xpress bay boat for local fishing?

I am looking for a bay boat that will work well for my future fishing plans.

The areas I would like to fish area all inshore and (I believe are?) calm - delacriox, golden meadow, and a few places around southern LA for bass fishing. Let me know if any of these are not calm - it has been a while since I have been to them.

With that said, does anyone have experience with xpress bay boats? In particular, I was looking at the h20b (https://xpressboats.com/hyperlift-bay/).

I read around this forums and others and people seem to complain about it not handling rough waters well and that it doesn't hold up well in 'chop'. Since I don't plan on taking it anywhere except calm waters like the places I listed, should this be a concern?

Does anyone have experience with this boat or xpress boats in general when fishing around southern LA?

I have very little boating experience so trying to be cautious with my choice.

Xpress Bay boats are great for Southern Louisiana Fishing...especially marsh fishing. My buddy has a 20' bay Xpress...he loves it. I personally went with a Carolina skiff. You get the same great functionality of an aluminum boat, but it the ride of a fiberglass, plus my DLV258 drafts less than my buddies Xpress. Just make sure to get a good trolling motor and Power Pole...

I have a H20B with a 135 ETEC. Like you have read, not the best rough water ride but very good for an aluminum boat. I use it for fresh and saltwater fishing. It is basically a bass boat hull with a center console. They are always for sale in the classified on this website. I bought mine used and saved myself about 8,000. Check out http://www.bbcboards.net/xpress-boats/. There is a whole thread as a sticky on the forum dedicated to the H20B. Overall, very good boat but just not on the same level as a glass bay boat with fit and finish/ride quality.

Thanks AnthonyLaMarca.

Do you regret getting your h20b or do you wish you got a different boat?

On the fiberglass side do you have any recommendations?

Thanks too sniper, I will look into those, don't know much about them.

Louisiana has some great Alum boat manufactures like Hanko so that would be my choice.
FG Ranger is still a good boat. Bass pro Nitro seems to be a good buy for money.
This is the bottom line in purchasing a boat if you use your boat several times a month then all should be ok. Now if you plan to fish several times a week and along the coast you better look into the more expense brands.,

Thanks for the reply Cap. I would be fishing 1-2 times a month and all inshore, I have no interest in going to gulf/rough waters/etc. Will the boat still for work for those conditions?

That is your call and you better try them our and talk with people. Over the years I went with Ranger and Hanko but that was me. One think a good trailer is very important also. If you go cheap on trailer you sure will be sorry on the side of the road. Seems like you are going with Alum. boat I would go to several of the major Alum repair shops and ask them. What I am saying is ask the Guys that work on these boats and motors for best info.

There was a thread on Louisiana Sportsman a few years ago with hundreds of Express aluminum boat owners who experienced weld cracking problems. Not was that bad enough, but to get the cracks repaired, owners had to ship the boat back to the manufacturer's factory. Many reported that they didn't get their boat back for 6-9 months.

Also, others reported pitting pin holes in the bottom of the hull, later traced to the 'yellow wood' treatment on the runner timbers. Apparently the corrosive treatment soaked the carpeting on the runners and caused pitting holes in the hull where it sat on the runners. Some users reported they put teflon strips on the runners to prevent the hull from sitting on the runners.

I don't know how long Louisiana Sportsman keep their forum pages, but you may try to see if you can find this thread.

'Pete'

Personally, I'm not a fan of aluminum in south La. I've run through some of the larger inshore bays on a windy day and seen white caps. al boats will beat the hell out of you when it gets bouncy.

At about $30k rigged (H20b with inshore equipment, electronics and a pole), I would shop around for a good deal on a fiberglass boat. There are a few that can be had around that price. If you can, wait for the Boat Show. I've seen some really good stuff around the $30k mark that would suit you well.

Agree with FG is best for crossing lakes etc. But if you want what we call a camp boat you can't beat alum. Crabbing and shrimping in a FG boat is a big problem believe me. Alum boats are very easy to clean and you never have fear a chip or crack from a crab trap. Hanko and other type builders are hard to beat. I looked for several years for a used one and gave up and went new. PS Just like any boat purchase you better do your home work fof 30k plus investment.

There are pros and cons to both aluminum and fiberglass, but after 40 years of fishing out of both, I'd go with fiberglass hands down. Aluminum is a perfect second boat, but if you are going to be a one boat angler, a fiberglass bay boat will be more versatile in different waters and conditions. My 2 cents

Is there a bait shop near by ? Nice location, gonna try to schedule a trip Queens Mobile Truck Repair