Lowe has a nice boat in the 'Sportsman 16' heavy duty custom Jon boat model.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

http://www.loweboats.com/2012/hunting-boats/lowe-16-sportsman/

Watch the video clip too.

It has large decks, front and back.

Locking rod or gun locker.

16' long with a 57" wide bottom and .100" all welded aluminum hull.

With 60hp max it goes 38 mph.

[JAWallace]

Great configuration with generous casting decks. I think this line replaces the Roughneck. Still, it's a 3.5 deg deadrise and you will get pounded in any chop. I guess I've just had Whalers and the like too long with cathedral hulls to want to change. To me they are the most versatile and stable hulls for our type of fishing.

[Flys4b8]

I've used Whalers for years. Durable? Absolutely. Heavy? Absolutely. Stable? Better than a v-hull but can't hold a candle to a flat bottom jon. Better ride than a Jon in rough water? I would give the Whaler the edge...but not by a huge margin. I've been brought to my knees in Whaler crossing another boat's wake...those tri hulls are not meant for choppy water.

I have Lowe Roughneck, 17' after all those Whaler years. Unless you live on saltwater, I have a hard time justifying the weight and cost (outboard gas, towing) of a double hulled fiberglass Whaler. Oh yea, and don't pull it up/beach it on the gravel bar...like you would an aluminum boat. In the end it really depends on the fishing you are doing. Saltwater on the coast in protected bays, a Whaler is an excellent choice. For everything else from the Delta to the Sac (and towing between the two) aluminum just makes more sense IMHO.

[JAWallace]

The truth is that Whalers really aren't configured well for fresh water fly fishing. There's no storage, little to no under seat or console room, and their front decks are always too small. If there's side steering you've got thwarts to negotiate. Center consoles, much as I love them, take up a huge amount of space. They are sure handy in a Whaler when you're going through chop though. The new hulls are MUCH better than the old ones in chop, and dry too. Still, they're one of the most fun boats ever, especially the 13. And they're cool.

The Lowe Roughneck is a great boat for calm water and very stable. I don't think there's a better boat in that price range. But, I will probably never have a tin boat again, unless it was another heavy gauge "Oregon" boat. Not because they aren't practical; they are, especially for rivers. I just like the ride, speed, agility and stability of a lightweight cathedral glass hull, always have. It's a personal choice. And that can change;-)