This is the time of year when many of us turn our attention to waterfowl hunting as well as fishing. Yes, we know hunting is a lot of fun—but shame on you, for wasting good fishing time! Still, we can accept that some folks would rather hunt than fish every once in a blue moon. And for a dedicated angler who needs a double-duty rig, a boat like the G3 Gator Tough 17 CC is going to prove ideal. It’s big enough to handle protected waters any day of the week, and open water when the wind isn’t horrific. It has basic fishing features like a 16-gallon livewell, vertical console rodracks, and a raised forward casting deck. But it also has the camo finish, low draft, and decoy-hauling ability you need for waterfowling. Yet these traits aren’t even the main reason why this boat will appeal to fishers and hunters alike.
At its core, the number-one asset of the G3 Gator Tough 17 CC is just what its name projects: ruggedness. Start with the hull. While many 17 foot aluminum center consoles are constructed from thinner aluminum, this hull is 0.100-inches thick. There are not six, eight, or 10 one-piece extruded aluminum ribs lining the boat, but 12 of them. The transom is all aluminum. The console is constructed from fiberglass (it’s amazing how many you’ll see rotomolded or made from plastic on small boats these days), and instead of being bare aluminum the decking is lined with marine vinyl.
What’s the number-two asset? For many of us, it’ll be the boat’s pricing. You can get this rig complete with a galvanized trailer and a 70-hp Yamaha four-stroke outboard, for well under $20,000—even after accounting for taxes and registration and all those other pesky cost-adding factors. And with that 70-horse outboard, the 17 CC can be expected to cruise in the mid-20s and top out in the mid 30s. This is a highly efficient rig, too, coming darn close to 10 mpg (9.57, to be exact) at 4000 rpm and 22 mph.
To all you waterfowling anglers out there, we’d suggest you get your priorities straight and trade in that shotgun for a new set of St. Croixs. But if you absolutely must own a boat that can get the job done when ducks are on the menu, the G3 Gator Tough 17 CC is definitely one you’ll want to consider.
Area Dealers:
Area Dealers – Anchor Boats, North East MD, (800) 773-2628.