Are Smoker Craft Boats Good & Reliable Enough To Own?
Smoker Craft, Inc. is a leading pontoon, aluminum boat, and fiberglass manufacturing company.
The company is mainly famous for its fishing boats. They offer three lines of boats which come with special facilities.
But the main question is: Are Smoker Craft boats reliable?
How Good Smoker Craft Boats Are?
Smoker Craft claims that they have a higher standard for each aspect of its design and construction.
They are best at providing you with boats that have a hydra-lift hull, extensive strength, and durability, designed especially for fishing with a smarter helm.
The company has been running its successful business since 1921. They manufacture an extensive lineup of award-winning aluminum fishing boats, high-performance sport boats, and next-generation pontoons.
How Reliable Are Smoker Craft Boats?
If you are a fisherman looking for a perfect fishing boat, I have got great news for you. You can rely on Smoker Craft fishing boats for any kind of fishing.
Whether you are a fisherman dropping nightcrawlers into a secret fishing pond, or an angler voyaging through the swells for seeing a rod bend, or a fisher flipping and pitching lines across the shores of inland lakes, Smoker Craft has got your back.
You may require a tiller, protected walkthrough design, or single side console. They got it all for you. The boats’ lengths are between 14 to 18+ feet which are made with very wide beam widths.
How Durable Are Smoker Craft Boats?
Smoker Craft boats are made to be sturdy and take the pounding of the river and lake waters. The Hydra-Lift Hull design is one of the best examples of the boats.
The boats are proven to have Hydra-Life Performance Hull which is a one-piece bottom.
It provides extreme inner strength, a high and dry ride with tremendous handling.
Only a few fishing boats are likened to sports cars, but Smoker Craft Boats meets the bill well.
You can ensure quick and simple holeshot with the reverse chine hull, 5-keel structure, and the distinctive performance hull tab system and, most crucially, under full acceleration, with a bow-down attitude.
Furthermore, at both idle and cruising speeds, you can expect outstanding turning agility and superior stability.
They build the strongest hull on the sea by combining Smoker Craft’s proprietary Advanced Integrated Rib System (AIRS) with completely integrated side panel lap strakes and a 5-keel structure.
This better design allows you to spend more time concentrating on the next big catch and less time worrying about the safety of your new boat.
When the weather gets colder, some of the greatest fishing opportunities arise. It is critical, however, to keep dry while racing across the lake to the exact spot.
The reverse chine hull, as well as the completely integrated spray rails that are neatly folded into the side panels, are designed to provide the most comfortable ride imaginable.
What About Older Smoker Craft Boats?
Smoker Craft has been around for five whole generations. Their roots can be traced back to 1921. Their older models were mostly entirely made of wood.
They have been upgrading their fishing boats and started using aluminum by 1963 on four decades of experience.
These boats began to provide lightweight, great strength, and maintenance-free durability. The 1998 Smoker Craft is one of the best ones.
If you are looking forward to buying an older model, you can look at used boats online at BoatTrader. You can get boats ranging from $12,000 to $55,000.
You can find a dealer nearby to your residence by using their Dealer Locator.
Do They Still Make Parts For Older Models?
Smoker Craft does offer a replacement for older model parts as long as they are available in their production. If your boat is very old, you might be able to find a compatible part if you are lucky enough.
You can go to CoverQuest and find yourself parts for your older models of Smoker Craft. They have a list of all the models that Smoker Craft launched.
You can also find boat parts for Smoker Craft on eBay.
What Are Typical Problems With Smoker Craft Boats?
The older Smoker Craft had faced a few problems which the company has tried to overcome. But still, there are a few drawbacks with the boats that only a few customers have stated.
If you are going to big lakes to fish, you might face difficulty. The aluminum is not strong enough to soak big tides.
Your boat may get pounded on big lakes or rivers. So, be careful if you want to fish in bigger open areas.
Smoker Craft boats can perform worse in windy weather if you are on the trolling motor. Be wise not to fish in heavy wind and storm.
The boats are built to last for a long time. It can serve you extremely well for 20 years. If you face any problems after fishing for years, you might have to switch parts and the engine.
There are a few examples of screws coming loose. But the facts are not backed up well enough.
How Long Do Smoker Craft Boats Last Compare To Similar Brands?
The Smoker Craft boats are built to last longer than other competitors in the market. They offer a warranty program that is applied to all Smoker Craft’s lines of products.
To back up their words on being one of the most durable boats available, Smoker Craft offers lifetime limited hull warranties. You can also get a six-year limited warranty on the upholstery, electronics, vinyl, and grade carpet.
Almost all of the reviews online say that they have been using their old fishing boat for more than 15 years. So without a doubt, I can say that your fishing boat from Smoker Craft will perform perfectly for more than a decade.
Do Smoker Craft Boats Hold Their Value?
It would not be great for you if your fishing boat was not worth the money. The Smoker Craft boats are not very cheap, but affordable.
Some models cost 2,000 dollars. You can also find boats that can cost you more than 50,000 dollars.
The 172 Ultima Legacy Edition is a beautiful budget boat that can cost about 39,000 dollars on Boats. The Smoker Craft Adventurer 188 Pro DC costs 45,000 dollars which is grab if you look at the specifications.
Are Smoker Craft Boats Still Being Made?
Smoker Crafts are still manufacturing boats to date. They provide their customers with 3 series of boats. These 3 categories have lots of models depending on the size, price, and specifications.
There are a total of 8 types of Fishing Boats that further have models of their own. The main ones are Adventurer, Ultima, Ultima Legacy, Pro Angler XL, Excursion Pro, Excursion, Pro Angler, and Resorter.
The Utility Boats manufactured by Smoker Craft are Anger, Big Fish, Voyager, Alaskan, Canadian, and Freedom. These boats vary in size and space. For example, the Angler is a smaller boat whereas the Big Fish is a larger model.
North American Angler is also one of their series. This label has 5 types of boats which are Phantom, Osprey, Pro Tracer, Pro Lodge, and Sportsman.
If you want to have a look at all of their current models, you can go visit them at this link.
Final Thoughts
Smoker Craft offers a solid build composition which you should check. They offer fresh catch live wells, hydra-lift hull design, handy rod locker storage, gunnel tracking system, Yarblow ventilation system at an affordable price.
The history of the Smoker Craft is one of constant innovation which results from spending time on the water. While their designs have evolved over the years, the painstaking care and extreme attention to detail go into manufacturing every single boat. Finally, I can say that Smoker Craft has proven to be reliable to their customers all around the world.
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