Boat Suggestions (1st time Boater)

[jmpatacsil]

16 hours ago, StriperAddict said:

Check on western bass they have a classified section and alot of those for sale are in cali. Also bass boat central

My first bass boat was a 99 tracker pro team 185 with a 75hp 2 stroke. I payed 5200 bucks and had to go to phoenix to get it. Great boat but it wasnt very long before I wanted to upgrade. Its always windy here and I was sick of getting wet and getting beat to the boils! Hahaha

I started searching and saving for a glass rig and it took 6-8 months but finally found my 04 Champion 188 elite with a 200hp evinrude here in Vegas and I am a very happy man.

Take your time and be very picky. Dont rush into a boat if you dont want to have a pit you just throw money into. Owning a boat is expensive anyway but buying a junkpile will be 10 times as bad.

PM me if you want some tips in the search and inspection process and good luck man!

I appreciate the tips, I need to be very patient in this boat search. By nature I am extremely impatient but I really want to make the right choice for my 1st boat. 

I haven't heard of those site so I will check it out.

I saw a sweet 1990 Champ with a brand new 225 but is a couple grand out of the price range.

[jmpatacsil]

16 hours ago, Rdoerfler said:

There is a facebook group called “ Cheap Bass Boat for under 10K” https://www.facebook.com/groups/275256246246938/?ref=share (hopefully that link works.) There is usually some pretty fire stuff on there. You can click the “sort” button and you can choose an option to put them in order from closest to your location to see what there is. 

I had no idea this was a group, this is prefect thank you!

[jmpatacsil]

16 hours ago, MTPanda said:

I routinely check craigslist and use searchtempest to search within a radius of me.  I'm also in the SD area and been kinda looking for a boat.  I'd prefer a bigger glass boat because it's so windy here on all of our lakes.  Whenever I'm in a rental or fish out of a bass tracker, I get blown around so hard it's aggravating.  I've yet to fish out of an aluminum with a spot lock trolling motor tho.  I usually hitch rides in my buddies' glass boats and it's just so much nicer.

you don't think an aluminum with trolling will be enough for our SD lakes? It gets windy but not as windy as it does in areas like the Delta or Norcal

[jmpatacsil]

16 hours ago, chefchris said:

so i bit the bullet this year on my first real boat, after countless hours searching all the pages/internet/calling around and finding insanely priced used boats, i went new with a 2022 tracket grizzly 1648 ($5500 boat only), but after 9.9 motor, trailer, all the electronics, TM, fish finder, batteries, wires, all the parts soup to nuts im over 10Gs already, but everything is new and ill have the perfect boat for my waters and my style of fishing so that works for me. 

around here most places have a 10hp limit so having a 25/40 like my buddies is almost useless at a lot of the ponds/lakes we fish, probably wont have that issue being in CA 

i went aluminum just due to my fishing style, places we fish, size of the bodies of water, etc, all the boats ive fished on have been aluminum (trackers/lunds/etc) 

my buddy/fishing partner picked up a 2009 tracker pro 175tw from BPS about 5-6 years ago for under 10K, 25hp, super low hours, but ended up having to upgrade the TM, all the electronics, and add another fish finder on the bow. but the boat has been basically maintenance free besides for the usual stuff. 

i would suggest looking around a lot, the used boat market has been insane since covid at least here in NE, i looked from ME to NJ/PA and prices/selection sucked and made me go new. 

try and narrow it down to what you NEED, not what you WANT. 

thanks for the tips Chris! Can't wait to see your rig when it's all done!

Hopefully I can find something like your fishing partner's, sounds like a dream to have a used rig with no major issues

[jmpatacsil]

15 hours ago, tHeINFamoUS said:

Indeed!

In current economic times it’s break out several more thousand and we’ll put you on a waitlist to get your stuff lol.

 

For the OP, some tips:

No matter what boat you get, the money is in the engine. Have a mechanic hook it up to run diagnostics on it.  Low hours are good if it was used regularly, if it’s an older engine with low hours and very little use it has high potential to be a basket case.  
Look out for damaged skegs, bent props, milky oil, misfires during operation, general corrosion anywhere under the cowling.  I’ll also give a look over the parts (injectors, vst, fuel pumps, etc), if it all looks factory, bolts still in original positions etc then it hasn’t had any major issues or been serviced.  If there’s anything new, non-oem or youcan tell bolts/screws have been wrenched on, definitely ask about it. Check fuel hoses, should be soft and pliable, anything old and cracked will need to be replaced. Check gas tank for old or waterlogged fuel.  Check steering, hydraulic is best, look for leaks in the cylinder and helm.  If it’s cable steering it should move back and forth smoothly and not bind or be stiff.  Also check age of batteries, trolling motor and turn on all systems including running lights to make sure they work.  I’ll also look at the wiring and assume anything old, cracked, corroded or just poorly installed I’m gonna have to redo.  

On the hull….Id look for corrosion, pitting or oxidation in areas that generally don’t dry quickly or areas where dissimilar metals are in contact.  Carpeted trailer bunk boards can hold water that corrodes, water puddles in the bilge, any corners that puddle water are all suspect.  If the owner has rigged anything themself and used stainless screws or bolts (transducers, trolling motors) check those areas where the metal is in contact with hull.  If the boat is painted look for pitting, water can sometimes penetrate the paint and corrode from behind it.

Glass boats have their own issues, soft spots, rotted transoms, gel coat cracks, rotted stringers etc.  I will say, they ride better, are quieter and I can probably repair all those issue in my driveway if I wanted to.  Aluminum hulls are lighter making them easier to tow with smaller vehicles, you can get away with smaller boat engines which is helpful down the line when it comes repower time.  Overall you’ll probably get more boat for the dollar going AL hull.

Trailer, in San Diego they may have used it in the bay exposing it to saltwater.  It will probably be a box tube frame, check it for rust, including on the inside of the tubes. Also look for rust around the hardware.  Galvanized is better but most fw boats I’ve seen are comin with painted trailers, they don’t hold up as long.  Look at the axles to make sure they’re solid, look for any bends, scraping damage etc.  Also make sure they’re square on the trailer, seen people hit stuff that knocks em out of alignment.  Bearings and hubs, I always assume they’re junk and replace.  Tires, check dates and replace if near expiration no matter how good a shape they’re in.  Try not to to tow it very far after sale if they’re weathered or cracked. Trailer lights, if they actually work, that’s a huge score lol, I always have to replace them too. 

Electronics can be tricky.  I personally wouldn’t factor them a whole lot into the overall price unless they’re pretty new or have some big tech in them or are all networked by a professional.  

The regular wear stuff I mentioned, batteries, wiring, tires, bearings, fuel lines, trailer lights, etc aren’t deal breakers, just know that it’s gonna add to the cost up front.  Also check registration for back fees and be sure to get a pink slip for the trailer.  Be aware that dmv will also ding you when you transfer titles…..as a general rule I always buy “project boats” and never pay more than a couple hundred bucks for them if you get my drift.  I think San Diego also charges some type of annual luxury tax on them too…good ol taxifornia.

 

Ahhhhh boats…….good times, lol.

thank you for these valuable tips! I took a picture of this reply lol I got a lot of learning to do. Youtube time

[jmpatacsil]

Thank you to all that contributed to my thread, I am in a much better mindset today than yesterday that's for sure. Swimbait Underground is the best, thanks y'all!

I hope others find this thread helpful as well when looking for their 1st boat

[hydrocephalic]

Tracker. They're solid, affordable and capable. I had one when I was in SD and got everything from bass to yellowtail on it. Really good in the ocean out there, even took it down to Mex and it was a trooper. Just thoroughly wash it at one of the drive in self wash places and you should be fine using it in the ocean. I did for years and never had any issues with hull or trailer integrity. Carpets didn't even stain from blood if washed within the day.

Edited December 17, 2021 by hydrocephalic

[MTPanda]

5 hours ago, jmpatacsil said:

you don't think an aluminum with trolling will be enough for our SD lakes? It gets windy but not as windy as it does in areas like the Delta or Norcal

I've been caught in really bad wind after 2pm on Hodges, San V and El Cap. Even in my buddy's 20ft Warrior Bass Boat (fiberglass) and it was tough to maneuver.  My buddy hasn't sprung for an ultrex. My other buddy with a bass cat eyra has ultrex and it's so much easier to sit on a point and make a few casts and pick apart your spot.  That's just been my experience for the last few years.  

 

I've yet to fish out of an aluminum with a GPS TM but I still think it'd be hard to pick manuever in the wind if I want to cover a stretch of bank.  I used to fish out of a buddy's tracker on San V a lot and we got blown around a lot. Had to hide in certain spots and just deal with it.

That's just been my experience.

[MTPanda]

Also just a bit more specific info for us SD guys.  I fish all over from DVL to Lower Otay and if you plan to hit up DVL and Skinner, you need to have a boat with a direct injected outboard.  From what I've researched, this leads you to buying either a boat with a Mercury Optimax, Evinrude Ficht or Etec, Yamaha VMAX HPDI, or a 4 stroke of some sort.  They won't allow carbd motors at those lakes.  These outboards started production around 1999 and I read the early ones for all these manufacturers had issues and tend to blow as they're first gen direct injected 2 strokes.  This is all second hand info but most ppl steered me to getting as new of an Optimax motor over the Evinrudes and Yamahas.  That being said, my buddy with an '10 or '12 Optimax still blew his motor last year.  

 

If you don't fish DVL or Skinner then the rest of lakes in SD don't matter and you can just get a cheaper older boat.

 

Getting an aluminum tracker or variant usually have newer compliant motors.  Ive seen a lot of trackers with efi 4 strokes and other aluminums with Yamaha four strokes so those are good to go.

[jmpatacsil]

On 12/17/2021 at 4:07 PM, MTPanda said:

Also just a bit more specific info for us SD guys.  I fish all over from DVL to Lower Otay and if you plan to hit up DVL and Skinner, you need to have a boat with a direct injected outboard.  From what I've researched, this leads you to buying either a boat with a Mercury Optimax, Evinrude Ficht or Etec, Yamaha VMAX HPDI, or a 4 stroke of some sort.  They won't allow carbd motors at those lakes.  These outboards started production around 1999 and I read the early ones for all these manufacturers had issues and tend to blow as they're first gen direct injected 2 strokes.  This is all second hand info but most ppl steered me to getting as new of an Optimax motor over the Evinrudes and Yamahas.  That being said, my buddy with an '10 or '12 Optimax still blew his motor last year.  

 

If you don't fish DVL or Skinner then the rest of lakes in SD don't matter and you can just get a cheaper older boat.

 

Getting an aluminum tracker or variant usually have newer compliant motors.  Ive seen a lot of trackers with efi 4 strokes and other aluminums with Yamaha four strokes so those are good to go.

Thank you for this insight, I didn't know about that rule at DVL or Skinner. I don't fish there but I plan on fishing there once I get the rig.

I'll make sure the outboard is a 4 stroke Merc, I was pretty much settled on this outboard

[Tony_x18]

If you go traditional bass style aluminum boat check the deck and floor for soft spots. Most in that price range have wood decks and floor. My old G3 I replaced all the floor and carpet. Make sure the hull trailer and outboard are in good shape #1, I'd then look for a good TM 24v at minimum and with spot lock if possible. Electronics are last on my list because theyre easy to replace yourself and you can find a used setup for way under retail at the end of every season. Aluminum boats will get pushed around a lot in the wind a spot lock trolling motor makes a world of a difference in trying to fight it. 

[Tony_x18]

Also talk to people especially people that arent into fishing you never know the deal you might find. I just picked this up off my realtor for $500 needs a good chunk of work but my plan is to spend the winter working on it and sell it in the spring

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by Tony_x18

[jmpatacsil]

1 hour ago, Tony_x18 said:

Also talk to people especially people that arent into fishing you never know the deal you might find. I just picked this up off my realtor for $500 needs a good chunk of work but my plan is to spend the winter working on it and sell it in the spring

 

that's sweet bro I would be down to pick this up for $500 all day lol

[Tony_x18]

1 hour ago, jmpatacsil said:

that's sweet bro I would be down to pick this up for $500 all day lol

Yea while I was looking at a piece of land it somehow came up that I was into fishing he told me there was this boat sitting in his father in laws yard for years I told him if his father in law wanted to get rid of it to let me know. A few months later my phone rings and it was him offering me the boat I jumped on it. 

[Mossypumpkin]

Bought a 2001 tracker pt 185 with a 90 this spring for $5k. Not a bad price amidst the pandemic price hikes. The boat was hardly even used. Skeg wasn’t even scratched up. The nice thing was I added the graphs and Tm I wanted and not someone else’s junk. Bought two helix units, a fortrex 80 and replaced pretty much everything that was original for $3k. The motor runs beautifully. I love having an aluminum boat. Got my fortrex 80 dirt cheap on bassboatcentral. Couldn’t pass it up for $625 shipped barely used. I think he said it was used 3 times and it shows.

If I could do things over and had $10k to spend: I’d look for a pt 190 or 195. I’d go with significantly bigger graphs. I’ve used my 7s one season and already wish they were 10s or bigger. That being said, I fish shallow 99% of the time so I’ll prob not upgrade for a long time. Do all the mods that make it comfortable. Trolling motor tray, deck extension are amazing. Make sure you get the highest hp motor the boat came with. A 75 on a 19’ boat sucks. A lot of the 185s came with a 60. Glad mine has the 90 cuz I still wanna go a lot faster