Buying First Boat(New Tracker pro 16 opinions)

[LAsports]

Hi, im looking at buying a boat hopefully by the end of the month and the Tracker pro 16, 25hp($8965) is what im leaning towards but i keep looking at used boats on boattrader and can get a 17-20 fiberglass 90-150 hp for($10,000). The boat will see a lot of small lake and river fishing but the ocassional big lake. Basically what i'm wondering is what are the major advantages over the other.Is it worth jumping to the bigger motor on the fiberglass boat?

[Btech]

In my opinion i would stick with the smaller HP only because i plan to fish places that have an engine requirement. Depends How often you go to big lakes i guess. New would be nice as well.  Does the used one need any work and what shape is it in for the price.

[dmac14]

I just bought a used 18ft fish and ski for $3000, the thing is, start with a little boat and it will help you with boat control and help you learn how to use a boat without having a huge bass rig that you are worried about scratching. So the boat you talked about would fit that, something that work, has a decent motor, helps you learn boating things, and if you scratch it you won't be worried about your pretty gel coat. Start with little and upgrade. and also used boats have things you atre not used to, like the owner of my original boat knew to shake the key when starting...I did not...had to get towed back. New boats start you out fresh.

[LAsports]

The used boats seem to be in good condition by pictures and description and ready to fish ranging from 9k-10k. But i really like the idea of buying a new boat, but dont want the 6 gal 25hp to limit be from big lakes. I assume it would be ok, but i would have to launch within reason of where i wanted to fish? But another question is mainly my brother and i would be on the boat and both of us are 220lbs ea so i was concerned about stability, moving around on the casting decks?

[Wayne P.]

LAsports, the best advice you can get for your question is "wider is better"

I have the 170 and if I have a person that weighs 250 with me and he moves from one side to the other, I have to be aware of the weight shift. I weigh 175.

[Strike King]

they are $7995

http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3109

[LAsports]

LAsports, the best advice you can get for your question is "wider is better"

I have the 170 and if I have a person that weighs 250 with me and he moves from one side to the other, I have to be aware of the weight shift. I weigh 175.

Thanks, so i guess i keep looking on boattrader.

[LAsports]

they are $7995

$8965 Including prep and freight

[Strike King]

they are $7995

$8965 Including prep and freight

d**n fine print  :-[

[LAsports]

they are $7995

$8965 Including prep and freight

d**n fine print :-[

yea, and thats still not including sales tax, lol. $7995 boat quickly turns in $9,000+

[lineslinger]

I had a pro 165 w/merc 40hp 4 stroke and it was a great boat.  I would think twice before getting a 25 hp.  Also, mine had a 30 gal tank I think.  I weigh about 220 and when fishing with someone else,  it was adequate but no a lot of room.  I'm on a real budget, but am not going to get anything less that 17.5 or 18 foot on next boat.  You'll be grateful for the room as well as added width.  If you can find a used tracker with merc and are able to transfer and/or extend the warranty on the motor, you should be able to able to find a good deal.  I'm hoping I can!  Just my opinion, that 25 hp motor probably won't be enough.  I used my 165 on local electric motor only reserviors and got a 50 fp trolling motor.  Good luck in your venture!

[LAsports]

I had a pro 165 w/merc 40hp 4 stroke and it was a great boat. I would think twice before getting a 25 hp. Also, mine had a 30 gal tank I think. I weigh about 220 and when fishing with someone else, it was adequate but no a lot of room. I'm on a real budget, but am not going to get anything less that 17.5 or 18 foot on next boat. You'll be grateful for the room as well as added width. If you can find a used tracker with merc and are able to transfer and/or extend the warranty on the motor, you should be able to able to find a good deal. I'm hoping I can! Just my opinion, that 25 hp motor probably won't be enough. I used my 165 on local electric motor only reserviors and got a 50 fp trolling motor. Good luck in your venture!

Thanks, I'm really lost as to what i want but i just dont want to buy a boat then hate it after a few trips.

[WIII-60]

I had a similar tracker with a 50hp on it. I now have an 18' nitro with a 90hp on it. Really, you gain and lose with either choice. Decide based on price and practicality.

Where are you going to use it most? what do you REALLY gain by paying more? Those are the questions that I wished I would've asked myself at first.

Lately, I've kind of felt like I'd be better suited with a converted jon with a 25hp on it. That's just for me though.

[LAsports]

I had a similar tracker with a 50hp on it. I now have an 18' nitro with a 90hp on it. Really, you gain and lose with either choice. Decide based on price and practicality.

Where are you going to use it most? what do you REALLY gain by paying more? Those are the questions that I wished I would've asked myself at first.

Lately, I've kind of felt like I'd be better suited with a converted jon with a 25hp on it. That's just for me though.

I will mainly use it on small lakes and rivers. But my main concern with the Tracker right now would be stability.

[ww2farmer]

I have a 2007 PT170 w/ a 4 stroke 25hp on it. Works great for me. I can go any where with it except Lake Erie on very rough days. And I also can get WAYYY back in some places bigger glass boats just can not. I don't need a big truck to tow it, and the 25 is great on gas, and when you fish over 100 days in the spring/summer/fall like I do that really helps. I fish by myself most of the time on the smaller western Finger Lakes, and with me, and all my gear it moves along just fine. No I can't get from one end of Conesus to the other in 10 mins. but when I do decide to make a run I know I am not lighting money on fire via the gas tank. It's been a very good boat and I do not feel the need to upsize anytime soon. It was also enexpensive enough that I could walk in and pay for it.........no payments, afterall it is just a hobby and If I had to fork a couple $100 bucks over to the bank every month I would have far less $$ to fish with. Now when I fish a tx. I can put the $$ I win in my pocket insted of the gas tank and to the bank. And up hear the boat sits in the barn froml ate Nov-late March, I would rather heat my house and feed my kids than pay the bank for a toy thats not getting used.

There are alot of advantages to having a smaller boat, and if those reasons make sense to you and you also realize the things a small boat/motor will not do before you buy it you'll be happy with it. It may just be the little "bad attitude" I have in me, but it puts smile on my face to show up to an open tx. with my "little" boat that a lot of the guys turn there nose at and take there money home with me at the end of the day.

As far as the quality of the Tracker, I have had ZERO issues, and I use it probably alot more than most, and I don't beat it, but I don't treat it with kid gloves either. Any thing that is broke/worn out is my fault. And that's a small list at that.

[LAsports]

Thanks ww2farmer, i'm a little closer to just going with the tracker, weighing the odds between another boat i was looking at, plus the tracker i can get from a local dealer over driving 150mi for a used boat.

My main concern is the bottom width of 48" and 2 heavy guys moving around on the decks?

[Ellesar]

I bought a 17'5 foot Fisher last year that had a Mercury 60hp 4-stroke. It topped out at about 36 mph. I bought the boat because I was getting back into fishing and didn't really know what I wanted or needed. It turns out that I regretted buying that boat. There was nothing wrong with the boat really, it just didn't fit my needs, or atleast what I thought my needs were.  I kept telling myself that it was perfect for what I needed, but the voidce in the back of my head kept looking at other boats and saying it wasn't. So I went this year and bought a brand new Triton 18 X2 with a Mercury 175 ProXS because that's what I should've bought in the first place. But I had to eat the depreciation because I sold the other one after less than a year.

So my advice would be to consider what you really want\need and make sure that you are nbeing completely honest with yourself. Personally I would go for something bigger, but then I now know what it is that I want\need. You might be perfectly content with the Tracker. But if you aren't, you are likely going to be stuck with it for a while unless you want to eat the depreciation yourself like I had to.  Those boats don't hold their value very well as I can give a first hand accounting of.

Another consideration you might consider is looking around at area boat dealers. Many are carrying inventory that is a couple of years old but are still new. You can get some good deals on those boats.