Results 1 to 15 of 15
  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Liberty Township
    Posts
    276

    Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats...

    Well, its official, I sold my Champion last week. There will be a new member on here for the Champion Nation so keep an eye out for him and welcome him to the fold. We took it out yesterday for a ride and fished and did pretty well for the middle of the day and he really found out how much he like his new Champion's ride and fishability!. Anyway... I'm wanting to get a boat the family can use, and I was wondering if anyone knew what I should expect from a fish and ski model vs. what I've become used to on my bass boat. My champ w/ 3 blade prop took a good 5 or 6 seconds to get up on plane (way to long for a bigger skier or boarder). Is that similar to what I should expect from a fish and ski model? Does a 4 blade prop make that much of a difference and do the fish n ski models sit that much higher that they pop out of the water that much better?




  2. Member
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Weaverville
    Posts
    76
    #2

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    I have a Champion 181SX (F&S) that I absolutely love. I will check back in this evening to give you my overall thoughts. I can say with a Merc 150 XR6 it will flat out pull up my 155# son with no hesitation. More to follow

  3. Banned
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    left out
    Posts
    4,692
    #3

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    my first bass boat was a 19 footer from champion with a 150 efi three blade prop and it pulled my butt out of the water(210 lbs) on a single ski and we pulled two tubers with no trouble at all. It will work fine for the family but you lose a lot when you fish out of it. You can't carry all your fishing stuff and your ski stuff so you are always unloading and reloading the boat. But if it makes mom happy go for it you can get by fishing out of it.

  4. Champion Boats Moderator Lea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Franklin, VA
    Posts
    48,833
    #4

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    Ben...performance is going to totally depend on which year and model Fish and Ski you are considering...

  5. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Liberty Township
    Posts
    276
    #5

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    I don't know which model I'm looking for I just know I want something I can fish out of and my family can ski out of and have room for at least 3 people comfortably. I am trying to figure out if a champ, ranger, stratos... F&S is more like a bow-rider boat, or a bass boat when it comes to performance and hole shot? I can get used to my front deck area so that really isn't a concern. I just want to know if the F&S get up out of the water much faster than a bass boat, or do they tend to have the same 5 to 6 second lag? Maybe I just don't have a good frame of reference to pull from with my Mt. Home 181 Champ, rear tank, batteries, min of 300 lbs of fishermen in the back, maybe newer boats are much better than that with more pull than mine especially with only a three eared prop.




  6. Champion Boats Moderator Lea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Franklin, VA
    Posts
    48,833
    #6

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    Most of the F&S are going to have the same great performance. Some even better!!! It is going to depend on year and model.

    You are going to have to check out the various years and models so we can give you decent info for each.. Absolutely no way to "guess". Bow rider??? no way!!! No Champ rides or fishes like that ..

  7. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Warsaw MO
    Posts
    1,010
    #7

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    imho if you are going to pull skiers you need a four blade prop it will get you up like you want but you also need the ponies to do it too (i.e. 19' w200hp) just an example

  8. Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Brownsburg,In
    Posts
    877
    #8

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (tracy shannon)

    my old 201 fish & ski is great for taking the boys out it is definatly more fish the ski but the boys can sit on the rod lockers that are padded
    Jeremy From Indy
    2019 PolarKraft TX 195 Pro
    2019 Suzuki 200SS

  9. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Owensboro KY
    Posts
    18,921
    #9

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    1997 181SX/ 1998 150 Pro-V 150 Yamaha 23 tempist would pull my big azz out of the water on one ski. NO PROBLEM pulling anyone out on two ski's. I put at least 100 hours a year on the rig between pulling my son and all his friends on every water toy imaginable (including two big tubes at a time).

    Somehow I managed to win my share of money out of that boat and qualify for the Ultimate Challenge back in the AR days on Grand Lake. IMHO the 181 and 190SX were some of the best true F/S designs ever made. A close second would be an old Stratos 201 F/S NOT A S/F!!!


  10. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Harmony
    Posts
    125
    #10

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (catfishjn69)

    I will echo the comments regarding the older 201. I have had 7 people in my boat and it will get up on plane no problem. Granted it is slower doing so, but it doesn't have any problem. I do have a 4-blade Trophy Plus and I think this does help get a heavy load moving. The boat does have limited fishing storage, but it definitely fishes very well. I would highly recommend one as an excellent do everything boat. It can move quite well too!
    1988 Champion 201 F/S
    1988 Mercury 200

  11. Member
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Weaverville
    Posts
    76
    #11

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    I have fished with buddies on a 20' Stratos with a 225, several Rangers up to a 19' with a Merc EFI 200 and my previous boat was a good ol' Tracker PT175 with 40 Merc. I can tell you that while they all fished great in my opinion they don't have anything on my Champ 181SX. In fact I am more comfortable on the front of my Champ than on some of the true bass boats because of the positioning of the pedestal seat in relation to the TM pedal. The ski locker is big enough for me to easily fit a 7' rod and I can also put 7 rod and reels (4 spinning and 3 bait caster) in the locker on fishing only trips. The 3 lockers up front accommodate my fishing gear which I keep in numerous Plano boxes and the little cubbies under the consoles are great as well! The livewell on this boat is bigger than most of my buddies' bass boats. The little compartments adjacent to the live well on either side are small but functional, but when you have the Bimini top on (in the storage position) the are inconvenient to access. I typically carry my son and I on fishing trips, but have no problem comfortably carrying all four in our family with the 2 swivel captains seats and the back row seat can easily seat 3 very comfortably! The Merc XR6 150 has no problems pulling a skier or tube with 3 passengers in the boat and again hole-shot to get up on plane is no strain at all!

  12. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Liberty Township
    Posts
    276
    #12

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    Thanks all, that is what I was hoping to hear... I really didn't want to go to a cruiser style boat because I still want to be able to tournament fish, but wanted the family to be comfortable on trips and outings if they went with especially as the kid gets older.




  13. Champion Boats Moderator Lea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Franklin, VA
    Posts
    48,833
    #13

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (bensford66)

    Ben, are you going new or gently used? The only new F&S Champion is making right now is the 214SX. They also make the 186 Fishunter which might suit you. In recent years past, they built the 21SX which is based on the 206 hull. A friend has one and loves it. He tourney fishes and has a family which loves the boat, as well.

  14. Banned
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    left out
    Posts
    4,692
    #14

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (Lea)

    on a F&S you better with 150 VS a 200 hp motor you gain weight and not much that much more power. 150 will pop you up faster, if you need more power go up to a 225 almost the same weight as a 200 and way more power. IMHO abe

  15. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Lafayette
    Posts
    1,966
    #15

    Re: Fish n Ski vs. Bass boats... (abe1)

    Agreed, 225 hp on my 194 Fishunter and it pops everyone out the water fast. I have 4 blade trophy.
    2016 Jackson Big Tuna
    Addicted to Kayak Fishing!

Similar Threads

  1. Now - our boats with FISH!!!
    By MasterCASTER! in forum Fish & Ski Boats
    Replies: 50
    Last Post: 05-04-2019, 06:30 PM
  2. 1998 Fish and Ski listed in Boats for Sale
    By xb03fs in forum Stratos/Javelin Boats
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-02-2013, 11:54 AM
  3. How many bass boats have 4 live wells for bigger fish?
    By TOUCH OF CLASS in forum Charger Boats
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 11-08-2011, 04:28 AM
  4. New to Bass Boats - Help!
    By abass in forum Novice Boaters Forum
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 10-25-2008, 08:01 PM