I’ve got a 16.5 ft Smokercraft Pro Lodge that I bought in 2020. There are a lot other good boats in the same class. It was cheap enough to get me fishing but capable enough I can take it lots of places. It isn’t great to ride in when the chop is over 1.5 feet and kind scary at waves over 3 feet or so, a lesson I learned and won’t repeat. Its a good compromise and I can fish about 80% of the time I want to. I hope to upgrade someday but this will need to get me through the next few years. A guide friend said to me before I bought a boat is that until you have something, you don’t know what you want. This is very true. I now know what I want and how important some things are that I didn’t know were important before (open hull for instance, duh, it sucks when its cold!).

A dry boat for 6 years at 2 grand sounds like a bargain, especially how hard you fish it. With that motor and trailer I'd be tempted to go again. If your trailer could handle 16ft, you could get into bigger area 4 water on flat days, and have better storage. After retiring from the Navy, boats are kinda my thing.

Nice seeing you my buddy Blake 😃

That boat has probably brought allot of great memories. I’ve resealed a few of those bottoms. It’s fairly easy and can look nice. Probably take a couple hours.

I myself acquired a 1972 14ft StarCraft earlier this year that came with a late 50s 10hp. Currently have a 4.5 with shallow water drive. This thing is sure fun. I took it out all the way up to Kent from the duwamish 😂

If you are looking for a well-built aluminum boat, consider a Smoker craft Alaskan. I had one and I loved it.

Nice review. Thanks.

I look forward to seeing what boat you end up with. I bought a 16ft smokercraft lodge used and did loads of upgrades. The lodge is much wider than a typical riveted aluminium boat thus way more stable. Previous boat was 14' klamath that was tippy as a canoe

My guess is that the transom stress fractures are from an outboard jumping on the back while trailering, instead of busting into waves. Aluminum stress fatigues really quickly and an outboard bouncing, even a little, can cause stress fractures to form well before the same boat that lived in the water.

Great information Blake! Thank you 👍

I have a used 14 foot Lund, still going strong!

I too have a lund ssv14. I bought mine maybe 14 years ago and I've been lucky with no leaks🤞🤞 Tempted to post a lund walk-around on my channel so you can check mine out. I totally agree that big water is not recommended on these little lunds but for area 10 my little 14 footer with a 25hp merc is just fine. Thanks for the video Blake!🤙

Skookum! I thought ol' leaky had gone on down the river!

I fish out of a 16.5 Ft. Lund that has all available accessories, fully loaded, with everything you could think of, I'm happy to crab near shore or in protected water but if I did it all over again I'd go with an 18 Ft. with no accessories except puller & rod holders with a 25 Hp.

I would highly recommend the 0.125" hull and all welded if it is in the budget. Rivets are going to leak eventually no matter how well built the boat is.

Ever thought about a glass boat? I have an Arima Sea Hunter and love it.

Bring back "fish facts!"

When do we see your new boat.

“The anchor usually sits there” Me: probably tied to your last victims feet rn “See that leak, those are stress fractures” Me: probably from the impact of all the dead bodies “This is the guest seat” Me: perfect reach for a driver witha billy club Oh im sorry this isnt washington halloween Quest!?

How shallow can these guys run? I live in fl and was wondering if I could use this fishing around the flats. I really like the layout of the boat but didn't know if I have to go flat bottom.

I was wondering if a 14ft would be big enough for Columbia river and Puget Sound. Sounds like it’s not. Maybe 16ft?

Lund lifetime hull warranty?

Have you taken it into the rivers? How shallow water is it happy in

Do you have links to those red and green lights and your little bilge pump? I have a similar boat with similar issues.

What you do for work if you dont mind me asking man?

as a structural aerospace engineer, i can tell you that the reason that boat was inexpensive was because of that 0.063 thick aluminum hull.

If you really like your 14 ft Lund boat what are suggested for you to do this is what I did on my 14-ft Lowe that I had for 13 years in saltwater grab yourself a can of flex seal and paint the outside bottom it'll keep the water out..

Hey Blake, Did the 15 horse have enough get up and go on your old Lund??