What Size Boat Should I Get

[BassCats]

So I have owned 2 16ft bass boats and a 21ft bass boat in my life. I fished more often out of the 16ft because the ease of use. I hated launching and operating the 21ft by myself. 

 

But I am now looking at buying a boat again.

 

I am stuck between the Pro-Guide V175 and the Targa 18.

 

does the 1.5ft of difference make that much difference on ride stability and operation? 

 

Any advice or thoughts welcome as long as you are not bashing the tracker brand.

 

Thank you

[slonezp]

There's a lot more than just a foot and a half difference. Break down the specs and decide if you will need the additional benefits for your type of fishing. Are you planning on maxing out the HP? The Merc 150 4 stroke is supposed to be a heck of a motor you can put on the Targa. The Targa has a wider beam which means more interior room and holds double the fuel. A wider bottom means a smoother ride. Have you looked at them in person? Crawled around in them? Do you need the extra "boat"? Only you can decide.

[nosdog2]

I have the pro-guide V175 Combo with the 90 Optimax on it.   I am still breaking the motor in and so far it has hit 38 mph loaded.   I looked at the Targa and it was very similar to the V175, enough so that I couldn't justify spending the extra money for what I wanted it for.  I fish regularly out of it and have had three adults and two kids fishing on it, and it gets a little crowded but we make it work.  It has been a great compromise for me as a family boat/fishing boat for me.

 

As far as the ride comparison I can't really tell you that, however we take it almost weekly out in the Chesapeake Bay and it performs quite well, and on the other side, I have had it up the Susquehanna and down on the creeks off the Potomac in 1' of water fishing.   

 

If you have have a chance to visit a bass pro I would try and walk around them both and see if the extra money for the Targa is worth it for you.

[Further North]

Boat size is less important than figuring out if the boat is set up well for how you fish...or the other things you might want to do with your boat.

 

Is there room for your rods and tackle?  Your other "stuff"?  can the number of people you anticipate fishing with fish and manage their "stuff" without getting in each others way?

 

Do you like a tiller for the massive amount of deck space, a full windshield for rid comfort when running, or a single/double console because the windshield gets in the way?

 

Do you need two live wells...or one?  Or none?

 

For me, fishing is king - I want my tackle off the deck and out of the way, I want large front and rear casting decks, and I'll sacrifice the cozy ride of a full windshield for less restrictions on my fishing space.  I want room for 5-6 rods on deck, I want a motor that goes at a decent pace but doesn't break the bank on fuel costs...I want a trolling motor that can handle an eighteen and a half foot boat in river current all day without running out of juice or becoming a slave to the current.  I also don't want to be fiddling with that trolling motor all day, I want to set my route and fish...not worry about boat control.  I want electronics that give me info about the structure below...but that don't get in my way while I'm fishing...

 

I'm on my 6th boat...and I have all of that now...I wish I'd taken the time to think about it all before I started...but I did need to try different things to learn what I liked.

[J Francho]

I have an 18' and a 22' bass boat. I'm not sure if either is "more work" than the other. In fact, I'd say the bigger boat is easier to drive on the trailer. Get the boat you like, can't say length has anything to do with ease of launching or retrieving. Yes, I launch both alone.

[gardnerjigman]

I would prefer the bigger boat. As said above, it's not just a foot and a half

[RoLo]

I’m not familiar with the boats you mentioned, but the shorter of the two could easily outperform a boat 1.5 ft longer.

In addition to length, the ride depends on many things like hull configuration, deadrise, beam, overall weight and so on.

 

Aside from length, a wider beam gives you more deck space (usually), better tracking and more stability at rest.

A boat with poor wave-cutting at the bow or very little deadrise at the transom is more prone to slapping & pounding.

On the other hand, if most of your waters are shallow you may not want too much draft.

Selecting a new hull is always tightrope act, because you often have to rob Peter to pay Paul.

It's a choice that really boils down to the things that matter most to you (now on my 14th boat).

 

Roger

[wnspain]

IMHO...If you've owned the 3 boats listed you should have likes and dislikes about each, size notwithstanding. Nobody can provide an informed answer for you because there are too many undefined variables. Only you know what your likes and dislikes are, and where things fall in your list of priorities. 

[Further North]

Something I should have added - I've owned three 18 ft.-ish boats, fished out of several more...they were as different as could be within that size constraint.  Storage, how they ran on the water...

 

The first thing to do is figure out how you want to fish, then ID the stuff that'll drive you nuts...then go with the one that meets the first and has the fewest of the second...

[Redlinerobert]

I've had 2 bass boats.  one a 20', the 2nd a 22'.  I'd be hard pressed to buy another bass boat smaller than 22'.  Safety, comfort, and storage are all maximized in the larger boat.