I'd ask if the boat has been kept in a garage or at least a covered parking area and has a cover. I'm amazed at the amount of folks who have a $50k boat and park it outside with no cover like it's impervious to the elements...
Advice from an old guy.......get a TR21X. Great hull, fast ( for a 21'), handles rough water really good. If you plan on keeping it for a while, get one with a 4 stroke. Whatever/whichever you buy, have it checked by reputable mechanic. Compression checks are not that reliable, get a leak down test. It will tell you the truth of the motor.
I have an 05 21x and I have had no issues with the boat. I have gotten in the water while swimming and have felt zero blisters. The older Tritons are narrower than the newer ones but are likely faster and ride better. My only complaint is that the front deck gets crowded with more than 8 rods and mine has a 225 instead of a 250.
I have a 2000tr21 with the yamaha ox66 225. I paid 12.5k for it in 2018 and it was my first boat. Most of its life was spent on TVA lakes, and mostly tournament guys. There is literally no telling how many hours are on the motor.
It is an old boat, there is no denying it. It has tons of small hull blisters on the bottom from the bunks. Lots of stress cracks everywhere. Pain in the ass to run new wiring. The back compartment was not built for squeezing 4 batteries and a charger into it. The fiberglass lips on the compartments are starting to chip and crack so the waterproofing isn't as good anymore..
Learning to drive it through the walking was a chore. Accessing the gas tank is nearly impossible..
All that being said? I love my boat. It is fast, and can outrun most newer boats. 3 guys, and their gear, 300lbs of batteries and 42gal of gas and I will still pop out of the hole and hit top speeds of 67-68. Just me and I am easily in low 70s. Half a tank or less and I am in high 70s if I am solo.
Boat is built like a tank, I have hit a handful of things while running and scraped over logs while trolling...never any issues.
As a fishing platform it is adequate. The front deck is narrow, so two up front is kinda crowded if there are rods on the deck. There are no little compartments for day boxes or nifty little storage concepts. Both rod lockers will hold a ton of rods of any length comfortably. The giant front compartment can literally fit an entire person inside of it, or your net, rain gear, and every soft plastic pack you own. The plano storage is good with a forward box that holds 10(ish) boxes,and rear compartments can hold similar amounts. Live wells are decent, but I don't ever use them except to hold trash or act as ballasts for balancing the boat.
I spend every Saturday or Sunday on Guntersville. Normally on windy days I am the last boat out there. It is narrow and nimble enough to ride in between large swells, but heavy and solid enough to fish when the wind gets going. Riding through large wakes and swells can get violent if I need to plough through them.
Last edited by OverTimeAgain; 11-26-2020 at 11:03 AM.
i have a 99 tr21 with a 225 optimax. my boat is rated for a 250 i think it was only the 97-98 rated lower.its a great boat no blisters and motor has been great have about 300 hours on it.
Tritons and Stratos were both designed by the same boat builder (Earl Bentz) and are very similar in design and weight. Stress fractures are common in older boats and are not an issue. There is no wood in those boats I think since 1999. Either hull can be a fast hull when powered properly.