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New aluminum bass boat recs
Posted on 12/31/23 at 11:45 am
Posted on 12/31/23 at 11:45 am
After 20 years of ownership of a Tracker 175 (Mercury 60 hp 2 stroke), I think I'm going to head into the new boat market. Too many upgrades in electronics, trolling motors, outboards to retool mine. Considering 18 -19ft aluminum hull bass boat. Don't want fiberglass. Dang they are all expensive. Any recs on brands beside Tracker? Don't think I want to continue with them as I hear bad things about their build quality over the past 5 years. Any experiences with Vexus, Crestliner, Lowe, or G3? Probably prefer a Yamaha outboard but how are ya'll feeling about current generation of Mercury? Thanks for any advice! 
11
Posted on 12/31/23 at 11:47 am to Uroblast
My BIL is a fan of Xpress.
Posted on 12/31/23 at 11:59 am to Uroblast
G3, Xpress, or Sea Ark
G3 comes with Yamaha. Sea Ark with Suzuki. Not sure about xpress
G3 comes with Yamaha. Sea Ark with Suzuki. Not sure about xpress
This post was edited on 12/31/23 at 12:00 pm
Posted on 12/31/23 at 12:42 pm to Uroblast
Love my ‘23 H17 Xpress with a yammy sho 90. Got a buddy with the H18 115 and he loves his, too.
I had a G3 1810 that I also liked, but it was just too much boat for me.
I had a G3 1810 that I also liked, but it was just too much boat for me.
Posted on 12/31/23 at 12:57 pm to Uroblast
I've got a Ranger RT188c and really like it. The Mercury 115 4s is quiet and sips fuel plus it's big enough to pull the grandkids inner tube around.
Not a speed demon, about 45 to 48 is all she'll run
Not a speed demon, about 45 to 48 is all she'll run
Posted on 12/31/23 at 1:06 pm to Uroblast
I have a tracker 170 pro. My next will be a Ranger 188. Best bang for your buck IMO.
This post was edited on 12/31/23 at 1:06 pm
Posted on 12/31/23 at 3:52 pm to lsufan1971
X-19 Xpress with either 175 or 200, depending on your budget. 24 volt trolling motor, non skid floor of your choice, depth finder/GPS chart on the console and game on.
Posted on 12/31/23 at 5:35 pm to Big Bill
Hanko’s is the best aluminum boat. A little pricey though.
Posted on 12/31/23 at 5:37 pm to Big Bill
Hanko’s is the best aluminum boat.
Posted on 1/1/24 at 9:32 am to Uroblast
G3 is light years ahead of others in hull design. If you can a 185 get it.
Posted on 1/1/24 at 12:05 pm to redfish99
Depending on your budget, I would stay away from the big ones and go with a smaller company. Seems like the quality concerns happen with the mass produced boats.
Vexus and Avis both make good aluminum boats, but gator trax, hanko, and a few others will also build you a great boat EXACTLY the way you want it.
Different price points though.
Vexus and Avis both make good aluminum boats, but gator trax, hanko, and a few others will also build you a great boat EXACTLY the way you want it.
Different price points though.
Posted on 1/1/24 at 1:15 pm to latech15
Vexus, had some quality issues when I was looking for a larger aluminum boat. One reason I stopped looking at them.
Tracker and Ranger, also has issues being mass produced in large quantities. For me it was how they gave me poor warranty service on my 2018 boat bought in 2019. The boat paint chipped off on a brand new boat. It took a lot of back and forth for 5 to 6 months with Whiteriver Marine plus time the boat sat. I would avoid Tracker or Ranger due to Whiteriver Marine’s lack of customer service. FYI, the dealer I bought the boat from had a paint shop and repainted the boat.
Local guys Sportsman Fabrication that is Casey St Romain behind Ivy’s tackle store, Hanko’s, and a lot of other builders that build great boats in the Morgan City area. It will usually cost a little more. It is a different level of boat.
Tracker and Ranger, also has issues being mass produced in large quantities. For me it was how they gave me poor warranty service on my 2018 boat bought in 2019. The boat paint chipped off on a brand new boat. It took a lot of back and forth for 5 to 6 months with Whiteriver Marine plus time the boat sat. I would avoid Tracker or Ranger due to Whiteriver Marine’s lack of customer service. FYI, the dealer I bought the boat from had a paint shop and repainted the boat.
Local guys Sportsman Fabrication that is Casey St Romain behind Ivy’s tackle store, Hanko’s, and a lot of other builders that build great boats in the Morgan City area. It will usually cost a little more. It is a different level of boat.
This post was edited on 1/1/24 at 1:21 pm
Posted on 1/1/24 at 1:55 pm to johnnyrocket
Agreed. But I think it depends on what “type” of boat you want. The Hanko type boats are heavy duty, but they’re not finished out like the manufactured boats. They’re heavy and clunky, not a performance hull. Kinda a commercial boat feel So within those two classes of boats there are differences in quality, layout, features, finish and performance.
Posted on 1/1/24 at 9:26 pm to johnnyrocket
Casey at Sportsman’s Fab builds a damn fine boat. He’s got an 18 1/2 footer, his boat, at his shop that pretty damn slick for a boat built to take a licking and keep on ticking. Came a hair from getting him to build me one but decided to rejuvenate my rig. If I ever bust mine up that exactly what I’m gonna do
Posted on 1/2/24 at 5:49 am to DTRooster
I saw Casey’s boat it’s slick.
Even has a fuel tank in the back and front. He can pump fuel to the front to level out the boat in shallow water. It finished better than the production rangers on the inside and painted. He running with 150 hp which you can also go up on HP on that boat. It’s slick.
Even has a fuel tank in the back and front. He can pump fuel to the front to level out the boat in shallow water. It finished better than the production rangers on the inside and painted. He running with 150 hp which you can also go up on HP on that boat. It’s slick.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 11:09 am to Uroblast
I'd recommend Avid, all have a Yamaha, similar hull design to the Vexus but better quality. If you're in SE LA your dealer is Boat Stuf and they're really solid to deal with.
That said I have seen some pretty solid deals on late model G3 and similar, the G3 is nowhere near as nice as the new Avid and Vexus stuff though. Just a more dated design.
That said I have seen some pretty solid deals on late model G3 and similar, the G3 is nowhere near as nice as the new Avid and Vexus stuff though. Just a more dated design.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 11:12 am to Uroblast
I have a G3 1710. I love it.
Posted on 1/2/24 at 6:59 pm to Uroblast
What about Alweld? They seem solid.
Posted on 1/3/24 at 4:35 am to Uroblast
quote:
Lowe
My recommendation
Posted on 1/3/24 at 6:33 am to Uroblast
Bite the bullet and go with a local custom build. You won’t have to buy a new boat down the road. Like many others have said, GatorTrax or something similar.
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