Lund is well known for its quality big-water boats, and the 1850 Tyee Sport & Fish is a prime example of an easy and dry-riding rig built for fishing any number of species. I tested the 1850 on Stockton Reservoir near my home.
Stockton, although relatively small, is a prairie lake that’s exposed to the prevailing winds. Breezes can kick up their heels quite well, and after several windy days it’s not uncommon to see four footers roll across the surface.
The day I tested the 1850, there was an 18-inch chop; just enough to provide a mild test for the 1850.
With a wider beam than on previous models, the ride was extremely comfortable and dry, as was to be expected. The hull came up on plane in about 7 seconds, climbing smoothly without any undue bow rise at throttle acceleration. Pushed by a 115 Mercury four-stroke, top speed was 40.1 mph on my Garmin eTrex GPS. That was with two people in the boat and a full fuel tank. In fact, that’s just about the average speed for this type and size of boat/motor combination.
Across the board, 115-horspower outboards have continued to grow in popularity, and this particular four-stroke hummed along nice and easy, and provided more than adequate power for the 18-foot boat. Mid-range cruising was very comfortable, and the hull slowed to a perfect trolling crawl at idle.
To test the ride and handling, I took the 1850 across and into waves at various angles, and into sharp turns at high speed. The company’s Integrated Power Strake 2 (IPS2) hull provided excellent handling with very little pounding or wave slap, and the anti-feedback, tilt steering made driving very easy.
Angling Versatility
There’s a lot of fishing versatility in the 1850. The aft area is roomy with a deep cockpit, and is well set up for rod holders and downriggers.
The bow ProDeck features a removable center section with a seat base. This allows stand-up fishing from the front with the section removed, or fishing from a seat with the section installed.
Storage includes a lockable in-floor rod compartment, with oblong rod tubes, and additional lockable port rod storage. The ProLong lighted livewells fore and aft provide plenty of fish-holding space, and the aft livewell includes an integrated baitwell.
Comfort Ride seats with Swivel-Eze pedestals and bases are featured, plus there are two fold-down seats next to the splash well.
A large array of optional equipment can be added to turn the Tyee from a fishing machine to a great family runabout. You can even get snap-in carpeting as an option, as well as boarding and swim platforms, bow cushions and a complete top.
Double-riveted seams, twin-plating bow to amidships, longitudinal I-beams, marine-grade 5052 H34 aluminum, poured-foam flotation, ProPlus reserve fuel system with built-in fuel tank, and an oven-cured finish create a quality, safe and sturdy boat. Regardless of where you find big water, the Lund 1850 Tyee multi-species fishing boat can add magic to your fishing pleasures.
Lund Boats, (218) 385-2235
Length: 18 feet, 6 inches
Beam: 96 inches
Max. Horsepower: 175
Max. Capacity: 2,000 pounds
Price with 115 Mercury: $31,927