The first aluminum canoe was created in 1945 after William Hoffman spent a day fishing. He was exhausted after dragging his wooden canoe to and from the lake. He thought about how much lighter the canoe might be if it was made of aluminum, so he took his idea to Leroy Grumman, who helped him make history. Hoffman and Grumman were both executives at Grumman Aircraft Engineering. Soon they were the first company ever to manufacture aluminum boats. Today, most aluminum boats feature motors and are commonly used by bass fishermen.

Recreational boats are typically made of aluminum or fiberglass. Aluminum is a very sturdy material that is non-flammable. Fiberglass is a highly flammable material, although fiberglass boats are typically coated with a fire-retardant resin. Aluminum contains no flammable materials and needs no resin to keep it from catching fire, thus aluminum boats are great options for recreational bass fishers and outdoor enthusiasts.

An aluminum boat is also easy to customize and repair. Fiberglass or steel boats might rupture when they collide with another object, but an aluminum boat usually just dents. These dents can easily be flattened out with a hammer or by a professional. The flexibility of aluminum also makes it easy to make changes to your boat, whether you're changing the design of the boat or expanding the cabin. It's also easy to retrofit your aluminum boat when new boating regulations are adopted.

Since most aluminum models are full-sized boats with motors, they are ideal for bass fishing. A small aluminum boat is the perfect first boat for young people interested in fishing. Aluminum is lightweight, so youngsters can help load the boat into and out of the water.