CDeSignor Posted March 3, 2016 Posted March 3, 2016 Whats up guys…. First post on this forum and looking for a little help/opinions. Im about to pull the trigger on a new Tracker 175 TXW and having a difficult time deciding between getting the regular carpet or upgrading to the vinyl flooring. Now I'm coming from a 12' Jon boat with carpet so I dont have any experience fishing out of a vinyl floor boat. I've read some reviews and have heard people say they like the vinyl because of how easy is cleans up, but that it tends to get pretty hot during the summer months. Also, from standing on the vinyl it just seems that it is pretty hard on the feet: standing on a solid surface, kneeling on a hard surface, etc. To me it seems the carpet has more give and cushion as far as standing for long periods of time or kneeling on it. If anyone has any reviews or opinions I would love to hear. Thanks! Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted March 3, 2016 Super User Posted March 3, 2016 Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource~ I can't offer any opionion on the carpet vinyl delema - just yet. I'm about to change my platform as well. I'm going carpet (really my only choice) so I guess I'll find out what's what. Don't reside or fish in super hot weather so don't expect that to be a factor. Good Luck A-Jay Quote
BassCats Posted March 3, 2016 Posted March 3, 2016 The vinyl doesn't seem to last as long in the heat of the deep south and stains easily. But Clean up is a lot faster with it. Carpet doesn't get as hot in summer and is softer on your feet. personal decision. Quote
Super User ww2farmer Posted March 3, 2016 Super User Posted March 3, 2016 I can tell you 100% that If I ever buy a new boat, or re-do mine............there will be ZERO carpet in it. I fish in a lot of bad/wet weather, and track a lot of mud an crud in and out of the boat. I will have aluminum decks/floor on my next one, with removable vinyl covered foam rubber dairy cow mattress pads for padding/sound muffling in the "foot traffic" areas. I am either going to eventually "gut" my boat (Tracker PT170) and turn it into a foul weather boat, or sell it someday and build what I want out of a new/similar hull like a Tracker grizzly 1754MVX, etc.... Quote
AQUA VELVA Posted March 3, 2016 Posted March 3, 2016 I like the grey, snag free carpet that came in my TV-17 and wouldn't change it. It just seems more comfortable to sit or stand on. I don't have any experience with vinyl flooring but the majority of my fishing is in fair weather with an occasional shower and my carpeting cleans up easily and dries pretty fast. Quote
Super User slonezp Posted March 4, 2016 Super User Posted March 4, 2016 What I've heard/read. If water get's underneath the vinyl and the floor is wood, which it is on the Tracker, it doesn't evaporate and will cause the floor to prematurely rot. Quote
Super User gim Posted March 4, 2016 Super User Posted March 4, 2016 I recently purchased a Ranger RT178 and they upgraded to the non-skid vinyl at no charge. I initially was going to go with marine carpet because that is what I have been used to for so many years. My folks got a big deep v Warrior 2090 (tournament walleye rig) with the vinyl and it is so much easier to clean than carpet. You can literally hose it down from front to back as the water drains. If you like fishing barefoot, then carpet is probably the way to go. If you have a dog in the boat a lot (like me) and the dog sheds hair (yellow lab), then vinyl is the better route because dog hair sticks to carpet. A lot of it is personal preference. 1 Quote
Super User Way2slow Posted March 4, 2016 Super User Posted March 4, 2016 Anyone fishing barefoot in a bass boat is a hellava lot neater person than I am. Ain't no way I would go walking around in my boat barefooted when fishing. 2 Quote
Snakehead Whisperer Posted March 4, 2016 Posted March 4, 2016 My friend got a 195tx (2013 model, I believe) and chose the vinyl flooring option. It started peeling like crazy withing the first year, and he ended up upgrading to a newer boat rather than deal with the warranty repairs. Mostly because the newer ones are rated for a 150hp, and his was 115; but that's a different story. What I had heard was that the vinyl flooring had been tested on the Sun Tracker pontoons, but not on the bass line. I'm not sure if there is any merit to this, or whether they've worked these issues out for the new models. I have fished off of his old boat, and the vinyl flooring was pretty easy on my feet. It also gave good traction/grip. Quote
Al Wolbach Posted March 4, 2016 Posted March 4, 2016 10 hours ago, Way2slow said: Anyone fishing barefoot in a bass boat is a hellava lot neater person than I am. Ain't no way I would go walking around in my boat barefooted when fishing. Sooner or later a hook is going to find a new home....... Quote
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