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Stay away from anything from 96-14 that hasn't had the transom checked. Pretty well documented run of bad transoms. Anything older than that you should check anyway.But worse yet from about 2003 on up believe it or not. If you can get your motor off a guy can replace it himself but it's certainly not a fast job. Probably 8-10 hours of work for a fairly handy person. None of it really hard, just time consuming, nit-picky stuff.

The 2015'ish and up should be great. The were using aluminum or a composite transom in most lund boats by then. Alumacraft didn't start until last year I don't think but didn't have the material issue Lund did.

But if you find a boat with a better layout for fishing than a Lund Fisherman or Pro-v, let me know. That's dialed in.

my Next boat will be a 2006ish Lowe Fish and Ski 175 with a 115 4 stroke merc. I came across one a couple weeks ago that had basically been locked in storage it's whole life and was mint condition. I should have jumped on it but couldn't until I got home from work travel and it was gone. for me it's the perfect layout size and everything. walk through windshield is a must out here in my opinion.

Lunds do have the rep of bad transoms, now that could work out in your favor if you buy one that needs a replacement. I wouldn't hesitate and then use seacast to replace it if the price was right. I do enjoy working on boat projects so often time I'm on the prowl for "project boats" and can get them for a song lots of times.

Tom, you'd like my '99 Fisher Avenger 19. I especially like it for the kids, but they can hardly see over the gunnels it's so deep. I don't know if I showed it to you when you were here or not, but I think I sent you pics after I got it maybe.

Yeah, I just recently started hearing about these transom issues. Make me think about my choice. There's always lots of stuff in my wheelhouse on Craigslist, so I very well may be rethinking the whole Lund thing. What did they manage to screw up on all these boats that made for bad transoms?

I think it was the transom caps and not sealing the wood used in the transom. fine for a few years, then the rot spreads like wildfire. almost all boat manufacturers did the same with the wood floors. if they would seal them, they would last decades. often times I'll find boats that have been left outside for a while, and even if the plug is out they get wet and dry over and over and the wood is shot pretty fast. think of a sheet of plywood if just let out in the yard for a summer, same thing happens on a boat floor unless garaged and/or covered. Even if really cared for the humidity, dew, rain showers and splash while using it can have an effect over time.

don't need marine grade plywood, regular adx or bdx is fine. I seal using Fiberglass repair resin 1-2 coats and paint it on the board after predrilling all the holes. I use aluminum angle to secure it to the boat and beef up support. rubber backed carpet or roll on deck for a covering before final install, and of course as much closed cell foam you can get in there.

My first project took this:


With help:


To this:

Heres a photo dump of Wyo trip 2017. Probably won't get back for a few more years.

Nice buck & nice pics.

Another friend was here the next weekend. His catch included this 44+ inch northern, the smaller fish was 23 inches.

Wowsers, a 44" northern is huge!

Yeah that’s a beauty!

Walleye closes for spawning season at midnight Sunday, hopefully the weather will be good & let me get the last weekend in !

Probably have to take the quads, this time, not much left on top for sled lubrication.

Update to follow, if it happens.

We are at the hospital, awaiting the birth of our first grandchild.

That deserves a toast !!

Whoops, sorry Dave.

Grumpa Dave makes you sound oldish.

Seriously, Congratulations to all & prayers for a safe delivery of your new best friend.

Congrats Grandpa Dave and Grandma Pam!

Congrats guys. The first member of the third generation to hunt from Chickenbuck, maybe?

Congrats!

Our 1st turned one in February and she has been such a blessing to our family! You're going to love being grandparents!

Congrats grandpa and grandma Shaw!! And to the new parents!!

My congrats as well !

Egad! My youngest grand child is a college freshman . I now have three great grand children. The grand children have all been great to watch grow up and I eagerly look forward to the "new batch".
Sounds like a lot of boat resto/repair in someone's future. I always enjoyed that kind of work. My most ambitious project was when I lived in Atlanta. I bought and did a lot of work on a 33 foot Owens cruiser. It was a great boat and came complete with davits hanging over the stern and an 8' dinghy. Old flathead six cylinder Graymarine engine in the big boat and it had twin 55 gallon steel gas tanks and a 55 gallon steel water tank.. What a lot of fun that one was.
Hope everyone here is enjoying spring. The trees here have developed leaves this week.


Stan vin SC

my resto plans have changed for the boat due to some recent developments. I might sell the boat all together and save my pennies to make a similar change as what Dave did some years ago. An opportunity has come up and it won't be around for very long. we'll see what the good lord has in store for us and where we end up I guess.

Is it what I think it is?