A couple observations taken from this site and another.

A couple observations taken from this site.

There is a resto forum on Iboats. Less modding but some, and more a restore.
What I noticed though is that there are more bigger boats over there, and smaller here.
16' but deep and up, and it's the opposite here.

Everyone here uses or knows of using Steelflex. Everyone over there uses gluvit.


Anyone care to comment why the distinct differences? Just something I noticed and was curious about.

iboats doesn't seem to run so well on my computer but it seems to me that you have two different classes of boat owners. (no offence to anyone)

There are guys who own a boat as a status symbol. They like to spend big bucks on a boat and like to show it off.

Then you have the guys who like to own a boat to play with and use. Generally speaking, this group of people can't neccesarily afford a giant ski boat. If they could, they'd probably just buy a new boat instead of restoring or modding an older boat. I fit into this group.

I have more respect for the second group. They put all their love into creating somthing with what they have and do the best they can without having to pay for it. A guy could buy a fancy rig and say "Look what I bought" Or a guy could buy a plain boat and say "Imagine what I can do"

Of course there may be some overlap between the two groups, but I can honestly say I personally know of none. I do know people who are far better off then I. You can see it from the house they live it to the car that they drive. These people also own boats but would never dream of owning a 'tin boat'. I also know others who, like me, are just regular working class folks. They don't take anything too seriously and genuinly enjoy life. And of this group, they all enjoy nothing more then bobbing in the middle of a lake with a fishing rod, a friend and don't worry about trying to impress anybody.

Gotta agree with pharaoh2, seem to be distinctly different neighborhoods. I useta hang out some there, offended a few of the wrong people I guess. Was real glad to find my way here, finally.

All i know is that both of those guys should be advertisers here. :LOL2:

Jim said:

All i know is that both of those guys should be advertisers here. :LOL2:

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YES!

pharaoh2 said:

I have more respect for the second group. They put all their love into creating somthing with what they have and do the best they can without having to pay for it. A guy could buy a fancy rig and say "Look what I bought" Or a guy could buy a plain boat and say "Imagine what I can do"

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...or "look what I made". That's the category I fall into. Use your head instead of your pocket book. I grew up kinda poor and learned how to make do and how to figure things out. In some ways it's easy to go out and buy stuff, and harder to figure out how to do it with what you got. I get a lot of satisfaction out of figuring stuff out and making it myself. Am I cheap? Probably, but why spend the dough if you can do things yourself. Some can say they work hard for their income and just want to spend their time and $ having fun. I guess I respect that but it's not my way. I don't need big and flashy when simple will do. I should say though that once I was on my way home from fishing with my 1236 in tow. Stopped at a light I turned to see a gigantic sparkling blue boat (with gigantic sparkling blue trailer to match of course) pull up next to me. It never occurred to me to wish I had a boat like that. What did occur to me was that I'd like to do an olive drab sparkle paint job with sparkles as big as dimes. In fact by the time I got home I'd figured out how to do it. Anyway, each to his own I suppose. It just makes me feel good to do things myself. Sometimes it's a curse but most often a blessing...

Different strokes for different folks. You guys have made some very good and valid points. I haven't joined any other "boat" forums, as I'm not interested in second best. I can't imagine that the "other" forums operate as a close family as much as we do on TinBoats. Don't know first hand one way or another, but I'm happy to hang my hat here. You guys are the best of the best.

As for "boat mods" vs. a "no mod" boat.....I have both. My first tin, which I'm still modding...and being pressured to sell by my wife cause, "You don't NEED 2 boats"! :mrgreen: ....and the boat that I fish out of that I've done very little to mod. Bought it turn key ready to fish. I know how blessed I am to be able to do that and understand that not everyone has the means to do this. I hope that I don't come across in the wrong way because of it. I'm also very willing and eager to share my blessings and I get very excited to welcome any and all of you aboard if that opportunity arises.

Either way.....This, is my home!

When I am faced with the "you don't need" argument I just say it is not a matter of need, it is a matter of want.....

Works ok...but then one day my lady used the same logic on me.... =D> #-o

Bless her heart.....

Outdoorsman

I think y'all went off on a different tangent than this thread was started with.

If I'm not mistaken, it was more of a question as to why everyone on this board uses Steelflex, whereas everyone on the other board (which just happens to have more in the way of larger boats but that is beside the point) uses Gluv-it, which is a competitor and similar product to Steelflex. Not so much a question of why the different boats.

To me, it seems like most people on this board have used Steelflex because they've seen good results by others posted on this board. All it took was one or two people on here using Steelflex, and it spread rapidly. It appears that on the other board, the first couple people happened to use Gluv-it, and as such, everybody who is an active member over there sees the results of it, and opts for it, and as such, a bunch of people end up with that.

I used to be an active member of iboats before this site even existed, and saw all sorts of boats fixed with Gluv-it. I hadn't even heard of Steelflex until I found this site, and had been here for awhile. Thus, back then, if I had a need for one of the two products, I certainly would have gone with the Gluv-it, as I had seen the results on numerous occasions.

I think tinboats has single handedly boosted sales for Steelflex, completely unintentionally. I'm sure a bunch of people wouldn't have tried it were it not for seeing photos from this site.

pharaoh2 said:

… it seems to me that you have two different classes of boat owners. (no offence to anyone)
There are guys who own a boat as a status symbol. They like to spend big bucks on a boat and like to show it off.

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All I have to say is look at my signature at the bottom of this post…I think the “wise man” comment just about sums it up in one simple sentence. 8)

bobberboy said:

Use your head instead of your pocket book.

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**** straight! =D>

fender66 said:

I haven't joined any other "boat" forums, as I'm not interested in second best. I can't imagine that the "other" forums operate as a close family as much as we do on TinBoats. Don't know first hand one way or another, but I'm happy to hang my hat here. You guys are the best of the best.
Either way.....This, is my home!

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I’m 100% “on board” w/ Fender. When I got my boat (before actually) I poked around a lot looking for a place that had info on the style of boat I was after (read: affordable tin, not $30K glass bass rig) and could help me achieve more with what I already had (skills, knowledge, and a few spare nickels to rub together). What I found was not just information, but family…and I really mean that. Ya’ll have become guys that I think about away from the computer, wondering how life’s treating you, thinking about you families, sharing a common interest, etc. To me, this place is the neighborhood bar (“Cheers” if you will) that I go to and BS with my buddies; it’s also the library specifically devoted to my hobby & recreation, the local bait shop with 1000+ knowledgeable veterans, and just about everything else you could wish for.

Outdoorsman said:

When I am faced with the "you don't need" argument I just say it is not a matter of need, it is a matter of want....

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Ya, I don’t NEED a $30K craft to go fishing, all I need is a cooler of beer, a pipe full of ‘baky, and a few good friends…seems to work out just fine on my 12’ tin (although a coupla’-three extra feet wouldn’t be too bad either). :mrgreen:

bassboy1 said:

I think y'all went off on a different tangent than this thread was started with.
If I'm not mistaken, it was more of a question as to why everyone on this board uses Steelflex

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Agreed bassboy, but the underlying question was the one that seemed to strike a chord with most of the responders, myself included.

On that note, trying to keep on topic and such, I can’t add anything worthwhile on Steelflex vs. Gluv-it. Sorry. :lol:

I'm on both.
Iboats is where I get info on outboard motor repair, maint and trailer info.
Tinboats is where I go for boat repair, maint, mods and trailer info.
Steelflex on the outside Gluvit on the inside.

I check things out there....If your in the right section the folks seem fine. I usually frequent the Starcraft forum because that is what I was looking to buy. But instead I found a Sea Nymph and hope to go get it this weekend......It will be fun documenting a rebuild/mod here at tinboats.

I can't say that when we had our Ski-boat, or more a family boat really (bowrider) that I ever thought we were just showing off... :roll: we've also always had our tin boat. I modded it to my like also.

I can tell you there are plenty of good guys over there whom share their knowledge with the world... even to the people who put them in a stereotyped class, just because they can't afford the same. :wink:

I would say they use gluv-it because of the same reasons earlier mentioned by bassboy.

I could afford a turn key boat, but why?

I couldnt find any design that I liked, everything needed to be modded, why buy it if I have to change it. Why not buy something I can use as a blank canvass, and go from there. Besides I like to work with my hands. Building something requires more than just skill to turn a wrench, it also requires the ability to think and think creativitely.

Hanr3 said:

I could afford a turn key boat, but why?

I couldnt find any design that I liked, everything needed to be modded, why buy it if I have to change it. Why not buy something I can use as a blank canvass, and go from there. Besides I like to work with my hands. Building something requires more than just skill to turn a wrench, it also requires the ability to think and think creativitely.

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I agree....It's not too bad to afford a boat. But it doesn't make sense. Heck the boat I had before the payments were stretched out over 10 or 12 years.....I sold it to be done with the payments, even though they weren't terribly expensive each month.

I still added a depth finder, a bigger trolling motor, a kicker, cup holders, and wanted to extend the rear deck and add more storage.

By buying cheap and modding not only am I avoiding the payments altogether, but can have what I want exactly.

I can't wait to buy our next "turn key boat".... heck of a lot cheaper in the long run... no labor hours, no expense of materials, not on a payment plan, comes ready for family fun off the lot... Tubing, skiing, fishing, sightseeing, cruising etc....

I can't imagine the cost of building one that would do all of the above effieciently, and have the necessary power to do so. :wink:

I'm still modding my first boat, but my turn key boat...was everything that I wanted and needed. Big enough for the family, and small enough for just me. Besides that....I was missing great days of fishing because my mod boat wasn't finished. I was dying to get out and wet a line. For me, it was the "best of both worlds answer".

Steel Flex = Outside protection (less flexible) for hull that wont be stressed
Gluv-it = Hull Sealer (flexible) hulls that will be used in more extreme environments

If I were to use on on my leaky Deep V Tracker I would use gluv-it no doubt because it flexes and seals from the inside.

If I wanted to protect th bottom of a jon boat for a low stress environment I would use Steel Flex.

If using both you could expect your boat to be sealed for a long, long, time.