Readers’ Choice of 2020 Aluminum Boats - 01/05/21
BoatTEST Newsletter January 5, 2021
Readers' Choice of Aluminum Boats
Aluminum fishing models and pontoon boats are the most popular segments in the recreational boating industry, accounting for more sales by far than fiberglass boats of all kinds. With the surge in sales brought on by COVID-19 in 2020, their sales were even greater and the industry expects that trend to continue for 2021. Many are turn-key packages that a family can purchase on Saturday morning and head straight to the ramp. Still others are being equipped with more cruising-oriented features to expand their utility.
Aluminum fishing boats and pontoon boats have many advantages over other low-cost recreational boating options. When compared to kayaks and canoes, of course, they are much more expensive, but they are far safer and can carry many more people. When compared to fiberglass boats, they are lighter, less costly, easier to tow and can’t be beat for getting people on the water quickly.
Following is a look at the most researched aluminum boats of 2020. Happy New Year from the BoatTEST.com team.
Test Video
Alumacraft Competitor FSX 185:
74 Years of Serving America’s Anglers
Alumacraft’s Competitor series is the heart of the company’s aluminum lineup. The Competitor FSX 185 is considered a fish-and-ski crossover for anglers who want to use their boats for more than just fishing. It has the expected fishing gear including a livewell, baitwell and dedicated rod storage, plus a new cockpit that includes fold-up jump seats.
Alumacraft was founded in 1946 in Minneapolis, MN, in the heart of lake-fishing country. It has steadily grown during its 74 years in business and today it is the nation’s second-largest brand of aluminum fishing boats. The company builds many different models ranging from 12’ to more than 20’ (3.65 m to 6.09 m) in five specific categories: Fishing and Sport, Multi-Species Fishing, Bass and Crappie, Bay Boats, Hunting/Utility and Jon boats.
Alumacraft is owned by BRP and offers its boats with outboards primarily from Mercury, but most other brands are available. This is one of the advantages of Alumacraft — a choice of outboard engine is possible, whereas, with virtually all other brands, only Mercury engines are available in their packages. The Competitor FSX 185 is available with up to 175 hp. More...
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Test Video
Manitou 25 LX RFX Dual Engine:
A Patented Hull for Improved Handling
In our experience, Manitou pontoon boats have been in the upper echelon of performance and luxury and the 25 LX RFX Dual Engine, tri-toon, is a good example. Powered by twin 300-hp Mercury outboards, our test boat hit a top speed of 62.0 mph. She’s also quick, reaching 20 mph in 4.8 seconds and 30 mph in 6.6. The SHP 575 performance package has outer pontoons that are 25” (63.5 cm) in diameter with the center one measuring 27” (68.58 cm). All the pontoons have strakes on both sides and the center pontoon is mounted 5 ¼” lower in the water.
Manitou’s patented tri-toon Sport Handling Package (SHP) design lets the boat act like a V-bottom in turns; she naturally leans into them, like a monohull, at a comfortable angle and is just plain fun to drive. The reason for this is that the center toon is not only larger in diameter but also deeper.
RFX identifies the boat as having the twin aft-facing chaise-style lounges built on fiberglass bases. These seats as well as those throughout the boat are quite comfortable and supportive. The two high-backed captain’s chairs at amidships swivel, recline and have flip-up armrests. Luxury does come at a premium, but to many, it’s worth the money.
Manitou builds pontoon boats from value-oriented basic models to the most luxurious on the market. By offering a wide range of models for all aspects of boating, the brand becomes a one-stop shop for quality pontoon boats. More...
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Test Video
Ranger 2300 LS:
A Premium Brand Name Sings a New Toon
For nearly all of its history, the Ranger brand name stood for a top-quality fiberglass bass boat. But not long after the company was acquired by White River Marine, the brand’s horizons expanded to include premium pontoon boats as well.
LS stands for Luxury Series and Ranger made sure its 2300 LS looked the part with custom graphics and soft, rounded corners on the cockpit fencing and in the interior. The thickness of the interior cushions and the texture of the upholstery give the boat an upscale feel. Owners can customize the boat with a total of 14 different color combinations available, including painted pontoons.
She also delivers solid performance when powered by a single 250-hp Mercury outboard. In our tests, we hit a top speed of 42.3 mph at 5800 rpm. If someone wants to take a longer cruise, back off to 3000 rpm and 15.7 mph and she’ll get 3.3 mpg, giving the 2300 LS a range of 154 statute miles, which means for most folks, she can cruise for most of the summer on a single tank of fuel. Her holeshot was impressive — she ran to 20 mph in 4.4 seconds. More...
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Test Video
Ranger VS1782 WT:
Ranger Aluminum Boats Get Traction
White River Marine Group a few years back started marketing aluminum fishing boats under the prestigious Ranger name, a brand long known for making quality fiberglass bass boats. By giving Ranger dealers around the country an expanded product line in a different material, it wasn’t long before many Ranger consumers selected an aluminum boat over fiberglass. In 2020, the Ranger VS1782 WT seen above challenged the brand’s most popular fiberglass model, the Z519L.
One reason why the VS1782 WT has endured is because she is small enough to be towed by a variety of vehicles, yet she’s big enough to get through end-of-the-day chop if the wind picks up at the end of the day. Additionally, buyers of the VS1782 WT can choose between a single console or dual units capped with the tall walk-through windshield. More...
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Test Video
Regency 210 DL3:
Attractive Upscale Pontoon Boat
The Regency brand of pontoon boats was started by White River Marine (a division of Bass Pro Shops) a few years back in order to offer a top-quality, premium pontoon boat to the growing toon market. In doing so, one of the major features of the boat is its powder-coated aluminum pontoons, making Regency virtually the only toon builder in the world doing this. Aluminum oxidizes and after a year of operation, its gray surface becomes splotchy. Maintaining it in a like-new condition is arduous and expensive. Regency has solved the problem.
To make its 210 DL3 a do-everything boat for an active family, Regency built her with triple pontoons that have 26” (66.04 cm) diameters (most pontoon boats have pontoons that are 24” (60.96 cm) or 25” (63.5 cm) in diameter) in the XP3 performance package. The larger diameter pontoons give the boat more buoyancy, carrying capacity and speed. With the optional 250-hp Mercury single outboard wound up to 5750 rpm, we hit a top speed of 39.4 mph.
Regency also stepped up its paint and graphics game, decking out the 210 DL3 in striking red fencing and finishing, as well as having the pontoons in Diamond-coat powder-coating. Other high-end features include a higher-grade upholstery vinyl and diamond stitching, pressure-tested multi-chamber pontoons, insulation strips between rails and fencing to reduce noise, plus a “10-Year to Life Warranty.” More...
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Video
Sun Tracker Party Barge 20 DLX:
Affordable, Well-Built and Fun
Sun Tracker Party Barge 20 DLX
White River Marine (formerly called Tracker Marine and a division of Bass Pro Shops) is the largest builder of aluminum boats in the world. It’s little wonder then that it has state-of-the-art aluminum manufacturing facilities. That allows it to produce what are possibly the lowest priced pontoon boats on the market that are still built consistently to ABYC standards. Its basic construction is similar to its premium pontoon boat brand, Regency (see above), which makes the Sun Tracker models a particularly good value buy. Today, Sun Tracker builds pontoon boats from 16’ to 24’ (4.87m to 7.31 m) in 18 different models.
The most researched Sun Tracker model was the Party Barge 20 DLX, which has been in Sun Tracker’s lineup for many years. Because it has proven itself as a functional, affordable family boat but is larger, more complex and more expensive than the smaller models, buyers come to BoatTEST to research this model. For $20,595 (2021 model year) with a 40-hp Mercury outboard, she can accommodate 10 passengers and all their carry-on gear.
Upgrades made last year included 16-ounce marine-grade decking, a color-matched 9’ (2.74 m) Quicklift Bimini top that one person can deploy and Bluetooth capability on the stereo. All models carry a “5+ Life” boat-to-stern warranty. More...
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Test Video
Tracker V-19 WT:
Most Popular Among BoatTEST Readers
Tracker Boats is by far the largest builder of aluminum fishing boats in the world. Today, the company operates nine factories in the Ozarks. Tracker, by means of being the manufacturer, distributor and the retail outlet has conflated what is usually three organizations into one. This lets the group trim margins and retail prices significantly.
In 2020, the company updated the Targa V-19 WT’s consoles by designing them to create more legroom beneath them. She also comes with two-tiered fishfinder mounting surfaces, integral tackle storage and a lockable passenger glove box. Finally, there are new lockers beneath the step to the aft deck and forward of the driver’s footrest.
What remains for the company owned by White River Marine Group is that it makes sure the Targa V-19 WT is one of the best values in class at $35,995 with a 150-hp Mercury outboard, a fishfinder, a trolling motor and a custom-matched trailer. More...
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Boating News of the Week: Episode #34
We wind up this year’s Weekly BoatTEST Reports videos with an interview with Brunswick’s CEO predicting the next couple of years of boating activity. Then, we'll take a look at the affordable Alumacraft Competitor FSX 185, see the first video of Cruisers Yachts’ 42 GLS Crossover, check out Chaparral’s 23 Surf in action, and get a look at Everglades’s only dual console – the 340DC – and Absolute’s new 50 Fly. As always, there is boating news and a quiz for serious captains. More...
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