Ideas On A New Boat Under 20K 2024
art0205 reply :
Hello everybody.
This is my first post. I have been looking into buying a new bass boat or skiff boat.
I would like to spend no more than 20k with taxes and all. I would be financing the boat.
I have a few boat that I been looking at
1) mako skiff pro 17 cc and mako pro skiff 16 cc
2) tracker team pro 175 txw
The 175 comes with 2 live wells and a trolling motor and a fish finder as well as more fishing room.
But I heard that the mako fiberglass boat are better handling more sturdy but none of the other toys.
So far I have only been to bass pro shops and seen the boats first hand.
I have been doing some research and seen that a lot of people have problems with tracker boats and that the quality on mako has gone down in the last few years.
I have also gone online and looked at some ranger boats but I can't find a price and they look more price as I see that they're smallest boat comes with a 75 hp engine and most of them come with a 115 hp.
Any input would be highly appreciate it as I would want to do as much research as possible until I buy my first boat.
I live in Broward county the only close dealership I seen is bass pro shops and a ranger in pompano beach but they're inventory saids zero.
Thanks again.
slonezp reply :
A decked out ranger RT188will run $26k or more depending on the options. There are many people very happy with Tracker and a lot of not so happy. The bad I have heard is overheated welds and horrible customer service. Negative reviews I have read about the ProTeam is bass fisherman don't care for the front deck livewell/baitwell. The Rangers have had some porpoising issues which I believe have been resolved on the new boats
Keep your eyes open.There are some slightly used Rangers that have been put up for sale and you can save $3k-$5k off new
gulfcaptain reply :
I like the layout of the 175txw and option but considering I would want to fish in saltwater to this isn't an option for me as I have two younger boys to look out for too. But looks solid. Can also look on Craigs List, may find some used boats for half of what you're wanting to spend and get more boat as well.
art0205 reply :
Thank you for your response slonezp
Where can I find the price for the rangers as I would like to do sone research on them as well, or only the dealer will be able to get me the prices?
Yeah also looking into a almost new boat will be a good idea.
Thank you
art0205 reply :
Read above. I forgot to quote u. ThanksOn 11/9/2014 at 11:49 AM, slonezp said:A decked out ranger RT188will run $26k or more depending on the options. There are many people very happy with Tracker and a lot of not so happy. The bad I have heard is overheated welds and horrible customer service. Negative reviews I have read about the ProTeam is bass fisherman don't care for the front deck livewell/baitwell. The Rangers have had some porpoising issues which I believe have been resolved on the new boats
Keep your eyes open.There are some slightly used Rangers that have been put up for sale and you can save $3k-$5k off new
slonezp reply :
MSRP is on the Ranger aluminum website along with build a boat options if you go into the "optional features" menu. http://rangeraluminum.com/model.cfm?sid=7218#accessories Sent you a PM
art0205 reply :
Thanks I been looking at them.On 11/10/2014 at 5:30 AM, slonezp said:MSRP is on the Ranger aluminum website along with build a boat options if you go into the "optional features" menu. http://rangeraluminum.com/model.cfm?sid=7218#accessories Sent you a PM
Chief 2 reply :
I purchased a 2013 BT Pro Team 190 TX at the end of last year This is the second BT I have owned and I am very pleased with it. I have 2 friends that also have BT and love them. I wanted to get a 2014, but the wasted space of the front live well to me was to much of a trade off. I need the storage capacity. I don't think you can go wrong with a BT. There are a lot of good used boats out there also. Good luck with your search!
Chris S reply :
On 11/9/2014 at 7:27 AM, art0205 said:Hello everybody.
This is my first post. I have been looking into buying a new bass boat or skiff boat.
I would like to spend no more than 20k with taxes and all. I would be financing the boat.
I have a few boat that I been looking at
1) mako skiff pro 17 cc and mako pro skiff 16 cc
2) tracker team pro 175 txw
The 175 comes with 2 live wells and a trolling motor and a fish finder as well as more fishing room.
But I heard that the mako fiberglass boat are better handling more sturdy but none of the other toys.
So far I have only been to bass pro shops and seen the boats first hand.
I have been doing some research and seen that a lot of people have problems with tracker boats and that the quality on mako has gone down in the last few years.
I have also gone online and looked at some ranger boats but I can't find a price and they look more price as I see that they're smallest boat comes with a 75 hp engine and most of them come with a 115 hp.
Any input would be highly appreciate it as I would want to do as much research as possible until I buy my first boat.
I live in Broward county the only close dealership I seen is bass pro shops and a ranger in pompano beach but they're inventory saids zero.
Thanks again.
Saltwater. Freshwater or Both??? IMO those skiffs will beat you to death!! I just looked for fun in your area on CL lots of nice boats forsale!!! This one caught my eye in Lakeland, i know its north of you but 
2014 Triton X17 Bass Boat. 60hp Mercury, 24 volt trolling motor, depth finder. Hasn't even used a tank of fuel yet. Asking $16,000.
art0205 reply :
Thank you for your reply. I was looking online at that boat it look awesome. It's a bit bigger and more space than the 175 right?On 11/10/2014 at 9:30 PM, Chief 2 said:I purchased a 2013 BT Pro Team 190 TX at the end of last year This is the second BT I have owned and I am very pleased with it. I have 2 friends that also have BT and love them. I wanted to get a 2014, but the wasted space of the front live well to me was to much of a trade off. I need the storage capacity. I don't think you can go wrong with a BT. There are a lot of good used boats out there also. Good luck with your search!
The only thing I'm afraid of buying new it would be warranty. This would be my first boat n if something goes wrong I dont know how to fix anything. Will some used boat come with warranty still. If they do. I wouldn't mind buying one.
Thanks for the info
art0205 reply :
Thanks for the answer.On 11/10/2014 at 10:56 PM, Chris S said:Saltwater. Freshwater or Both??? IMO those skiffs will beat you to death!! I just looked for fun in your area on CL lots of nice boats forsale!!! This one caught my eye in Lakeland, i know its north of you but
2014 Triton X17 Bass Boat. 60hp Mercury, 24 volt trolling motor, depth finder. Hasn't even used a tank of fuel yet. Asking $16,000.
Yeah I guess it would be for mostly freshwater but if I could go in the intercostal it would be a plus.
What do you mean by the skiff killing me. Lol. I don't know much about boat so if u could explain to me why I would appreciate it. I clicked on that craigslist and it says that the page it's wrong. However if that deal it's still on, that would be an awesome deal. Thank u again for your answer and hopefully more insight from u.
art0205 reply :
I found the boat on craigslistOn 11/10/2014 at 10:56 PM, Chris S said:Saltwater. Freshwater or Both??? IMO those skiffs will beat you to death!! I just looked for fun in your area on CL lots of nice boats forsale!!! This one caught my eye in Lakeland, i know its north of you but
Thanks
Chief 2 reply :
On 11/10/2014 at 11:24 PM, art0205 said:Thank you for your reply. I was looking online at that boat it look awesome. It's a bit bigger and more space than the 175 right?
The only thing I'm afraid of buying new it would be warranty. This would be my first boat n if something goes wrong I dont know how to fix anything. Will some used boat come with warranty still. If they do. I wouldn't mind buying one.
Thanks for the info
Yes, the 190 TX has much more front deck space. From the console back each of the BT are about the same dimensions. I previously had a BT 185 PT with a 50hp. It was a great boat, but the 190PT with the 115 Optimax is by far a better fishing boat. I would call Bass Tracker direct and see if they can locate you one.
Catt reply :
2014 Stratos 176 VLO 60 hp ETEC $18,695
I would put a 75 hp on it 
Chris S reply :
On 11/10/2014 at 11:34 PM, art0205 said:What do you mean by the skiff killing me.
A Skiff is a flat bottom boat, you and the seat take all the beating while riding in the boat, kind of like driving your car with out shocks over multiple speed bumps.
Chris S reply :
On 11/10/2014 at 11:47 PM, art0205 said:I found the boat on craigslist
Thanks
yep thats it! That 60hp will sip gas and not drain the wallet!!
art0205 reply :
One more thing if I buy a bass aluminum boat would it be ok to take it into the intercostal?
art0205 reply :
Ok I see what you mean now. The mako skiff 17 cc has an inverted u hull. Would it still do this. Just wondering.On 11/11/2014 at 2:17 AM, Chris S said:A Skiff is a flat bottom boat, you and the seat take all the beating while riding in the boat, kind of like driving your car with out shocks over multiple speed bumps.
Chris S reply :
On 11/11/2014 at 4:17 AM, art0205 said:Ok I see what you mean now. The mako skiff 17 cc has an inverted u hull. Would it still do this. Just wondering.
that hull would be much smoother that a flat bottom, u hull is similar to a pontoon boat causing it to ride higher in the water
martintheduck reply :
So, I went through almost this same process you are talking of (about 2 years ago). I wanted a new boat and didn't want to spend more than $20k. I was looking at a Tracker 175. I was steered away from that boat by a friend who told me words of wisdom --- "No matter what you get, you will have it for a year and start wanting more." THAT was very true. I learned from doing research for around a year prior to buying, there are - sometimes - some MINT PERFECT condition boats that pop up for sale. Maybe I'll get one of those? I kept leaning towards a tracker 175 NEW but looked around on craigslist in the mean time. I went and looked at 3 or 4 used boats and non of them were in the kind of condition I was willing to buy.
NOW.... I just so happened to log onto craigslist one day and a man had posted an 2011 18ft Xpress w/ a Yamaha 150. It looked like it was pristine. So I called him and went to see it the next day. I pulled up, the man was about 65 years old and lived in an incredible home with nice cars. Insurance salesman. The boat was in his covered garage and not a scratch was on the thing. I looked like it had never seen water before! We took it for a test run at the nearby lake and I gave it the inspection. I mean MINT condition. I ended up buying that sucker for $19k. I spent less on the practically brand new Xpress than I would have on the actual new Tracker 175. I got substantially more boat for less money. I am SO very happy I held out for a perfect condition used boat to pop up. I got a better boat.
I encourage you to move very slow and keep your eyes peeled for some mint condition used boats. You can really save some money AND get into something much better.
art0205 reply :
On 11/11/2014 at 3:00 PM, martintheduck said:So, I went through almost this same process you are talking of (about 2 years ago). I wanted a new boat and didn't want to spend more than $20k. I was looking at a Tracker 175. I was steered away from that boat by a friend who told me words of wisdom --- "No matter what you get, you will have it for a year and start wanting more." THAT was very true. I learned from doing research for around a year prior to buying, there are - sometimes - some MINT PERFECT condition boats that pop up for sale. Maybe I'll get one of those? I kept leaning towards a tracker 175 NEW but looked around on craigslist in the mean time. I went and looked at 3 or 4 used boats and non of them were in the kind of condition I was willing to buy.
NOW.... I just so happened to log onto craigslist one day and a man had posted an 2011 18ft Xpress w/ a Yamaha 150. It looked like it was pristine. So I called him and went to see it the next day. I pulled up, the man was about 65 years old and lived in an incredible home with nice cars. Insurance salesman. The boat was in his covered garage and not a scratch was on the thing. I looked like it had never seen water before! We took it for a test run at the nearby lake and I gave it the inspection. I mean MINT condition. I ended up buying that sucker for $19k. I spent less on the practically brand new Xpress than I would have on the actual new Tracker 175. I got substantially more boat for less money. I am SO very happy I held out for a perfect condition used boat to pop up. I got a better boat.
I encourage you to move very slow and keep your eyes peeled for some mint condition used boats. You can really save some money AND get into something much better.
Wow that's awesome. Let me ask you a question though. Did your boat came with any warranty? I think buying an almost brand new boat would be an excellent idea however I font know much about boat and if anything goes wrong I would have to fork out money. That's my only worry.
Other than that I'm considering that option as well
martintheduck reply :
On 11/12/2014 at 2:54 AM, art0205 said:Wow that's awesome. Let me ask you a question though. Did your boat came with any warranty? I think buying an almost brand new boat would be an excellent idea however I font know much about boat and if anything goes wrong I would have to fork out money. That's my only worry.
Other than that I'm considering that option as well
Yes, motor came with a warranty. I know my Yamaha warranty is transferrable, not sure about other types. Even if you do have a warranty, a lot of things can happen which aren't covered. Also, before buying a used boat (regardless of condition) the proper protocol is to bring the boat to a certified technician to have it looked at. They will be able to tell you exactly what you're getting into. In my case, mechanic told me everything looked great and it was an A+ boat -- I bought it and have never had any problems that needed a warranty claim.
plural_of_fant reply :
I wouldn't put a tracker in saltwater. My friend used his tracker deep v 16 or 18' foot in Indian river bay in Delaware. The wood deck rotted in 5 years. Plus it was a very wet ride. My suggestion is if you want to swing both ways. Look for a saltwater center counsel. I'd rather take a saltwater boat into freshwater then the other way around. When going used always sea trial and have both hull and motor surveyed
lmoore reply :
On 12/3/2014 at 9:49 PM, plural_of_fant said:I wouldn't put a tracker in saltwater. My friend used his tracker deep v 16 or 18' foot in Indian river bay in Delaware. The wood deck rotted in 5 years. Plus it was a very wet ride. My suggestion is if you want to swing both ways. Look for a saltwater center counsel. I'd rather take a saltwater boat into freshwater then the other way around. When going used always sea trial and have both hull and motor surveyed
Did your friend store the boat outside? Saltwater will rot a boat more slowly than fresh, so I would assume 1) he got a boat which didn't have the deck properly sealed and it became waterlogged or 2) he kept it outside and rainwater was allowed to soak in over time.
I'm sure there are reasons not to use a freshwater boat in saltwater, but wood rot isn't one of them.
J Francho reply :
20K will get you a sweet used Bullet.
plural_of_fant reply :
The boat was garage kept. I'm not sure I agree with saltwater rotting more slowly.the deck was certainly not encapsulated in fiberglass. The boat was bought used. Perhaps it had already been redecked and was done poorly. All I know I've seen a lot of trackers/Lund's/alumacraft deep v multi species boats used in saltwater deteriorate rather quickly. And I know some of these people take good care of their toys.
lmoore reply :
Saltwater rots wood more slowly because rot is caused by a fungus, and the salt kills the fungus. that doesn't mean it won't rot when exposed to saltwater, but it takes much longer as the rot spores won't spread as quickly.
There are other problems that saltwater can cause to wood, but rot is typically not one of them.
Thornback reply :
I have owned a 2005 Bass Tracker Special Edition 175 with 60 Merc 4-stroke EFI. I usually fish at least twice a month, always fresh water. In ten years neither the boat or motor have ever been in a shop for repair. I changed the water pump impeller once myself. I would buy another BT without hesitation. The other day I saw a new 2013 17' Alumacraft with 70 Yamaha 4-stroke, with trailer, at a dealer marked down to $16,500. I was considering trading for it but they sold it. You might want to look for a new leftover 2013 or later look for a leftover 2014.
retiredbosn reply :
New boat operator? Do yourself a favor and take a boating class. Contact your local coast guard auxiliary, some states like VA are making this mandatory. I know VA offers the course online. Secondly any salt water is going to play havoc on a freshwater engine same with trolling motors, make sure whatever you buy is rated for saltwater use, if you plan on going on the intracoastal waterway. A v-hull will pay off with a better ride and more stable platform when fishing coastal waters. Also living in Florida and buying used you need to be able to tell if the boat was used on saltwater. Buying boats can be tricky so do allot of research, good luck.
blongfishing reply :
Both boats are excellent! As a striper fishermen I like the skiff. The tracker is a bassier boat. Really either is a fine boat and will look GREAT on the water!!
Nailbender8usmc reply :
I can only give my experience and opinion here, so here goes... I had a 1995 Bass Tracker 18' Tournament Pro with a 40hp Merc for years, never had a single problem with it. The only reason I got rid of it was because I wanted something faster and a bit smoother on the water. I replaced it with a 2014 Bass Tracker PT175txw, I did order several upgrades however. I upgraded to the 75hp Optimax, she gets me to 42 if I'm by myself, if I have another person, she will run 40 all day long. The ride is incredibly smooth, no more beating you death in choppy water with all the spray. I absolutely love this new boat! I also upgraded it to a 24 volt system, added a three bank Minn Kota charger, I added a Hot Foot throttle, I added a bow mounted Hummingbird, I added a Hydrowave unit to the bow also. As far as the front deck livewell, I use mine as a cooler. For those really hot days here in NC, it sure is nice to grab an ice cold drink after several hours on the water. The original (intended) floor cooler is where I store all of my ropes. Tracker Marine customer service to me personally has been nothing short of exceptional. Lastly, I would like to add that the fuel consumption has been a very pleasant surprise, this baby really sips the fuel even after a full day of making long runs at over 5000 rpms, I still have a lot fuel left in the tank. I would definitely recommend Bass Tracker to anyone, I know this is only my two cents but based on my experience with the brand, it is where I choose to put my pennies. Good luck with your search.
Sam reply :
Art, ask around before you make the purchase.
I will PM you the name of a wonderful guy who is giving up bass fishing and he has his boat on the market for around $16,000.
Another guy I know in the greater Richmond, Virginia area will be putting his boat on the market as he is upgrading and he told me he wants around $18,000.
Check around for some bass clubs in your area or both of the federations and give them a call or send an email. There are a lot of guys in B.A.S.S. and FLW selling their boats this winter and you can get some good deals.
You will do better with a private sale, money wise, than if you went to a dealer.
But don't let that stop you from checking with some boat dealers in your area. Some take boats on consignment and the owners want them sold and you may get a great deal.
Whatever you do, have the motor's compression checked out by a certified mechanic that represents the motor's brand. This is critical. Other things you can do include, but are not limited to:
1. Check all lines for cracks and have the owner replace the ones that need replacing.
2. Get the motor's computer printout and have a certified mechanic tell you if the motor has been abused and if it has been serviced as per the manufacturer's requirements.
3. Find out if the motor still has a warranty and how many hours the motor has on it.
4. Check all compartments, especially the live well.
5. Look at the carpet. Needs replacement or repair?
6. Go under the trailer and look for rust or damage and always check out the three tires for wear and tear and dry rot.
7. Find out if the boat was garaged or left out in the open.
There are too many other questions to ask but you get the drift.
Be sure to post pics of what you get.
Happy New Year!
related Bass Boats Canoes Kayaks topic
most viewed Bass Boats Canoes Kayaks topic
© 2024 - fishing.qciss.net. All Rights Reserved.