# Lund Alaskan vs Starcraft Freedom



## Chris391 (Feb 15, 2004)

I'm starting to look at new boats. I've look at the Lund Rebel XL, but keep going back to the Alaskan and Freedom. My main focus is on a layout tender, with use year round for summer fun and fishing. I know there is no one boat fits all, but for the meantime I am looking at the Alaskan and Freedom. Freedom price wise is a bit cheaper, but looks to be on par with the Alaskan. Budget pending I was looking to go with a 75 HP motor and in 18 ft. I am torn on the tiller or side steer as well.
1. Any pros and cons for the Alaskan vs Freedom? 
2. Pros, Cons Tiller vs Side Steer?
3. Pros, Cons on motor? Merc, Yammie, or Etech?


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

I'm curious to hear some opinions. Thinking of doing the same thing in a few years here. Found a nice center console 20ft alaskan for sale on CL in Cleveland for 12900$. Would a shallow water boat like an excel do alright for a tender? 

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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

jonesy16 said:


> I'm curious to hear some opinions. Thinking of doing the same thing in a few years here. Found a nice center console 20ft alaskan for sale on CL in Cleveland for 12900$. Would a shallow water boat like an excel do alright for a tender?
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Your excel would be fine until you run into large waves. I ran my 19 polar craft for years. 20 foot Alaskan would be better but obviously depends on how u hunt. If your running sag bay 10 foot of water or less excel perfect and most likely drafts less. If you deep water gunning a deep v is the ticket. Center consoles kinda stink IMO. I've had a couple and they suck up space.

I'm debating on getting a new 20 foot alumaweld. Full windshield tons of motor options from inboard outboard and jet. Heavy duty aluminum welded boat to take the baddest waves and bottom rubbing shallow. I'm also a walleye and salmon fisherman too. I have been looking at a lot of big wide ocean grade boats. If I found a big cheap Alaskan I would jump on it too. Rosin mike has a nice one that pry won't last long. I had a side console Starcraft similar to freedom that was a nice big water boat but dad and I broke every rivet in it. Luckily Starcraft backed it and said a couple production years ( mine included) needed another floor support. Merc and etec both top notch. Im a merc fan because my buddy is a dealer. Had a 50 Honda that came on my polar craft that was gutless. Top speed in the 30's but horrible hole shot. Put a 60 4 stroke merc and it topped out at almost 50 mph empty. Motors all nice these days just personal preference like what u pull it to the lake with.


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

How are the lunds in shallow water. I'd like to have it very versatile....i could see where the excel may not handle the bigger stuff. Was thinking of the bay....LSC....eastern UP...lake huron....kind of all over. Sorry for high jacking the thread.....i have lots of questions too!

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## Blueump (Aug 20, 2005)

I'm partial to the Starcraft.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

jonesy16 said:


> How are the lunds in shallow water. I'd like to have it very versatile....i could see where the excel may not handle the bigger stuff. Was thinking of the bay....LSC....eastern UP...lake huron....kind of all over. Sorry for high jacking the thread.....i have lots of questions too!
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Can't beat a Alaskan or freedom for a good duck/fishing boat. Shallow running fine too, just maybe not as good as your excel. If buying a different boat hands down deep v IMO 


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## Chris391 (Feb 15, 2004)

I would agree the excel makes a great shallow water boat. For what I'd like it for only a deep v for me. Well until I win the lotto then I can have the perfect boat for each situation lol. Since I don't for see that in my future I will have to go with one boat. Just trying to do as much research as possible. Head starts spinning when you start to look and think about all of the options. 


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## Chris391 (Feb 15, 2004)

Blue, why are you partial to Starcraft? 


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## jasomx6 (Mar 28, 2010)

I know this input will have limited use to you, but I love tiller style boat control. I have a bass boat, cool to have a steering wheel, but I specifically bought an old 63 starcraft 18ft deep V aluminum, closed bow, with no motor. Stripped all the seats out of it, and that left me with an open floor plan, Threw an old johnson tiller motor on it and use it for walleye fishing, duck hunting and it is the best thing in the world having a huge open floor. Others will disagree but having nothing in your way when fishing and hunting and havning the option to move seating around is great. My old boat is a hooptie but it works well for a multi-purpose boat.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

jonesy16 said:


> How are the lunds in shallow water. I'd like to have it very versatile....i could see where the excel may not handle the bigger stuff. Was thinking of the bay....LSC....eastern UP...lake huron....kind of all over. Sorry for high jacking the thread.....i have lots of questions too!
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Matt,

I have an 18' Alaskan center console and love it. Only has a 50 hp Merc on it, but it still gets out of it's own way. The boats are tanks! It has a shallow draft, but with the OB you do need a bit of water to get forward thrust. I bought it back when I had a layout boat planning to use it for a tender on the bay, but I also have a boat blind for it that I've used a few times. I bought it in '06, and honestly the bay has been so low since then I bet I haven't used it 5 times duck hunting out there. I do use it a lot in the spring/summer for fishing though. Feel free to borrow it this spring/summer and give it a run.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

I agree tiller saves floor space for hunting, but multi purpose for fishing or tubing with the family I prefer a steering wheel. Back trollers like Gary roach preach tiller boats. Very few pros if any run them now. For all out cool I want the pro drive stick steer floor gas pedal. Seems a outboard could run the same way.


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

JD I'd be interested to check it out sometime. Been tossing around some ideas for a while now. We did some lay out hunting this year right before Nodak outside of Cedarville and it was a pretty neat experience. 

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## Blueump (Aug 20, 2005)

Chris,

I prefer a riveted hull. In my opinion it gives a slightly smoother ride in choppy water and gives some flexibility when needed. Don't worry about "popping" them either, any water that has the ability to do that you shouldn't be out in anyway! The bottom line is that they are both solid boats - you can't go wrong with either. Then price becomes the determining factor!

We're picking up our Freedom at the factory on Thursday!


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Blueump said:


> Chris,
> 
> I prefer a riveted hull. In my opinion it gives a slightly smoother ride in choppy water and gives some flexibility when needed. Don't worry about "popping" them either, any water that has the ability to do that you shouldn't be out in anyway! The bottom line is that they are both solid boats - you can't go wrong with either. Then price becomes the determining factor!
> 
> ...


You want a smooth ride you would have bought glass boat. I love star crafts too, but broke enough to prefer welded hulls. No one plans to hunt bad weather but a boat that holds together if needed is comforting.


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## Blueump (Aug 20, 2005)

sswhitelightning said:


> You want a smooth ride you would have bought glass boat. I love star crafts too, but broke enough to prefer welded hulls. No one plans to hunt bad weather but a boat that holds together if needed is comforting.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


See, that's why I made my statement simple to begin with. Anybody can and will disagree with any statement anybody makes on here. I bet there are 100 guys that prefer welded and 100 that disagree. 100 that prefer rivets and 100 that disagree. I prefer Starcraft another prefers Lund.

Buy what's best for you, I was just giving my opinion. I've been through 5 Starcrafts now both glass and aluminum and loved every one of them! The factory is not too far away and their quality is top notch. 


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Blueump said:


> See, that's why I made my statement simple to begin with. Anybody can and will disagree with any statement anybody makes on here. I bet there are 100 guys that prefer welded and 100 that disagree. 100 that prefer rivets and 100 that disagree. I prefer Starcraft another prefers Lund.
> 
> Buy what's best for you, I was just giving my opinion. I've been through 5 Starcrafts now both glass and aluminum and loved every one of them! The factory is not too far away and their quality is top notch.
> 
> ...


Hey man no disrespect. Just a opinion. 


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## mintgreenwalleyemachine (Jan 18, 2005)

Don't count out the polar kraft outlander. To me it is a hybrid of the Alaskan and the freedom. I am very happy with mine and it is a tank in the big water!


"StinkFinger"


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

I have an eighteen foot 1983 Lund (non-alaskan) that has held up very well - I use it as an open water duck boat out of a large floating blind. Many days it is carrying 100 cork decoys and 4 stout (fat) guys. It has been a very dependable work horse for nearly 30 years.

That being said, I looked at the make up of an 18' Freedom (acutally they are listed at 18' 7") and comparing the two, the Freedom has more room inside as it is wider and deeper. On the Starcraft website, the Freedom is listed as a utility boat which I would hope means that they have been built to be abused - that is what duck hunters do. 

I am also a HUGE proponent of the tiller handled motor for duck hunting - I have a 2006 50hp Yamaha 2 stroke which pushes the aforementioned Lund at 30 mph, empty. The tiller gives you immediate response versus the lag time in movement involved with a steering wheel. For me, this is a critical consideration when operating around decoys - we use a combination of mother lines and singles.

The down side to the tiller as configured above was all the weight - operator, motor and fuel tanks - was in the back. I ended up moving the fuel tanks to the front of the boat and running an ethanol resistant fuel line back to the motor. I also put a Dole-fin wing on the cavitation plate of the motor. This helped tremendously with getting the boat up on plane and would highly recommend it wether you go with the tiller or not.


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## Divers Down (Mar 31, 2008)

Lund over any make IMO


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## mintgreenwalleyemachine (Jan 18, 2005)

I would agree with u 10 years ago but they are definatly not made like they use to be! A floor in a garage kept boat should last more then 4 years! But I guess everything in this world is made cheap so more profits can be made!

Mike


"StinkFinger"


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