I am looking to buy my first bass boat within the next year or so. I have a good amount of experience boating from being on a family member/friend's boat but have never actually owned a boat bigger than 14'. I am looking in the neighborhood of $35k-$45k and just want to make sure I am not getting into something that is not going to be a nightmare mechanically/electrically. Ideally, I would want a 19'-20' ft boat with good electronics and at least a 200 hp motor. I am mostly going to be fishing in NY (Cayuga, St. Lawrence, Great Lakes, Oneida, etc).  I would like to fish some tournaments, but I do not need to be going out in massive winds and waves. A few things I am uncertain about are:

 

1. What brand boat? I have heard mixed reviews on Nitro, Triton and Ranger, but you see a lot of slightly used ones in the price range I am looking at. I've heard mostly bad things about these (especially Nitro and Triton) since the whole Johnny Morris buy out thing. Are Phoenix's and Skeeter's worth the extra money??

 

2. Is fiberglass the way to go? I haven't spent a ton of time in a fiberglass boat, but would something like an aluminum 19-20 foot Ranger, Lund, or Vexus not perform nearly as well as a fiberglass in those waters?

 

3. How many hours on a used motor is too many? I’ve seen some with 400+ hours that have no issues listed and also some with 100 hours but have had a powerhead replaced. Is that something to be concerned about?

 

Are there any other major factors that I am missing? Like I said, I’ll be a first time buyer so I am open to all thoughts and comments especially from the veterans. Thanks

I've got a '99 Triton TR21. Lot of work but love it. My dream boat would be a Vexus. Hybrid fiberglass and aluminum. Best of both worlds.

17 minutes ago, NYBassinNY said:

I am looking to buy my first bass boat within the next year or so. I have a good amount of experience boating from being on a family member/friend's boat but have never actually owned a boat bigger than 14'. I am looking in the neighborhood of $35k-$45k and just want to make sure I am not getting into something that is not going to be a nightmare mechanically/electrically. Ideally, I would want a 19'-20' ft boat with good electronics and at least a 200 hp motor. I am mostly going to be fishing in NY (Cayuga, St. Lawrence, Great Lakes, Oneida, etc).  I would like to fish some tournaments, but I do not need to be going out in massive winds and waves. A few things I am uncertain about are:

 

1. What brand boat? I have heard mixed reviews on Nitro, Triton and Ranger, but you see a lot of slightly used ones in the price range I am looking at. I've heard mostly bad things about these (especially Nitro and Triton) since the whole Johnny Morris buy out thing. Are Phoenix's and Skeeter's worth the extra money??

 

2. Is fiberglass the way to go? I haven't spent a ton of time in a fiberglass boat, but would something like an aluminum 19-20 foot Ranger, Lund, or Vexus not perform nearly as well as a fiberglass in those waters?

 

3. How many hours on a used motor is too many? I’ve seen some with 400+ hours that have no issues listed and also some with 100 hours but have had a powerhead replaced. Is that something to be concerned about?

 

Are there any other major factors that I am missing? Like I said, I’ll be a first time buyer so I am open to all thoughts and comments especially from the veterans. Thanks

I just went through this process recently myself as I switched from an old Tracker PT185 to a new Phoenix 920 Elite.

 

1. From all the things I've read, stay away from Nitro. I've heard tons of good things, but also tons of bad things, and to me it's not worth taking a 35-45k gamble. Tritons are still a step above nitro and are not a bad option if looking to stay on a budget. Phoenix and Skeeter are definitely my top 2 boat manufacturers, and I ended up going with Phoenix because of all the great reviews on their customer service and their boats. I also wasn't a huge fan of the 250 SHO as I've read stories about people blowing powerheads. Bass Cat also makes nice boats but I wasn't a fan of their layout.

 

2. Fiberglass is definitely the way to go if you are looking for speed and ride quality. Aluminum boats tend to ride rougher (lund may be an exception) and be much slower. The huge issue with my old tracker was that with any wind, it would act like a kite and sail across the lake. Fiberglass boats that are heavier and lower and tend to not have this issue. Lund makes a nice boat if you are set on aluminum, but my vote is for fiberglass.

 

3. Hours kind of depends, low hours is probably anything under 200 as most engines seem to go over 500+ hours nowadays. But a boat that has consistently been run and taken care of is better than one that has been sitting. Make sure you have to boat and engine water tested if possible to look for leaks, any nonworking pumps, and get a feel for how the engine runs. Some years. I think 2006 or 2008 Yamaha HPDIs were known to blow powerheads so watch out for that.

 

Last thing, take a look at Reynolds Boats in CT, they were awesome with me on the boat buying experience and were super professional and helpful

 

Good luck in your boat search

 

 

I've ran fiberglass all my life and bought a new triton aluminum rig in 2019. Love it. Not really much down side and lots of up side for me anyway.  Id have no problem owning another glass rig but after having this one dont know that I ever will. You can buy a nicely rigged aluminum boat for well within your price range. The tritons can be had with a 175. Vexus, crestliner and express all make nice rigs rated for a 200. If I were in the market for a new glass boat it would be a bass cat, triton or skeeter. Lots of good options out there just take your time and do your homework.  You're gonna get a ton of different opinions like anything else. Buy what "you" want!

Regardless of what you get, I personally wouldn't buy one with the rod locker in the middle. Getting into side hatches with rods on the deck looks like a huge pain.

18 minutes ago, Michigander said:

Regardless of what you get, I personally wouldn't buy one with the rod locker in the middle. Getting into side hatches with rods on the deck is a pain.

Interesting opinion

And one I do not share.

A-Jay

 

Just now, A-Jay said:

Interesting opinion

And one I do not share.

A-Jay

 

I'm glad it doesn't inconvenience you but I look at that and think "no thank you".

1 minute ago, Michigander said:

I'm glad it doesn't inconvenience you but I look at that and think "no thank you".

I hear ya ~

Didn't strokes for different folks.

A-Jay

Just now, A-Jay said:

I hear ya ~

Didn't strokes for different folks.

A-Jay

For sure. If nobody liked that they would have stopped making them that way. ?

 

If buying a used boat try to find one that is a original owner that takes good care of their boats and garaged like AJ!

Low engine ours is important, get a computer readout of hours at rpm will tell how the hours were run.

It doesn't cost too much to have boats shipped across the country so look everywhere.

Tom 

PS, the most knowledgeable person I know regarding bass boats willing to give unbiased advice is Gary Dobyns.

1 hour ago, Michigander said:

Regardless of what you get, I personally wouldn't buy one with the rod locker in the middle. Getting into side hatches with rods on the deck looks like a huge pain.

Not sure i get it. If side hatches are a pain to get into with rods on the deck. then why wouldn't you want the rods in the middle?

I personally like my center rod compartment. But like what was already said different strokes.

I'm a big Skeeter fan. All the boats your looking into are great boats as are all the ones our fellow members pointed out. Just take your time and make sure you test drive before you buy. As for Yamaha SHO's I've never had a issue with any of mine and I used to put a lot of hours on them in Florida with no problems. The only motor I personally would avoid is a Evinrude only because they stopped manufacturing them.

Good luck in you purchase and keep us posted.

18 minutes ago, GaryH said:

Not sure i get it. If side hatches are a pain to get into with rods on the deck. then why wouldn't you want the rods in the middle?

When your rod storage is in the center then your tackle storage is not. Thus, when your rods are out and ON the deck they're also on top of your tackle storage lids..  A minor hassle for me since a center rod box allows for longer rods, at least on my boat. YMMV  

24 minutes ago, GaryH said:

Not sure i get it. If side hatches are a pain to get into with rods on the deck. then why wouldn't you want the rods in the middle?

My rod locker is on the side, so I only have to open when taking rods out at the start and putting them away at the end. I would rather have unobstructed access to all my bait and tackle in the center hatches while I'm on the water.

6 minutes ago, Big Rick said:

When your rod storage is in the center then your tackle storage is not. Thus, when your rods are out and ON the deck they're also on top of your tackle storage lids..  A minor hassle for me since a center rod box allows for longer rods, at least on my boat. YMMV  

Yes, this is what I was talking about. Thankfully, my side locker can handle 8' rods. Might change my tune a bit if it didn't, lol.

I would be looking at Bass Cat, Skeeter, and Phoenix.  I have a Nitro Z20 which I got for almost $20,000 less than a comparably rigged Ranger.  I wouldn’t buy another Nitro.

My next boat will be a Phoenix. But I would recommend a 4 stroke outboard.

55 minutes ago, Big Rick said:

When your rod storage is in the center then your tackle storage is not. Thus, when your rods are out and ON the deck they're also on top of your tackle storage lids..  A minor hassle for me since a center rod box allows for longer rods, at least on my boat. YMMV  

 

48 minutes ago, Michigander said:

My rod locker is on the side, so I only have to open when taking rods out at the start and putting them away at the end. I would rather have unobstructed access to all my bait and tackle in the center hatches while I'm on the water.

Yes, this is what I was talking about. Thankfully, my side locker can handle 8' rods. Might change my tune a bit if it didn't, lol.

Just to get this correct.

 The Pro-V Bass rod locker accommodates at least 15 rigs up to and including the 8 ft rods.

I set up the majority of the Pro-V Bass tackle storage aft of the bench seating,

quite a distance from the rod locker, which seems like easy access to me.

A-Jay

17 hours ago, NYBassinNY said:

1. What brand boat? I have heard mixed reviews on Nitro, Triton and Ranger, but you see a lot of slightly used ones in the price range I am looking at. I've heard mostly bad things about these (especially Nitro and Triton) since the whole Johnny Morris buy out thing. Are Phoenix's and Skeeter's worth the extra money??

In your price range you'll be getting a relatively new/modern boat and as such, any of those brands will be solid boats.  There's a lot of flak out on the internet, but I know people that own all of the brands listed and all are happy.  The decision point really comes down to things like layout, storage, motor, and accessories.

 

17 hours ago, NYBassinNY said:

2. Is fiberglass the way to go? I haven't spent a ton of time in a fiberglass boat, but would something like an aluminum 19-20 foot Ranger, Lund, or Vexus not perform nearly as well as a fiberglass in those waters?

IMO, yes.  But plenty of people run AL rigs and are happy with them and would probably disagree with me.  The performance and fishability is maxed in a traditional glass bass boat.  

 

17 hours ago, NYBassinNY said:

3. How many hours on a used motor is too many? I’ve seen some with 400+ hours that have no issues listed and also some with 100 hours but have had a powerhead replaced. Is that something to be concerned about?

You'll probably be looking at boats that are 3 to 6 years old...The average 'avid' bass fisherman probably puts 30 to 60 hours per season on their rig just to give you a ballpark on what the hours average out to.  Of course the x-factor is how well the previous owner maintained it and it's rare to know that for sure unless you happen to know the seller personally.  I think if you can find something that averages in that 30-60 hour per year range or less you'll be looking good. 

 

Powerhead replacement many times is done under warranty and it's tough to know how to feel about it.  I know people that have had powerheads replaced and then never had another issue, but also have known people that have the complete opposite experience.  Wish I had better advice, sorry it's a gut call I guess.  

 

Good luck with the search, hope you find great one!

2 hours ago, Michigander said:

My rod locker is on the side, so I only have to open when taking rods out at the start and putting them away at the end. I would rather have unobstructed access to all my bait and tackle in the center hatches while I'm on the water.

Yes, this is what I was talking about. Thankfully, my side locker can handle 8' rods. Might change my tune a bit if it didn't, lol.

Duh... Thanks for solving my brain fart

12 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I set up the majority of the Pro-V Bass tackle storage aft of the bench seating,

quite a distance from the rod locker, which seems like easy access to me.

And therein lies the difference between a Pro-V and a lot of other aluminum bass boats. My boat has NO storage behind the bench seat. I have a large live well, gas tank and battery compartment. Not the best setup, but the price was at the point I wanted to pay for the other features that I deemed more important. Again, rods on deck are a MINOR hassle that I give no thought to. 

 

I fish very shallow lakes and am afraid a Pro-V would draft too deep. However, I am very interested in a Renegade for my next boat. Seems to be a well thought out rig. 

 

OP, sorry to hijack your thread. And to that note, I've fished glass boats and they have a lot of benefits and detriments. I wish you the best on your choice. 

I've got a Lund for sale. 

https://www.skipperbuds.com/inv/2013-Lund-2010-PREDATOR-SkipperBuds-Volo-B19249/

A few years ago, I was seriously shopping for used bass boats. Life happened, my bass boat fund disappeared and I'm not getting any younger so I ended up getting kayaks for myself and the kids instead.

What I did learn was that the first option should be to look at the newest and best maintained boat that you can afford. Just like buying a used car when you have a long commute to and from work, you don't want to get it on the water and get left stranded and have pricey repairs.

 

As far as fiberglass vs aluminum, I decided that an aluminum boat would be better suited for my needs as I fish in a lot of smaller lakes, but if a suitable fiberglass boat popped up, that wouldn't be a deal breaker to me either. One catch with aluminum boats for me is that many of the older aluminum boats did not have a very good deck layout and the rod lockers would often not accommodate often even a 7' rod, and I found many more fiberglass boats for sale, which are often a bit more expensive. Being a couple of years later, you should have better luck finding something like a Ranger RT188 or Lund Renegade 1875 or even a Lund Pro-V Bass (basically my dream boat) used, which I personally consider to be boats with nice layouts and decent storage.

 

The final thing I can mention is what I just touched upon which is the layout of the boat. You have to be happy with the boat's layout and storage and the rod locker absolutely must hold the proper lengths of rods that you use. For me, at least7'6" would be passable due to some longer rods that I own, but 8' would be ideal. There was a number of boats that were in great shape, the price was right, but the storage and/or layouts just did not work for me. I mean if you can't go stand on the deck, put down a couple of rods and find yourself comfortable, then what's the point.

 

And I would probably avoid an Evinrude motor as well. Since they no longer make them, finding parts could be difficult. And I gather there was a whole slew of potential issues at the end as well.

 

Hope something here was of use.

On 12/16/2020 at 3:45 PM, NYBasser said:

 

Last thing, take a look at Reynolds Boats in CT, they were awesome with me on the boat buying experience and were super professional and helpful

 

I second that. They've got some nice Phoenix and Vexus boats over there. Great guys.

Not sure how I missed this one.

 

I think most of us would like to have a big 21 foot fiberglass bass boat that hauls across the lake. But reality just doesn’t entertain that. So some of us opt for smaller, aluminum models. It may be because we fish smaller waters, have smaller trucks, or smaller garages. Or our budgets aren’t as high.

 

I’m satisfied with my 2015 Ranger RT178 but had Lund introduced their Renegade series a year earlier, I would have considered it.

 

The rod locker on my boat is off to the side. I would much prefer a big center one.

On 12/16/2020 at 4:42 PM, Shimano_1 said:

I've ran fiberglass all my life and bought a new triton aluminum rig in 2019. Love it. Not really much down side and lots of up side for me anyway.  Id have no problem owning another glass rig but after having this one dont know that I ever will. You can buy a nicely rigged aluminum boat for well within your price range. The tritons can be had with a 175. Vexus, crestliner and express all make nice rigs rated for a 200. If I were in the market for a new glass boat it would be a bass cat, triton or skeeter. Lots of good options out there just take your time and do your homework.  You're gonna get a ton of different opinions like anything else. Buy what "you" want!

Just curious, what kind of water do you fish and how do you think the triton handles rough water? I don’t plan on being in any crazy dangerous water, but will be on the Great Lakes

Being on the big water I would opt for a glass boat.