing about them. I think it is unfair to say stay away from them at all costs. I could say the same thing about lots of stuff...... we all have our likes for different brands and models.


Mike

[finga64]

I'd have to agree with Mike on this one.

Most of the manufacturers have failures. Some are caused by the factory, some caused by miss-use and some caused by incorrect procedures when fitouts occur.

I've seen more then a few people pounding through chop in pressed tinnies and then they probably wonder why they crack up and everything falls off. They're tinnies not Fisher Boats.

Best idea to see how they handle is to take one for a water test. Then you know for from first hand experience. Make notes.
Then take other makes for a water test, make more notes and compare them all. It might take some time but it'll be time well spent considering the expenditure of them.

[marlinqld]

Agree finga.

If a dealer wants to sell you a boat bad enough, he will not have a problem ith water tests runs.

Mike

[JasonT]

I too own an allycraft, and haven't a bad word to say about them....
The biggest cause of cracking in hulls is a poorly set up trailer.
Are your sure (The Guru) that the problems you had weren't caused by a poorly set up trailer?

I'm not sure how old the boat you discuss is but I'd suggest that if you stick your head into an allycraft dealer and have a look you might actually be surprised!

You're more than welcome to inspect the welds on mine! Nothing cheap and quick about them...

Jason

[Dirtysanchez]

A guy in our fishinig club had a couple and I went out with him many times, they seem spacious & good to fish from, the ride was a little hard in chop, but I think that is something that goes with aluminium boats to some degree, and the way the guy drives them of course

The re-sell on it was average when he went to trade it in after 3 years though, he probably lost 50% :o

[reef_king]

I had an allycraft 5.35 2003 model with 90hp2-stroke. I did 430hrs on it in 13mnths mostly(98%) to the barwon banks and beyond did some trips 70nmls to sea on it for 2-3 days and expirenced 35+knt winds in it.They are wet, pounded like any other pressed tiny on the market, but always felt safe in it even in big seas, u just have to drive to the conditions.Never cracked the hull but did, put a hairline crack in the center console dash following a 40 cat in at 25knots through a storm(driving too hard for conditions) with 3 people hanging on. I agree with mike and finga you get good ones and bad ones but my experince was very good and had no problem fishing the same areas i fish in currently with my 7m cat.

ty

pic shows crack circled in red, but also have remember that the console is made with 1.6mm alloy and no supports/strength.

[navlight]

Hi Sqiure,

I own an allycraft and have for 5 years now.

I rekon that thet they they are a great boat as i have had no probs with mine.

Regared

navlight ;)

[gunna]

Wonder why these old post are getting resurrected ?? I've seen it happening a fair bit lately.

[finga64]

Didn't even notice that.
Good call Gunna
Wonder why?? :-?

[navlight]

YAWn ;D ;D ;D ;)

Old Timers