Bout to buy used bass tracker 175txw

[bwcaw]

I am purchasing a mint bass 2014 tracker 175 txw next week! My first real boat to tourney fish. Has a merc 60hp 4-stroke and a 24v 70lb minnkota. Good boat for bass tourney? Any tips to get max speed? Any modification or customizing ideas to make more tournament friendly? 

 

thanks! I’m super excited!

[fishnkamp]

Take your time and decide what electronics will help you find fish more easily. Everyone has their favorite brand. What I have learned over the years is to save enough to get the largest graph you can.  I have had plenty of 5 inch ones, and now I have a 7 inch at my console. I will never go less than 9 inch in the future.  If you go with side and down imaging the resolution (what you can actually identify) is much better.  Also a 2 bank 10 amp on board battery charger is a big help. When you come home from the water just plug them in and they will be ready for another day on the water. No fusing with dragging out a charger, no messing with wires except an electrical extension cord. 

Since this is your first "real boat" take your time getting used to how it tows, and how it feels backing up at the ramp.

It may be helpful to go to an empty parking lot. You can set up empty trash cans or flags etc to emulate the ramp area.  If your local ramps are open, then just go there.  Soon you will build your confidence and get ready for your next fishing season. Congrats on the boat. There are tons of videos on youtube covering getting your boat ready and launching or recovering your boat

[Catt]

Meet ya at the launch at daylight! ?

[bwcaw]

4 hours ago, fishnkamp said:

Take your time and decide what electronics will help you find fish more easily. Everyone has their favorite brand. What I have learned over the years is to save enough to get the largest graph you can.  I have had plenty of 5 inch ones, and now I have a 7 inch at my console. I will never go less than 9 inch in the future.  If you go with side and down imaging the resolution (what you can actually identify) is much better.  Also a 2 bank 10 amp on board battery charger is a big help. When you come home from the water just plug them in and they will be ready for another day on the water. No fusing with dragging out a charger, no messing with wires except an electrical extension cord. 

Since this is your first "real boat" take your time getting used to how it tows, and how it feels backing up at the ramp.

It may be helpful to go to an empty parking lot. You can set up empty trash cans or flags etc to emulate the ramp area.  If your local ramps are open, then just go there.  Soon you will build your confidence and get ready for your next fishing season. Congrats on the boat. There are tons of videos on youtube covering getting your boat ready and launching or recovering your boat

Thank you for the advice. I have a little launching experience but that’s a great idea bout the empty lot and cones!

Graphs are my next thing to tackle! I like the sound of the Lowrance hds9 or hummingbird helix 10. Which one is best and more user friendly? Any thoughts?

[fishnkamp]

 

Well that is the Ford VS Chevy debate. I ran two Hummingbirds when I purchased my current boat. I have replaced one with a Lowrance and now I am looking at replacing the other with a Humminbird Helix 10 Gen 2 SI. That will go on my  console and the Lowrance Elite 7 is moving up front.  My Elite 7 is now called a Hook 7. It is a great  unit for its price. If I was not willing to spend $1500 for a depth finder than I would drop down to a Lowrance Elite 9 TI. That unit will not be as nice as the Helix 10 or HDS product line, but it is real close to the HDS product.  

 

Here is one way I launch my boat by myself, when I need to. My boat is a 2010 Lowe Stinger 170 with a 75 hp motor on it. It is a very similar boat to your new one.  Anyway I like using this bungee cord but I do not pull my trailer out as far as the video does. I stop so the rear roller is still submerged and just let the boat settle there.  This way I do not scrape the bottom paint up at all.

 

I always pre-prep my boat before getting in line to launch. I personally never unhook my front winch strap till my boat is sitting on the ramp and the back is just about to touch the water.

 

Here is a couple of pics of my rig. The trolling motor is also Maxxum 70. The engine was a 25 HP, setup to fish HP restricted lakes. She now has the 75 on it.  I switch back and forth between a front seat and a bicycle seat on a leaning post.  In both of these pics we were crappie fishing those days so it was a seat day..

 

 

 

[bwcaw]

10 hours ago, fishnkamp said:

 

Well that is the Ford VS Chevy debate. I ran two Hummingbirds when I purchased my current boat. I have replaced one with a Lowrance and now I am looking at replacing the other with a Humminbird Helix 10 Gen 2 SI. That will go on my  console and the Lowrance Elite 7 is moving up front.  My Elite 7 is now called a Hook 7. It is a great  unit for its price. If I was not willing to spend $1500 for a depth finder than I would drop down to a Lowrance Elite 9 TI. That unit will not be as nice as the Helix 10 or HDS product line, but it is real close to the HDS product.  

 

Here is one way I launch my boat by myself, when I need to. My boat is a 2010 Lowe Stinger 170 with a 75 hp motor on it. It is a very similar boat to your new one.  Anyway I like using this bungee cord but I do not pull my trailer out as far as the video does. I stop so the rear roller is still submerged and just let the boat settle there.  This way I do not scrape the bottom paint up at all.

 

I always pre-prep my boat before getting in line to launch. I personally never unhook my front winch strap till my boat is sitting on the ramp and the back is just about to touch the water.

 

Here are two good videos.

Here is a couple of pics of my rig. The trolling motor is also Maxxum 70. The engine was a 25 HP, setup to fish HP restricted lakes. She now has the 75 on it.  I switch back and forth between a front seat and a bicycle seat on a leaning post.  In both of these pics we were crappie fishing those days so it was a seat day..

 

 

 

Awesome info!!! Thank you! I’m leaning towards the Lowrance HDS 9. The one I’m getting has the 70lb Minn Kota   What’s your top speed on that 75? I’m hoping to hit 40 with the 60 4-stroke with 4-5 gallons and just me. 

[fishnkamp]

My boat is heavy. I have everything I carried in my 20 foot glass boat stored in this boat.  I also chose to run that Stingray hydrofoil because we run in rough tidal water. It robs me of maybe 2 mph but it saves my kidneys big time while wave hopping.  My top end is around 38 but she does something I love. She is fast and level coming out of the hole. There is almost no bow rise and then falling over.

I could easily gain 2 to 5 mph if I add a jack plate, adjust the motor height and ran a stainless prop. I do not run stainless because of running on the Chesapeake Bay tidal rivers like The Upper Bay/ Susquehanna River, and the Potomac. There is so much rebar, old ships, old duck blind debris etc. Running an aluminum prop is a safer choice. if I hit something I loose a $100 prop, not a $2000 lower unit.  I have messed around with props a bunch and in fact I am running a Turning Point Hustler 3 blade vented performance aluminum prop.  I even had my local prop guru custom add some cup and balance it.  It bites really nice now, even at low speed.

 

Too bad you are not located nearby. i would give you some personal lessons.  I do that with lots of members. Often we meet up and launch both boats for a day out fishing.

[scottyboy]

I have the Tracker 185 all welded with a 50 hp merc four stroke. I am a really big guy and my buddy is average. With a full tank of fuel and a boat load of equipment I am running 34 trimmed out. Not fast, but she fishes good. I love aluminium boats until the wind blows.  I have learned how to burn a spinnerbait, let's just say it that way. Lol

[bwcaw]

1 hour ago, fishnkamp said:

My boat is heavy. I have everything I carried in my 20 foot glass boat stored in this boat.  I also chose to run that Stingray hydrofoil because we run in rough tidal water. It robs me of maybe 2 mph but it saves my kidneys big time while wave hopping.  My top end is around 38 but she does something I love. She is fast and level coming out of the hole. There is almost no bow rise and then falling over.

I could easily gain 2 to 5 mph if I add a jack plate, adjust the motor height and ran a stainless prop. I do not run stainless because of running on the Chesapeake Bay tidal rivers like The Upper Bay/ Susquehanna River, and the Potomac. There is so much rebar, old ships, old duck blind debris etc. Running an aluminum prop is a safer choice. if I hit something I loose a $100 prop, not a $2000 lower unit.  I have messed around with props a bunch and in fact I am running a Turning Point Hustler 3 blade vented performance aluminum prop.  I even had my local prop guru custom add some cup and balance it.  It bites really nice now, even at low speed.

 

Too bad you are not located nearby. i would give you some personal lessons.  I do that with lots of members. Often we meet up and launch both boats for a day out fishing.

Gosh that would be awesome! I don’t know the first thing about trimming the motor yet. I have research props. The lakes I fish are fairly small and shallow. 40 foot max. Very clean rocky lakes. What prop do you recommend I run? And pitch?

1 hour ago, scottyboy said:

I have the Tracker 185 all welded with a 50 hp merc four stroke. I am a really big guy and my buddy is average. With a full tank of fuel and a boat load of equipment I am running 34 trimmed out. Not fast, but she fishes good. I love aluminium boats until the wind blows.  I have learned how to burn a spinnerbait, let's just say it that way. Lol

That’s pretty solid! What do you mean by “trimmed out” how far out/up are you trimming the motor? I hear that you better still see the motor peeing. I’ve only operated tiller motors up till now!

[scottyboy]

Trimming the power trim up as you gain momentum is elevating your prop and it depends on the boat/motor but most don't have to be trimmed that far up. You definitely want to see that motor "peeing" all the time and "trimming out" should not take your prop out of the water, It just speeds up your boat . I hope this make sense. lol

[LoweStinger]

Learning to trim the motor isn't that hard, You basically start with it down and as you go along you "slowly trim up" little at a time, You can actually feel the boat come down in the front and the steering becomes easier and your MPH will increase. You know if you over trim because the boat will start to Porpoise " front end will start bouncing up and down " when it does this or starts to go slower you have over trimmed. Just do this in Small increments till you get the feel of it. 

[fishnkamp]

Proper trim angles (or trimming the engine) is a game of feel and one of observation.  If your boat does not have a water pressure gauge get one installed if possible. A trim gauge is the other important source of info.

Running around at different speeds and rpms will help educate you as to what water pressure your motor runs normally.  You never want to trim by watching the water coming out of your motor.  Instead, as you start out with the engine fully trimmed in towards the boat (we call it trimmed down) the boat will begin to lift the bow and come up on plane. The entire surface of the hull will be in contact with the water and the steering will be tight. Quickly bounce the trim button up and watch the gauges. You will feel the steering loosen up as the front of the hull lifts and you will see the water shooting out further and further back on the sides of the boat. Pay attention to the water pump and trim gauges as well as the speedometer. You will see a point where the water pressure drops and the tach goes up, but the speed of the boat goes down. That is trimmed too high.  On my rig I run from all the way down to take off and can only trim about 1/4 of the gauge's motion.  That is all the boat needs.

[moguy1973]

I have the 2008 version of the boat you are getting with the same motor and a 65lb thrust TM.  I'll tell you this, with 2 people and their gear, a full tank of fuel, and a livewell full of water it will take a bit to get up on plane, but it should top out around 36-37mph with all that. I usually only run about half a tank of gas and I typically don't do tournaments so I don't have a full livewell so it all works fine for me.  That 4 stroke sips gas and a half tank will last you a long time.  As for trimming the motor up, you'll hear the difference in the sound of the motor and you'll see the RPMs start to go back down when you have it trimmed up too much. I want to say mine will run full out trimmed up properly at about 5600-5700RPM according to the tach.