Help with boat buying decision

[Greg Griffin]

Hey folks, I'm new here and I'm hoping to get some straight advise on purchasing my first boat. Yes I know I will get a hundred different suggestions but that's ok. I take all the info I get to heart. I fished when I was a kid then gave it up for a long,long time. Now I'm getting back into it (my late 40's) and am in need of a good fishing(bass) boat.

First...has anyone here ever had a Tracker PT 185 Jet? That's what I'm looking at. Most of my fishing will be in Ga. lakes but you never know when one might want to get up in a shallow river. I have a friend with a 2000 185 Jet and has taken me up the Coosa river for some Striper fishing...very shallow water but no prob with his boat. HOWEVER, although he loves his,I've not heard good things about them, such as sucking up rocks, gravel and mud from bottom of river and messing up the impeller which is hard and expensive to replace. These boats are kinda hard to find but I've found one near my home here in the Atlanta Ga area with a Merc.175 sport-jet for a very reasonable price. Any advise would be GREATLY appreciated.

Second...the more traditional boats with outboard motors. When I was a kid, it was aluminum flat bottom or fiberglass "Ranger" boats according to my dad and uncle Then you have the best of both worlds. I like the fiberglass but I'm not one to wash and wax after every use. I wanna fish and eat, not fish, clean a boat then eat if ya'll get my drift!! I understand that you should wash or wipe down after each use and wax every few months...any comments? They are also not very forgiving if you hit something like a submerged log.

Now Aluminum...not much to maintain other than the motor but not as stable as fiberglass. Wow if I keep going, I'll figure it out myself.

So i've narrowed it down to the Tracker PT 185 JET, PT 175TXW, PT 190TX, the low end NITRO's and a few low end Stratos'. My budget is about $20,000.00.

All suggestions, comments,and critisms are welcome.

Thanks fellas for any of the above.

 

[cq]

I have had both tin and glass, maintenance is maintenance, buy what you like, but buy wisely.



cq

 

[Berry Lindley]

Take your time and you can find a real deal right now used. Get it checked out by a respected mechanic and save yourself some bucks. You will be able to get a nice rig for $10-12. I bought a '05 750DC glass boat with a 90 Merc, and like it. I run it in both the lakes and in the river, but don't grind it on anything in the river. If you are going to go over shoals etc I'd shy away from glass. I'm not an expert on jet drives, but I understand that you give up a lot on performance. If you chew up an aluminum prop you can replace it for $100 or less these days with on line buying.

 

[JR F]

You can buy a great used rig If you ask members on here they are honest and you can get alot more than you will new...If your looking at 20 grand you can get 30 grand worth of boat...just listen and trust the long time members....I HAVE A ranger for sale at 28 thats like new a 40 thousand boat... I guarantee..... I am sure you can do as good,with what you want....NEW Isn't always as good as great used.......JR

 

[Greg Griffin]

Thanks for the info guys. Buying wisley is where I'm trying to get!!! Yep, I have been looking at used and have seen a few good deals. I've been researching for about 2 months now and have come to realize that there are a lot of SERIOUS anglers/boaters here, that's why I joined. Lots of kick-butt info flowing around this site.

Yeah Berry I've also heard that you loose git up and go with the jet. I AM leaning toward the traditional prop motor...now for the alum. vs glass war. It's starting to come together!!! YEEEE HAAA

 

[Ken Sabin]

I had a 185, w/90 Merc. Loved it.

 

[Jim in VA]

Had a PT175 with 40hp - loved up but wanted a bigger rig with more power (top speed was 25mph)! Re-powering the PT175 to 75hp didn't make sense given the cost. So bought a used G3 HP180 with 150hp. Its an 18' tin boat that rides great! The 150 makes it a 60mph rig and the tin part makes hull maintenance a breeze (hose off and wash a couple of times a season). For $20K, you can find a lot of great boats. You may have to travel a bit to find a good used one (I drove from Northern Virginia to central Ohio for my G3), but in this economy, more should be available. If you want tin, there's a long list of great models. One thing - whatever you get, make sure to max out the rated HP on the plate. If I had done that with the Tracker, chances are that I would still have it today.



As for jet vs. prop, if the majority of your fishing is NOT super shallow, go prop. Jets are more difficult to steer and maneuver. Intake of sand/gravel/grass is an issue with all jets - not just the PT185. That said, they also have their advantages - mainly in shallow rocky water.



Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

My first boat was a 17.5 foot flat bottom tin fishing boat with a 90 hp motor. It sat about a foot deep in the water. My fiberglass boat I have now (a little under 18 foot)sits a little deeper but not much. I go the same places in it as I went in the tin boat, I am just a little more careful with the glass boat. I occasionally fish the Savannah River which has logs floating and crap everywhere, I just keep a sharper eye out for the junk now. As far as care, there are a lot of products out there that are real easy to use to keep a boat clean, spray on and wipe off. If you put in in dirty water no matter what kind of boat you get is going to need cleaning, and carpet is carpet. My only suggestion about going used is look at how much warranty is left on the boat and motor. My 115 Merc came with a 5 year warranty as I think most come with at least that much, try to get one with 3 years left. Being a new boat owner can be rough on a boat and motor while you are learning. And don't even look at an aluminum prop, I bent two on my 90hp before I bought a SS and props are not cheap. If you are going to go used, know who you are buying from.

 

[david smith]

bought my first glass boat about 4 months ago. very happy with it, it has lots of storage it is a 2008 750 nitro with a 90 optimax. good luck in your search for a boat.

 

[Berry Lindley]

I suggest that you do a little homework on props. I have a stainless prop and an aluminum. When I'm in the river a lot I put on my aluminum, when I'm fishing a lot in the lake I run my stainless. The stainless will take little bumps better than the aluminum. The aluminum is soft, and bends easily, its weakness and its strength. So, the theory goes, if you think you are going to hit solid objects, you want to burn off the $100 or so aluminum prop and save your L/U. So, I make the decision based on what I am most likely to encounter. Just remember that lower units are expensive. My local Bass Pro service people advised based on the conditions here to leave my aluminum one on, apparently they make a pretty decent living rebuilding and selling lower units around here.

 

[TrepMan]

BigG - My input since i've gone to the dark side 4 years ago (from Tin to Glass!! LOL):



- Set your price/afordability (like you did at $20k), and stick to it! If you can find the boat you like for less, then you can A) save $$ for retirement, B) put more $$ into electronics, lures, tackle and upgrades... Ideally a good used boat is a MUCH better deal then a new one (depreciation) assuming it was taken care of. If you are buying a new one and plan to keep it for 5+ years, new would work but you'll get less boat/HP.

- Glass vs. Tin: I ran a 2000 Tracker PC 175 with a 40 Merc for 5 years - LOVED IT! Great for gas mileage (towing and running), could go up river and very shallow...Bought a great used Nitro 700lx 115 Merc and LOVE IT - Its faster, wider, more deck space/storage (the PC 175 was ideal when my kids were younger), rough water at 17ft its a toss up from my experience, I can go faster in chop with my Nitro but the tracker held smoother/plane at lower speeds... As my little guy got older and fished more I NEEDED a dual console, so that was a deal killer on the Trackers, in 2005 there was NO Dual Consoles available for the 175, 185, TV18, 190 models so I looked used and could not find a 185 Dual Console 90HP, so the Nitro is perfect. Heck we fished 3 out of it yesterday.



Also take into consideration the number of folks you'll be fishing with, the type of fishing/water, storage needs... Dual vs. Single Console? Rivers vs. deeper lakes? Rough water??



Looking online you can pick up under $20 boats like: 2006 591 w/150 Opti $$16,500, 2007 591 w/200 EFI for $17,500! or 2006 Tracker 190TX with 90 Merc $14,250, 2007 Tracker 175TXW 60 Merc $10,950...



I take my Nitro into shallow water (its only 17ft) but always worry about the SS prop, so far so good!



I really wanted to try and fish some bass tournements, so the Nitro is perfect for me right now.

 

[Mike Eddy]

My wife & I have a 190TX with an Optimax 115, and we love it!



We fish the Savannah River, which has a lot of trees and shallow water. You have to learn how to run the river and have a GOOD sonar/GPS. Map the stickups and sand bars each spring and take your time sand you'll be fine.

 

[Texas Transplant]

I'm much like the others. You 'can run shallow' with a prop and outboard - you just need to run slower, and take your time. Here on Lake Palestine, the north end of the lake is full of trees (now below the water line) and stumps. Some of the best fishing is there. People run regular outboards with SS props almost exclusively. They just run slowly and carefully.



If you will be doing 75-80% of your fishing in very shallow river channels with lots of stumps/rocks/shoals, then maybe the jet drive is worth it. However, I bet you will find that you will be very upset with it, out in 'regular water' quite often.



Match your major fishing interest with the boat/dollars/opportunity and go from there. I bought and own a 1995 Stratos (thanks again TrepMan - another story), and bought it used about 5 years ago. It has been a GREAT boat for me, and I saved mucho $$$$ over a new one. Especially since the 'fishing season' is about to end for many, there will be quite a few great deals to be had on a good used rig.



Tex

 

[ND Bass]

Last fall, I picked up a 2004 PT185 Special Edition with 60HP, Lowrance LMS520C, 72lb 24V Minnkota with co-pilot, radio/cd....everything I needed anyway...for $8K. Started looking new but found this gem and had to go with it.



Pros/Cons:

- Fishes 2 perfect / ...3 gets tight

- 60HP is a good enough for me / but I don't run far (smaller water)

- Fits in my garage / no con

- Pulls like a dream / no con

- Manuverable for quiet water / Wind and big water will toss this boat around a bit



I can run in 1.5-2 ft of water....pull up on the troller and I can get around. Wouldn't go far/fast that way but works for the land of 10,000 lakes.

 

[Michael Meier]

I have a canned response for these:





When you ask an open ended question like what Bass Boat would you buy, that just brings out the best in everyone!!!!!! And for the most part, the boat they have right now is the best boat, unless it's broke and they are looking for new one?

You really can't shop for a major purchase like a boat and use input like this. You would end up with a dozen boats and wish you had a dozen more. Or you get one like this "I am a proud owner of a Basscat!! Go with a Basscat" Hummm? I'm just gonna run out and get me one of those!!!!

My suggestion for your shopping:

1. Start off with, "All of these boats SUCK!". None of these bozo's build a rig I can jump rock piles, bounce off stumps, take 12 foot swells, and still drink my coffee while I run at 90 MPH. Now lets go from there.

2. Which of these crappy/overpriced rigs fit what I am going to use it for?

Casual fishing?

Tourney fishing?

Penis extension rig? (biggest/fastest, stop here and buy a Bullet or an Allison)

Family and other?

3. Needs to handle rough water. OK, your skipping a flat rock over waves. They all suck at that. Some less than others.They all get you wet. (If anyone says they don't, they lie.) Which one appears to have held together after a couple years of pounding? Look at the splash well sides and where the transom meets the sides. Check for cracks on some of the rigs at the boat landings. Most everyone will let you look through the boat and tell you how good it is. (Don't point out the cracks. they don't like that.)

4. Get some rides. Most everyone will give you a ride! Just don't ask to drive.

5. Don't buy a rig just because everyone else has one. This is a cattle trail thing. BASS switches sponsors and you see everyone dumping Rangers for Tritons, etc.... Moooooooo, don't follow the herd!!!!!! It leads to the slaughter house.....

6. Fiberglass or Aluminum construction? I have a 19' Xpress with a 200 Merc, aluminum hull, and it sucks just as much as the rest of them. And it comes with a lifetime hull warranty?

7. Horsepower? The bigger pig you get, the more HP to push it and stay up with your friends. Bigger truck to pull it. More gas at the pump for both.

8. The trailer brakes are a good idea. I have them and they also suck. The tandem trailer sucks even more. Now you have 4 tires & wheel bearings sets to take care of and can't move it by hand. Hummm, I thought it was a good idea?

9. Get HYD steering! No cables. That way when it's broke, it's really broke! No if's.

10. Get the jack plate. Even if the "lot leach" at the dealership says you don't need it. He lies. That's his job. Know what you want before you go there.

11. Unless they are Woo Daves, people with sponsorship crap on their shirt/vehicle/boat got a couple bags of lizards for displaying it. (or maybe nothing?). Remember that when you talk to them. Lot

 

[Bill McElroy]

did you get some camo lizards and a patch with your new wrap??

 

[Jim B]

LOL Mike......



Good stuff right there. Very funny but also very true.

 

[Bob G.]

LMAO at ya mikesexpress! Good advice.



I had to buy my own lizards.....but they always seem to die when I stick em in a plastic bag on tourney day!!

 

[Michael Meier]

did you get some camo lizards and a patch with your new wrap??

Nope. I forgot to ask for those? Damn it....

I did get my entry fees and expenses paid though. Guess that's a trade off for the lizards and the patch?:lol::lol::lol:

 

[Greg Griffin]

Thanks for the help guys....after Mikesxpress' input I think I'm gonna get a canoe and a cane pole:lol::wacko::blink:

 

[Bill McElroy]

Get a monthly retainer fee and paid appearances in addition......then you'll know you've "Made it!!"