Silver Streak 16' Challenger vs Lifetimer 1600 Skiff

[Yyjdennis]

So on my last post everyone convinced me to go 16' rather than 14' for an open boat with a centre or side console for prawning and crabbing.

Now, the next question is, I have pricing from Silver Streak for their Challenger open boat vs Lifetimers 1600 skiff and the pricing is really close. So given that they cost basically the same, which would you choose?

Thanks again,
Dennis

 

[Aquaholic]

What’s the bottom and the sides metal thickness on both?

 

[Yyjdennis]

What’s the bottom and the sides metal thickness on both?

They're the same at 3/16" and 1/8". But, the SS does weigh about 100lbs more than the Lifetimer. They both recommend the same max size motor (60HP).

 

[mustard tiger]

I had a 16 SS open similar not as wide and only made from 1/8. It was built for me, It was very solid. loved that boat. Only sold it to get bigger more family friendly boat. I hit a log at min cruising speed in morning going into sun. Log was 12" dia, 25-30 feet long. Killed throttle just before impact, went over engine kicked all the way up. I was worried I cracked it, Looked around no water coming in. In the end no damage, looked over the hull not a mark on it. It rode well, cut through waves. only thing negative was the low transom, water would come over. In the end had a splash well built for it.

 

[kaelc]

Lifetimer has a splash well it looks like. I would never buy a boat without a splash well or extended transom. From coming into the dock on rough days to backing up on fish in the chop, I can't imagine using a boat with a basic transom on the ocean.

 

[Yyjdennis]

I had a 16 SS open similar not as wide and only made from 1/8. It was built for me, It was very solid. loved that boat. Only sold it to get bigger more family friendly boat. I hit a log at min cruising speed in morning going into sun. Log was 12" dia, 25-30 feet long. Killed throttle just before impact, went over engine kicked all the way up. I was worried I cracked it, Looked around no water coming in. In the end no damage, looked over the hull not a mark on it. It rode well, cut through waves. only thing negative was the low transom, water would come over. In the end had a splash well built for it.

The new ones come with splash wells, so I guess they learned that lesson.

 

[Yyjdennis]

Lifetimer has a splash well it looks like. I would never buy a boat without a splash well or extended transom. From coming into the dock on rough days to backing up on fish in the chop, I can't imagine using a boat with a basic transom on the ocean.

Contrary to the photos on Silver Streak's website, they do come with splashwells. I think the website photos are old.

 

[kaelc]

Contrary to the photos on Silver Streak's website, they do come with splashwells. I think the website photos are old.

• 1 x Full width splash well and wider motor well cut out to accommodate a kicker. - right on SS website

Nice. I do like the wider beam on the Lifetimer, 5 inches wider, but you would have to do a in-person verification if it means extra room or not.

 

[King Crab]

You’ll be happy with either of these boats. I have a 18’ Lifetimer CC and it’s an incredible fishing boat. Very stable and build like a tank. I’ve fished in my buddies 16’ Lifetimer CC (2017) and that very nice as well….only smaller. The only significant difference that would make me chose a Lifetimer is that Silverstreak use to need a kicker bracket on their 16’ open Challengers. I prefer to have the kicker on the transom so it’s closer to steer with the tiller and connect to the main motor without having to disconnect the tie bar.

Silver Streak makes a beautiful boat as well though.

 

[Yyjdennis]

You’ll be happy with either of these boats. I have a 18’ Lifetimer CC and it’s an incredible fishing boat. Very stable and build like a tank. I’ve fished in my buddies 16’ Lifetimer CC (2017) and that very nice as well….only smaller. The only significant difference that would make me chose a Lifetimer is that Silverstreak use to need a kicker bracket on their 16’ open Challengers. I prefer to have the kicker on the transom so it’s closer to steer with the tiller and connect to the main motor without having to disconnect the tie bar.

Silver Streak makes a beautiful boat as well though.

Silver Streak does offer an option for a kicker bracket so it sounds like you're right, but I don't understand why one boat would need a bracket and the other not. Wider motor cutout maybe?

Also, I was thinking of leaving the kicker off to save money upfront. I have a small electric motor which I think would work with trolling, but I'd have to operate it with the tiller. If I buy the kicker bracket (if necessary) upfront, how complicated is it to add a kicker later?

Thanks,
Dennis

 

[Pineapple Express]

There are a few reasons to have a kicker, such as:

1. safety backup
2. salmon trolling

In a boat as small as this I think the kicker is unnecessary weight and complication and the safety risks can be mitigated. So my suggestion is to skip the kicker. (provided you're main engine is a modern fuel-injected outboard that is well maintained)

 

[Max123]

I'm surprised the two are priced similar. I would check that you are actually comparing apples-to-apples. The Silver streak boats come with a lot more standard features - the most notable is the fully welded floor. Lifetimer 1600 the floor is extra, and I think they use plywood (they can do aluminum, but they don't weld it in, just screwed down (at least that's the way they did my 1400).

If they are actually priced the same, I'd go silver streak (and I'm a former Lifetimer owner). If you are in Vancouver, call up Inlet Marine and see if they have any you can look at - or connect you with an owner.

 

[Max123]

Check out the configuration of @myles boat, made by Conrad - was in an old post that I remembered because I liked it so much (See page 2 of the thread, with photos):

C

Thread '14ft Aluminum choices'

Aug 21, 2024

Just sold a larger boat but I'm toying with the idea of getting a small open aluminum for fishing/crabbing off Victoria/Sooke. Probably around 15ft and no more than 30 horses. Two people and a dog at most. Opinions? Recommendations?

• Coxswain
• Replies: 29
• Forum: Saltwater Fishing Forum

• 

The two continuous side benches is IMO the best configuration I've ever seen for a Tiller/skiff boat. Way more storage room, easier access and much better flotation configuration. If you could get a 16ft Challenger built like this, that would be the ultimate.

One thing to keep in mind is that at 16ft the builder must meet upright/level flotation so you need a lot of room for foam. Lifetimer will not foam the hull - they put everything in the seats. Silverstreak foams the hull below deck, and adds extra in the seats as needed.

When I had mine built as a centre console, they had to have two big seat boxes in the back filled with foam to meet flotation requirements. With two big side benches, you could fill the bottoms with foam or EPS, cap it, and still have lots of room for storage.

 

[Yyjdennis]

I'm surprised the two are priced similar. I would check that you are actually comparing apples-to-apples. The Silver streak boats come with a lot more standard features - the most notable is the fully welded floor. Lifetimer 1600 the floor is extra, and I think they use plywood (they can do aluminum, but they don't weld it in, just screwed down (at least that's the way they did my 1400).

If they are actually priced the same, I'd go silver streak (and I'm a former Lifetimer owner). If you are in Vancouver, call up Inlet Marine and see if they have any you can look at - or connect you with an owner.

I noticed the plywood floor on the Lifetimer, which might rot over time, but I'm a woodworker so replacing a plywood floor someday is no big deal to me, but yes an aluminum deck is a point in Silver Streak's favour for sure. I am kind of leaning towards the Silver Streak, but I am hoping to arrange to get to see them and that will probably tip the decision.

The @myles boat is a cool configuration, but I am getting a console boat so I don't think it would really work in my case.

 

[Alex_c]

I'm surprised the two are priced similar. I would check that you are actually comparing apples-to-apples. The Silver streak boats come with a lot more standard features - the most notable is the fully welded floor. Lifetimer 1600 the floor is extra, and I think they use plywood (they can do aluminum, but they don't weld it in, just screwed down (at least that's the way they did my 1400).

If they are actually priced the same, I'd go silver streak (and I'm a former Lifetimer owner). If you are in Vancouver, call up Inlet Marine and see if they have any you can look at - or connect you with an owner.

My 16’ Lifetimer has a fully welded in floor, but it’s an older model, and I suspect it was heavily customized from the factory

 

[Max123]

The welded deck is nice because you don't wash junk down into the bilge. Ideally the area under the deck has nothing in it - just an air-space and a fuel tank - not even foam. Mine wasn't welded in (just screwed down) and was open under the seats so sand/dirt would get into the bilge and there is no good way to flush it out to the back

For the welded deck on a non-self bailing boat, the nicest configuration is to have them fully weld the deck to the hull as one continuous piece (under the seats as well), and then weld a small sump at the transom where the bilge pump sits. This is how Silver Streak does it, and you can see it in one of the photos on their website.

I'm really surprised the two boats are comparably priced. My impression was always that the silver streaks were significantly more expensive.

 

[Max123]

For a centre console, I would look at getting a leaning post rather than a seat. The seats are always too damn low, and I like to stand anyway for better visibility.

Again, watch out for flotation configuration - the centre console takes up a lot of room and can make it difficult to fit all that foam inside, so it starts eating up your storage spaces.

 

[grump444]

Cook’s Marine has recently been posting photos of a 16 footer they are building. I don’t know much about them, or their price point. Instagram shows many photos of their build, including welded deck with sump at transom.

 

[Pineapple Express]

Cook’s Marine has recently been posting photos of a 16 footer they are building. I don’t know much about them, or their price point. Instagram shows many photos of their build, including welded deck with sump at transom.

That's a sweet rig right there!

 

[kaelc]

I think four https://burnewiin.com/ on a SS or any of the aluminum builds would be wicked, so make sure to hammer them on price so you can save for some goodies!