# Bass Tracker Boat ?



## gcpd957 (Mar 6, 2010)

I'm finally getting a bass boat, but im limited in what i can get per the wife.  I was looking at the Bass Tracker Pro 16 model,all alluminum with mercury 20efi 4 stroke motor. The boat comes fully rigged for 7995.00.  Does anyone have any knowledge or exp with this particular boat? Its either this one or i can try to find a bigger faster used one somewhere. Used boats scare me a bit though,more lemons than buying a used car.


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## turkeytrot29 (Mar 6, 2010)

Yeah I know some people that have had good luck with used boats, but I myself had terrible luck with a used boat! Ended up selling the boat and getting a new one. I bought mine in 08', its a  2008 triton vt17 with a 50hp mercury. I love it and especially a good starter boat!


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## BowShooter (Mar 6, 2010)

Right now is a buyers market. You can get alot more boat and motor for 8gs


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## jackherber (Mar 6, 2010)

Congrats on the first step towards a boat (gettin' the wifes permission). 
   Now, I don't mean to be  a "downer" but there are two old adages that really do apply to buying a boat.
   First, a boat is just a hole in the water that you throw money into.
   Second, the two happiest days of a boat owners life are the day he gets his boat and the day he sells it.
   Ok, that's out of the way. I have owned a Tracker for about 12 years now and I have fished it hard. It has required a few trips back to Bass Pro but they have a really good maintaince department there. Certainly nothing out of the ordinary, just normal wear and tear and scheduled type stuff.
   If you get the new boat, be prepared. The hardest thing to do is drill that first hole in it. 
   Again, congrats and hurry up before she changes her mind.


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## olcowman (Mar 6, 2010)

I started with that same package fishing Lanier. It took me about 15 minutes to decide that I needed a bigger boat. If I was going to mostly fish rivers or smaller lakes it would have been fine, but on most resevoirs it just hinders you about getting around and can get scary on a busy day!

Take that same money and get you a nearly new one with a lot more "hmmmph" and one a little more stable if you plan on hitting a lake like lanier or Alltoona.


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## turkeyhunter835 (Mar 6, 2010)

BowShooter said:


> Right now is a buyers market. You can get alot more boat and motor for 8gs




x2


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## Cricket Chunker (Mar 6, 2010)

And anything you buy new from the dealer will loose 20-30% just by driving it off the lot with a title change.

There are some really good deals still out there in the used market.  If you are not sure about the mechanical condition it is not unreasonable to ask to have a mechanic check it over prior to closing the deal (on your dime of course).  May find something very fixable that will further lower the price as well.


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## allmotoronly (Mar 6, 2010)

I thought about getting the same model, until I rode in one. Out on the water they feel much smaller than they look. I ended up getting a Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW with a 90hp Optimax. It cost over twice what the Pro 16 cost, but I am a lot happier with it. I can fish larger lakes without having to worry about getting tipped over by boats going by. My boat will run 52 with the current prop, but I plan on getting a jack plate and adding a stainless prop with a little more pitch. Right now I'm hitting the rev limiter before I can get fully trimmed.

I say you find a nice used (two or three year old) boat if you don't want to spend $19k on a brand new boat like mine. You can get a lot more boat for your money.


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## wilber85 (Mar 6, 2010)

Where do you guys go to look at used boats?  I found a few places on the internet but nothing with a great selection.


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## JohnK (Mar 7, 2010)

Man, you can look on GON and craig's list and get a much nicer boat for less than that. In that range you may be looking at a 50-75 hp motor still under extended warranty. Take your time and have the money ready. Bargains don't last long. You got to go get it right away.


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## DAWG1419 (Mar 7, 2010)

wilber85 said:


> Where do you guys go to look at used boats?  I found a few places on the internet but nothing with a great selection.



Basscat.com Far right corner boats for sale. Don't go to Lanier in a 16ft boat after april and past noon. If you do stay north


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## butter bass (Mar 7, 2010)

Like most of these guys are saying, you can get a much better boat used. Just dont rush, shop around. Insist that the seller take you out for a test run, also get a compression test done on the engine. If the seller is a straight shooter he wil gladly do these things!! good luck!


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## mgd7922 (Mar 7, 2010)

boattrader.com has a good selection of used boats.  As another poster said there are good deals out there, but when you see them you have to strike fast because they won't last long.


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## hipster dufus (Mar 7, 2010)

i have also looked at that rig. max for it is 30 hp. u will always want bigger and better. u have to figure when to stop. i prefer the stick steer  panfish model. same hull.i try to stay off lakes when they r busy, not hard to do if u dont have sat/ sun off.i also get scared of used boats. the hull does not scare me the motor condition does.have u looked at g3 yet? i prefer the jon boat style to the carpeted with wood. let us know what u end up getting .good luck


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## jmrcdr (Mar 7, 2010)

*boat*

I agree with boat size-If you fish Lanier do not buy it.  I am not a Bass Tracker fan personally-there are a lot of better built aluminum boats out there.  Bass Tracker sells more aluminum boats than any other manufacturer, but that does not make them the best.  For $8,000 buy a used fiberglass bass boat with at least a 90HP on it.  You will be a lot happier in the long run.


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## Bhooper (Mar 7, 2010)

x2 on compression check do not buy any used boat without doing that


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## gcpd957 (Mar 7, 2010)

Thanks for all the info fellas, ive got alot to consider it looks like.  I think ill take the advice and look for something a little bigger since lanier is where i wanna be for the spot fishing. The 69,000 dollar Skeeter with the new SHO motor looks great! Wonder if i can sneek that one by the wife?


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## centerc (Mar 7, 2010)

With a used boat you are buying the motor and the boat gets thrown in I would go used a tracker is small for lanier. get at least a 150 hp class boat. You can finance boats for 10-15 years if the payment is the problem.


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## Ronnie T (Mar 7, 2010)

I almost did what you are think about.
I ended up getting a Ranger w/150hp that was a few years old, it was never used in a tournament.  Paid less than 10,000 for it.  Now I'm had it close to 10 years.
But as they said, be ready to buy when you find it.


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## allmotoronly (Mar 7, 2010)

jmrcdr said:


> I agree with boat size-If you fish Lanier do not buy it.  I am not a Bass Tracker fan personally-there are a lot of better built aluminum boats out there.  Bass Tracker sells more aluminum boats than any other manufacturer, but that does not make them the best.  For $8,000 buy a used fiberglass bass boat with at least a 90HP on it.  You will be a lot happier in the long run.



How do you figure? Aluminum is aluminum. Tracker boats are welded with robotic welds. The quality of my current tracker is the same or better than the last G3 I owned. You may be thinking of the older bass trackers from the 80's, when all aluminum boats were made of thinner material. Also, aluminum boats hold their value much better than fiberglass.


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## allmotoronly (Mar 7, 2010)

centerc said:


> With a used boat you are buying the motor and the boat gets thrown in I would go used a tracker is small for lanier. get at least a 150 hp class boat. You can finance boats for 10-15 years if the payment is the problem.


Yea, but after 15 years of payments you end up paying two or three times the original price with interest... Just buy something you can pay off in three or four years.


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## Ronnie T (Mar 7, 2010)

jmrcdr said:


> I agree with boat size-If you fish Lanier do not buy it.  I am not a Bass Tracker fan personally-there are a lot of better built aluminum boats out there.  Bass Tracker sells more aluminum boats than any other manufacturer, but that does not make them the best.  For $8,000 buy a used fiberglass bass boat with at least a 90HP on it.  You will be a lot happier in the long run.



A long time ago I bought a Bass Tracker III, used it for over 10 years, sold it for what I paid for it.  It's still in use today with the original motor(50) and has never leaked one drop of water.
Same bilge pump.  
It all has to do with preference.  And, ofcourse, not getting a dud.


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## ribber (Mar 7, 2010)

i can tell you from experience, you won't be happy with the 20. if you're going to get the 16', get the 50 2 stroke.


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## pop pop jones (Mar 7, 2010)

gcpd957 said:


> I'm finally getting a bass boat, but im limited in what i can get per the wife.  I was looking at the Bass Tracker Pro 16 model,all alluminum with mercury 20efi 4 stroke motor. The boat comes fully rigged for 7995.00.  Does anyone have any knowledge or exp with this particular boat? Its either this one or i can try to find a bigger faster used one somewhere. Used boats scare me a bit though,more lemons than buying a used car.



Call bass pro and ask about buying the 20hp motor stand alone. See how close just the motor is to the price you wil pay for the boat and motor.


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## win270wsm (Mar 7, 2010)

look for a good used boat.You can find alot more boat for the money you are spending. Once you buy the new boat you are gonna wish you had a bigger motor,boat and such.
I found this one for $2500 and could not be happier!
Bomber fish and ski 150 Merc black max.


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## Ronnie T (Mar 7, 2010)

ribber said:


> i can tell you from experience, you won't be happy with the 20. if you're going to get the 16', get the 50 2 stroke.




That's a fact.


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## chewy32 (Mar 7, 2010)

<a href="http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i21/chewy32_2006/?action=view&current=DSCI0004.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i21/chewy32_2006/DSCI0004.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">

sorry bout the night pic only one I have of her 

1970 bass tracker 50 hp mercury 
1st boat  great for shallow water no worries about breaking fiberglass . Not reasonably not bad for 3000. Not a whole lot of room but perfect for 2 people and tackle


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## Queen (Mar 8, 2010)

You can get a lot more for the money


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## Jaycobb (Mar 8, 2010)

Craigslist is your friend...


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## Dutch (Mar 8, 2010)

I have a 2001 Pro Team 165 with a 25 Merc on it....bought it new in 2001, paid $8094 ot the door for it. I fish Juliette, Tobosofkee, Sinclair, Blackshear as well Ocmulgee PFA and the Ocmulgee river and I love my boat...never had a problem with it.

Its not the fastest boat on the water, but I go to fish not run up and down the lake like a idiot with his hair on fire....


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## Howard (Mar 8, 2010)

Its not much    but i got an 87 model procraft 1780 with a 150even for $3000.  its been a great boat.  nice shiney runs strong and will catch just as many fish as a 2010 21 footer...


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## jackherber (Mar 8, 2010)

Yeah, all the above guys are right. That's another one of those sayings. One thing you will NEVER hear on the water "Gee, I wish I would'a got the smaller motor".


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## BowShooter (Mar 8, 2010)

As soon as you pull off the lot with a brand new boat the resale value of that boat just dropped like a rock!!!


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## Derek Edge (Mar 9, 2010)

yep, been there and done that, like stated above, you can get way more bang for your buck by buying used.  I will never buy another new boat, never!  You will be lucky to get 50% back when you resale and you will always regretting not buying the bigger motor.


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## GABASSMAN (Mar 9, 2010)

Look around and you will find deals. We looked for 4 months and finally found one. It was basically a brand new boat we got for half price. I think you will be kicking yourself if you dont look hard enough and then find one after you buy it.


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## GT92 (Mar 9, 2010)

I bought a used Ranger from the GON site. It has been a great boat. It is a 1985 370V with a 150 Merc. It is a great boat. The key is how well the previous owners care for the boat.  Look around and you will find a great deal on a used boat. I would not buy a new boat unless it is the last boat you will ever buy.  Good luck and good fishing.


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## pbmang (Mar 9, 2010)

You can get an older V model ranger easily within that price range.  If you really intend on fishing lanier a bunch (and want to do so in the summer) then you really should get a fiberglass boat, and the biggest one you can find.  It will not only ride a LOT better, you will not get as wet on busy days from the waves splashing in and your will have more room to move around.


Check out this link for an idea of what 7K can get:  http://www.boattrader.com/search-re...egory-Bass Boat/Price-0,7000/Sort-Price:DESC/

Trust me, when a big wave comes by and your fishing, you want as much space to keep from falling in the water as possible!


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## TYHIGG (Mar 9, 2010)

*Boat*

Just be carfeful who you let work on the boat


http://www.copart.com/c2/boat_aucti...e1s2&lotId=10313000&returnPage=SEARCH_RESULTS


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## edpatrick (Apr 6, 2010)

I have a 2006 Bass Tracker Pro Team 170TX with mercury 25hp four stroke with power lift.  Many extras.  Like new $7950-


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## wilber85 (Apr 6, 2010)

Just got this 20 ft Nitro for 8k.  In great shape and sure beats a Bass Tracker!  Go fiberglass, you wont regret it.  Just make sure and check the boat out with a mechanic before you throw any money down, and use your best judgment on the character you are buying it from.


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