Good 18-19' 150 hp bass boat for wind/waves?

[shemstreet]

I actually use a 17' center console now since my old 17' Basscat Margay was too small to deal with the waves these nasty Oklahoma winds produce. Unfortunately, I miss having a trolling motor and this boat does not have room to install a 24V motor

As I said, the little bass cat was fun, but when the waves start whitecapping it was too easy to bury the nose and get flooded in the drivers seat. When I lived in NC I had a Ranger 185VX with a 150 Optimax. Decent boat, fished well, crappy engine. Unfortunately waves from the side could rock the hell out of it.

I'm looking for something all fiberglass, no more than 15 years old, and a good reliable engine that is easy to start, hard to kill, and doesn't suck up too much gas. Would prefer a 4-stroke, but not too many older bass boats were rigged with them

If it will go over 50 mph WOT it would be fine, I usually shoot to cruise between 30 and 35 anyway.

Easy to launch is also a factor, I often fish alone and they don't seem to consider piers necessary at ramps in Oklahoma

I'm kid of iffy on aluminum boats, how are they in 15-20 mph winds?

[tmoney]

I came out of a 2000 Triton Tr186 with a Johnson 150, and it was a great. Got up to around 59 with power poles and tournament tackle, and handled rough water well. It also fished well when on the bow in waves, and I regularly launched it myself. I'd definitely give the older Tritons a look.

[shemstreet]

I came out of a 2000 Triton Tr186 with a Johnson 150, and it was a great. Got up to around 59 with power poles and tournament tackle, and handled rough water well. It also fished well when on the bow in waves, and I regularly launched it myself. I'd definitely give the older Tritons a look.

Always thought they were good lookers, but kept reading about gasoline smells in them. Any truth to that, or internet fiction? How are their trailers?

[MMosher]

18'4, 18'6, 19'0 18'7, 19'1, 19'3, 19'6 or 19'8 Champion will do all that and then some.

[Sports1]

18'4, 18'6, 19'0 18'7, 19'1, 19'3, 19'6 or 19'8 Champion will do all that and then some.

This ^.

[tmoney]

Always thought they were good lookers, but kept reading about gasoline smells in them. Any truth to that, or internet fiction? How are their trailers?

Little smell in the rod lockers, but never really noticed it after having the boat for a bit. The EZ Trailer was very squeaky. That was the only thing that annoyed me a bit, but it wasn't the end of the world. Sold it this year with poles and dual 898 birds for $11k.

[csurp]

Also pay attention to trolling motor shaft length in an Triton 186. If you fish out in rough water you are going to need a long shaft trolling motor. Even then, you are going to get your feet wet occasionally.

[kirkster321]

I really like the way my 1995 Pantera 2 handles and the fishability is great.

[berudd]

Also pay attention to trolling motor shaft length in an Triton 186. If you fish out in rough water you are going to need a long shaft trolling motor. Even then, you are going to get your feet wet occasionally.

If wind and waves are so bad I am getting my feet when on the front deck in my 186 then I'm not staying on the water.

[1ranger487vs]

i'll put a plug in for the older rangers

[PhoenixDrew]

A long time ago I had an Alumacraft 17' with a 125 Johnson. It was a deep vee walleye style hull but decked out like a bass boat. I used it on the Finger Lakes a ton and it handled some pretty bad stuff. And, if I wasn't doing tournaments, I would seriously consider an aluminum like that.

[dmoto]

I was on Havasu all week with my Champion 181. Holy wind Batman! Handled the wind and waves with no problem. Just as a sidebar....it was also my first real test run with the Ultrex. Big time game changer in that kind of wind.

[wwc3]

Should have kept the Ranger you had !

[Chautauquanuy]

I have had my old Triton TR186 and current Triton 18XS out on Lake Erie many times. My 18XS tends to be a bit drier ride. I also fish Chautauqua which averaged maybe 1 1/4 miles wide and is very open and gets rough with both winds and large boat wakes.

You should be able to find early 2000 Tr186 with 150's in your price range. Good luck.

[31Airborne]

+1 on the Tr 186. Took mine out on many ruff rides in tidal waters and big lakes. Was a very smooth ride for a short keel. I had a Merc 150 EFI on it. That boat/motor are on their third owner now. Easily over 700 hrs on the motor w/o issue. Anything ~15 yrs old w/ a 4-stroke has been repowered most likely (not a bad thing).

[06 SB]

I would skip any traditional bass boat although a Basscat Pantera II or Pantera IV would work well. It sounds like you really want a walleye boat. They have TMs, and handle waves very well. Ranger, Triton and others all make them.

Here is Triton's latest:
https://www.tritonboats.com/boat/501.aspx

[fly by night]

I love my 2008 Triton TR-186 with a 150 Optimax.

[5150FORDFAN]

CHAMPION

[sabby]

Lund Pro V Bass 1875 comes to mind in new boats.

[shemstreet]

I went a totally different route. May just give up fishing the main lakes and stick to shorelines and coves. Bought a G3 Sportsman 17 with a 90 4-stroke and upgraded the trolling motor to a 70lb Maxxum.