NEED OPINIONS - Black Lab Marine "Pacific" Alloy Plate Boats

Jetty Wolf · 02-24-2005, 02:22 PM

I'm in Florida. ( so remember that as the opinions come)

I have been looking into Black Lab Marine's Alloy Plate built boats.

www.blacklabmarine.com

"aka: an aluminum plate hull boat 23' 26' center consoles"

Talk about sturdy. Work, play, and fish hard crafts.
Pricing like a well built name brand fiberglass boat of same size with same power.

Pretty......not really, but "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" with these types of boats.

I'm hard core. I charter fish in Jacksonville, Florida.
And have a great boat for what I do right now. BUT.....
In the future may consider something such as Black Lab's 23-26' cetter console, without all the cold weather stuff.

MY QUESTION: Does anyone have any experience with "large" Alloy Plate/Aluminum boats in the summer. When it's hot.
I fish in 95 degree, no wind, stagnet heat all summer and my clients that are fat, out of shape, and white like a sheet, are all ready "falling out" on me.

But as a hard-ass/die hard that doewsn't care about pretty. Finds "function is beauty", and wants a life time hull, needs opinions.

I fish in a river and at the inlet, and do light tackle coastal fishing
out to 10 miles offshore, many times the inlet is the roughest area.
Full-time 200 days a year.

Does anyone one have any feelings about other concerns besides is the boat hot as hell in the sun?

They aleady say; "We zinc out the hulls and replcement is all thats needed.

Same boats as the USCG uses as the 42' patrol/rescue boats and more.

I put this post in the NE section cause the boats all seem to used up yonder and I know it's not as hot. Thats the only reason I can figure why we don't have a single one around here in the deep south.

But maybe I'll be a trend setter?? Who knows.

Thanks.

JETTY WOLF

arctekmarine · 02-24-2005, 02:55 PM

jay will do u right........jim

fishracepoint · 02-24-2005, 05:21 PM

A good friend has a 23 foot center console Pacific from Black Lab marine. He purchased it last year new and had 2- 115 4-stroke suzi's put on it. This is either the max or slightly over. The boat will run in the low 50's. He uses this boat for fishing the outer reaches of Cape Cod (Racepoint area and beyond)
He will take this boat out in any seas as long as it can be launched. A little wet in 4+ with a wind.
He sold his 21 Parker with a Yamaha HDPI200 for this boat and does not regret it. He said the ride is better. He also commented about how solid the boat feels. His only complaint is the hatches rattle because they do not have anything to isolate them, alum against alum.
The boat is nice and open for fishing. The type of fishing done is; cod fishing, stripper fishing by trolling with wire line and tuna fishing.
I asked if the deck of the boat was colder due to the thermal conductivity of the aluminum and he replied that it is the same as any of the many other fiberglass boats he owned in the past.
Conclusion is he is very happy with this boat and is going to keep her for a while. This is strange for this guy he does not keep anything for more than two years. The boat cannot be missed it is out in Cape Cod bay and beyond all summer sporting the Coors Light logo down both lenghts of the hull.

cgrand · 02-24-2005, 06:31 PM

i've have a 19 center console since 2001...love it
it gets plenty hot out down here, and doesn't bother me in the least
the boat in the water doesn't heat up because the heat conducts out of the hull into the drink

sitting on a trailer in the hot sun though, it will get uncomfortably hot to the touch

great ride, lots of room, very fuel efficient and totally indestructable

you should get one!

Vectorfisher · 02-24-2005, 08:02 PM

I would question ride with the 18 degree deadrise as advertised, Sea trial em

Jetty Wolf · 02-24-2005, 10:35 PM

Thanks Fella's

I did see that pic of the one with the Coors Lite #44 on the side on the Black Lab web site.......pretty cool. An obvious fan or heavy drinker?

18 degree dead rise.....hell my 23' center console I fish now has only a 12 degree, and I love it. 99% of all my fishing is at anchor and I like the stability.

And I've owned deep V's 20 degrees + and couldn't stand the rolling, with passengers shifting nervously around.

Always wanted a semi-V and now I have it and am facinated with the Alloy Plate boats.

I like the saying, "you need insurance of course as with any boat, but most likely the person who runs in to a Alloy Plate boat like the Pacific will need it MORE!"

I can attest with a fiberglass boat, I have been hit in my 23' by a 26 foot SeaVee and it climbed up my gunnel and punched two holes on the cap. Of course he hit me with the point of the bow and had zero damage, except the insurance bill, and my hatred for a life time!!

I read about "Protection of the alloy from other metals", so everything of dis-similar metals needs to have a barrier between them??

Hmm.. this is very intresting, cause I never see a single Alloy boat in Jacksonville Florida other than the Coasties in thiers, or dinky - pop-rivet, aluminum John boat.

Why is a Alloy Plate boat so hard to catch on. I've priced the 26' CC Pacific from Black Lab Marine with a single 225 Honda to be about the same as a 27 Contender.....and all you have to do is look on the "for sale" board to see how many of them are looking for new homes after a few seasons of beating the crap outa them on the Kingfish curcuit. GO-FAST fiberglass boats seem to be like bad dogs, once the owner finds the personality out, the dog gets moved over to another backyard. And the problem is gone.

You'd think more die hard/ hard core fisherman would be searching for and purchasing a boat that lasts a life time.

What an arguement there, huh?

Thanks again.............any more in-put is always appreciated.

and thanks again, Chris Grand. Your my kinda man!

Jetty Wolf - OUT.

fishracepoint · 02-25-2005, 05:24 PM

The guy is a Sterlin Marlin race car fan (not a race car fan I hope I spelled the name correct)
He's a personal friend that rarely drinks

maineguides · 02-26-2005, 08:17 PM

Jetty

I bought a 23 for thw same exact reasons you listed.

Wow is all i can say. I'm going into my third season with this boat and It's everything and then some that i ever expected it would be. The only real down side I've been able to find is the lack of storage space.
I could go on and on about all the things i love about it but it would be easier if you just gave me a call.

Codfisher · 02-28-2005, 08:56 AM

Maineguides, how have you been. Did you get back to where I saw you last summer and have any luck? We got out one more time and found a couple keepers.

Back to this thread...how would describe ride of the boat with the 18 degree deadrise question that was raised above.
Considering how you use your boat you should be the guy to ask.

Nice picts of charlie on the black lab site. Did you get him last summer? Give me a shout sometime.

maineguides · 02-28-2005, 09:41 PM

Codfisher

I did get back but for only one trip. We caught one big striper(not quite 38" if i remember right) and a bunch of bluefish. I cant believe the quanity of big fish there and nobody really fishes it. I plan on fishing it more this coming summer. I'll probably make a few solo trips early in the year. I'll have to get your number again so i can call you.

The 18 degree of deadrise is good. The 23' rides good. not quite as good as say a regulator or contender but alot better then most boats I've ever been in. The pro's of this boat outway the cons 10-1! When we are on the cod grounds we will sometimes fish 4 adults on on the same side of the boat plus me running around and there is no problems with it listing to far. Did i mention clean-up at the end of the day takes about 10 minutes no matter how much dried blood or scales get on the deck!

The tuna i caught was in 2003. No luck last year. Not to many people caught one in 2004! all though there were a ton of footballs around!

Codfisher · 03-01-2005, 07:19 PM

Jim check your PMs