thinking ALLISON

[sidvishus]

I need some HONEST comments on how ALLISONs fish, race and ride.

I have been a tunnel boater for quite a while now. I grew up on bassboats and we always had a few hotrod JohnnyRudes and Mercs on the back of our Hydrostreams, I then got the bug to go FAST and have been running various MODVP hulls. I currently run a RIOT with a 2.5EFI and enjoy the speed and ability to run in some bad water fast. I play around with the local bassboats and jets but am thinking of switching my boating styles. I want to start fishing again, and want to still go fast, so an Ally is looking good.

I have a wife and two (2) kids, and was considering an XB2002 with twin buckets and the bench (about the same seating as my tunnel), and want to be able to race/ski a bit like I do now and have the ability to FISH correctly (it's a bit hard to mount a trolling motor or bass seat between the pickleforks on the tunnel).

How does the ALLY do in the moderately rough LAKE conditions? Can I cruise in the 50-60mph range through it? ( my tunnel can pretty much go 80mph or so in ANY normal lake conditions).

I am not a BIG # guy, 0-90mph is more exciting to me than 100+ ( I run primarily 24P drag/ET 3/4 blades on my 2.5...) The few Allys I have seen run in IHBA drags do quite well in the 1/4 (XR2001), how do the XBs do? Don't see to many Allys in AZ, alot of Tritons/Rangers, so I don't know...


thanks for the replys....

 

[brotherxb03]

I have a 98 xb03 with a carb 2.5-200 with hydralic jack and steering. The boat rides real good and has a killer hole shot,runs 75 to 80 on gps depending on the wheel. A far as fishing I have only fished out of it alone which I let the passenger bucket out. But with the passenger bucket in it's a pain to get out of the drivers seat. The boat is also real good on mileage. Of course I'm 51 years old and getting a little decrepid. As far as other allisons I don't know I don't own any. Oh yea the bench seat that snap in and out is nice also.

 

[sidvishus]

thanks for the quick reply. I love my MODVP tunnel, but she doesn't FISH well :wink: !

Since I want to go back to FISHING, I don't want a TRITON or such, and still want to hit 100 if desired, so most likely it will be an XB2002 for me.

 

[John Richied]

I think you’re on the right track with an XB-2002, but I own one… LOL

If you don’t need the fourth seat (plan on staying married? LOL) I would go with the drivers seat being a center steer for balance. Even though you have high performance boat driving experience there will still be a learning curve for you and balance is very important.

As far as getting back into an Allison XB-2002 it SUCKS!!! After you are in the water and think you can just climb back in the boat, its tougher then it looks, you will see what I mean. Some of the guys use a portable ladder or step mounted to the jackplate and although I have never used either I’m sure it would help.

The rough water ride is pretty darn good. It depends on your idea of “rough water”… some people say a foot of chop is two footers… but it can handle wide open throttle in some chop and the boat really loves some chop.

An XB-2002 has a lot narrower deck then an XB-2003 so if room is a factor you may want to consider this. My two boys and I fish some and run a lot, and the XB-2002 fits our style without a doubt.

The acceleration is EXCELLENT!

 

[AllisonboatsMS]

I have a 92 2002 with a 2.5 merc, had it since it was 2 years old wouldnt trade it for the world.It had a 225 venom on the back when i bought it and it looked so ..EVIL... but i blew the powerhead and decided to buy a lighter smaller 2.5 merc.It is an awesome combo for sure.
It fishes well in most conditions,rides better than any other bassboat i have ever been in,and i have rode in or driven most other "fast" bass boats Bullets,Gamblers,Norriscrafts, all are great boats but the Allison is king of the hill in my eyes.
I have fished the Redman circut,the Bass Anglers choice and a ton of single day tournaments out of my Ally and it fishes like it rides, i carry 10 rods 3 boxxes and a cooler and have room for a partners gear with no trouble.
If you buy a 2002 with the center front and bench back you can take 4 people without too much trouble.i pull a tube and a couple skiers with no trouble with a 26 chopper and i have a 30 ET to turn some real numbers close to 106 at 6900 rpm's empty just me one battery and a little gas.

 

[badbait]

I came from running Mod-vp hulls to Allisons and it took learning how to drive all over. Frankly I was a little surprised that I didn't catch right on. With all the seat time I had in Mod-VP hulls I thought some of that experience would be transferable. Well I was humbled to say the least. My first Allison was a 2003 and they will run the speed your talking about with the right power. A 2.5 260 or a 280 which is what I had on mine will get you to 100+ if properly setup. As far as rough water running they are a lot like your Riot they do great until you get to the hulls limit. As I'm sure you well know a wind chop is one thing but recreational water is another. The chop and waves start coming from different directions in what I call recreational water. You soon find out who has the most experience or the biggest balls. It will take a while for you to become comfortable in that kind of water. They are as good or in my opinion better in rough water than other bass boats. No I haven't driven them all I just know none of them have gone by me in any situation. The 2002 may be a little faster expecially with a light load. Put a couple of people in it and fill the live well and that advantage goes away I've been told. If you end up getting an Allison try to make the West Coast Allison Rally next year. Come even if you don't get one and bring your Riot and then you can compare the performance with an Allison. You will meet a great bunch of guys and have a great time.

 

[brotherxb03]

I felt the same way as badbait since I owned a hydrostream varmit with a 200 merc for year and then a 1050 lb off brand bass boat with 2.5 200 that you had to drive that it would be a piece of cake. I looked at the sticker on the boat that say it drives like no other boat and laughed. But it took a good 20 hrs to master it.

 

[sidvishus]

THANKS AGAIN,

I know of a couple of guys in the area with Allisons, one has an xr2002/2.4BP, the other has a SS2000/2.5CARB. I tried to drive the XR2002 "once", it was a handful. I love my RIOT as I can run in water that normally has all the jetboats and other MODVPs that I run with heading in. I don't ride in that type of water with the family, but if need be, its good to know I can.

As far as getting back into a boat from the water, the RIOT sucks! The best way is to go to the bow and grab a fork and lift yourself up, try that after your arms are whipped from skiing...

I realize that IF I go the route of the XB2002, I will have to learn to drive all over again...

I think I will run the tunnel this summer and look for a XB2002 hull in the fall. I want to swap the 2.5EFI to the XB2002 and the fish/fly....


thanks for all the info.

sid

 

[1badss]

Ya think you want a side steer ally? Come drive you one before I switch it to center. They suck!!!! :lol:

 

[NoviceDave]

Allison in AZ

Hi Sid,

I am in Arizona and own an XB2003 w/ 2.5 EFI. You are welcome to try my boat when I get the engine rebuilt. Hopefully that will be in another week or two but I've been saying that for the past 7 months. I love my Allison and once you learn to drive one I'm sure you will not regret owning one. The thing that surprised me most about the Allison is its ability to handle rough water. I owned a Skeeter bassboat before my Allison and I would brace myself when approaching some boat wake but the Allison would just cut right through it. There is a Triton commercial w/ Ray Scott where he leaves his cup of coffee on the front deck and drives the boat to his next fishing spot and the cup of coffee did not move. I actually think this is possible in an Allison. I could go on and on about these boats but you need to experience it for yourself. Contact me anytime if you want to get out to the lake.

 

[FLYING BUTCHER]

boat

Better go sit in a 2002 before you buy. Very tight and now tackle up front. 2003 is still my choice, rides a little better, lots more room my 2 cents

 

[John Richied]

Doing pull-up’s on the pickle fork after skiing…. LOL Yeah those arms are tired!

Keeping the 2.5 you have and hanging it on an XB-2002 should get the job done! I only run a 225 ProMax with the SVS, and 147ish compression (pump fuel). My son Austin and I just got back off the water and we ran a cool 98.1 (GPS) with about

 

[sidvishus]

Thanks again for the info.

I will keep the RIOT this summer and start looking for a clean XB2002 without power this fall. When did Allison go to the no wood transom?


thx.sid