NEW BOAT question?

[AirbusAngler]

So after many many years of wanting a real bass boat, and being stranded on the bank, or fishing kayak tournaments (really fun) the time has come where I will finally fufill my dream of taking a new boat off the showroom floor. This is however my first ever bass boat so I didn't want to go ALL out..(just yet). After much research and what I decided will fit me the best I've decided on the 2018 proteam 175txw bass tracker.

 

I have 1 question right off the bat, when purchasing I decided to upgrade the trolling motor immediately from the edge 45b thrust to a Fortrex 80lb thrust. (I fish in the wind frequently especially on my home lake Lewisville which can be known to get pretty windy.) My boat is powered by a 60 HP merc. I am asking to see if anyone around here as has a similar setup because I want to know if the fortrex trolling motor will impact the boats ability to plane. Some have said hat the 60hp merc may slightly underpower the boat, some say its great for its intended use, being my first ever bass boat I decided slower may be safer for the first couple years while I learn boat control and handling. Besides I spend most of my life near mach 1 in my day job.

 

From what I could gather the edge 45 is around 40lbs and the Fortrex is around 60lbs (if you have better information on this please let me know, these numbers were surprisingly hard to find and only mentioned briefly) 

 

Thats an added 20lbs right on the bow. Could this impact my boats performance significantly? I usually just fish solo or with only 1 other person in the boat. 

 

Thank you for information!

[iabass8]

No, the fortrex won't effect your ability to plane out. You will be adding an additional battery for the 24v Fortrex so there will be a little more weight in the back as well but it won't be noticeable. You're going to top out at around 36-37MPH /w a 60 on the back. You are under powering the boat. Generally, you should always get the max HP allowed for a hull for the best performance. In your case a 75 I think is max for it. You'll appreciate it if you fish larger waters. If you fish a lot of smaller bodies of water, then you won't notice it much and a 60 will suit you fine. 

[A-Jay]

Congrats on your pending purchase there Mr. Mach 1 ~ 

 

That vessel is rated at I believe 75 HP - so the difference between the 60 vs 75 HP is not that much.  Realistically 3 or maybe 4 mph on the top end.  However the 75 may make getting up on plane a little easier & faster, depending on your load at any given time.  

 

While I do not have much (any) experience in that particular vessel, I'll ask you if you know of any serious bassheads who thought that their trolling motor or even their outboard motor had too much power ?  

 

Me neither.

A-Jay

[Crappiebasser]

I don't think the 60 hp would be a problem. I would go with a Ulterra or Terrarova over the Fortrex though. The spot lock will make life much easier on a tin boat in the wind.

[AirbusAngler]

Awesome thanks for the info, good mention on the extra battery I forgot about that added weight in the rear as well. @A-Jay you are right, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that they had too much power , congratulations, ill be looking at motor upgrades a lot sooner than I expected now I guess lol.

 

As for the Fortrex, I know there are some "better" options but I had a really good cut rate deal on the fortrex at time of purchase so I couldn't pass it up. It was around 35-40% off normal retail for the fortrex if i recall. 

 

Really appreciate the information guys! Its been a long time coming to get a real Bass boat. 

[Way2slow]

Too much power!  Ain't that like having too much money or a car too fast.  If you have it, don't mean you have to use it all the time, but it sure sucks when you need it and don't have it. 

The miss conception most people have with boats and motors is horse power is for going faster.  That's actually completely the wrong way of looking at it.  In stock motors, more HP usually means more torque or better yet, more CC's/CI's.  That boat has got to get on plane before it can go fast and since boats don't have transmission, getting enough torque developed to hop out of the water is a lot harder than pushing the boat down the lake once it's up and going.   It takes torque to get you going, and HP to go faster.  Boat might run 100 mph but if it struggles for five minutes or have to have a passenger step to the front of the boat to get on plane, it still totally sucks having to drive it.

Your max out the hull for it's rated HP for the power to get up and go, not just because it will go faster.  Actually in the 55 years I've owned boats, I've never owned one that I did not over power and that's from my canoe to a 20' bass boat. Shoot, I once had a 15' ProCraft rated for an 85 with a 225 Merc on it.  I Need a motor, already had that one so why not.

I would take a 17' boat with a 150 on it any day of the week over the same boat with a 50, (provided it ain't against the law where I needed to use it).

 

Same thing with props.  That's the only thing that motor uses to transfer it's power to the water yet 95% of boat owners give very little consideration to that fact and put the cheapest, crappiest thing they can get on the motor.  Then run over rocks, limps, stumps and everything else, and beat the heck out of it and start asking what's wrong with their motor when it will barely move the boat.

[slonezp]

The 75hp is the same block as the 60 and the upgrade cost should be minimal. Good thinking upgrading the trolling motor since you will be running that 90% of your day. Don't skimp on the batteries to run that bad boy.

[12poundbass]

$1600 is the difference between the 60 and the 75hp. 

[moguy1973]

I can tell you that with my 2008 Tracker 175 TXW with 60hp Merc, after I upgraded to a 24v TM, with a full live well, a full tank of gas, and a passenger with all his fishing equipment it takes a good bit before it planes out.  Once it gets on plane I can still run about 36mph on the GPS which is the same as when the tank is half full, the livewell is empty, and I"m by myself.  Probably takes a good 100' or more to get up on plane.  I usually don't run with a full tank of gas though or a full livewell.

[PAbasser927]

We run a 17.5 ft glass boat with a '93 60hp Evinrude and an 80lb thrust Terrova.  We have a hydrofoil on the outboard but we haven't had a problem planing out even with the max capacity of passengers (5).  That is ALOT of weight between the boat, batteries, passengers, and gear... and I have to imagine the outboard has probably lost a step or two over the years.  It is certainly not a speed boat but we run mostly electric only lakes.  The outboard runs comfortably at about 22-25mph and can peak 30mph when pushed with only two people.  

[WRB]

There is a 'fishing windy days" boat control thread just below this and the angler has the same boat. My suggestion is read it!

Tom

[gim]

I second maxing out the outboard to a 75.  The fortrex will be more than enough power/thrust for that model.  Good decision