Deployed Soldier Need Help For First Bass Boat

[Batman1635474]

Hey everyone good to be a part of the community here. I'm currently in Afghanistan and will be returning home shortly, and I will be getting my first bass boat for a present to myself. I have been doing as much research as possible but still seem to be getting nowhere. I'll lay out what I think I need and the type of fishing I will be doing and please chime in with your experience and advice.

 

I will mostly be fishing on weekends and would like to start getting into tournaments. I am stationed in upstate NY so I will be fishing on lakes as big as lake ontario, oneida , and also the st.lawrence river. I would like to keep my budget at 20k but if a great deal/boat is another 1 or 2 over I would consider it.

 

From what I hear I don't want anything less than a 19 footer for those type of waters and 150 hp at minimum. I like the Nitro boats but have heard some negative feedback on customer service. Also have been looking at Skeeter and Ranger. Any advice will help tremendously since this is my first boat so please go ahead and enlighten me.

[Batman1635474]

Here are the bookmarks I have compiled so far I know it's a lot but just an idea of what I have came up with so far if you want to check out one or two. These boats are not in any sort of order.

 

http://fingerlakes.craigslist.org/bod/4495775643.html

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2011-Nitro-Z-7-618146

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2010-Triton-17-Explorer-364576

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2000-Bass-Cat-Boats-Cougar-102280549

http://www.anglerschoicemarine.com/boats.html?task=detail&id=1208

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2009-Nitro-Z-7-102005232#contact_form

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2011-Nitro-Z7-616106

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2012-Nitro-Z-7-102282971

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2009-Bass-Cat-Boats-Sabre-18-Bass-Boat-102283287

http://nashville.craigslist.org/boa/4492935696.html

http://nashville.craigslist.org/bod/4505345905.html

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/boa/4438016547.html

http://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/bod/4434926511.html

http://rochester.craigslist.org/boa/4493105005.html

http://albany.craigslist.org/boa/4420362926.html

[JayKumar]

Hey tx much for serving and stay safe over there.  Do you want glass or tin?

[Bomber7]

Thanks for your service - stay safe and safe return home - I can't help you on the boat as I only have a little 8' pond boat but I saw the title and wanted to say thank you. 

[Pz3]

Smoky how long have you been in? If you are an E4 or below and this is your first time coming home. Dont spend all your cash on a new boat right away.

Definitly find a nice preowned and use the savings to get the equipment you want for the boat (depth/fish finders, anchors, marker bouyes etc...).

Here in florida especially a lot of older folks are going into nursing homes and sell their amazing nitros/trackers/rangers really cheap. A road trip to another state might be well worth it.

[Batman1635474]

Thanks for the replies everyone. PZ3 I've been in for 6 years i'm an E-5 and coming back from my 2nd deployment. I'm looking to put around 10k down and finance the other 10k which will be easy payments for me. I'm looking for glass because I want to be happy with my boat and think buying used would be the best option as I'll get more boat for less money and it will hold it's value better then a brand new boat driving off the lot. Any opinions on which companies to mainly look at and or boats that will be in that price range , i'd like to have a 2011 or newer if it can fit the budget.

[GADawgs]

I can't give any advice on the boat but thank you for your service. Get back home safely and God Bless!

[Batman1635474]

Thank you GA , If anyone can throw in any advice it'd be much appreciated I would like to have something lined up for when I get back so any info. will help. I was wondering if I should wait until the winter if the prices for the boats will drop since it's not season. I don't want to wait but if you think it will save me a good amount of money I think I can do that.

[starcraft1]

I looked at most of your picks, stay away from 2000 Evinrudes (bad lower units). Scrach the 17'ers, not enough boat for the waters your planing to fish. Nitro has come a long way sinse the turn of the centry, not a bad boat now and both Skeet & Jimmy Reese drive them. My choice would be either the Skeeter or Ranger. Both give a great ride in rough water, Skeeter is a bit faster hull and has no wood in it. Thats a big thing when it comes to replacing the transom. Lots of $$$ in that repair. As far as motors go either Merc. or the Yammie are your best bet. Yamaha's run on less cycns. when at idle (a fule saver idea). The Bass cat is a great hull, but that boat is worth a lot more than there asking. I'd steer clear of that one, sounds like a set-up (scam) to rob you. Yes it does happen! A word of advice, when you decide on which boat(s) you want to look at, DON'T TAKE CASH WITH YOU!!! If the party your dealing with won't take either a bank note or chasier's check, walk away from the sale. Also take the boat to the water and run it. A used boat comes with a "as is" gurantee. Good luck with your purchase and get your tail out of the sand!

[Batman1635474]

Thanks Starcraft awesome information there, I put up a new thread on the boat I'm am pretty much sold on. Since I'm new to the boating scene I don't necessarily know a scam or a good deal when I see one so I steered towards buying new against some others advice. I like the idea of buying new so I don't inherit someone else's headache and end up spending as much as I could have for a brand new boat. Also like the fact that I will be getting warranty and will most likely keep the boat for a while. I was looking at aluminum until I came across the Triton 186 VLO which is new to 2014 , the 115 horses should be plenty enough for me especially being my first boat and it's a 19 footer which will be safe for the waters I am looking to fish. Not to mention the boat looks great which is kind of on my priority list. Planning on putting about 10 down and financing the other 12 which will be very much affordable for me . Hopefully you guys agree with my new decision b.c I can almost see myself out there now!

[starcraft1]

Smoky, Triton a good & stable boat with good resale vaule. Now for the but, a 115 on a 18 1/2' boat is way under powered. A 150 or 175h.p. should be on the back of it. Remender just because you have the horse power doesn't mean you have to use it all, but it sure is nice when you need it. I.E. - my boat has a 200 h.p. punched out to around 230 h.p. on rebuild. New she'd run 65 to 68 mph on "perfect water" slight chop, no one else on the pond (Lake Oroville, CA.) Now in the low to mid 70's. I very rarely have her over 50 m.p.h. and run her at 40 to 45 most of the time. This not only saves fule but is also easy on the outboard. A 115 is way under powering that hull and will work that motor to death in no time. For a two stroke to work properly you want to keep it (the majority of the time) in the 3000 to 4000 rpm range. in my case it's the 45 to 50 mph range. Another problem you'll have is the "hole shot". Bass boats are designed to get up on "pad" as fast as possible using good old fashion horse power to get there.25'  to 30' of distance is all a boat should need to do that The 115 on that hull won't do that. Keep in mind that boat you test drive won't have all your gear in it (add another 100 to 150 lbs.) Also make sure the fule tank(s) are full when you test drive and find some choppy water to see how the boat handles rougher water with that motor. You'll also find you'll have a much harder time re-selling the rig with it being under powered.  Wait untill you get to your next duty station, find a good bait shop and tell them what you've been telling us. I'm sure there's a few old (like me) vets hanging around there that will steer you in the right direction.

 I still think you should look into slightly used boats. A lot of times you'll find someone who had the idea of bass fishing and then found out how hard it is and how much $$$ they are going to have to spend to get into the sport. I see boats for sale all the time with under 50 hrs. on them 2010 and newer that are like new. 

The key to buying a used boat is simple, check the hrs. on the motor. For this have a dealer or marine shop hook the motor up to the mach. The computers that are on todays motors will tell you how many hrs. the motor has run and at what rpms. Check the hull bottom (beach rash) and top cap (dock rash) Make sure the transom is strong (no wood if possible), stress cracks in hull or top cap. guages work (don't worry about the speed-o-meter, they all go out first) and, in my experance, stay away from the 2004 to 2008 yrs. They all had their own problems during that time.

  If your "stuck" on buying new, check into BPS's Nitro - Z-7 or Z-8. One of the guys out here just bought a Z-7 - 19' dual consel from them for $22,000 with a 200 h.p Merc pro XS, 80 thrush Minnie, and only had to upgrade the electronics (they all come with lower end stuff) Nitro has come a long way in the quality of their hulls. Most stores have a full mech. shop right there with certified mechs. and their service has been great in Manteca, Ca. Look into where Bass pro shops are located near your next base. You also might want to look into a militay discount. I believe they have one? check frist, could save you a bunch of $$$$

Again, good luck in your boat hunting, but stay away from the 115 h.p unless it's on the back of a 19' alum.

Bruce

P.S. - Your going to find you'll be treated a lot better than we did some 40 yrs. ago when I got back from nam. Good luck!

[Batman1635474]

I wanted to get a 150 but that's the 189 VLO which is 5k more and was hoping 115 would be sufficient enough for just starting out. I was looking at the z7's I have heard some horror stories with there customer service and the bottom coating just coming off leaving customers screwed over by Nitro, again though I have heard they are really nice boats but was unsure with there customer service. I wouldn't have looked any further if I had 28k to throw down on a boat but even 22k is pushing it. I read up the reviews on it and they have a video explaining the get up speeds on this  link 

. I would love to find a z7 for 22k especially with a 200 hp merc ...that's a hell of a deal. This price with the 115 i am looking at is with no good electronics only a stock lowrance 4x at the console. Heres another link to check out the review http://www.boatingmag.com/boats/stratos-186-vlo  

P.S.- Just want to say thank you for your prior service and for all you guys put up with IDK how I would have felt if I came back from last deployment to that sort of treatment. Really gets under my skin that people have the nerve ...anyways thanks for everything.

 

[Big Fish Rice]

First, thanks for your service. From one vet to another, it's important for you to come home and find that one thing that makes you happy! Fishing isn't a bad choice at all

For the VLO and the 115hp - just don't do it. That boats needs a 150 no matter which way you look at it. For performance and resale value, you'll be stuck with something that won't make you happy in the long run. Can't urge you enough to steer away from this package...

Secondly, you'll want a 19' or 20' boat. I would recommend a 200hp or more, especially for tournaments. I'm not saying a 150 won't allow you to be competitive, but I've been in boats where the guys with the 150s just can't take getting beat over and over and over. If it were smaller bodies of water, I would say go for it because it's easier on the pocket and more fuel efficient. But....you're on big water. For me it would be a 19' with a 200hp MINIMUM.

Third, let the boat dealer work for you. If you're looking at a new boat, yes...it can be great with a warranty, etc. With a budget of 20k, you would be surprised at what you can find in your price range...with many of the features and accessories already installed on the boat. Many pro-staff trade their boats in yearly, or every two or three years. The most important thing is getting the boat inspected. Then, looking at the mechanical history of the motor. If the boat and motor check out - you just saved a TON of worry and heartache.

By the way, find a boat inspector and pay that guy a couple hundred dollars to do an unbiased inspection when you find a boat you're serious about buying. Don't take the dealers word...or a previous owner's word. A real inspector knows what to look for and will save you thousands....just by spending a couple hundred bucks.

Any other questions, fire away! I've been in almost every model except for the BassCat Eyra and Legend V-20. Many of the rides are unique (rough water versus handling, etc) but all brands are building good boats.

Lastly - shop around. You can buy local, or you can reach out to larger dealers across the country. You never know what kind of deal you're getting until you get multiple quotes.

[Batman1635474]

Thanks Dan I appreciate it and I think you guys have convinced me to shop around a little more. I think when I get back I will call a dealer near me and let them know what I'm looking for and my price range. I found a z7 right by me that is being sold by a private seller for 20k so I will prob. look into that if it's still available when I get back. Also I think I might suck it up and wait until Jan. to buy therefore it will make the 2014's drop a bit I'm assuming and also I hear better deals during the winter plus I will not need to store the boat this winter saving some cash there. Thanks for the advice I'll keep looking..... 19 footer with 150-200hp...what years should i look at and also how many hours per year ? Don't want to buy into a boat thats just at the point where it starts failing on me.

[Batman1635474]

It looks like the 189 vlo with a few years on it might be a good option since it has 150 hp and also the z7 so I'll be mainly looking at those . Just want to know what the oldest models I should be looking at.

[Batman1635474]

By the way the 186 and the 189 vlo is stratos not triton i think i put it up wrong on my earlier post.

[Big Fish Rice]

Both are solid boats. For years, you can only go back a few for the VLO sicne it's a newer model. For Z7s, you can look at older years depending on if you are finding something that you want in your price range. Champagne taste on a beer budget won't get you far. I've seen an average of 50-100 hours on a motor per year, so obviously you would want to try and get the boat/motor with less hours. If it's taken care of properly, they can run 10-15 years. It's a case by case scenario.

If you dig deep on the internet about Tracker Marine Group (Nitro) and Platinum Equity (Owns Stratos, Ranger, etc) you're bound to find negative feedback, positive feedback and everything inbetween. Here's what your purchase will come down to:

1. Your budget (don't forget insurance, tax, title, etc)
2. The dealer you choose to work with
3. The post-purchase support from your dealer (Service, defects, issues, electronics rigging, etc)

Both boats rigged with 150s will allow you to enjoy the sport, yet be competitive if that's what you choose to do. Look at the storage, layouts and ALWAYS take each boat out for a test ride. You wouldn't buy a car without researching and driving it, so this is no different.

The 2014 189 VLO specs look like:
93" beam
1500 lbs (single console)
33 gallon tank (important)

70-pound 24Volt Trolling System
7'6" longest rod length
Road armor trailer
Surge brakes

Estimated top speed: 63mph (Evinrude 150 H.O. performance test from 2011)

The 2014 Nitro Z7 specs look like:
94" beam
1650 lbs
41 gallon tank (important)

70-pound 24Volt Trolling System
7'6" longest rod length
Powdercoated trailer
No mention of surge brakes or not
Estimated top speed: 61-63mph (Mercury Pro XS 150)

As you can see, many similarities. When you get back, introduce yourself to a dealer or two and ask for test drives. Once you decide on the boat, and only then If you have financing lined up, they may want to try and beat your APR with their lender(s). I'd recommend letting them see if they can be competitive. Lower APR = less money you're borrowing over the life of the loan. I won't give financial advise beyond that because I'm not a professional - but getting a better deal is only going to help you.

Other than that - sounds like you've got an exciting time ahead of you. Get back safe man. Let us know if we can help you out any more too!

[Batman1635474]

Thanks a lot Dan, I plan to speak with a few dealers and obviously looking at the lowest APR possible. I do know that the nitro's have a 2.99 % APR with 5k down which is very do-able for me but will be looking into stratos financing offers as well as USAA just depends on who has the better deal. I think I will find the z7 for a lot less then the 189 but I will keep an eye out, a lot of people seem open to the idea of price negotiation since I will be willing to drive down check it out and tow it back up but only if the price is right. You all have been a tremendous help with my search so I really do appreciate all the good advice. 

[Big Fish Rice]

Absolutely! Glad to help. Definitely check with USAA. I've used them for vehicles (and my house) and they've been nothing short of spectacular.

Then, when you find the boat you're willing to give a thumbs up, let the dealer see if they can beat USAA's APR with their lenders.

Or, if you buy private, shop USAA and another lender to see who comes to the table with the best deal. You could research boat loans here too. Lots of great info on BassResource about this topic!

 

[Batman1635474]

This forum has absolutely everything it's almost unreal how much there is to it all. Would you consider buying in January a good time since it's not boat season and also a new year, I think buying a little used with electronics already installed and waiting until Jan. would give me the best bang for my buck.

[Big Fish Rice]

This forum has absolutely everything it's almost unreal how much there is to it all. Would you consider buying in January a good time since it's not boat season and also a new year, I think buying a little used with electronics already installed and waiting until Jan. would give me the best bang for my buck.

Buying in the Winter is great....for price negotiations. But it's bad for test drives. If you're in a warmer climate, then yes...December and January can be great. For new purchases, "boat shows" are the way to go since they often have newly released incentives, or financing specials (from the dealer who is actually selling boats at the boat shows).

For used boats, you'll often get bare bones pricing from people because they generally want to sell before March or April. They might need the money...the room because the wife is complaining, or heck, they might want to upgrade to a different boat but can't until they sell the old one first.

So yes...I think your plan is solid! Start looking now to get a feel of used boat pricing....it can take months to find something you're willing to buy.

[Batman1635474]

Yeah I'm starting to realize how long this is going to take but at least it gives me something to look forward to and it's becoming somewhat of a hobby trying to find the best deal I can. Starting to figure out what to look for and I def. know what I want, I've been out on a Z7 before and It was awesome even out on st.lawrence river so I think I will be zeroing in on those. Thanks again for everything though I really do appreciate all the great advice you guys took the time to write up.