Every boat has it's limits, as does the person operating the boat. Know your limits. I have seen plenty of times me and my little aluminum boat fishing in the wind while the guys with the larger fiberglass boats are hiding in the protected areas. I also take my aluminum boat into the stumps and never worry about getting it scratched. I wouldn't have anything but an aluminum boat. I have been looking to get something a little larger than I have now, perhaps a G3.

Aluminum boats tend to get stuck on stumps, fiberglass tend to slide off

That was what I noticed the most

Call me tin man..I just upgraded from a bass style flat bottom to a deep V style tin boat...I was initially worried I wouldn't be able to fish my shallow, stump infested creeks, coves, etc...imagine my surprise, to find out all I had to do to fish those waters was pick up the trolling motor to get to them...Just like I did, with a two foot shorter flat bottom...

The greatest surprise was crossing the lake in 20 mph wind, with a very nice ride, and not getting soaking wet!
Guess I can sell my beloved flatty now...

Max HP motor is a real good thing on a tin boat...and still fuel friendly...

IF and that's a big IF you can find a Tracker Avalanche, It would probably be close to what you are looking for. These aluminum battleships are not longer made but were one of the best mass production aluminum boats ever. Mine is the 18DC with a 150efi Merc. It will run 61mph with one person and 3/4 tank of gas. It's layout on top is nearly identical to a Nitro 2000 series.
[img]http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/pics..._40980844633943[/img]

Tracker stopped making this boat in 2008 and they are rare and hard to find now. These tubs were made from a full .125" thick aluminum with a form molded hull and are a heavy boat. 96" beam and will take rough water real good. They will also fish very shallow.

Good points. People think "flat bottom" when thinking "skinny water fishing". When your boat is really small(10'-12') you benefit from the flat bottom with stability. Negative is nothing gets stuck on stumps like a flat bottom especially with the multiple ribbed keels going down the bottom. Unless boat is real small get a V or semi-V bottom. It will hang way less, ride 1000% smoother and float in only 1"-2" less shallow water.

I've got an Alumacraft MV1650 that I bought from Rockwall Marine. I love the boat and I'll tell you my reasons for getting this particular design. First, it's lots less expensive than many mentioned above. Mine cost about $13,000 with a new 30 horse motor. I went to a carpet store and found a good buy and found someone to glue it in. That made it as quiet as a fiberglass boat. Then I used a local welder and he made a strong durable platform for the seat on the very stable front deck. I've added a couple of 70 lb sand bags and placed them under the front deck. Without the weight up front plus driving the boat from the back you would find this kind of boat very rough riding. I added a foot operated trolling motor. I'm strictly catch and release but would use a large ice chest if I was still tournament fishing. This boat has a little over 6' length of totally open space in the bottom of the boat. I enjoy being able to stretch out in the bottom when I want to take a break. This boat is very sea worthy .. but not fast. JMO of course so good luck.

The number one thing you can do to improve the fishability of an aluminum rig is to go with a trolling motor such as a Motorguide Xi5 or the new Minnkota Ultrex. Have used the Xi5 on my 17.5' aluminum rig since they came out in 2014 and really like the way it keeps the boat under control on the windy days that used to be such a pain. Will probably put the MG or MK on the big boat in the next 12 months. Like the mount on the MK better but want to let them get the bugs out before trying one.

I run a TV-18. its a little old and ugly but is a great fishing platform that handles rough water very well. 80lb. MG and 115 Merc. the only time ive ever been stuck on a stump with it was when RedRanger was driving it... I fish it in some knarly places.

Thanks guys for all the feedback. Is anyone fishing the new Ranger aluminum rigs?

I switched to aluminum 1.5 years ago and never looked back. Take a look at Gator Trax strike series boats. You pick the length you want and you get to design the entire boat the way you want it. From the console to the decks and storage..everything is your decision. I have a 2072 with a 225 pro xs on it. It's a heavy boat but it is built like a tank

Mr Buckman, Check out the Triton aluminum. It comes from the same factory as the Ranger,and a it's a few dollars cheaper. I've had a few tin boats and they do have limitations but a good trolling motor is a must. JMO

I've always had a 20' fiberglass boat and a smaller aluminum rig. Decided to simplify and after a lot of research chose a Gator Trax aluminum boat. Our lakes are brutal on fiberglass. Gator Trax uses 3/16" (.1875) aluminum which is almost double the thickness of the most other aluminum boats (.100) This makes a huge difference in how it rides in rougher water and it's nearly impossible to dent when hitting and riding over wood. Aluminum boats using .100 will have dents everywhere if your idling around wood. Gator Trax will make it to whatever length you want. I'll be posting pics and more info later this week.

I had a Tracker 175 for ten years and it did just fine. Upgraded to the 190 and I run it all over Amistad and Falcon with no problems, wind or no wind. Like they say, know your limits. I like the tin, I can scratch it, bump it, and get into places my buddies won't take their fiberglass. Loaded with gear, gas, and two big boys it will run 50mph (Merc 115) and thats plenty fast enough to get us where we need to be.

I've had two Tracker TX175's and recently purchased a Ranger RT188. The benefits for me are economics and ease of operation (store, launch, clean). I've been very satisfied with all three. Wind can be an issue and a strong trolling motor is important.

I have a Ranger 188 if thats what your asking... Love the way it fishes and the wind does'nt blow it around like an Xpress! It is a little flat on the bottom. I fish Palestine alot and it will get hung on stumps, but not much different than any other boat! A couple of times, I have had to crank the big motor up and just motor off of them! There are pro's and cons, but it does great for me! I would buy another one if I had the choice! My fishing partner sold his 20ft Triton and bought the Triton aluminum. The only difference between mine and his is he got the 115 ProXS 4 stroke that will run circles around mine with a regular Merc 4 stroke! Pm me if you have any other questions!