holy schnikies Batman!

  • Thread starter Bruce Yeaton [URL]http://boats.iboats.com/triton/a
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Beats me. I looked at them at the boat show a few months ago and the only thing I could think of to say was......HUH?



The painted hull is pretty but we know what that will look like after a few trips through the timber. Compared to my PT185 it seemed unfinished on the inside with lots of uncovered metal on the interior. The salesman really chapped my backside too. He asked what kind of boat I have and when I told him you would have thought I had said I fished out of a hollowed out log.



Harpo
 
If you fish out of a Tracker, you cannot "appreciate" such fine pieces of art as a Triton. Of course, looking at the Tundra 21, Tracker's gotten real proud of their tin boats too :).



I'll take Tracker's "paint" on a PT-185 over a true PAINTED hull anyday.
 
OK let me jump in with a question I had the pleasure (not) of being in a Ranger a few weeks ago. It was the CASHCAR oopps nascar model (sorry I don't remember the model) 1st off it was a 2003 model with a broken engine 225 optipop (owners slang not mine) 2nd there was no leg room in the boat. Are they all like that or are they made to order for the owners.. I am only 6 foot 1 and the owner was about 5 foot nothing? can you order them like that or is it standard?

BF
 
Dave, What do they do different in KVD's boat? Never heard that before...I have ridden in them all. I like my NITRO. That's all that counts. If offered a Ranger for the same price, I'd jump at it. For my $$ NITRO gives you the best bang for the buck and I HONESTLY like their hulls better than the "Premium" brands.



TOXIC
 
When comparing aluminum rigs...some may have all aluminum decks and other+ ammenities but, by far Tracker still has the sharpest"V" in the industry and has the best ride ...bar none.

TEE
 
It all boils down to ...How much are you willing to pay for a name?....and that goes for tin and glass. Yeah, yeah, there may be some build/QC issues but really what are you paying for...A hull, carpet and wireing. Motors, TM's, gauges, pumps, etc... are not made by NITRO, Triton, Ranger, Skeeter, etc..They are pretty much all the same. So....where's the extra cost? Hull design, customer service, warranties, manufacturing processes or.......low volume, high$$? I'd like to think it was in the manufacturing and higher quality materials and workmanship but I really don't believe that.



TOXIC
 
Not to stir the pot! The 9 series nitro's are just as good as the competition for the price. Triton's don't and i repeat Don't handle water as good as the 9 series boats, The rangers are not built as good as they used to be, the quality of the 300 or 400 sreies is just not there. They all have problems but buck for buck you can't beat what were riding in! Thanks for your time, and enjoy the rest of the day at the park KB
 
OK,

I feel he need to weigh in here. I have a Nitro. I have ridden on Rangers and the Rangers look nice, but..even if I had the money I would stay with the more affordable Nitro, (I am not actively looking and will not be for a long time). Also agree with Tox. Maybe they do things diffrent at Ranger but that does not make them better, just diffrent. We all do know that most/some of the Nitro dealers have customer service issues and that would maybe drive me away. But I have a first rate dealer in the area (Mare Marine) and that is where my boat will go for service. Maybe I am just lucky and I am not jaded by a bad dealer experience or quality issues on my Nitro's.

BTW sorry if this does not sound well written. I need to take a English writing course.......

Carlos
 
Well said kb...and Carlos we get the point. Trackers and Nitro's are fine boats and mine suits my needs well. I may not be able to run 70 MPH or my rig may not be as pretty(don't ask me that question with a "chrome" rig) but, function and form and money savings is definitely there. Tracker is still on TOP with innovations too...

TEE
 
CIII - I couldn't agree with you more about MARE. Great shop and good people. With respect to Rangers, Triton's or Nitro / Trackers, it's all about what you are happy with. Other than an old Jon boat with an 8hp Evinrude, I have always had Nitro's or Trackers. They suit my purpose (fishing!). My 896 is the best of the lot that I have had and provides me everything that I need in fishability. Do I want to do 75+ mph across the water - Nah! My main lake to fish is Lake Anna and it only covers 10,000 acres on one side and 4,000 acres on the other (cold / hot sides). If I were a pro then maybe I would want something a little bigger since they have to get up / down river / lake for miles and miles. The average fisherman doesn't need that. I think that MOST of the members of this board are NOT pro's (sorry Tox)and have fishing boats, not rocket sleds on water. There are already too many hot dogs on the water, in my opinion.



Thanks to Nitro and Tracker we have the boats that serve our purpose.



Bill
 
I agree with Dave about KVD's boat. He didn't have to get his info anywhere. The fact that KVD's boats are custom built is a no brainer.



I've been a member of this board for 3 years and I have worked at a Nitro dealer ship. I have seen first hand some of the problems with Nitro's and many of the "modifications" required by the Nitro State Team to get a 929 to last through a tough tournament season.



Kevin is Nitro's "Golden Child". When Kevin hits the lake EVERYONE is watching. Do you think Nitro would risk Kevin not doing well because his top cap separated from the hull or his gas tank and batteries broke loose and slammed around in the bilge compartment?



To think that Kevin's boats doesn't get more time and money invested into them to assure that he is getting nothing but the best is simply naive. Kevin gets two boats per year and they do NOT come out of his brothers show room.



It's not just Nitro either. It's Sales & Marketing. I don't care what the product is, more time and effort goes into the widget that you plan on showing openly to the world. Then you let customer service and warranties deal with the issues that come out of high volume production.



Marke
 
I agree with Dave about KVD's boat. He didn't have to get his info anywhere. The fact that KVD's boats are custom built is a no brainer.



I've been a member of this board for 3 years and I have worked at a Nitro dealer ship. I have seen first hand some of the problems with Nitro's and many of the "modifications" required by the Nitro State Team to get a 929 to last through a tough tournament season.



Kevin is Nitro's "Golden Child". When Kevin hits the lake EVERYONE is watching. Do you think Nitro would risk Kevin not doing well because his top cap separated from the hull or his gas tank and batteries broke loose and slammed around in the bilge compartment?



To think that Kevin's boats doesn't get more time and money invested into them to assure that he is getting nothing but the best is simply naive. Kevin gets two boats per year and they do NOT come out of his brothers show room.



It's not just Nitro either. It's Sales & Marketing. I don't care what the product is, more time and effort goes into the widget that you plan on showing openly to the world. Then you let customer service and warranties deal with the issues that come out of high volume production.



Marke
 
OK let's go back up to the original post on this one, a $28k 18ft Aluminium bass boat with a 150 Optimax (not realy it's rigged with a "150 yamaha v-max a Yamaha" in the writting but the pictures show a Opti!!!lol - Merc Envy on the part of the dealer!!!).



So let's compare it with Tracker's TOP of the LINE 18ft Aluminium - Avalanche with a 150 Opti!! Just some basics





First Price - Triton: $28,327, Avalanche: $25,050 (plus say $1,500 frieght/rigging is $26,500!) So the tracker is almost $2,000 less and is NOT a traditional welded aluminium boat.



Second Length - Triton 18"6', Avalanche 18"2'



Third Beam - Triton 85", Avalanche 96'!!!



Forth HP rating - Triton 150, Avalanche 175!!!!



Storage, decks space and layout is VERY personal in fit to a person.



Bottom line to me is yes, it is possible depending on dealer tha that the Triton may get better service after the fact, though with my personal experience at Atlanta Tracker I don't think Lexus can touch them!! Dan J - Tell service to put in a free coffie/juice bar and we're SET!!!



Me, if I was plunking down mid-upper $20's on a tin boat, i'd go Avalanche! no WAY i'd go with a typical welded rig (no matter what the brand) when I could have a Formed boat - just SLICK!!!



 
Yeah but what's "the best"..Marke? So they put some screws in the topcap and some extra straps on the batteries? He still has a Merc on the back and a MG up front and the same pumps, wires, carpet and gauges that we all do... I mean c'mon, what could you do to beef the rig up any more. Too make sure his boat is in tip-top shape is one thing but to say it is fundamentally different than one that comes off the line needs a little backup. Not saying they don't do it, but just wondering "what" they could do.



TOXIC
 
Tox - I agree. Except for a little more TLC it is the same boat. KVD doesn't have to maintain it like we do. He has Nitro do all his work for him. If anything is wrong they fix it or provide him with a new one. While they may "give" him 2 a year I wonder if he really gets more than that based on his use or "abuse". Wish I had someone to clean and maintain my boat for me. As nice a guy as KVD is, I don't think that he puts up with anything from his sponsor(s). They can't afford to have him move on to someone else.
 
Tox, I never said fundimentally different. I'm simply saying they put a little extra TLC that everyone complains about in a Nitro. I bet KVD doesn't find 5 lbs of screws, foam and fiberglass in his bilge.



I love the Size, Layout, storage and fishability of the 9 Series boats. They have more leg room under the consoles than any other boat I've sat in. I'm NOT bashing the 9 series Nitros. I'm simply trying to say that Kevin VanDam's boats get MORE ATTENTION TO DETAIL.



Nitro is NOT going to cut corners to maximize profit on his boats.
 
Marke,

I equate this to the Nascar and the regular Chevy that runs off of the line. You do not see (put your driver here as I know nothing about nascar) driving the same car that you do. There are a few mods to conform to the circuit that car is driving.



Carlos
 
I can live with that Marke...I would expect that kind of treatment for your star player. I just thought there might be something "sneaky" like putting the NITRO emblem on a Ranger, LOL!!



Carlos, that's what I mean, if he gets a nascar, and I get the malibu wagon, we've got a problem!!lol



TOXIC
 
I really don't think you can compare it to Nascar, because anybody can go in an get the very same elec, motor and all the upgrades KVD gets. You can't do that with a NASCAR. I think the only difference is they pay greater attention to the quality and details.
 
As far as I know, the factory dosen't do any "extra prep" on Pro Team boats. I think what you'll find is the dealers these guys work through when they get their boats do the extra work to toughen them up, at the request of the "pro". Or as is often the case, the pro's do the work themselves. KVD's brother Randy owns the dealership Kevins boat is shipped to for prep, and they "Kevin Proof" it there. As far as I know, Nitro/Tracker dosen't do factory pick-up. We preped walleye pro Gary Parson's boat here this spring. All he wanted us to do was hang his 250 and his 15 4 stroke kicker. He was doing everything else when he got the boat home. We had Woo's boat in here two years ago, and there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. And he was defending CITGO BASSMASTERS CLASSIC presented by BUSCH BEER champion!!! BTW, Woo rules!



Craig
 
Wow, I didn't think it would get this much attention :)



I guess if I think about it a little more, Triton may allow for mark-up per dealer, where Tracker does not.



I just couldn't imagine paying $29K for a tin boat no matter who's name was on it.



 
I for one am a nitro owner that dosent want a Ranger and im not kidding. Every one i have ever been in rode like crap and the livewells are way too small for team/draw tournies. They are nice boats but they arent for me. If i wasnt in a nitro i would be in another Champion or a Bass Cat.



Like JimBob said the nascar comparison really dosent work. A winston cup car is all hand build by the teams that race them. For example Dale Earnhardt jr's car is built entirely by Dale Earnhardt Incorporated not Chevrolet. The only factory parts on the whole car are the roof, hood, truck lid, the engine block and heads, thats because nascar requires it be that way. Everything else is custom fabricated or is from third party.



I would think it would be in Nitro's best intrest to make sure Kevin VanDam get a boat thats 100% perfect as his endorsement sell them boats. I would also bet Ranger,Triton,Skeeter,etc do the same thing for thier top pros as well.
 
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