Some friends told me they found a 2002 18' Skeeter Aluminum boat for sale and when I told them I had never heard of a skeeter Aluminum they told me that they were looking at one. So I decided to look around and see what i could find. Well I can't find any info at all except for a post about a 1991 where it had bad cracks and leaks and some other people posted that they had the same problem. Hoever it was just a post on another web forum and I can't find one for sale anywhere or even a picture. So Anyone here ever heard of a skeeter Aluminum? are they good boats?

Skeeter and G3 (aluminum) are both owned by Yamaha. During a couple of model years they swapped off boats and you had some G3's that were labeled and sold under the Skeeter name and some Skeeter models that were glass boats sold as G3's.

If you'll look at a G3 HP-180 you'll find the same boat your friends are looking at, just with different graphics on it.

Ok so by this your saying that they are out there just very hard to find? and that I should be web searching for a G3 and not Skeeter? have you ever seen a picture of one of these G3 boats with Skeeter graphics? BTW I talked to two skeeter dealers on the phone today and BOTH told me that Skeeter has never made a aluminum boat. I think all this is funny.. I did the search for G3 like you said and those look like fine boats.

Let me give you some more info. ok it has Skeeter graphics. The guy saleing it says it's a 2002 but there is NO paperwork to be found. it has a 65hp evinrude that the man says came on the boat new. Dual console and three across seats. acroding to them it looks sweet and in good shape. he wants $7000 for it.

I work for a Skeeter dealer and sell boats. One of my best friends (matter of fact, we just got off the phone) owns a Skeeter aluminum boat. I don't recall the year model but he bought it new from the local Skeeter dealer about 10 years back.

So yes, I'm familiar with the boat. And remember, just because you call a dealer doesn't mean you're always getting accurate info. You very well could have talked to some guy who knows more about bowriders than bass boats and he's taking a guess, but playing it off like he knows what he's talking about.

Here...to show you a little more, here's the NADA page for a 1998 ZX 18. Look at what it shows for hull material. This is the page for the aluminum boat that's the same hull as a G3 HP 180.

http://www.nadaguides.com/default.aspx?L...mp;d=1600164510

kelly can he run the VIN on the hull and find out info on it anywhere??

I have customers that pull that info somewhere, but I'm not familiar with what site they use.

The thing I'm concerned with is the seller says he has no paperwork. That's concerning because he should have titles. Secondly their is no aluminum boat listed for Skeeter for the 2002 model year.

Yes Skeeter built and sold aluminum boats for a year or three, but 2002 wasn't one of them as far as I can determine.

According to NADA, I can only find the aluminum Skeeters for model years 1998, 1999 and model year 2000. That pretty much jives with how I remember them also.

My dad bought a zx 180 skeeter aluminum boat brand new in 1998. He still has it. We had problems with it leaking through the seems from the bow along the weld. We also had problems with the paint coming off. we had to send it back to the factory to be repainted. It still had problems. I know skeeter didnt make these very long because of problems.

My buddy's boat also had the paint come off. He had it repainted locally and Skeeter warrantied it thru a shop that paints aluminum. I remember driving him to the shop and recall that it was near the intersection of I-20 and 35, but that won't mean much to anyone outside of DFW. After it was stripped, primed and repainted he's never had issues with it and told me tonight he had it out fishing today. He has a VMax 150 on his.

G3's ARE fine boats. I've got a HP-180 and couldn't be happier with it. K.D. has fished out of it and whupped be bad I might add. 'Course he can catch 'em on a old shoe lace! Sadly (cry,sniff,sniff) G3 dropped production of the HP-180 and HP-200 for the 2009 model year. They cited high production costs and relatively low sales. Back last year I was telling K.D. I was thinking about upgrading to a HP-200. He said they didn't have any on the lot but he would be glad to order me one. Might should have done it then. See, most folks looking at aluminum are looking to spend less. The reason K.D. didn't have one is because, rigged the way I wanted it, he could get me in a comparable sized Skeeter ZX glass boat for the same or maybe less. Most people would go with the glass in that case. I'm like ol' Bazztex, I just LIKE aluminum!!!

Hossman

Thanks everyone. They are going to go back and look again and take some pics and try and find a VIN. However I think they are going to pass on buying it.

My friend has an alum 17 1/2 skeeter with a 60 yammie. I think it's a 2000 model.It's been a really good boat to him. It's laid out really well and I don't know - I've fished out of it 20+ times. He's never had any problems with it whatsoever. But then again, he mostly fishes small lakes - doesn't really get it out in rough water, but maybe once a year... so I don't know what'd happen if he really pounded it regularly...

not sure about the 65 evinrude i thought those were early 70's model

You are correct, I have a GIII that Skeeter built for them (ProG185) 2000 model. I think thats the last year they made them for GIII. Nice boat.......