1st Bass Boat, what should I get?

[Hunterfischer]

I'm currently in Afghanistan, and am having my father scout boats for me. This will be my first bass boat... Finally gave up the Mad River Canoe. I've been looking primarily at used Nitro boats, as they the early to mid 90's models are within my price range. I've also looked at a Champion and some aluminum Trackers. My heat is pretty set on a fiberglass, so I'd like to stay away from the aluminums. Can anyone tell me what would be more worth my while for a first boat, Nitro or Champion? Also, upon redeployment I'm goig to start hitting the tourneys hard, if anyone in Southern Maine is interested, let me know, as I will be getting a job as an Army Recruiter when I return (hopefully!).

[BareZ518]

I think it comes down to what you like and pay most attention to motor and have it checked out by a mechanic

[Hunterfischer]

Thanks!

[BleedingBlue]

The motor is the most obvious way to get ripped off but if you go fiberglass be sure to check the transom and floor for any signs of rot. You can check the transom by trimming the motor up where the transom is supporting it and then push or step on the motor and look for flex. A solid transom should not flex. I would also recommend buying the biggest boat you can afford. You will not regret having the extra room.

[ppgpro]

Hands down, If Nitro and Champion are your choices, The Champion is a far superior boat. I own a Triton TR21 But I have driven lots of different boats inc Champions. Top 3 boats imop are Triton, Ranger, Champion.

[bassnman81]

Hands down, If Nitro and Champion are your choices, The Champion is a far superior boat. I own a Triton TR21 But I have driven lots of different boats inc Champions. Top 3 boats imop are Triton, Ranger, Champion.

+1, don't be too fast to jump on the Nitro. Take your time, look around, there are lots of good bass boats around. Check the boats on this site in the boat for sale section. You are in a good location to check out all of New England. Good luck, thanks for your service, Airborne.

[RiverRatMD]

I wouldn't limit yourself. While the Champion is certainly a very good boat, there are other makes out there you should look at. Once you know your price range, you should go through several different makes and models that are for sale here on the BBC. Get the biggest boat you can afford - down the road you'll be very glad you did (especially if you fish any big water at all). Keep in mind a couple things when you purchase a used boat:


1) If possible, having a qualified tech give the motor a clean bill of health is always smart.

2) Be prepared to be able to invest at least some money into getting maintence items caught up (New waterpump, new fuel lines, new plugs, lower unit oil changed, if injected-get the injectors cleaned/calibrated). Doing these few couple of things can save you lots of time & trouble down the road. * Make sure the boat/motor is 100% before it goes into heavy use.

3) Always check the transom for play (with motor trimmed up, shake it up & down, if the transom flexes in & out, walk away)

4) Check the trailer. For rust-out, check the bunk brackets, check everything you can visually inspect.
5) Take it out on the water for a test drive with the owner. Make sure at does what it should.

[Revofisher]

I had owned a small boat for a year and wanted a bass boat i liked the little boat i had it had a 50 horse on it and would run good i only paid 1500 for it. This being said i went the cheap way and was unsatisfied i had a ton or rods i could not put anywhere and all my tackle shew it flooded the boat. This year i bought my first bass boat I found a norris craft you might not know them as well they are more in TN. They have the reputaion of riding really rough but mine is fine i have the 20' deep v model and it rides really well. Anyway what im trying to say is take your time i looked at a lot of boats and almost went with a nitro. I was going to get a new nitro but for the price it was going to be the the z7 with a 150 and i found the norris craft a 20 footer with a 225x with 30 hrs on it so it was basically a new used boat if that makes any sense so i went with it, and am very pleased. it took me a while to learn how to drive it to its potential and now i really enjoy it. The only downfall on my next boat im going to go with a optimax or something better on gas the 225x is a fun motor but drinks the fuel so easy. like the top post make sure the transom is in good conditon, have a tech look at the motor for you compression ext. check for soft spots in the floor. look the trailer over for damage ext. And make sure you test drive it first. Dont be afraid to buy a used boat because there are excellent boats out there that have been used it can get you a bigger better boat than settling on a new small boat with a 150. Which there is nothing wrong but you will appreciate a bigger boat much better especially if you live near deeper larger bodies of water.

[Rangerz521]

Thanks for serving our Country!!! I agree with ppgpro except he made a typo. It should be Ranger, Triton, Champion. lol Motor is the most expesive thing to fix usually and when you have a bad motor it is no fun. By all means have the used boat checked out by a qualified tec before buying. It can save you thousands. If you are buying from an individual request he take it to a dealer with you to be checked out. If you are buying from a dealer make sure they have a check out sheet you can see. Most important thing on motor is compression. Also, lower unit that is leaking is very expensive to repair or replace. Don't let the glitter be the first thing you buy make sure the boat and motor are sound. Good luck and return safe!

[Kirk R]

+1 on Ranger

[20_lb_sack]

With boats 15-20 years old, I think the way it's been cared for is as importannt as the brand. Buy the best boat and motor you can find without getting caught up in the brand wars.

[DustinW72]

As far as ride and handling, the Champion will outperform all the other bass boats out there. They may not be the fastest hull, but when in a winding river, no other boat will be able to keep up in the turns. There is not another out there that can handle rough water or turn like a Champ. The new ones are called Stratos Elites, but they are the same hull. Like Champion's old marketing motto said, "ride and decide." You will NOT be disappointed.