Alumacraft Bay Coastal 20 (2021-)

Brief Summary

The Alumacraft Bay 20 Coastal Edition is a fishing boat designed for the sole purpose of getting into shallow water. She’s ruggedly built and has everything an angler needs to take his family out for a day of chasing fish in coastal creeks and backwater shoals.

Key Features

• All-welded construction
• Tunnel hull
• Livewell and baitwell
• Custom built trailer
• Alumatrack system

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	20' 6.1 m
Beam	94" 2.4 m
Dry Weight	1,175 lbs. 533 kg
Tested Weight	2,313 lbs. 1,049 kg
Draft	11" 27 cm
Fuel Capacity	30 gal. 114 L
Total Weight	2,313 lbs. 1,049 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Time to Plane	3.5 seconds
0 to 30	7.1 seconds
Props	22p Bravo 1
Load	3 persons; 1/3 fuel; 50 lbs. of gear
Climate	89 deg., 45 humid., wind: 10-15 mph, seas: <1

Engine Options

Tested Engine	1 x Mercury Pro XS 150
Opt. Power	1 x Mercury Pro XS 150

Captain's Report

By Eric Colby

Mission Statement

Alumacraft designs the Bay 20 Coastal Edition for shallow-water fishing. She has a tunnel ahead of the propeller that helps reduce draft to just 11” (27.94 cm). Her all-welded aluminum hull can withstand the inevitable bumps up against a stump or a rock and she has all the equipment an angler needs to get on the water at a reasonable price.

Alumacraft Bay 20 Coastal Edition Major Features

• Choice of outboards from Mercury, Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda up to 150 hp
• Minn Kota trolling motor with remote control
• Livewell and baitwell
• Standard fishfinder at the helm
• Stainless-steel rail encircles the windshield
• Fold up rear jump seats
• Locking rod storage

Alumacraft Bay 20 Coastal Edition Features Inspection

The Bow. Since most of the fishing action is going to take place in the bow, that’s where we’ll start. The raised casting deck is 80” (203.2 cm) wide and 68” (172.72 cm) fore and aft. The walking surface is recessed 7” (17.78 cm) below deck level to add a level of security. All the way forward, the boat has a Minn Kota Riptide saltwater trolling motor with 70 lbs. (31.75 kg) of thrust. One way to tell that it’s a saltwater unit is that there isn’t a recessed footwell with a control pedal. Instead, it comes with a handheld remote control. It’s also finished in a coarse powder-coating. Forward is a panel that has the plug-in for the trolling motor and a trim switch for the outboard is alongside. All the raised walking surfaces on the Bay 20 Coastal Edition are finished in SeaDek foam mat. There’s a socket for a pedestal mounted bucket seat that can be installed. For storage, there are two locking compartments on each side ahead of the centrally located 38-gallon (143.85-L) livewell that is aerated and has a timer.

The Cockpit. Just aft of the livewell, the cockpit is 21” (53.45 cm) deep outboard of the center console. On each side are locking rod lockers that can handle gear up to 8’ (2.44 m) long. They are also finished in SeaDek and the port side has an embedded ruler for measuring fish. Outboard on each side, we could see the heavy-duty welds. There isn’t a rivet used anywhere on the Bay 20 Coastal Edition. The inwales and gunwales are all finished in Alumagard nonskid finish that resembles powder-coating. Our test boat also had Alumacraft’s Alumatrack accessory mounting system. It’s basically a track that accessories click into and owners can customize a boat with cupholders, rod holders, tool racks and other items. There’s a seat on the front of the console with a fixed backrest and hinged bottom cushion that opens to reveal the 15-gallon (56.78-L) baitwell.

The Helm. Working our way aft, there’s plenty of space to pass on each side of the console, even with three vertically-mounted rod holders on each side. The plexiglass windscreen is completely rigged by a stainless-steel rail so no one should ever grab the acrylic to use as a handhold. The helm has a cupholder to port on top. The dash has a Humminbird Helix 7 fishfinder/chartplotter with analog-style gauges to starboard in a faux-carbon panel. Our test boat had a fuel gauge plus a tachometer and speedometer. Accessory switches are down to starboard and the ignition is to port. In between is a 12-volt plug and below, a hatch in the console base opens to reveal the trolling motor batteries.

The Stern. Abaft the helm console is a double-wide bench seat that the driver can sit on or there’s sufficient space to stand and run the boat. Outboard on each side, 16” (40.64 cm) tall backrests fold up to create two jumpseats that measure 8” (20.32 cm) fore to aft by 18” (45.72 cm) wide. Each has storage under hinged bottom cushions. There’s a socket for a pedestal mounted bucket seat and in the aft center is a hatch that opens to give owners access to the engine battery and built-in fuel tank. Remove two pins that hold the driver’s seat in place and it folds forward to open the aft fishing deck. It’s also covered in SeaDek and measures 86” (218.44 cm) wide by 35” (88.9 cm) fore and aft.

 

Performance

The Specs. The Bay 20 Coastal Edition has an overall length of 20’ (6.10 m), a beam of 7’10” (2.39 m) and a draft of 11” (27.94 cm). With an empty weight of 1,175 lbs. (533 kg), 40 percent fuel and three people on board, we had an estimated test weight of 2,313 lbs. (1,049 kg).

Our test boat was powered by a 150-hp Mercury Pro XS four-stroke outboard turning a 20” pitch Bravo One propeller. Winding up the engine to 5700 rpm, we hit a top speed of 47.3 mph. Best cruise came in at 3500 rpm and 23.4 mph where the 4.6 gph fuel burn translated into 5.1 mpg and a range of 139 statute miles. Of course, this number is calculated while holding back a 10 percent reserve of the boat’s 30-gallon (113.56-L) fuel capacity.

In acceleration tests, we reached plane in 3.3 seconds and then accelerated through 20 mph in 5.1 seconds before hitting 30 mph in 7.4 seconds.

Durable Finish. In addition to being fully welded, the Bay 20 Coastal Edition is painted in a similar fashion to an automobile with a primer, color base coat and clear coat.

The Trailer. Alumacraft partners with local builder Diamond City for a custom single-axle trailer. It’s powder-coated to hold up over time, has diamond-plate step sections, a swing-away tongue and custom wheels.

Retail Price. As tested with a 150-hp Mercury Pro XS outboard, Minn Kota Riptide trolling motor, SeaDek flooring and deluxe Diamond City trailer: $36,250.

Observations

As tested, the Alumacraft Bay 20 Coastal Edition is a total turn-key package that’s ready to head to the ramp. She’s comfortable, feels solid on the water and should deliver hours of fishing fun to a young family or maybe even a retiree who wants to take his/her grandkids fishing.