Beginning the purchasing process 2024

nocluefisher reply :

So I am pretty set on buying a boat. That is as far as I have gotten. Budget from 18-35k. Lower end if I go aluminum, higher end if I do fish and ski glass. Not in a rush time wise, I have made it 45 years without a boat, not having one in the next few months won't kill me.Quoted 2016 nitro z7 sport 29.5k, 2017 triton escape 186 for 34k. Looking at every Tin boat manufacturer. Like the crestliner vt17, Lowe stinger 175, Lund renegade, tracker 190, ranger rt178.Must haves are 24v tm and decent electronics. My wife requires a flat spot to lay out. I dont tournament fish, but am open to giving it a try one day. This will be my first boat. Will probably dock at a family camp on a lake most of the summer. Unfortunately there is currently no open water to test anything, everything is a iced up and probably will be for several more weeks. Thoughts or input?

J Francho reply :

On 3/20/2017 at 11:46 PM, nocluefisher said:

Thoughts or input?

Buy in late summer/early fall if you want the best deal.

sully420 reply :

You might want aluminum if your boat is going to be in the water for long periods of time. Pick out all the additional options and have them installed and financed in like electronics and TM.

nocluefisher reply :

Crestliner vt17 with 60 ho, 24v tm, lowrance elite 5 chirp for $19995,crestliner vt 18 with a 115, 24v tm, hook3 $22500(would want to upgrade the hook)both are 2016. Bass tracker 190 with 115, 12v tm, hook4 $21925. Would have to pay sales tax on top so add a grand to each. Triton tx17 with 60hp 24v Tm hook5 for $20500. Prices so far, still a lot more research and haggling. Haven't really haggled at all so far, hopefully numbers are a little negotiable.

fishnkamp reply :

I own a Lowe Stinger 170 ( a 2010 and that model was discontinued) The difference between the Stinger 170 and a Stinger 175 is in the floorplan. The 175 has a livewell/baitwell up front and loses a ton of storage. Do not get that boat . Also do not get the VT 17 either. Again it has limited storage. Go for the VT18. Itis not that much more boat to handle and will serve you much better.

Tin Man reply :

Just closed the deal on a 2017 Lowe Stinger 17.5. Very happy with it. Bringing it home tomorrow. My first boat too. Wish it had two rod lockers but other than that, very satified.

A-Jay reply :

Congrats on the new rig ~

A-Jay

RHuff reply :

Congrats man I got my first boat last year its a Triton Aluminum VT-17 Tournament Sport in White and I absolutely love it!

nocluefisher reply :

Let's see some better pictures without the cover.

I am am still taking it slow, going to go to a ranger dealer and triton dealer today. I am contemplating between a 17ft and a 60hp or th 18ft and a 115. I really want to drive a few before narrowing down my choices. Still not much open water around here.

fishnkamp reply :

If you cab swing the larger boat and engine do it

Tin Man reply :

Left Dundee MI. this morning heading back to TN. / Kentucky Lake. Love the way it tracks. You don't even know it's back there. Now to install a third battery, the electronics, the quick connects and bolt kits for the Talons and I should be good to go.

nocluefisher reply :

My wife has talked me into waiting until next season to get a boat. I am the type of person who gets fixated on anything I put my mind into, so she did well to postpone the purchase. Now it has opened up all kinds of possibilities of what I might buy. As much as I would be happy with tin, I love looking at the new glass boats. Ranger z175 and z185 really have my attention as well as nitro z18. I really don't want anything bigger than 19ft, with the 18ft really catching my eye, but I think I could be satisfied with a 17ft with a 115 as well. I am all over the place in what I want, with a focus on whatever I decide to go with to at least ensure a good trolling motor upgrade. Preferably something with spot lock. As much as I would love to order a boat I will keep my eyes open to leftovers in the fall.

fishnkamp reply :

The Rangers are nice boats but also check out the Phoenix 618 as well.

PECo reply :

I'm really happy with my 2017 Triton 179 TrX. Don't be fooled by the model number; it's 18' 6" long. I was shopping for a smaller bass boat at the same time as a couple of my buddies. They both got Nitro Z17s with Mercury 150 four-strokes. I have less of a need for speed and the Mercury 115 Pro XS four-stroke on my Triton easily drives the boat at 45 to 50 miles per hour. The Nitros will do 55 to 60 miles per hour. The fit and finish, and the quality of the components used, are better on the Triton. While the Nitros drive slightly better, their more radical hulls are more susceptible to hull slap when stopped. In the end though, one of my primary concerns was the width of the boat on the trailer, because I garage my boat and my garage door opening is only 104 inches wide. On the trailer, the Triton is 98 inches wide and the Nitro is 102 inches wide. I really like being able to easily back my boat right into the garage.

nocluefisher reply :

I have been playing on the triton website as well, the 179 and 189 both look nice, for a decent price.

SDoolittle reply :

On 5/18/2017 at 5:26 AM, fishnkamp said:

The Rangers are nice boats but also check out the Phoenix 618 as well.

And the Charger 176.

nocluefisher reply :

I wish I had access to all of the different manufacturers. Unfortunately Ranger, Triton and Nitro are the only manufacturers of glass boats that have dealers in my state that I am aware of. And even those have little to no stock on hand. I am going to have to travel just to see the boats I am interested in as it is a few hundred miles at least.

fishnkamp reply :

I feel your pain. I live in MD and we have basically one dealer to visit as well. Last April I drove to Tennessee for vacation. I stopped at a bunch of dealers along the way. They are spoiled out there.

adrenalnjunky reply :

I saw that you've been given the order to belay the boat shopping, but we all know that one simply doesn't stop wanting to look at boats, regardless of if you have the green light to pull the trigger or not.

Just throwing this out there, but you mentioned that you'd be looking at a standard layout in aluminum hull, but a fish & ski in glass. Kinda curious why?

When you mention that she wants a deck to lay out on, I think you'd be able to offer her more real estate with a standard front and rear decked bass boat than in a Fish & Ski. Look at that Nitro F&S you mentioned vs. a Z19, or even a Z18 - there's more rear deck, since the cockpit isn't trying to squeeze in seating for 4, and dual consoles, and windshields. Plus you get a larger fishing deck up front. Same goes for the aluminum models.

Unless you'd just have to have the extra seating - I'd stay in the bass boat styles all day long and better meet her laying out criteria. At least that's how I'd sell it.

nocluefisher reply :

On 5/19/2017 at 4:50 AM, adrenalnjunky said:

I saw that you've been given the order to belay the boat shopping, but we all know that one simply doesn't stop wanting to look at boats, regardless of if you have the green light to pull the trigger or not.

Just throwing this out there, but you mentioned that you'd be looking at a standard layout in aluminum hull, but a fish & ski in glass. Kinda curious why?

When you mention that she wants a deck to lay out on, I think you'd be able to offer her more real estate with a standard front and rear decked bass boat than in a Fish & Ski. Look at that Nitro F&S you mentioned vs. a Z19, or even a Z18 - there's more rear deck, since the cockpit isn't trying to squeeze in seating for 4, and dual consoles, and windshields. Plus you get a larger fishing deck up front. Same goes for the aluminum models.

Unless you'd just have to have the extra seating - I'd stay in the bass boat styles all day long and better meet her laying out criteria. At least that's how I'd sell it.

I agree with you, I am going to try and sell on pure bass boat, but I need to pretend the boat will serve other purposes. From what I have seen, a fish and ski is neither a good fishing boat or a good ski boat. The fact is I will be using the boat the most, but I need to give an appearance that everyone has a use for it.

nocluefisher reply :

I found a leftover 2016 stratos 386fx

Here are specs

2016 Stratos 386 XF - PSS02241G516
2016 Evinrude 150HGX - 05444270
2016 Stratos Custom Trailer - 567SSBM28GF086292

386 XF
Having to choose between a family boat and a fishing boat has gotten a lot easier. Choose the 386XF™ and get the best of both worlds.

PLEASE ASK ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF NO MONEY DOWN FINANCING!!!!!!

- INCLUDED OPTIONS -

- Custom Color Package -
- Jensen Stereo with 2 Speakers -
- Additional Folding Chair -
- Air Ride Suspension -
- Stainless Steel Handrails -
- Spare Tire with Aluminum Wheel -
- Lowrance HDS- 9 @ Console -
- Lowrance Struture Scan -
- MinnKota Charger MK-30 -
- MinnKota Terrova 80 with iPilot -
- Deck Extension -
- Boat Cover -
- Tandem Axle with Fiberglass Fenders -

- CAPACITIES -

- Overall Hull Length: 18' 6"
- Beam w/o Rubrail: 99"
- Beam w/Rubrail: 100 1/2"
- Maximum HP: 200
- Engine Shaft Length: 25"
- Inside Depth: 25"
- Total Persons, Motor, Gear (lbs): 1900
- Approx. Boat Weight (lbs) - Dual Console: 1940
- Fuel Tank: 31Gallons

- ROD BOX LENGTHS -

- Center Rod Box Length: 7' 6"
- Port Gunnel Rod Storage Length: 8'

- TRAILER -

- Trailer GVWR (lbs): 4200
- Approx. Length On Trailer w/Motor Down: 22' 7"
- Approx. Length On Trailer w/Motor Down & Swing-Away Tongue Open: 20' 11"
- Width On Trailer: 101"

TOXIC reply :

Okay, so you are back to the F&S over a bass rig. It will be a good boat for rough water. Will get blown around more than a straight bass boat (higher freeboard) and you'll need a good long handled net for ease of landing fish. You will draft deeper and by the looks of the layout, your wife will not have a platform for sunning. I only say that because you can remove the rear pedestal seat in a bass boat and the rear deck is completely open. Fish & Skis have cockpit seating for 4 and a recessed front deck most of the time.

My position on boat buying has always been to let someone else eat the "drive off the lot" depreciation just for that new glass smell. I buy a boat a couple of years old low hours and well maintained and get more boat for less money than if I was buying new.

nocluefisher reply :

http://www.portharbormarine.com/default.asp?page=xNewInventoryDetail&id=1721883&p=1&s=Year&d=D&t=new&sq=NITRO&fr=xNewInventory

this is at a local marina, $27995 plus a $1000 BPS card, and 5 year mercury warrantee. I am all over the place in what I want, but this is appealing. The Nitro horror stories weigh on my mind a little bit, but every brand has its issues.

nocluefisher reply :

the marina is bringing this boat(nitro z18) down from one of there other sites so I can take it for a ride. This is a lot more boat than I have ever driven, so I am a little nervous about pulling the trigger.

TOXIC reply :

That's a nice rig. As with any boat you need to make sure EVERYTHING works as advertised and your water test will be a great time to do that. All pumps, lights, gauges, graphs, etc.... and don't forget the trailer, check out all the lights, bunks, straps and feel the bearings to see if they are hot to the touch. Let whoever brings it to you run it up on plane and show you how to work the trim, etc. Make sure they fill the livewells and get it on plane as well. As for the horror stories, just make sure everything works BEFORE you drive away with it and you will get a good response on getting things repaired. Looks like you are also buying from a dealer and not Bass Pro. That's a plus, I have found that dealers (good dealers) can make the entire process painless and are more willing to work after the sale. As with any boat, there are bugs that will need to be worked out. If the motor hasn't been broken in make sure you get Mercs instructions on that and do it by the book!!

nocluefisher reply :

Just drove the nitro. Was a nice ride, rough water and the boat handled it well from my limited experience. Supposed to test drive a crestliner vt18 tomorrow.

BigAngus752 reply :

My wife wants the "laying out" deck space too. If you decide to go with aluminum you will not find a bigger deck that a Tracker 195. The thing is 18 1/2 feet long and has a 98in beam! It's like an aircraft carrier! Get the Tournament edition and you get the 24v TM, 150hp Merc, hydraulic steering, and a Hook5 on the console and another Hook5 on the bow.

nocluefisher reply :

Just finished driving the crestliner vt18 with a 115 on it. What a nice riding boat, and as a novice boater I really felt comfortable driving it. The nitro had me a little intimidated. The deal on the Nitro has changed a little as well. Now there is no BPS gift card, only the VIP card for 20% off. I really do not like bait and switches. I can have the VT 18 for 21500, with a helix 5 side scan at bow and lowrance elite ti5 on console. Decisions decisions.

Further North reply :

That's a whole bunch less than the Nitro...and you seem to like it better...

The price difference could net you electronics a whole lot better than a Helix 5....that's a tiny screen...bump that to a pair of Helix 9s, or 10s...or comparable Lowrance or Garmin units.

...No way I'd mix Humminbird and Lowrance on the same boat the way you've got it written above, pick the brand you like best and go with all the same. Upgrade the trolling motor from whatever bottom feeder they quoted to a 24 volt unit, and decent charger, maybe a Talon...

nocluefisher reply :

The crestliner does come with a 24 volt motor guide trolling motor and a charger, And I would eventually do all lowrance electronics. The nitro is an amazing boat, just have a hard time with salesman who are less than honest. My wife likes the prettier boat (nitro) more but she was looking forward to helping me spend $1000 at bass pro shops.

Further North reply :

On 6/24/2017 at 10:05 AM, nocluefisher said:

The crestliner does come with a 24 volt motor guide trolling motor and a charger, And I would eventually do all lowrance electronics. The nitro is an amazing boat, just have a hard time with salesman who are less than honest. My wife likes the prettier boat (nitro) more but she was looking forward to helping me spend $1000 at bass pro shops.

Which Motor Guide trolling motor?

They make good stuff, as does Lowrance...but those 5" screens are gonna drive you nuts if you get serious about fishing...and you'd have more than $10K to spend on the upgrade...

I'm a Humminbird guy, but the key there is to go with the brand you like the most. Ignore anyone who tells you one brand is better than the other...it's like Ford/Chevy...brand blindness does no one any good. They are all very good, it's best to focus on what you like.

Most of the "standard" electronics and trolling motors provided by dealers is bottom of the price-list equipment that they charge top dollar for...for instance, locally I'll see a $40,000 boat with a MinnKota PowerDrive stuck on it, with a 5" or maybe a 7" screen fish finder...

IMO, when you're spending that kind of money, spend a little extra and get good electronics and a great trolling motor, not the budget models.

For example: You'll spend way more time on that trolling motor than on the big motor by several orders of magnitude...spend your money where you'll spend your time.

Just my opinion.

nocluefisher reply :

The motor guide is the. X3/70lb. I appreciate your input. That 5 inch helix is definitely small, I would definitely be upgrading in the off season.

GetBent reply :

I have a Phoenix 618 that I really like. Look for a used one. Lots of people get it and upgrade after a couple of years. Just another option.

Further North reply :

On 6/24/2017 at 10:51 AM, nocluefisher said:

The motor guide is the. X3/70lb. I appreciate your input. That 5 inch helix is definitely small, I would definitely be upgrading in the off season.

That's a decent trolling motor, but there are better ones...

...the X5 is a step up, not sure of the cost difference.

I've seen a lot of people max out on the cost of a boat, and shortchange themselves on the electronics...and regreat it almosr right away.

Have fun with the hunt!

nocluefisher reply :

My hunt should be over. I am buying the nitro z18. Waiting for call back from marina. Either way I am not maxing myself out on the boat, the payment will not put a dent in our disposable income. Comes with maxxum 70lb TM that I will upgrade next year if I am not satisfied with it,and I will upgrade electronics at some point. I am only a weekend angler so I am only concerned with getting on the water right now. In the end I am buying the boat I can grow into. The crestliner was great, but I would want to upgrade within a couple of years. My wife said buy the one you want to keep for a while, because you are not trading it in in a couple of years. Who am I to argue with her?

Further North reply :

On 6/25/2017 at 3:20 AM, nocluefisher said:

My wife said buy the one you want to keep for a while, because you are not trading it in in a couple of years. Who am I to argue with her?

Smart woman.

nocluefisher reply :

I am now the owner of a 2016 nitro z18. I feel I got a really good deal, can't wait to start breaking it in tomorrow.

TOXIC reply :

Enjoy.

boostr reply :

Awesome, slime the the crap out of it.

PECo reply :

The Nitro Z18 is a sweet boat. A couple of buddies of mine just got them. I haven't seen a better new boat value for the money.

Did you get a single or double axle trailer? If you're only planning to trailer short distances, I think that the ease of trailering a single axle trailer makes it a better choice.

Which motor did you get? If you got the Mercury 115 four-stroke, I'd suggest that you look into getting a Mercury VesselView Mobile. It would give you accurate real-time date from the motor, which helps with managing the break-in process.

nocluefisher reply :

I have a single axle and a has a mercury 150. The 115 comes on the z17. It is a 2016 leftover so I got it for over 4K below MSRP.

stk44 reply :

On 6/25/2017 at 3:20 AM, nocluefisher said:

My hunt should be over. I am buying the nitro z18. Waiting for call back from marina. Either way I am not maxing myself out on the boat, the payment will not put a dent in our disposable income. Comes with maxxum 70lb TM that I will upgrade next year if I am not satisfied with it,and I will upgrade electronics at some point. I am only a weekend angler so I am only concerned with getting on the water right now. In the end I am buying the boat I can grow into. The crestliner was great, but I would want to upgrade within a couple of years. My wife said buy the one you want to keep for a while, because you are not trading it in in a couple of years. Who am I to argue with her?

Congrats! I have my new 2 year plan to get my bass boat. I was planning to get a Z18 but I want to check out comparable stratus' , bass cats, tritons and rangers(highest end of my price range)

In a perfect world, Nitro would be the best for me, so I could afford my fancy electronics and trolling motor.

Keep me updated with how you like it!

nocluefisher reply :

First weekend with the boat was great. Caught some fish, did a lot of driving to break the motor in. My wife had a good time, she caught more fish than me. The maxxum moved the boat around fine.

frosty reply :

On 7/3/2017 at 5:37 PM, nocluefisher said:

she caught more fish than me

You're a goner now congrats on the new boat!

A-Jay reply :

On 6/30/2017 at 9:36 PM, nocluefisher said:

I am now the owner of a 2016 nitro z18. I feel I got a really good deal, can't wait to start breaking it in tomorrow.

On 7/3/2017 at 5:37 PM, nocluefisher said:

First weekend with the boat was great. Caught some fish, did a lot of driving to break the motor in. My wife had a good time, she caught more fish than me. The maxxum moved the boat around fine.

Congrats on the new rig ~

But where's the obligatory new boat Pics ?

Way to leave us hanging.

Congrats

A-Jay

nocluefisher reply :

Took my father out for the first time today. We had a good time, and caught some fish. I am really getting comfortable with the boat, I am very happy I did not settle on the aluminum, this boat is a blast to drive. Can't wait to get my lowrance elite 7ti installed. For some reason I cannot load pictures any more.

adrenalnjunky reply :

On 7/15/2017 at 3:37 AM, nocluefisher said:

Took my father out for the first time today. We had a good time, and caught some fish. I am really getting comfortable with the boat, I am very happy I did not settle on the aluminum, this boat is a blast to drive. Can't wait to get my lowrance elite 7ti installed. For some reason I cannot load pictures any more.

Sounds good!

If you're trying to use photobucket - they cut off all their user's ability to post picture on 3rd party websites.

frosty reply :

On 7/15/2017 at 11:08 AM, adrenalnjunky said:

Sounds good!

If you're trying to use photobucket - they cut off all their user's ability to post picture on 3rd party websites.

What? When did this happen???

Fishing Rhino reply :

When you say that it will be docked at a family camp on the water, does that mean it will be in the water for several days at a time?

If so, make sure you have an automatic bilge pump. Nor likely but even new boats can develop leaks. Fittings, hoses, etc., can and do fail. Even a small leak at a hose fitting can put a lot of water in the hull over time.

The other downside to leaving it in the water is that it will accumulate scum at the waterline and can be a bit of a pain to clean it off.

nocluefisher reply :

I will leave it docked occasionally for a couple of days, but be trailering it a majority of the time. I don't have an auto bilge currently, so I will update that.

adrenalnjunky reply :

On 7/15/2017 at 5:15 PM, frosty said:

What? When did this happen???

About 2 weeks ago - lots of things like build threads in automotive forums is where I first ran into it.

Let me try linking to a image on PB to see how it looks here - unless they've changed back:

frosty reply :

On 7/15/2017 at 10:55 PM, adrenalnjunky said:

About 2 weeks ago - lots of things like build threads in automotive forums is where I first ran into it.

Let me try linking to a image on PB to see how it looks here - unless they've changed back:

I did a test in the off topic forums and mine worked ok. I know just copy and pasting the image code doesn't work anymore. Sorry to derail the thread.

slonezp reply :

On 7/15/2017 at 5:15 PM, frosty said:

What? When did this happen???

No more free services. Have to fork over cash or find another host

frosty reply :

On 7/16/2017 at 10:47 PM, slonezp said:

No more free services. Have to fork over cash or find another host

Pfft... nuts to all that silliness. I'll just keep my stuff backed up on my phone.

Beginning the purchasing process 2024

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