What's a good All-Purpose boat?

2 adults

Aluminum Xpress bay

I've beat this subject up for years. Use will define the boat.
I like to redfish in the marsh. Fish shallow lakes. So I had a custom made GatorTrax rig for that. It's 20' and made from .190 thick aluminum. It's a shallow water tank.

Now I own a small fishing camp in Toledo Bend. The GatorTrax works there but it's rigged for shallow water pin anchoring and is easy to drift in the non stop Toledo bend wind. So I wanted a boat to use mainly for lake/deep water fishing. I prefer aluminum over fiberglass as I am no likely to wipe it down and vacuum it.

Now I have a 18' xpress w a 90hp Yamaha all in camo w no carpet. I like to duck hunt too. So the new boat will serve 2 purposes.

List out the reason for a boat and start there.

Xpress H20 or H18B

Center console, 115HP 4-Stroke


Can fish all the places you listed with ease, plenty of room, quality boat.

I've had both aluminium and multiple glass boats. Won't go back to aluminum. You can do everything you talk about in a glass boat and won't be nearly as hot on the feet in the summer and on average better ride when you eventually get in rough water.
Get one without carpet, can spray down the inside, simply wipe the water line off the outside, not much work to keep clean really.
Not sure why Louisiana is so metal boat focused, we are not the only marsh with oysters, logs, etc. Pay the $300-$500 annually for insurance, if something happens, get it fixed.

Because we like to run into the bank/cypress knees/boat docks/each other/etc.

A well built aluminum hull is more durable than a well built glass hull. Tis not debatable.

G3 sportmans

If you go custom boat you can get any thickness they offer. Gator Trax, hankos, and more do that.

OB aluminum review

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LSULEFTY

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I have an 18' Tidewater Baymax.

It's a great little boat that will do everything you ask of it fairly well.
I've fished it 27 miles off shore (on the right days) and caught snapper/cobia/grouper off of it and I've done a fair amount of marsh fishing with it. It handles a lot of water for its size.

It will fish four men but it isn't comfortable...fishing three is no problem.

It will also be more comfortable than an aluminum 20' or smaller.

With a 90 Yammy on the back I've topped out (by myself and with a half tank of gas at 41 mph on the GPS) but with a crew and with various conditions, usually cruise in the upper 20's. And it doesn't burn much gas.

I would certainly recommend it for the price.

If you have any particular questions, email me at tdstewie@gmail.com