Need advice on buying a Bass Boat

[BBD]

Got a 10ft jon now but I want to be able to fish larger bodies of water like Rodman Reservoir and big lakes like that in the Florida area. And I'd really like a casting deck.

It all comes down to this:

My budget is 5500 and I've been told that an aluminum boat like a Tracker would be less maintenance than a glass boat and more practical for what I'm trying to do.

This boat would be for the weekends and I don't plan on becoming competitive. The boat would only have two people at any one time.


Your thoughts?

[walkeraviator]

The statement about aluminum being less maintenance than glass is a little misleading. Aluminum can corrode and glass can fade and haze if they are not taken care of. If you buy a welded aluminum boat i would say upkeep is about equal with a glass boat. However if you buy an older tracker that is riveted, your upkeep may be a lot more than glass. Riveted boats leak... period... its not a matter of "if" it is a matter of "when"...

Hear is what the big difference is: weight. An aluminum boat is going to be easier to pull. But it will also be less stable to stand on while you are fishing.

If $5500 is your budget, keep your eyes peeled for older 17-18 ft glass boats. You should be able to find something pretty nice for that price if you take your time and look.

[BBD]

Note taken, thanks.

[bamabassman]

My advise is for you to reconsider glass rigs. If you are one day going to upgrade to one.......do so now. You can get a great deal on a used glass rig now because of the economy. Do a little more shopping first, then decide. I am willing to say you can get a great rig for the price of a new aluminum rig. UNLESS an alumium rig is what you want. Just take your time and look around real hard first.

I guess i am repeating what walker already said, sorry. lol.

[BBD]

What's your opinion on something like this? It's an 06 and he's asking 4600.

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/boa/2110053650.html

[lilmule]

While im not keen on nitros myself its underpriced,ask yourself why?
Run in salt? Take it for a ride,with the owner of course,if it checks out its a good deal money wise.
Ask questions about its maintenance like last time impeller was changed,who did the work etc.
Should run around mid fifties to 60,with a 135,eq on it ,fish finders,gps,what go with it etc.All add up.
It looks like a decent well kept boat,but thats looks via a pic.
Used a 135 merc in good shape like that is worth 3k all by itself or more

[BBD]

Ok, what series of questions, other than what you just mentioned, do I need to ask when buying a boat of this caliber?

I just found that boat but it seemed like a good price provided everything is good to go.

ahhhhh, after looking at some other nitros, i see what you mean by that price. It is awfully low. Still new at this.

[Embrey]

something is wrong...that is way cheap to me

[walkeraviator]

That Ad with no specific location listed and that low of a price could be a spammer.

Key things to look for are how well the boat has been maintained, meaning scheduled maintenance on the outboard, winterization habits of the owner, looking for scum lines on the hull, and checking the trailer VERY thouroughly for rust. Another good habit is to check the flooring and deck lids. Some glas rigs are ALL glass, but some glass boats, and ALL aluminum boats, have wood floors and decks. These may be rotten, so check them out. Also pay close attention to the transom. Check for cracks or soft spots. Make sure evrything works electrically speaking: lights, gauges, bilge pump, aerators, trailer lights.

And always remember.... if it has a mercury outboard, you never have to worry about having another anchor on board... LMAO

[BBD]

lol


I'll keep that in mind walker!

[lilmule]

It is possible owner has no idea of what its worth,does happen.
Craigslist has its hoaxes or posible frauds.
Make sure it has a proper title,sometimes they dont have one,in a state that requires it(dont know if fla does),get a bill of sale preferrably noterised.
As for questions just the norm,how was it stored,where and when was it run,last maintenance,then float make sure it doesnt leak,and run in place in water or on ears or start and run prefrrably that way you know it shifts.
Im not a merc anchor man either but the 135 was a decent motor,if taken care of.
If anything sends up a flag pass,like wanting money up front,with no boat in hand meeting at a parking lot.Get his name and addy as well as all contact info,he wont mind giving it if kosher.
The boat combo is well worth more than what hes asking,so ask yourself why and let your questions aswser your concerns.Other than that contact and try.Pic is of what looks like a garage kept boat,pics can be deceiving as well as people.
When you go look at it take along another person preferrably who isnt in love with it yet who can look at transom and bottom and the whole pkg,then value their opinion.
Once I checked into a craigslist boat that twas cheap thats what he wanted down and take over payments.
Guessing but this boat should sell for a lot more its about 1/2 price

[Vegasspider]

Yeah this one smells. Why no boat numbers? If it's Florida it should have a FL number and there is no reason at all for the seller to block it out. I bet you get a reply that the seller is another state for some sort of life changing bs etc. They will tell you to use a
3rd party compay to protect both of you. Run. If the ad is legit I find that it will be on both boat trader and craigslist. Like the others say take someone with you or at least let someone know where you are going. Chances are your not going to see it anyhow. I seen ad's in Vegas that has pictures of boats in front of houses that have bricks, grass and trees. Not a common site so use your detective skills.

Better yet have the seller meat you at the boat dealer to get it checked out and offer to pay for the check out.

I have said it before and I will say it again. Any Nitro after 1997 are great boats. I am not sure where all of the other people think differently. Look at all of the ratings starting say 2000 forward and you will find them at the top. With all due respect when a guy in a 25 year old POC turns thier nose up at a Fiberglass new Nitro Bass Boat as being a piece of junk and they would not buy one, consider the source. I have traded a top of the line 2007 and 2010 Ranger's off and for the time being will only buy a Nitro. I love mine and my son loves his. We also have a Skeeter in the family. I will also say the newer alum. boats are great. If I lived on smaller water that does not have 50+ mph winds I would get one in a second.

[BBD]

Thanks for that insight vegas!

That guy never responded to my email so yeah, it was probably a scam.

[bamabassman]

If oyu are willin to travel a bit i know of a fantastic rig oyu can get for 7 grand. It belonged to our dear departed brother ZOOKER. If you are interested, send me a pm. the rig is in DENTON,NC. It is ready for the water. Very nice rig with all the fixins.

[flfireman]

Fishing some of the same water as you, I absolutely love and swear by my aluminum. One good stump at Rodman and you are doing some really costly repairs. My aluminum gets beat up regularly. So much that I bought another aluminum when I was looking for a new ride. I had a 17' alumacraft and never had a problem except in high winds, few leaks here and there, nothing a little silicone won't fix.

[CMorg]

Originally Posted by BBD

Thanks for that insight vegas!

That guy never responded to my email so yeah, it was probably a scam.

He will in a day or two. Then you will find out the boat is still for sale , and it is not in what ever state it was listed in. You will then be told it is at a shipping company , and once this person out of the country ( because of a job relocate or ?? ) gets your check he will then ok the company to ship you the boat. You will have 14 days to decide if you like the boat...Also , you can usually find this same boat listed in differant states craigslist ( search yahoo for that boat and model number , then look for craigslist ads ).

[CMorg]

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=...&cop=&ei=UTF-8

Lol..

[Rebbasser]

I've got that same boat except mine is a 2001 model. It is comfortable to fish out of, easy to pull, and I have no complaints about it. If you are interested in it have a mechanic check it out, see if the owner will let you take it out for a test drive and if you like it go for it. If/when I decide to get a new boat I sure will take a look at another Nitro. I've really enjoyed mine.

[falcooon]

In buying a used boat ...everything is the engine......the most expensive component to replace if it quits in a bad way...

Be careful!