How strong will LUND wc-16 (aluminum 0.063 boat ) be?

[alxwang]

All, I suddenly figure out the WC-16 I ordered has aluminum 0.063 Freeboard & Bottom Thickness( I know I did not do enough research upfront).

It is really thin? Is it strong enough for fishing in a small-mid size lake? I did some search and I learned that I should not beat it with 4 feet wave which I will not. On the other hand, someone said it will get a hole if I hit a piece of wood at 5MPH - this makes me nervous.

I then look at Lund site - my budget only allows me to go to 1600 Fury Tiller at most. The problem is even Fury only has 0.063 Freeboard and 0.08 bottom.

So a question for all aluminum 0.063 boat owners, how's your boat hold? Do you get a lot of holes?

Thanks!

[TROLLER]

Hitting anything at a high speed is not goo. Lund is a good boat rated #1 for yrs with good reasons.

Don't worry about it.

JUST DELETE A FEW OF THESE REPEAT POST

[alxwang]

I can not find any button to delete a thread. Admin, can you help?

[AlbertanGP]

You're fine. Until you get into the Alaskan series, Lunds are all similar and comparable to other brands. Even the SSV, which is Lunds premier "tinny" is only slightly thicker at 0.080".

0.063" is more than enough strength for anything you should be attempting in a 16' tiller. If you're in 4' waves you'll probably be huddled in the fetal position anyways. You don't have the HP...and in all likelihood the experience...to get out of that situation safely.

Enjoy your WC-16. It's a great boat. Hopefully you ordered it with the 20" transom.

[Positrac]

I’ve fished 5k off Nootka more times than I could count in a WC-14. And I had it powered with a Yamaha 30hp 3cyl 2-stroke oil injected motor. I beat the snot out of that boat for quite a few years in the early 90’s. Young and dumb..I know...

The odd trip in a big lake when the wind comes up won’t do anything to it.

[thorne]

Think of it more logically...as mentioned you won't be safe or be able to avoid being swamped in 2 1/2 q waves...I wouldn't be on a lake in 4' waves in my 21' fiberglass boat! Conditions like that would be 60ish KPH winds gusting to 80 KPH....so dont worry about that...secondly...go to a metal supplier and ask to see a .065" aluminum plate...thats almost 2 mm of metal. Unkess you are abusing that hull, you will have no worries. It is PLENTY strong for the intended use of that boat.

[EZM]

I'm not sure who told you the boat would burst doing 5 mph hitting a piece of wood - likely someone who has no clue what they are talking about.

That is a standard hull / freeboard thickness - just like most other boats out there.

I have NEVER had an issue and hit logs, rocks and all sorts of stuff over many years of owning boats just like this. As a matter of fact, I can't think of EVER seeing a small tin boat with a hole in it - even after running full speed into rock bars.

As far as legitimate 4ft waves - you probably shouldn't be out in weather that bad with ANY boat, never mind a little tin one.

Trust me - hitting a stick at 5mph stick will not likely cause your your boat to explode into flames and catapult you into the air a few hundred feet like in an action movie. Nor will it likely puncture your boat.

I think you will be just fine with the .063 hull. You will make it, just like the other millions of people who have been running similar boats for 50 years or more. Tell your buddy he needs to lay off the pot and stop watching action movies when high.

So you ask about "any holes"? only the one in the person's brain who told you that fairytale.

On a serious note, and all kidding aside, a tin boat will, at worst, dent and bounce over something if you hit something really hard and really fast - trust me from personal experience on this one ..... lol ...... I was young and stupid once too and may have inhaled a puff or two ....

[Drewski Canuck]

I understood Lund has 2 layers of Aluminum on the bottom???


Doesn't that make it .126??

Drewski

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

I understood Lund has 2 layers of Aluminum on the bottom???


Doesn't that make it .126??

Drewski

Incorrect.

[Frank_NK28]

I don't fully understand all the theories of designing hulls but riveted hulls like Lund are always much thinner than all welded hulls. Has something to do with absorbing the flex of the hull. Back in the early days of welded hulls they were made the same thickness and grade of aluminum as riveted and were prone to cracking. Nowadays due to computerized welding, better more consistent materials and computer designing welded hulls rarely crack and are made about double the thickness of riveted hulls. My last three boats have all been welded hulls and have been solid and tough as nails. My preference is for all welded but there is nothing wrong with riveted and the Lunds have good reputations. .063 has been the standard hull thickness in almost every brand of riveted hull aluminum boat for decades. No need to worry yourself about that.

[Coiloil37]

Originally Posted by EZM

As far as legitimate 4ft waves - you probably shouldn't be out in weather that bad with ANY boat, never mind a little tin one.

That would be more accurate if you stipulated in a little tinny on a lake and not a blanket statement. 4’ waves around here would be a very nice day on the water.

OP. Don’t stress about it. They’re no 6mm plate boat and certainly won’t ride like a glass boat but they do the job. My last boat in ‘berta was a Lund and while they ride wetter then some and pound because they’re so light they’re certainly fishing machines.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

I understood Lund has 2 layers of Aluminum on the bottom???


Doesn't that make it .126??

Drewski

Some Lund boats do, the heavier ones. This light one would not.

[AlbertanGP]

They double plate the bow only on some of their larger boats. Why would you double plate an entire hull when you could just use a thicker gauge to begin with? Most offshore-rated PNW boats use a .250" hull thickness.

[LeonH]

Originally Posted by alxwang

All, I suddenly figure out the WC-16 I ordered has aluminum 0.063 Freeboard & Bottom Thickness( I know I did not do enough research upfront).

It is really thin? Is it strong enough for fishing in a small-mid size lake? I did some search and I learned that I should not beat it with 4 feet wave which I will not. On the other hand, someone said it will get a hole if I hit a piece of wood at 5MPH - this makes me nervous.

I then look at Lund site - my budget only allows me to go to 1600 Fury Tiller at most. The problem is even Fury only has 0.063 Freeboard and 0.08 bottom.

So a question for all aluminum 0.063 boat owners, how's your boat hold? Do you get a lot of holes?

Thanks!

I do own Lund Fury tiller (14’ version) myself and I have had zero issues in the past 9 years.

I had once run over at full speed a floating 6” log after the ice was off.
These boats are well made. You will not have issues with normal usage.

Leon

[EZM]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

They double plate the bow only on some of their larger boats. Why would you double plate an entire hull when you could just use a thicker gauge to begin with? Most offshore-rated PNW boats use a .250" hull thickness.

True, but the offshore boats are much heavier overall and need that extra thickness as there is more mass impacting a log, wave, etc... over a larger area of deflection.

A small light tinner - .063 is plenty.

I've done some pretty stupid things in a tin boat, like running a river and bouncing it of the rocks going downstream full speed like an idiot. I am amazed we are still alive.

You will get some scratches, dents sometimes and even small leaks at the seam, but it would be very, very hard to actually puncture a light boat like that - you basically bounce over stuff like that while hanging on for your life … lol

[AlbertanGP]

Oh I agree. .063" is plenty for a small tin boat. I was just pointing out in the discussion of double plating Lunds that it doesn't make sense to double plate an entire hull when you could just step up to a larger gauge and form it from one sheet. Lund just does it on the bow because, well, a lot of Lund owners are first time boat owners and maybe not the sharpest tools in the shed out on the water. Case in point. My first boat was a Lund and I came in a little hot (ok a lot hot) to my parents dock at Baptiste and speared the first 2X4 with the cast aluminum nose cap, snapping it in two. That's how I learned boats don't have brakes many years ago.

[alxwang]

Thank you all! I definitely feel more comfortable now.

[ken1989]

I own a Lund WC 16 with 25 and 9.9 motors for many years (2 stroke motors). Use boat on large lake (40 miles across), no problems, several hundreds hours on this combination. I have seen this boat in operation with a 35 HP 4 stroke motor. Great boat.

[fisher69]

nothing some flex tape wont fix

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by alxwang

Thank you all! I definitely feel more comfortable now.

I had my first 12’ Lund with a 15 Johnson on it when I was 12. My mom would tow myself and a buddy down to the ramp with two 5 gallon gas cans it it and we would be gone from dawn to dusk. We went everywhere we could around Campbell River and beat the heck out of that boat. I’ve seen plenty of 4’ chop, larger rollers and big over falls along the back eddys. If you’re not going to be stupid and go out in a raging storm or jump floating logs you’ll be just fine.

[Cageyc]

You’re not going to see any movement in the aluminum when out in rough water. It’s a strong solid boat.

[HuyFishin]

Can we name your boat "sex sea bouy"

[EZM]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Oh I agree. .063" is plenty for a small tin boat. I was just pointing out in the discussion of double plating Lunds that it doesn't make sense to double plate an entire hull when you could just step up to a larger gauge and form it from one sheet. Lund just does it on the bow because, well, a lot of Lund owners are first time boat owners and maybe not the sharpest tools in the shed out on the water. Case in point. My first boat was a Lund and I came in a little hot (ok a lot hot) to my parents dock at Baptiste and speared the first 2X4 with the cast aluminum nose cap, snapping it in two. That's how I learned boats don't have brakes many years ago.

All the IPS2 hulls (for Lunds larger boats) have the two layer thing in (at least) the front half of the boat. I think 2013 (the model year of my boat) was the last year they did a full double plate (mine is double all the way back) as seen by where the sheet and double rivet seams go. (at least on the TYEE)

I think they use 2 sheets now because they have to carry "one less thickness" in their roll stock AND the product process allows the sheets to be cut, stacked and broken then riveted much faster.

The construction methods and design structure for Alumacrafts, Crestliners, Lunds (some welded some rivetted) are excellent and you find very few problems with them compared to other brands out there. For a small tin production boat, hard to beat these brands.

I laughed at your "learned boats don't have brakes" thing …….. yup …….. seems like most of us did lots of "learning" the same way I did ….. lol … I can relate.

Nobody told me a tin boat was no good for white water ….. after all, it seemed to work just fine for us.

[Mountain Guy]

I have an older WC-14. Not sure the alum thickness or if they've changed the specs but it is one solid boat. The 14'er weighs close to 300 lbs. Not sure they make any that would be much better.
Not sure where you would go or what you would do to doubt if it would stand up. You'd get thrown outta it before it breaks.

[58thecat]

0.063...is what my crestliner is too.....I will tell ya first hand that it is tuff....I have been out and done some holy crap things with it and no holes or cracks but a few dents that required a rubber mallet to mend....16 years of usage

[Mayhem]

I would be more concerned with a rivet leaking...

[alxwang]

I read some "horror" stories about lund rivet leaking but I think it could happen for every brand. I like rivet boat because I feel it looks better LOL.

When I am still looking for a spot lock trolling motor, can you guys recommend a light Anchor for my 16-foot boat? I need a light one so my 10 years old son can handle it.
I am thinking about something like https://thefishinhole.com/index.cfm?...ER-2/&se=20771

Thanks again!

[AlbertanGP]

A digger anchor will hold a tinny in gale force winds. Mine sets so hard on my big glass boat that I can't pull it up without driving towards it to take the load off. It also feels like dragging a sheet of plywood up when it's covered in clay and mud. Your son may have difficulty with it. I wouldn't spend too much on an anchor...you'll never use it once you have a trolling motor with Spot Lock. I haven't tossed my digger overboard in years.

[OL_JR]

Originally Posted by alxwang

I read some "horror" stories about lund rivet leaking but I think it could happen for every brand. I like rivet boat because I feel it looks better LOL.

When I am still looking for a spot lock trolling motor, can you guys recommend a light Anchor for my 16-foot boat? I need a light one so my 10 years old son can handle it.
I am thinking about something like https://thefishinhole.com/index.cfm?...ER-2/&se=20771

Thanks again!

A 20lb navy anchor with some chain will hold just fine on your boat even if it's rough as long as you let out enough rope to soften the angle from bow to water.

The best thing you can do to lessen the effort on the anchorman (aside from i pilot) is invest in a locking anchor puller. Basspro usually has them on for like 20 bucks or so or Scotty has their version at around 50. I'd recommend the Scotty as eventually the sun eats away at the pulley on the Basspro version and it just collapses.

[gdbugs]

Originally Posted by alxwang

All, I suddenly figure out the WC-16 I ordered has aluminum 0.063 Freeboard & Bottom Thickness( I know I did not do enough research upfront).

It is really thin? Is it strong enough for fishing in a small-mid size lake? I did some search and I learned that I should not beat it with 4 feet wave which I will not. On the other hand, someone said it will get a hole if I hit a piece of wood at 5MPH - this makes me nervous.

I then look at Lund site - my budget only allows me to go to 1600 Fury Tiller at most. The problem is even Fury only has 0.063 Freeboard and 0.08 bottom.

So a question for all aluminum 0.063 boat owners, how's your boat hold? Do you get a lot of holes?

Thanks!

I've got the same boat. I use it in fairly hairy conditions and yes the sides of the bow fold in when I'm in big water waves. I hit a rock just under the surface going full speed with a 25hp and not a scratch. I literally saw the bottom of boat come up 3" and didn't even blow a rivet! That being said I had to get the entire stern back plate and supports redone(before hitting the rock) as it cracked in many places and the supports fell apart. When I called Alberta Marine about it(lifetime Lund hull warranty) they totally blew me off and wouldn't do anything!