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Alumacraft Pro 175 - Alumacraft 175
by By Go Boating Test Team
Package Deal
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It was just after World War II when Alumacraft rolled its first boat off the line in 1946 with a 12-foot rowboat. Henry J. Neils, the opportunistic president of Flour City Ornamental Iron Company, realized that without a war he needed a plan for his surplus of aluminum and staff of skilled metalworkers — hence the idea to make aluminum boats.
Since that time, Alumacraft has grown a lot and builds more than 80 different models of specialty fishing boats, including the Pro 175, an entry-level fishing boat that can work for family fun as well.
Alumacraft prides itself on the sturdy construction of its boats, as each hull is made from one piece of aluminum, which means there are no seams in the hull to compromise strength. The modified-V hull certainly provides a fun ride, and you can even get the boat to slide a little in the corners. Still, we felt the Pro 175 was predictable and fun to operate.
The 17-foot boat has room for four people, and our craft was equipped with five seats — two pedestal fishing seats and three cockpit seats.
Included on the Pro 175 is a Minn Kota Edge trolling motor with a 45-inch shaft. The standard Lowrance X-50 fish finder helps anglers search for structure and transitions that hold fish. And there are actually two 23-gallon livewells on this boat, one forward and one aft.
The Pro 175 includes a locking rod compartment that can hold 8-foot rods to safely store your equipment when not in use.
Our 50 hp Yamaha two-stroke outboard and the 16-gallon fuel tank on the Pro 175 gave us about 100 miles in range at 23 mph — at our peak speed of 32.7 mph you should get close to 90 miles. The craft can be equipped with anything from a 50 hp to 90 hp outboard.
The Alumacraft Pro 175 is a no-frills aluminum boat with some very useful items for the angler who wants a multispecies bass-style boat that offers some family appeal. In order to keep the price low and offer boaters a craft that comes equipped with everything they need for fishing lakes and calm bays, Alumacraft has created a package deal that includes the 50 hp Yamaha motor, the Lowrance X-50 fish finder and the Minn Kota trolling motor for only $12,495 — a trailer is even included in the price. This is a great deal for those of you who want a turnkey fishing rig at an affordable price.
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This article first appeared in the January 2007 issue of GoBoating Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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