I have looked at these boat until my head is about to burst.

They are really close in every way, except dry hull weight. Now the Lund is .080+.080 double plated hull and the G3 is .100 +.100 and the difference in dry hull weight is really large and I am not sure it can all be explained by the Hull thickness.

Forgot the size...

Lund....1080# 17' with a 91.5 beam
G3 172C....1510# 17'2" with a 92" beam

Both have sides 37"

Can someone here shed any light on me about this? If the weight difference was not so much it wouldn't bother me.


Would the G3 be a better ride since it is heavier?

Anything else that may help me please add it in.

Skip, I think heavier is better if you're talking about ride and stability. Any when I say stability, I'm talking about fishing stability. I have a Lund Pro V 2025 and when I walk around that boat, it's like walking around in my living room. I can't imagine an easier multi-species boat to fish out of. Like I said in an earlier post, I wouldn't trade my Lund for anything. It's built like a tank, rides great in rough water, very dry and has more and better quality storage and features than I'll ever need. I've never fished a G3 so I can't compare them for you, but I know you'll never regret your decision if you buy a Lund.

My Alumacraft is the same size as the G3 and weighs about 1300#.

Lund is usually a bit heavier when comparing identical boats. Are both boats console models?

I like heavier but Lund is a really good boat.

Ernest both have a single console and I just don't know if the thickness in aluminum is the entire difference or not. They even use the exact same grade of aluminum.

Then what effect will 400+ added pounds have on the G3 other than better ride.

Is there a down side?

Just hurry up and buy a boat Skip. Then come and pick me up and lets go fishin! Seriously though, after talking to Joe at Advantage I have decided when I get my girl through college I am going to buy a Lund because I think having a great dealer is the deciding factor for me when looking at two good comparable boats. Lund quaility speaks for itself as does the resale value of thier boats. I feel like Joe is going to go the extra mile to make a major purchase like a boat a good experience during and after the sale. Just my 2 cents.

I agree with all being equal I would buy from Joe, but it's not equal for me since I live so far from Dallas (about 260 miles) the dealer in this case is not going to make a great difference since the chance of me taking it back for service is almost nil.

However the boat it self is the most important part and the G3 being 400+ pounds heavier makes me want to know the upside, but the down side as well, if any.

The G3 I have is great. Heavy yes, but the deep V styles are heavy. It is nice and wide, can walk around. It just depends on features you want and the layout. I have had nothing wrong with it for over two years now. Rides nice with the 115, good on gas, easy to get in and out of the lake. I am not trying to persuade you in anyway. I have owned lunds growing up since I am originally from Minnesota area. Hard to believe these boats are making it down here. When I first moved here no one I talked to knew what I was talking about, or ever heard of Lund. Hope that helps. Slow

I live in Austin, it's a nice little road trip to pickup my boat. I don't plan (nor do I think Joe wants to see me often) to make many trips to see Joe. As a part of my research, certified outboard mechanics was a must since the outboard usually has more needs for servicing then the hull. I have a number of certified Mercury dealers here in town to take care of any engine issues. If there is a defect on my boat that requires a trip to Dallas, then Joe will buy the dinner along with the booze.

As for the weight, I thought of gas mileage both on & off the water. Lighter the boat, less HP to propel it thus less gas consumption. I have one of the smallest boats in the Lund lineup: 1625 Classic Sport. It�s a dream to tow as well as to navigate on the water. My boat is pretty stable as well considering its short beam, we can walk around it with ease. The boat also handles rough water very, very well and provides me a dry ride to boot.

Are you planning to buy a boat off the lot? If you can wait, you can get exactly what you want on your Lund since they don�t batch build like other manufacturers. It took me some time talking to various folks to make it happen but I have a custom painted boat direct from the factory. Then once your boat hits the dealer, you can work with Joe to rig the boat exactly the way you want it. Joe was the only dealer willing to rig my boat EXACTLY the way I wanted it. This goes for all the brands I researched. Most dealers will add a fish finder but they won�t do a long laundry list of add-ons like I wanted. I don�t have to worry about adding any thing to my boat until a new gadget comes out. This makes the wife very happy.

Interesting, but this lake can get very rough and is really full of tree stumps in all depths of water so I am thinking maybe the extra thickness in aluminum may help one day. If you can imagine a National Forrest that was flooded this is what we have here. Many have broken off below the water line when full, but they are down there lurking all the time.

I don't know how much speed it will cost me, but I would think not more than a few MPH which should be OK. However I like top speed to be as high as possible so when I run 3/4 throttle it's still fast enough.

Both are laid out very well and both have their winning qualities. Love the extra bait well on the Lund and the G3 I love the rod box in the floor. The Lund I like having the batteries in the floor forward of the gas tank which is in the mid floor on both.

Both have a good deal of room to move around. Both have 115 4 Stroke EFI Outboard motors and both very good engines. I think the Lund is rated for a 125 and the G3 is 115. I do lean to the Yamaha side of the motor thing as far as likeing them.

Towing is not an issue as I live on the lake I fish. I have my own electronics so both will have the same front sonar and console sonar/GPS unit. Both have 2 live wells, but the Lund has a bait well that I probably can only use in the spring and fall/winter. The summer here is just too hot to pump in lake water and keep you bait alive and actually the only time I use minnows at all is in the summer at night.

Both have SS prop and both have pretty good amount of storage, but the G3 has a much larger rod box.

Decisions, decisions? Very similar warranties. Cost is almost identical.

I have owned a couple of the G3 boats (HP180SE and PRO175). They are completely welded (the deep V models have rivets, mine did not) and were very solid. As your numbers prove, the G3 uses aluminum that is 25% thicker than the LUND. That would account for a part of the weight difference but I would assume the hull reinforcement is heavier too. If the hull designs are comparable, the G3 will probably offer a better ride and more stability when standing around the perimeter of the boat. Neither is particularly heavy so there is negligible downside.

I would test drive both to see for yourself.

Thanks and I would definitely give them a rid if I could, but to rid in the Lund I got to go 500 miles round trip and the G3, well I don't have a clue how far I would need to go. The G3 dealer here has never had a Deep V at all so I am stuck with out a ride to confirm and is why I am asking so much.

Again thanks,

Skip

Good grief Skip.

Buy the Lund already. Go Fish. Be happy.

Good luck with what you pick! Either one is a good choice!

Lund only double plates their hull to mid ship. That is the area that takes the pounding from waves and under water obstacles. They also use I-beam construction with the stringers. This all saves weight while giving ample strength to the hull.
The Lund also has the IPS 2 hull. It is not just a deep V like most manufacturers build. It allows for quicker planing, better control, better tracking, higher drier ride. The G3 does not have this type of hull. You'll get the same perfomance in the Lund with a 90 that you will in the g3 with a 115 hp.
You say that your dealer has never sold a deep V? I guess he doesn't know much about the product he trying to sell you? How have they held up? What does the hundreds of customers that has bought a deep V from him think about their boat? I wouldn't buy a boat until I rode in it from anyone. We BEG people to come ride in the Lund. We know they will be impressed.
The Lund gives you the option of the trolling seats up front. This works great for fishing trees and bridges not just for trolling. If you ever take a child fishing, he/she can sit right beside you. It may not be a deal maker but it is another option that Lund gives you.
I know the Lund will have a better resale value. I promise that the G 3 will not ride better even with the added weight. Yuo'll notice the weight when you are coming out of the hull with a boat load of people/gear. The added weight will just be more work for the motor.
The g3 is not a bad boat but if the price is similar the Lund wins hands down IMHO.

Man you guys are helping me a lot and I really appreciate it. If I was buying a bass boat then I wouldn't need all this help, but this is my first time with the Lund style boat.

I am re-thinking that guy that made me an offer that was equal to what this dealer is giving me.

I am going to take this weekend to decide something!

God Help me Please!