If you live in the Northwest, you would have more opportunities to examine, and drive alloy cats, and ACB's. My boat is a mono hull, and built of alloy, as are many of the commercial fishing boats, Coast Guard, law enforcement, exploration, etc etc. I did, however take a test drive on an ACB, and found it a pleasure to drive. Not at all a pounding ride as someone said. The downside to me was the loss of usable width due to the chambers. There is an ACB company in Bellingham Washington making a very high quality boat being used recreationally, and by the US military. Alloy cats are becoming quite popular, with Armstrong Marine in Port Angeles, and Moose Boats in San Fransisco being two of the more noteworthy builders. The cats take some getting used to, but they turn like go carts, and afford plenty of topside room due to their wide beam. Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder, but the companies named above turn out quality products, and I'm sure if you contact them, or check out their websites, they will be happy to share their information. Boats, as we all know, are built from various materials, and, as most people know, it is the design, and application that determines the ride, not the material used in construction