John, it's called the Phelix and better yet it is made of glass; I love mine!Originally Posted by n2ratfishin
Also, great post. I agree completely.
John, it's called the Phelix and better yet it is made of glass; I love mine!
Also, great post. I agree completely.
2017 Bass Cat Phelix Honda 25 SOLD
2007 BCB Cougar FTD Merc Opti 225 SOLD
Instagram: @SSgt93.
I don't subscribe to threads. PM if you need me.
I've had a Sabre (2004) and currently run a P2 (2007). They're both good in rough water, I fish mainly in WI and I've had both to Sturgeon Bay and Washington Island multiple times (as well as Geneva, Winnebago and Big Green all of them can get pretty rough). Top speed for the Sabre will likely be around 64-66 with a 150 and the P2 will easily get 70 (have had mine to 73) and a Pantera Classic from '04 to whenever they stopped making them will be about the same. I wouldn't hesitate getting a 10 or 15 year old Cat for a second as long as everything checked out with the motor. There's an '02 Classic on the BassCat for sale page right now with a '16 Pro XS for $21K in Illinois. There's also a '10 Sabre with a 150 for $17K, not sure where that on is.
I wouldn't get too hung up on electronics, if it doesn't have what you want sell them on here and buy what you want used on here...you'll save a ton of money.
A friend of mine is looking to sell his 2015 Pantera II. This would be an ideal fit for what youre looking for. The boat is in immaculate condition. He is definitely someone I would feel very confident buying from. He is located near Toronto, Ontario which is a bit of a drive from you but you might find a bit of savings due to the strength of the American dollar compared to our Canadian. His name is "catdude28" here on BBC and I would suggest reaching out to him as I think he has exactly what youre looking for. Even if you have questions he is very helpful with questions you might have. Good luck!
Looked at the Phelix Sherm had in his showroom years ago and it was not big enough for what we needed. Amye was scared to death of the RT188 until we actually got out on the water with it. She swore I'd only have it for a few months before I was calling Sherm for another Cat. That was a 18 months ago and I'm fishing more now that I have in over a decade. Heck I put her in a RT178 and she about had a come apart on how small it was. No way was she going for a Phelix coming out of a Cougar LOL.
Glad you're loving it!!
Either way, you won't go wrong with a cat. There are deals out there, just be patient. I sold my champion in june, and was going to get a cat in the spring, but I found a 2012 Pantera iv with 30 hours on it for 30k around the end of Aug. Sent a deposit on it to hold it till I could go pick it up. Drove 11 hours to get it, and would do it again tomorrow for that boat. Good luck. And I am in ohio, if you don't find anything by spring, and want to get out and check mine out, we could hook up.
Thank you guys a bunch really helped me out. A couple weeks ago I was really leaning to nitro just do to the fact that they have an 18ft boat that is easy to find and dosnt cost a ton. I’m glad I made this post because basscat seems like a much better boat. Weezehaj I live close to a lot of good lakes really close to portage and Berlin thank you. Hopefully will have a boat soon. Aruss1984 that’s a bit of a drive but I live in northeast Ohio so not to far I’ll have to check it out. Another thing is even basscat comments on these post and seems like they are really in touch with there customer base and that is hard to find now a days that means a lot to me. Iv heard a ton of things about the P2s and have been looking at them, I don’t know exactly when they startled making the cougars but i also really like that boat more exspensive but amazing boat. Might be out of my price range tho.
Bass Cat is the best boat for your money for all the reasons already mentioned. I fish a lot of events as a boater and non-boater. Bass Cat and ranger are the best quality. Take a close look at the details and you will see it. For example, hinges, live wells, components, less stress cracks, and other. Also, go online and watch the video of their manufacturing process. But with BassCats should pay attention to the deck layout and dimensions. This a personal thing for each boater and depends on how you pre-fish, approach your day or tournament.
2008 BassCat Puma with a Mercury 250 Pro XS / 1996 Champion 186 with a Mercury 175 EFI
The Sabre is a very made boat. I had one for 10 years and banged it off every treetop and stump in Toledo bend and the basin. Fished Toledo Bend at least 2 times a month. Never had an issue with an 18 footer. For big water go as big as you can afford or fit in garage. You can find a nice 20 footer in the mid 30's. I would have had no issue repowering my sabre and running it another 10 years. Other than a few bumps and bruises the hull was solid as a rock. I went with a P2 this time. Unless someone abused the hull I would not be afraid of a 5-10+year old BassCat. The motor, trolling motor, seats, batteries, electronics, trailer bunks, hubs etc is where you want to focus.
When I was looking for my first boat a few years ago I'm glad that I went with the recommendation of the guys in my club and bought a BassCat. In 2015 I purchased an '09 Cougar FTD. As others have stated I fish out of my boat which means you bump into things, etc. Compare an older Cat to a Nitro. I have. My '09 Cougar looks brand new compared to an '09 Nitro. As mentioned it is the little things like the quality of the latches, hinges, hardware, the thought that goes into the layout to reach the pumps and other items that need to be serviced on a semi regular basis, and the like. As you said the service support has been great. This is not only from the manufacturer, which has been awesome, this is from the greater BCB community also. The only issues I have had in my 3 seasons of ownership have been engine related (common stuff like water pump and seals) or due to previous owners "wiring fixes" or installations. My last piece of advice would be to get the size and layout that you want and maybe go a couple of years older to get the right configuration to match your wallet. You can always upgrade electronics, troller, etc. You can even repower. But you can't reconfigure your hull design. Good luck.
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