How to choose an aluminium fishing boat: 7 questions before you buy

Most buyers come to our Kaunas showroom asking “which boat is best?” and leave understanding the real question: “which boat is best for me?”. These are the seven questions we ask everyone looking at aluminium boats.

1. Where will you fish most?

Small lakes, ponds and rivers need a 3.5–3.7 m hull with shallow draft. Big lagoons and the coast need high freeboard and 4.2 m or more. For everything in between choose the Trout 440 or Hunter 395.

2. Sitting or standing?

Lure anglers who cast standing for hours need beam: the Hunter bottom is nearly as wide as the gunwales, so the Hunter 420 (1.87 m) holds two people at one side. Float and trolling anglers who sit are well served by the lighter, faster Trout hulls.

3. How many people?

The rated capacity is a safety limit, not a comfort figure. In practice a 3.5–3.7 m boat is comfortable for two anglers with gear, 3.95–4.4 m for three, and the Hunter 460 for four or a family.

4. How will you transport it?

Without a trailer the limit is weight: up to about 70 kg travels on a roof rack – the Trout 370 (59 kg) and Hunter 350W (68 kg). From 86 kg you need a trailer, which also keeps the boat rigged with motor, tank and fish finder.

5. Which motor do you have or plan?

Maximum ratings: Trout 370 and Hunter 350W/370 – 15 HP, Trout 440 – 20 HP, Hunter 395 – 40 HP, Hunter 420 and 460 – 50 HP. To plane with two people you need at least 15–20 HP and a hull that allows it. See Electric or petrol motor?.

6. Registration and licence

In Lithuania recreational boats with an outboard up to 19 kW (25 HP) need no registration and any adult may operate them inland without a licence. All Trout boats and Hunter 350W–395 with typical motors are therefore “buy and go”. Hunter 420 and 460 with 40–50 HP are registered – we help.

7. Budget – boat or package?

Plan the whole package. A Trout 370 (€2,350) plus a used 6 HP motor and roof rack is a complete set-up under €3,500. A Hunter 420 (€4,200) plus 40 HP motor and Brentex 500B trailer is a serious fishing platform, available in instalments.

Common mistakes

Buying a boat that is too small "for now" and trading up a season later at a loss; buying the hull and leaving the motor for "later"; and ignoring beam. Two 3.7 m boats behave very differently: the Trout 370 (1.50 m) is light and soft in waves, the Hunter 370 (1.64 m) is a platform you stand on. Length tells you how much fits, beam tells you how you will feel.

What is included in the price

Every Kimple aluminium boat comes with the factory set-up: seats with flotation foam, transom handles, rails and, on Hunters, carpeted floors. Delivery in Lithuania is free and the warranty is the manufacturer's. Motor, trailer and accessories are chosen separately, so a full package ranges from about €3,000 (Trout 370 with a small motor) to €12,000 (Hunter 420 with 40 HP, console, trailer and fish finder). See also boat outfitting and the transport guide.

Short answer

• One angler, small lakes, no trailer – Trout 370.
• Two standing, shallow water – Hunter 350W / 370.
• All-rounder – Trout 440 or Hunter 395.
• Lure platform with a big motor – Hunter 420.
• Family, guides, coast – Hunter 460.

FAQ

Questions and answers

Which aluminium boat is best for a beginner?

Trout 370 or Hunter 350W: both under 70 kg, no registration, 5–10 HP, from €2,350.

Is a used aluminium boat worth it?

Aluminium lasts decades, but check used hulls for galvanic corrosion and transom cracks. A new Kimple from €2,350 with warranty often costs little more than a 10-year-old used boat.

What does a full package cost?

Roughly €3,500 for a Trout 370 with 6 HP and roof rack; about €8,000 for a Hunter 395 with 25 HP and Tikki trailer; €10–12k for a Hunter 420 with 40 HP, console, trailer and fish finder.