Looking to buy a nice '96 nitro 170dc. The boat is in great shape all around. Although, i havnt uet gone in person to check it out. The current owner and i have a boat ride scheduled this weekend. My only question is rod storage, he said he can only got 6' rods?? That seems very short. Anyone have any experience with this model boat and the rod storage capabilities?

I don't have experience with this boat, but I wouldn't doubt that it only fits 6 foot rods in the locker. The boat is only a 17 footer and it's a dual console. On the shorter boats like that, when they add a console, generally that space is taken right out of the rod locker and given that in 96 rods, in general, were a lot shorter, boat manufacturers weren't looking for ways to make longer rods fit. 

I am sure he is correct.

Whatever the specs, make sure the rods are not free to move forward enough to bump the tips into a bulkhead.  If that is the case, they may be broken in transit.  Been there, done that.

Single console bass have have longer rod storage on the passenger side. Sometimes you can cut the bow end of the rod locker out to clear the rod tips another 12", depending the the wiring.

The boat owner shoukd know his boat, if he said 6' rods believe him.

Tom