Anglers who grew up on aluminum fishing boats are reputed to be the Spartans of boating. The durable, easy-to-trailer hulls are favored over those with comfort and frills. This, and the cost factor, makes G3 a popular brand in the Midwest. But the Eagle 185 was remodeled for 2006 to add comfort and frills without compromising the fishability.

The Eagle's performance gave us our first eye-opener. The ride is firm in rough water because of the deep keel, and the gentle sliding in turns is easy to control (we'd like to try hydraulic steering, though). G3 attributes these handling qualities to a two-piece symmetrical hull and a beam widened to 85 inches.

We can vouch for the resulting stability in all running situations, and the new wide beam will better support heavier four-stroke outboards while raising the maximum horsepower to 150. That wider beam also gives plenty of stability at rest so two anglers can easily work from fore and aft casting decks. Within those decks are large storage compartments for rods (down the center of the foredeck), tackle trays (slots for eight forward) and a divided livewell.

We found the Yamaha F115 four-stroke a solid choice, especially considering the fact that the package is priced a tad over $20K. And that's with the baked-on fire-metal red urethane along the hull. It doesn't look or drive like a Spartan would have it.

AT A GLANCE

G3 adds a bold look, wider footprint and interior comforts to the 185 while keeping it as a great value.

Test Drive

Test Engine: Yamaha F115 4-stroke

Test Prop: 13.5 x 19 stainless steel

Test Load: People (400 lb.); Fuel (10 gal.)

TOP SPEED: 46.0 MPH @ 5,600 RPM

Time to Plane: 3.5 sec.

Time to 30 MPH: 7.3 sec.

Minimum Plane: 18.0 MPH @ 2,800 RPM

Vital Stats

Length Overall: 18'8"

Beam: 7'1"

Dry Weight: 1,150 lb.

Seating/Weight Capacity: 4/1,200 lb.

Fuel Capacity: 21 gal.

Maximum HP: 150 hp

NMMA Certified: Yes

MSRP (test boat): $21,395

Power Curve

RPM     MPH    Sound Level (db)

Idle       3.2        50

1,000    4.1        56

1,500    6.1        65

2,000    7.8        68

2,500    13.8      79

3,000    22.1      79

3,500    28.2      82

4,000    32.0      86

4,500    37.2      84

5,000    41.1      87

5,500    45.3      94

5,600    46.0      95