Bass Tracker questions

[dman]

Got a few questions for you guys......Ive been fishing my entire life (36 years!) And fish mostly bass,  catfish since im a shore fisherman.  However, these past 2 summers ive been addicted....Sometimes i go before work,  even on my hr lunch break i gotta 3 acre pond 5 minutes away i go to catch 1 or 2.  My point is,  i think its time to invest in a boat.  I want one in the worst way.   Bass trackers seem relatively cheap with models in the 10 - 12,000 range.  But would these be good on big choppy lakes?  rivers?  or would they get tossed around like toys?  Never had a boat and never drove one,  should i hold off on a tracker and pick up a used boat to learn for a few years first?   A tracker is not out of the budget but it would convince the wife a little better if we could do other things with it   ( pull the kids in a tube,  swim ect) ?    What do you guys think?

[gajpb]

I've had a tracker (pro team 165) for four years now and it was the first one I ever sat behind the wheel of. It's fantastic for what I want: cheap, dependable, gets me where I need to go. I, of course, sometimes wish it were faster and bigger, but it gets the job done. I will say, however, that it can be a rough ride on choppy water. I fish a lake in middle georgia where it is rarely super choppy, but if there is a lot of boat traffic it can be a really rough ride. If you are riding on water like that on a regular basis--that is, choppy, windy conditions, then you may wantt something more substantial. Also, go used if you know a little bit about motors and engines and don't mind tinkering. I bought new mainly because that stuff baffles me.  

[dman]

Great reply gajpb, thanks! (by the way, i dont know anything about motors either) any other opinions would be appreciated.

I dont need a speed boat but would it be ok for tubing?

Heres the one i got my eye on:  

http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.home&boat=2111

[Jig Man]

You will get a lot better ride if you go for something with more of a V bottom.  Depending on the age of your kids, it could be a lot safer also.  The one thing I would caution you about is undersizing the motor.

[THEbassmaster]

the one you are looking at is a good one. we have the 175TX, last years model and its a great boat (its only different by the the width, maybe length and a few little things). rides very smooth and with the 60 we can get it to 37mph, which is plenty fast for us. one suggestion is if you do go with this one, upgrade the fishfinder before you get it. it comes with the Lowrance X-37, which is very cheap and doesnt work good. its a great boat, but good luck with whatever you go with.

aaron

[dman]

Thanks for the opinions guys,   good to know about the fishinder,  thanks aaron

[koko36265]

Another thing you might want to consider is upgrading the trolling motor if it comes with anything less than a 40lb.

[Guest tnc1]

I bought a Tracker TX 190 back in May with a 90 hp Optimax.  It is a great boat, very stable and smooth.  It could be wider but it has plenty of storage.  I seriously considered the TX 175 but I wanted a little bit more length and room.  With the 90 hp engine, it gets on plane well and has plenty to pull the kids on a tube.  I pulled three kids on one tube without any problem.  If you are in a hot weather climate, I suggest getting a bimini top.  It sure helps to have some shade during these hot, humid days in TX.  I hope my comments help in your selection.

[Long Mike]

I've got a vintage Pro 17 with a 60 hp motor.  In windy conditions, it can be a rough ride, but most any boat that doesn't a deep V hull will jar your fillings loose.  The problem with a deep V is that you can't get into very shallow water like the Tracker can.

[W1-10]

I lived on a lake for most of my teenage years and all through college, and supplemented my income by teaching people how to drive boats safely. I had a tracker like the one you're looking at early on and used to wakeboard and tube behind it, they're good boats but that's not really what they're intended for. You can do it, but you'll run into problems with it getting on plane. If the motor is undersized (90 hp at minimum, nothing less) it adds a lot of wear and makes it hard to get up on ski's or other standing watersports, especially if your kids would be learning behind that boat. It's easy to get discouraged about actually being able to do watersports. When in reality it's really the weak motor that makes it hard, not physical ability to get up. Additionally, trackers can chine walk sometimes in turns when you have some people aboard and a skier/tuber behind it, and you'll have to back off on the throttle which makes it no fun for the person in the water. You'll need a pylon that runs over the outboard. If you use one of the tie downs on the boat the weight of the person in the water will cause the boat to list to that side and tilt hard in turns. Adversly, a fish-and-ski isn't really much of a fishing boat either. I have a 20' crown line for skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, etc. and a fishing boat for fishing.

I guess what I'm saying is that a used fiberglass fishing boat like a nitro may suit your needs for a family/fishing boat better than the tracker. They're substantial in the water and safer for family use. PM me if you have other questions, I'll help out with specifics. I'm no expert, but I do have a lot of experience/mistakes that I can relay.

[Olebiker]

I have a 1984 Tracker Tournament TX with a 50 hp Mercury.  It isn't fast and the ride is not plush, but it is an efficient fishing machine.  I have fished out of it on lakes as large as Lake Cumberland in Kentucky when it was whitecapping and felt perfectly safe.

Before you buy one, though, check out used boats.  It's surprising how good a deal you can get on a used glass boat.