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Listed below are articles written by professional angler Ted
Takasaki and Scott Richardson.
walleyes and weather Early season Eye's walleye nights Need for speed Designing a boat
Designing a
New Boat
By
Ted Takasaki
and
Scott Richardson
Every angler wants to own the ultimate fishing boat, but few
actually have a chance to help build one.
Tom Bronz did just that, as Director of Product Development
for Brunswick. He was manager of the Glass Eye Project, which
returned Lund Boats to the fiberglass market after a hiatus of
more than 30 years.
The result can be seen in four 2008 models of fiberglass boats
which bear the name of Lund. The company is celebrating its 60th
year in business with the introduction of the new 208 Pro-V
GL, the 197 Pro-V GL, the family-friendly 186 Tyee GL, and the
186 Fisherman GL.
 
( Click on pictures to enlarge )
Bronz had as much problem visualizing the name ‘Lund’ on the
side of a glass boat as the next guy when approached with the
idea of making glass boats for the company. He grew up fishing
for walleyes at his uncle’s resort in the Upper Peninsula of
Michigan, where Lund aluminum boats were the standard.
Indeed, Lund’s aluminum models still dominate the fishing boat
market in the North Woods. Anglers from states like Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan to, Canadian provinces, value the
craft’s ruggedness and ability to handle the rocky lakes and
rivers in the region.
Aluminum has the reputation of making the “most durable,
repairable boats,” Bronz said. Lund aluminum boats also are
known as the most “fishable.” They can be precisely guided
along key structure contours either forward or back trolling,
he said.
“Boat control, fishability, backtrolling, those features are
unsurpassed,” said Bronz.
Reproducing those characteristics using fiberglass shells
became his mission after corporate leaders at Lund realized
they were missing the boat offering aluminum-only models. They
received feedback from potential customers who said they
preferred a Lund because of its superior fishing ability, but
their wives insisted on something with more glitter with a
more family-friendly appearance.
“Mom was driving the choice of boats and directing Lund’s
decision to get into fiberglass models,” Bronz said. His goal
became to provide dad with a supreme fishing boat and give mom
“a little more pomp.”
Lund workers knew they were up to the challenge. They
remembered how the company produced fiberglass fishing boats
in the late 1970s and early 80s, though most others seem to
have forgotten.
“Dealers tell us they still have customers who bring them in
to winterize,” Bronz said.
Still, the Lund community had developed a bit of a prejudice
for metal over the years. Aluminum is lighter to trailer,
durable and highly repairable, and designers had created boats
from the material that gave comfortable, dry rides.
Yet, after thinking about it, they realized fiberglass can be
shaped to give comfortable rides, too. It’s durable, and the
material can be repaired so scrapes and scratches disappear.
Glass also offers an added plus– it’s easier to style to
capture that portion of the market that wants a warmer,
appealing look, Bronz said.
Going into the project, Lund engineers had the advantage of
already knowing how to shape aluminum hulls that performed on
the water. Re-creating that success with glass proved very
doable, Bronz said.
“The first two boats were built on top of the (aluminum) 2025
Pro-V and the 1900 Pro-V,” Bronz said.
As its name implies, the 208 Pro-V GL is 20 feet, 8 inches
long and has a maximum outboard rating which allows it to be
powered by the ultra-quiet 300-horsepower Mercury Verado. The
hull is the Lund Integrated Power Strake and is modeled after
the company’s IPS aluminum hull to deliver maximum stability
for a higher, drier ride, faster hole shots, flatter wake, and
to get on plane and stay there even at slow speeds.
The gasoline tank holds 60 gallons. The trolling motors can be
powered by 12/24/36 volt plugs both bow and aft. In-floor
storage is large enough for three trolling motor batteries.
The design of the main console is ergonomic with all controls
within easy reach. The boat also has an accessory 12-volt plug
in the optional portside console.
The livewell holds 24 gallons and is 50 inches long with a
drop-in bait station. In-deck rod storage holds 11 of your
favorites. The fully loaded 208 Pro-V weighs about 2,500
pounds.
The 197 Pro-V GL is 19 feet, 7 inches and rated for 225
horses.
‘Tyee’ is a 50-year-old model name for the company’s most
family friendly boats. Add ‘GL’ to the name to signify ‘glass’
and you’re talking about the new 18½-foot 186 Tyee GL. The bow
converts from a fishing deck to a comfortable seating area and
the aft converts to Super Seating approved for use while
running. To make mom and the kids happy, the boat has storage
for a towrope, boarding ladder, and ski tow bar pylon.
The 186 Fisherman is designed for anglers, with a larger
forward fishing area and Pro Capacity in-deck rod storage plus
a design on the bow that makes it easy to mount a trolling
motor. The transom is extremely friendly for mounting splash
guards.
The 186 Tyee and the 186 Fisherman are rated for 175
horsepower outboards.
All of the boats can be equipped with gasoline-powered kicker
motors of 15 to 9.9 horsepower.
“A good part of the design and layout of these boats is very
much aimed at the core Lund customer,” says Bronz. “The
fishability is in the footsteps of Lund products. They are
deep, very-safe feeling boats.”
Though perfect for walleye anglers, he stressed the boats are
designed for multi-species fishing.
“Lund has long been known as the aluminum authority,” said
Andrew Klopak, Lund President. “We are now extending our
expertise to the fiberglass fishing boat market, responding to
our customers. I am very excited about our new fiberglass
line.”
Whatever boat you buy, make sure you plan on an added $4,000
to $6,000 or more to rig it with necessary gear.
- Sonar units like the Humminbird series with side imaging can
make your search for fish-producing features on structure much
easier.
- Consider a GPS. A good unit can help you stay on fish once
they’re found and help track the shape of structures to find
the spot on a spot. Having a GPS can also be a matter of
safety in bad weather or after dark or just get you back to
the ramp when fishing big water.
- Don’t scrimp on trolling motors. A powerful motor can be
critical to boat control.
- Ditto on the size of the kicker motor, 9.9 or 15 HP. Bigger
might not always be is better here; weekend anglers often fish
smaller lakes with 10-horsepower limits.
- Rod holders, like Tempress’ Fish On, are a must for
trolling. The Lund series offers an optional SportTrak System
to mount accessories.
Ultimate fishing boats aren’t
dreams somewhere off in the future. They are at your boat
dealer today or visit
www.lundboats.com.
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