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aluminium vs fiberglass weight difference

C

crabby

Well-known member
anybody have a rough guess on the difference in weight between a 14ft aluminium hull and a 14ft fiberglass hull (hull only) and also the lighest fiberglass hull around.
 
I beleive calling a hull like that an Ultra Light is false advertisement! I have found all those supposedly light glass hulls you know the ones that weigh 250 pounds always end up weighing around 350. I can weigh a bran new aluminum standard weight Hammant that is 13X7.5 and post the numbers.
 
I won't go so far as to say they are THE lightest glass hull, but Predators are pretty darn light but super strong too. I haven't weighed them but I have a buddy who switched from a 13'6 Cottonmouth to a Predator with his old rigging and the Predator was much easier to move around by hand and performed better too. Just my opinion though, no numbers behind it.

Adam
 
Your right they seam to have a good balance of weight to strength. I have owned in Fiberglass a Gore I killed it with a 125. A Gilleo busted out the stringers and transom with a 470. A Cotton Mouth put a few holes in it. I know they would last me longer now because when I was a teenager I really run stuff hard I averaged a year and a half out of a hull before it would quit floating! I still see every aluminum boat I have ever owned running the river every now and then!
 
The way Predator knocks of the weight is he puts 3/4" runners in the middle, builds the deck from core mat, the deck may weigh 15lbs. The thing about Bobby is, he knows his stuff, and can build you a light boat and it still be stronger than all the others!
 
I wouldn't recommend a Gilleo to anybody, and I own one.
They're light, but way to flexible and would be easy to tear up.
 
According to diamondbacks catalog the approx. hull weight for a 7' wide ultralight hull is 24 lbs. per foot of length. The weight of the 7'6" wide hull is 29 lbs per foot. Standard hull weights are 30 lbs per foot for 7' wide and 35 lbs per foot for 7'6" wide. These weights are without polymer.
 
that is a loaded question because there is no right answer :? it really will depend on what materials are used to build the hulls there are several different types of fiberglass in different price ranges and will affect the weight of the finished boat on the same hand there are several different alloys and thickness of aluminum witch also effect the weight but in general the aluminum boat will be lighter then a glass boat

there are many ways to build a light strong hull the biggest things is setting down and deciding what you want the hull to do example at hand light weight
 
Finaly somebody else makes a statment that will set the board a fire. Thanks Gold Hunter I can sit back and watch this thread because I'm not a hull guy!
 
as far as glass hulls go what do you guy's think the biggest difference is in a cotton mouth vs a laser, I'm running an old cotton mouth now and I'm thinking of getting another hull
 
Waterthunder,
man I ain't trying to burn any bridges here, just stating some facts hoping to give a decent answer to his question. I guess that means I will get a bashing on this post now:shock: I can tell you a few things about hulls but when it comes to engines .........well lets just say all I can do is hope it runs :lol:
 
Crabby.....Don't go with either...get a Predator. I ran a Cottonmouth and have been around several different Predators and believe me it is like night and day. I liked my Cottonmouth too but it just doesn't compare.

Predators are lighter, stronger, and handle very well. I don't have much experience with the Lazer so i can't say much about it. Look at Predator Airboat's Picture gallery and you can see his designs as well as how he builds them. I think Predator 0470, Clayton Tyler can tell you even more as I think he might run with Bobby.

Adam
 
guy's I just want to tell all of you that I just moved up to central florida from south florida where I grew up, and I'm new to this site, I just want to thank everybody for their input and help.It's really great to have access to so many well informed good people. Also have a very Merry Christmass
 
I thing that one of the important thing to consider is that most aluminum hulls have a truly flat bottom and most fiberglass are slightly round.That does make a difference when running dry ground with a combination that is a marginal dry ground running airboat.

JMO
 
I have a Laser and I love it. They really ride nice, they run the hill exceptional and turn on a dime. They handle like a sports car. My metal hull seems to run nice but it crow hops in the corners. It sure is a tough decision of which one is the best but I will tell you one thing is for sure GET A STIFF BOTTOM. No matter if you go with fiberglass or aluminum. I hope your ? gets answered b-cuz I am going to start building a new boat next month and want to hear everyones input on the ultimate river hull.
 
Well I will say this, I have been there and done that with the laser. I liked it, but i felt it could be better. Got a 13'3" Regular style Predator and put my old 470 on it, and I couldnt get the damn thing stuck, its night and day differnce. Predators are a ground pounding boat, no doubt! I use to work with Bobby building Predators, and trust me there are no corners cut when he builds a hull. He puts the same amount of qulaity in a customers boat, as if it were his. I am fixing to run the 13'5" Cut-down wide track with an 0540, and I already know its going to be one hell of a boat in the water and on the ground. Hands down, Predator makes the best all around glass boat! And I will never own anything other than a PREDATOR, if you would like to order a boat, or find out some more info on them, just let me know. I'd be glad to help! Hopefully I will see yall on a run soon in my new IO-540 :D
 
And the bottoms are EXTRA stiff, there are 5" wide core-mat pads under each runner, so you will never wear a whole under the runners like alot of other glass boats do. Little things like that make the Predator EXCEPTIONAL!
 
Clayton, what's the centers on the stringers ? Could I pull the rigging out of my Gilleo and drop it into a Predator ?

olf
 
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