buying first bass boat

[steve b]

i'm tring to decide between a tracker deep v 17 vrs. a lowe sea nymph,any recomendations? i can't afford one of the higher end boats.

 

[KCook]

Re: buying first bass boat

Never had a Lowe. My Tracker held up pretty well. Can't say the same for the Johnson hanging off the back. Have you looked at G3 or Triton?<br /><br />Kelly Cook

 

[susan61]

Re: buying first bass boat

Traded down from a larger boat in order to fish the shallower waters of inshore South Carolina. I love my Bass Tracker. It is everything I could ask for in a fishing boat to use in protected water. I am not sure how well the 40 H.P. Tracker (Force) engine will hold up. If possible consider going to a better engine like a four stroke with EFI.

 

[steve b]

Re: buying first bass boat

i can't afford the g3 or triton.this boat comes with a 50 merc.i hope to use it for both freshwater trout and bass fishing and fishing the bays and rivers for blues and strippers. the lowe comes with a 50 johnson.thanks for the comments.

 

[KCook]

Re: buying first bass boat

I saw the word "bays" here. As far as I am concerned, that is an absolute red flag for bass boats. For bays you want a bay boat, deep V like the Targa 18, or skiff. Any of which will also work in freshwater. Forget bass boats.<br /><br />Kelly

 

[steve b]

Re: buying first bass boat

the boat i'm looking at is a tracker deep v 17ft.it has many of the options of a mod v bass boat butcan be used in rivers and bays as well as for bass fishing.

 

[KCook]

Re: buying first bass boat

Tracker has so many models, this can get confusing. Did you mean this one ? This would be better than a bass boat. Nice for most lakes. But still not my idea of a bay boat. Spending the same $$ on a used boat should get you something better for bays.<br /><br />Kelly

 

[DJ]

Re: buying first bass boat

I have owned a Lowe in the past, 1730V (bow rider) and loved it. Wish I still had it.<br /><br />I now own a Sea Nymph FS-165. This has been my project boat.<br /><br />Both hulls were/are extremely well made.

 

[steve b]

Re: buying first bass boat

i fish mainly fresh water but would like the option to fish for blues and strippers in buzzards bay or plymouth harbor on calm days.one question i have is the benifit of welded boats vrs rivited ones.also i might add the trachker v 17 has a walk thru windshield and top.the lowe boat is the same design with deep v hull.

 

[Big-HE]

Re: buying first bass boat

I did not know that aluminum boats were an option when fishing saltwater. Will they hold up or rust away???

 

[KCook]

Re: buying first bass boat

Rivets on my Tracker were absolutely no problem. But I always stored it on a trailer, and the boat was only a few years old. Keeping the boat in a slip might have been a different story.<br /><br />There has already been an excellent discussion on aluminum boats in saltwater here -<br /><br /> Aluminium Or Fibreglass <br /><br />Kelly

 

[DJ]

Re: buying first bass boat

Steve,<br /><br />Attached is a web page showing my current "project boat". You can see the before and after pic's.<br />It is now complete. This boat is the Sea Nymph described in my last post. This type boat would work fine for what you are going to do. <br /><br /> http://mypeoplepc.com/members/djohns19/djohns19/ <br /><br />Big He,<br /><br />No problems with aluminum in salt water. Some yachts are aluminum. So are outboards and stern drives. They will last fine as long as there is nothing electrical grounded to the hull.<br /><br />As far as welded vs. riveted. That's an opinion issue. I've never had a welded boat. I have two canoes, built in the sixties, that have been through hell and back (both riveted) and neither one leaks.

 

[chris in va]

Re: buying first bass boat

Steve, I was in the same exact situation as you about a year ago. Looking at the Trackers, etc. But, a word of advice...go used on a 'real' basser. For the price you pay on the new Tracker ($13,000) you can get an awesome used boat for half that price, and with a ton more power. <br /><br />For instance, I found a nice 1988 Jason fiberglass bass boat with fishfinders and trolling motor for $3500, with trailer. 75hp Suzuki would push that boat nicely. Check out Boattraderonline.com and see what's in your area. There's just no reason to buy new.

 

[steve b]

Re: buying first bass boat

this boat will be trailored,as far as power it is built to handle up to a 115,but i'm limmited by many of the lakes i use on cape cod which have a 50hp restriction.once again thanks for all the feedback.

 

[DJ]

Re: buying first bass boat

steve,<br /><br />If the boat you are looking at has a max rating of 115, you are going to be very disappointed with a 50.<br /><br />I would go to a smaller boat and get closer to its (boat) max. hp rating. Your resale value will be much better too.

 

[KCook]

Re: buying first bass boat

I think the 50hp limit is at conflict with your "bay" mission here. Most boats small enough to work well with a 50 will also be too small for the bay. But one possible exception would be a light skiff. To meet your budget this would have to be bought used, not new.<br /><br />Kelly

 

[steve b]

Re: buying first bass boat

as i stated eairler,i will mainly be fishing fresh water but would like the option of using the boat in area bays and harbors on calm days.thank you all for your input.