# Seaark reviews. Aluminum bay boats.



## Vmason (Jan 25, 2014)

I'm looking to purchase an aluminum boat for river and inshore fishing. I would like to get some advice from people that may own a seaark , G3, or Lowe. Any advice or reviews would be appreciated.


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## Deeplines (Sep 28, 2007)

I don't own one but I like the look of them and the way they are built from looking at them. Also only have read good reviews on them. Seaark I should have said.


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## Bigdady (Mar 5, 2009)

I own a duracraft 16 ft.. with a seventy Yamaha.. I had it for a few years and love it... I fish the bays and rivers all the time..


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## dustyflair (Nov 11, 2011)

My g3 cracked from waves, not even in saltwater.


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## bigrick (Sep 29, 2010)

I fished a bunch on a 1448 tracker grizzly side console in college. Had a 25 mercury with controls. Was a great boat for lake and inshore fishing.


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## dustyflair (Nov 11, 2011)

Sea ark wont make it around here, and i guarentee will crack, f you get into some waves in the bay. A 1448 is only 48" on the bottom. I prefer 60" on the bottom with sides 20" min height. You need wide for stability and to be able to stand up and fish imo. Remember, your life is on the line out there.

Duracraft, g3' f&f out of arkansas builds best alum boats i have ever seen.


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## Badbagger (Apr 27, 2011)

I had a SeaArk 1872. Boat was a damn tank. The best welded production boat you can buy. I have owned 3 G3's, fine for a lake but avoid them like the plague in saltwater open bay. Not meant for that and u will have weld issues. Duracraft is also a good boat. Any flat bottom skiff will pound you to death and rattle your teeth. I had trim tabs on my SA and still had pounding.


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## _Backwoods (Dec 4, 2013)

dustyflair said:


> Duracraft, g3' f&f out of arkansas builds best alum boats i have ever seen.


You're either drunk or have horrible standards.


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## Vmason (Jan 25, 2014)

Thanks for the tips. This topic is always debated and everyone has there favorites. Trying to decide on what to pull the trigger on is stressing me out.


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## Flounderpounder (Oct 3, 2007)

A friend had an 18 or 20' Sea Ark years back. He used and* abused* it. Ride was horrible. He eventually broke a bunch of the ribs, and it went through a major re- working (new/better ribs welded in). When he finally sold it, transom needed work, as the salt water ate it up. I had an 18 Lakesport that rode about the same. I demoed a used PolarCraft once that was a joke: felt like it was going to come apart in a 2" chop! Looked under the front deck, and the ribs (broken) were pathetically undersized. So yes. there are well built tinny's out there, including Sea Ark, but you can only ask so much from them. If you are looking for a boat to handle nasty bay chop, you may want to reconsider and go w/a FG bay boat, with more of a V or semi-V type hull. The tinny's can get shallow though, I'll give them that! But my 19 Carolina Skiff rode better in the chop (still not great) than my tinny, and still went as shallow.


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

I have a Custom 1860 SeaArk for Sale.

I have a LOT of money it, but it needs a new Home, as I just don't use it enough.
2012 DF-90A Suzzy with 40hrs on it and not a scratch on the motor.

Here's the build thread. http://www.aluminumalloyboats.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=1977&hilit=Warthog5


$10,000


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## Rustifaro (Jul 16, 2008)

I bought this 20 footer (1966) new in 2009. The tunnel hull and sponsons on the back make it a very stable boat. I added a jack plate, poling platform, power pole and an ipilot. Yes it rides rough in chop but it is a tank and has performed flawlessly. I can fish the pass on selected days or get shallow in the creeks. I’ve heard bad things about G3s but I’ve got nothing bad to say about mine. I’ll be pulling tubes and skis again on July 4 (if the good Lord willing and the Bayou Grande don’t rise).


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## RMS (Dec 9, 2008)

I am familiar with SeaArk, Duracraft and Xpress, and they should all be fine for your described use. You can spend more for a custom welded boat, but it's not necessary.

If you want to do the big bay when it's white capping or offshore you need something different, but then you aren't talking about a boat suitable for river use.


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## Flounder9.75 (Sep 28, 2007)

I have a 2072 Sea Ark and it's built like a Tank all 1/8 bottom and sides heavy duty transom,but it's a flat bottom boat and it will beat you up in a chop. But for what I do it's fine. 
If you're planning on fishing the bay and running in a chop a lot then you want one of the bay series with more of a V bottom. 
Check out L&M Marine they have one of the best inventories of different brands of Aluminum boat around here. 
Try and get the thickest hull you can. And if the trailer has carpeted bunks make them change it out for vinyl you'll be glad you did down the road


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## Flounder9.75 (Sep 28, 2007)

X sharks rig is a sweet rig for sure. If you can find the built tread you would be impressed with the work they did on it. 

There was a Duracraft with a late model 115 Yamaha in the boat section a few weeks a go and it had a V bottom.


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## Corpsman (Oct 3, 2007)

X-Shark said:


> I have a Custom 1860 SeaArk for Sale.
> 
> I have a LOT of money it, but it needs a new Home, as I just don't use it enough.
> 2012 DF-90A Suzzy with 40hrs on it and not a scratch on the motor.
> ...


I watched you build that boat online. I am building a house right now and need all the cash I can lay my hands on. If I had the $ available, I would be beating a path to your door. We are building on a creek, how shallow will that rig get? Hell, I don't think I could turn it around.


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

Make sure to get a combination hull....v at the front and flat or near flat in the rear...Cajun Special builds aluminum boats that have heavy gauge aluminum and are built for cypress knee country...tough as heck


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## Hook (Oct 2, 2007)

Remember you can break the back of any boat !


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

> We are building on a creek, how shallow will that rig get?


8in with all the stuff on it.


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## speckledcroaker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wirelessly posted

Why not get a carolina skiff, I had a 17 footer with a 50 horse yamaha, it was a semi v hull and would run in 4" of water and built like a battle wagon. Wide open with lite load it would run bout 38 mph. Wish I would have kept it.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

dustyflair said:


> My g3 cracked from waves, not even in saltwater.


Likewise here on my G3. Where bow hook welded it cracked and had to reweld. Also, a few rivets in front deck have popped out. And this is a river Jon boat that gets very little bay fishing


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## lsucole (May 7, 2009)

Capt. Wes Rozier has been running the same Sea Ark for years around here. It is actually on its' second motor ! The boat is a beast !


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## murfpcola (Aug 28, 2012)

lsucole said:


> Capt. Wes Rozier has been running the same Sea Ark for years around here. It is actually on its' second motor ! The boat is a beast !


I was going to mention Wes Rozier. I don't know him but I know he has ran a SeaArk for years and he is an inshore charter. I am sure he would be happy to talk to you.


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