Buying a pro`s boat ???

[DixieChicken]

+1 Lot's of them pre-sell the boat, or at least they used to, you'd even get to pick the colors. Those are the one that would take care of the boat, because they wanted to sell the next one.

Yeah that's true. BUT.... they are doing that to try and recoup $$$ at the end of the season (or seasons). That doesn't mean at ALL that they take any better care of it. Or at least of the engine. Might try and not ding up the hull so that it didn't void a sale, but if you've already got it sold, and the engine is under warranty, then that's the next guys problem if it blows up.

As a co-angler I've never fished with any pro that would start his engine and let it come up to temperature before running at WOT to the next hole. Years ago, I witnessed one breaking in a new power head by idling around some before blast off. Time is of the essence, and their rig is under warranty the entire time they have it. They aren't that concerned whether the boat still floats and the engine still runs 6 years down the road. A pro could put more use and abuse on his boat in one year that a recreational weekend fisherman would in 10. I wouldn't buy one.

Yup, I agree! I can't imagine even ONE of them would take the time to properly break-in a new engine. Considering the 'big boys' have factory support for them there at the tourneys. Like you said, they really don't care what happens to it down the road.

Buddy of mine didn't have an hour meter on his old Triton (just got a used 2017 Ranger) and to his surprise, a almost 17 year old boat with the Yamaha 2-stroke, didn't have 300 hours on it! Heck, we go fishing less than him, and put 50 on ours in a year. I've got 273 and it was new in Jan 2012.

[berudd]

Depends on the pro.

Yeah, pretty much like buying anything else. I've seen the footage of those guys with the motor trimmed up pushing through a mud flat with the motor wide open throwing mud up in the air. I'd have to pass on that guys boat.

[Roosterman]

Yeah, pretty much like buying anything else. I've seen the footage of those guys with the motor trimmed up pushing through a mud flat with the motor wide open throwing mud up in the air. I'd have to pass on that guys boat.

Thats everyone of them several times a year. Some just throw the mud a little higher than others.

[D.O.C. 989]

Randy Haynes boat doesn't see a lot of hours, but he does run it wide open.

[Mark Perry]

Oh the horror......you mean people actually use their boats.....on the water....to fish out of?......thats it I'm out on that.....



The next problem I have with one of the pro's boats I have bought will be the first.....dang I hate saving so much money on them. By all means you guys keep paying full retail and all that noise....lol

[SleepDR]

Oh the horror......you mean people actually use their boats.....on the water....to fish out of?......thats it I'm out on that.....



The next problem I have with one of the pro's boats I have bought will be the first.....dang I hate saving so much money on them. By all means you guys keep paying full retail and all that noise....lol

Kinda like the guy that marries the town slut, he thinks he has a queen, but everyone else knows different.

[Mark Perry]

Kinda like the guy that marries the town slut, he thinks he has a queen, but everyone else knows different.

I don't care what others really think as long as the motor and boat never give me a minute's trouble. I speak from experience of buying them so I trust that over parroted opinions. Like I said, its your money so spend away. Just gives me more choices when I am ready to buy again.

[SleepDR]

I have either marshalled or been a co-angler over 28 times with 22 different pros and have "fun fished" with numerous pros since the late 70's, every single one of them ( with the exception of Randy Howell and Bill Dance) abused the crap out of their boat/motor.
The most recent "pro" (who is a top ten in BASS)I fished Guntersville with used the wrong oil in his Pro XS, because Penzoil was given to him "free". He stated as long as it last thru the spring he didn't care if it "blew up" later. That boat is for sale right now for the same amount a new one cost and he will get it very quickly. It makes no sense to pay MSRP for a used boat, but fan boys will pay top dollar to be able to say their boat was used in a Pro tournament and he knows it.

Definitely agree there are many folks who will pay retail on a new boat which is crazy. I get a new boat every year and have since the 80's, paying anywhere close to MSRP I would lose my butt.
Thank God there are folks who will pay to much new or used, that has kept me in a new boat every year for decades.

[LTZ25]

Bill Dance is old school and has respect for his sponsors!!!

[haus9393]

Randy Haynes boat doesn't see a lot of hours, but he does run it wide open.

Pretty sure he has over 1,000 hours right now on his verado

[Hickory Legend]

Not sure what you guys are looking at, but my last two boats where Pro Boats with 35 hours or less on it.
You do realize that most of the equipment hasn't been registered and you get a brand new warranty when you buy it right??

[Milehibird]

I've only met one pro and talked to him about it. He volunteered his boat for a tournament in Oklahoma in October a few years ago. He also sold his boat on here. After talking to him, he had just gotten the boat back the day before from the manufacturer. They pulled the wrap off, went over the gelcoat, all new seats, new carpet, shrouds and such, new switches. They also did a full work over on the outboard. As for the trailer, 4 new wheels and 4 new tires, new shocks, new springs, new fender (one was damaged from a blowout he had that year), new jack, new brakes and they even straightened the frame and I think recarpeted the bunks. He mentioned you couldn't imagine how much stress those trailers see, that he had over 48,000 miles on the trailer that year.

Until talking to him, I would have never considered purchasing a used pro boat for all the reasons other people mentioned. After hearing what he went through to recondition it, I'd be pretty confident with one that was as meticulously treated afterwards as his (of course I wouldn't buy his, just not a big fan of either of the brands he's ran then or now).

[Roosterman]

Not sure what you guys are looking at, but my last two boats where Pro Boats with 35 hours or less on it.
You do realize that most of the equipment hasn't been registered and you get a brand new warranty when you buy it right??

Those boats were not from Elites or FLW Pros, if they were they must've just had it 1 week.....Most all the Elites put over 200 hrs a year on an engine.

[Roosterman]

I've only met one pro and talked to him about it. He volunteered his boat for a tournament in Oklahoma in October a few years ago. He also sold his boat on here. After talking to him, he had just gotten the boat back the day before from the manufacturer. They pulled the wrap off, went over the gelcoat, all new seats, new carpet, shrouds and such, new switches. They also did a full work over on the outboard. As for the trailer, 4 new wheels and 4 new tires, new shocks, new springs, new fender (one was damaged from a blowout he had that year), new jack, new brakes and they even straightened the frame and I think recarpeted the bunks. He mentioned you couldn't imagine how much stress those trailers see, that he had over 48,000 miles on the trailer that year.

Until talking to him, I would have never considered purchasing a used pro boat for all the reasons other people mentioned. After hearing what he went through to recondition it, I'd be pretty confident with one that was as meticulously treated afterwards as his (of course I wouldn't buy his, just not a big fan of either of the brands he's ran then or now).

Wow, that's a ton of work! Theres no way I'd buy a boat that had to have that much work done to it after just 1 season of use. If the boat needed that much work done to it after 1 season, can you imagine the abuse it took to get to that point?

[Tundah]

I feel blasphemous that this may be the first time I disagree with Mark Perry.

I guess it boils down to how you’ll use the boat. I’m not a tournament guy so I’d much rather find a boat from some old timer that bought more than he could chew that was essentially used casually. I suppose on the flip side for a tournament Angler, the pro’s boat has been “tested.” The great thing is there is absolutely no shortage of used boats on the market. Just a matter of patience and timing.

[Mark Perry]

Those boats were not from Elites or FLW Pros, if they were they must've just had it 1 week.....Most all the Elites put over 200 hrs a year on an engine.

No not really. None of mine that were pro boars had anywhere close to 200hrs. My motir i bought from one did not have 200hrs per year on it. I also know a few pros on both tours and they are not putting 200hrs per year on them. The guys that guide between events maybe but not many.

In many cases the manufacturer wants to give the boat a once over before its sold. That way their reputation and the pro's reputation stay good. Like i said, from experience none of the pro boats i have bought had any issue at all nor did they have a lot of hours on them when i bought them. Thats actual experience.

[Roosterman]

No not really. None of mine that were pro boars had anywhere close to 200hrs. My motir i bought from one did not have 200hrs per year on it. I also know a few pros on both tours and they are not putting 200hrs per year on them. The guys that guide between events maybe but not many.

In many cases the manufacturer wants to give the boat a once over before its sold. That way their reputation and the pro's reputation stay good. Like i said, from experience none of the pro boats i have bought had any issue at all nor did they have a lot of hours on them when i bought them. Thats actual experience.

In some cases that's true. And some guys do take care of them really well. But my local dealer has a couple every year and they've all had over 200 hrs on them. He had a 16' z520 with a 17' Pro XS last year that had 250 hrs on it. It was from an FLW guy. I almost bought one last year instead of my new one. A lot of that is idling though. The Elites and top FLW guys are the ones piling the hours up. At the Classic this year Ott Defoe said he already had 100 hrs on his and that's just March. He said he averages 200-300 a year. The Costa guys and BASS Open guys do take better care of their boats and have a lot less hours per year, but I'm not for sure I'd call them Pros......Some Pros like Menedez and Christie have their boats sold before they pick em up, so there are people that want em.....It's a good thing for the manufacturer to go over em with a fine tooth comb, but to have all the work done that milehibird said is crazy. ....Mark, were the boats you bought from Elites and FLW guys or the lower level guys?......I'm fine with new or used, I think they're all too dang high!

[Mark Perry]

In some cases that's true. And some guys do take care of them really well. But my local dealer has a couple every year and they've all had over 200 hrs on them. He had a 16' z520 with a 17' Pro XS last year that had 250 hrs on it. It was from an FLW guy. I almost bought one last year instead of my new one. A lot of that is idling though. The Elites and top FLW guys are the ones piling the hours up. At the Classic this year Ott Defoe said he already had 100 hrs on his and that's just March. He said he averages 200-300 a year. The Costa guys and BASS Open guys do take better care of their boats and have a lot less hours per year, but I'm not for sure I'd call them Pros......Some Pros like Menedez and Christie have their boats sold before they pick em up, so there are people that want em.....It's a good thing for the manufacturer to go over em with a fine tooth comb, but to have all the work done that milehibird said is crazy. ....Mark, were the boats you bought from Elites and FLW guys or the lower level guys?......I'm fine with new or used, I think they're all too dang high!

Mine were from Elite guys.

[Hickory Legend]

Those boats were not from Elites or FLW Pros, if they were they must've just had it 1 week.....Most all the Elites put over 200 hrs a year on an engine.

One a FLW the other Bass Open, most was less than a hundred, around 80 hours!

[AllyFishing]

charlie hartley's Ranger...that's the only Pro's boat I would buy....He's fussy as hell and takes extremely good care of it.