Well, we still use them; rented from an outfitter.  I suppose it's economics mainly.  I like the grumman better for high sides in the surf; but I think Alumacraft are faster and more streamlined.

starwatcher

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

Jeff,
Good thing about the aluminum boats is that you can pretty much beat the living snot out of them and they still function. They aren't the lightest things to portage, but at 42 you're still plenty young enough to pull it off. Don't plan on single-portaging, though. They aren't as pretty as a kevlar, but you don't get style points in the BW/Q. And they aren't as fast as kevlar, but you're not out there to race anyways. They're just good, inexpensive, functional boats that have proven themselves for decades.
The other negatives of aluminum are noise - bang your paddle on the side and it will resound down the lake - and they conduct water temp - if water is cold so will be your butt. Ten years from now you can buy the kevlar of your dreams and you will really appreciate it. (Sort of like buying your first brand new car after ten years of beaters.) Then you can give the trusty aluminum, complete with dents and dings, to your kids with a couple cheap plastic paddles and let 'em thrash around.
I really don't think you can go wrong with an aluminum over the long haul. You can probably re-sell the darn thing in 10 years for as much as you paid for it.
So, congrats on your new boat!
- Wind-in-Face

There oughta be a thread:  Top 10 things you can do in/with an aluminum canoe that you can't do with Kevlar.

This would certainly be a worthy candidate:

Quote:


I'm in the running to inherit an aluminum canoe myself.  There will be plenty of times and places where it will get the nod over one of my kevlars.  There's no shame in owning aluminum.

it,s not the canoe, but rather the limitations of the one propelling and portaging the canoe.......my son and I paddled and portaged our 17' alumacraft canoe from Frazer Lake to Lake 1 landing in one long day at the end of our father/son trip in 2006. We haden't planed on making that distance when the day began, but as the wind picked up and the rain began to fall and the fish decided to take shelter, we paddled a little further along, and as conditions worsened  we decided we would be able to make Lake 1 the next day some time......continueing along as the weather proceeded to become a stingin rain head wind....well,as all the campsites were taken, and we had had 6 days of fun and sun we decided to make a point of paddleing from Frazer to Lake 1 in a day ......we got to lake one about 10:00 pm as the last of the rains fell

so, I'd say it's not the canoe that makes the trip, but the masters of the canoe that makes their own trip 

Know your skills