2009 TRX-186 Questions

[DaleMc0622]

Good evening everyone, I am looking at a 2009 TRX-186 that the owner has listed as a 189? I have never owned a Triton but have always liked the looks of the ones I have seen. This one has a 150 with a manual jack plate and two ten foot talons, the current owner put spacers between the motor and jack plate and says he did it for speed. Hopefully the pictures show it. I guess my first questions is the transom good with all the extra weight?, should I be concerned with the spacers? With those out of the way, is there anything I should look for besides checking the compression on the motor? What are the overall opinions on the boat, speed isn't a big deal for me, just want a solid bass boat. Thanks for any input.

[freeze]

I would get rid of the spacers only because I have never seen them used before, also I have always had 8' pro poles and don't know the weight diff between those and the talons. If you think weight might be a problem you can switch to lithium batteries when you it's time to replace batteries. Did you notice a problem with wash up on the back when you it came off plane? Obvious things with a boat that age, is the trolling motor loose and wore out, is it getting water in the bilge area, holes in the gel coat and condition of the trailer. Almost everything can be fixed if the price is right :) I had a 2005 186 and loved it.

[dwtaylor]

It should be fine.

[DaleMc0622]

Thanks for the input, I have never owned a Triton so I was concerned with that much weight and modification to the transom and if they are built for it. I am looking at the boat Sunday, owner isn't sure about hours on the motor and I plan to do a compression test. I had a Stratos years ago and loved it and the owner claims putting the wedges/spacers in got him 58mph, which isn't a concern for me, I just have never seen one with the wedges/spacers. He has good electronics on it so it is worth a look. I would imagine if you aren't careful slowing down you could swamp it. IIf I buy it, I might remove the wedges and talon since the trolling motor has spotlock. Any other input is appreciated.

[Lightning 6]

Tr186 is a great boat, I have its bigger brother.

I can tell you from experience, that era triton was not designed for a lot of transom weight. It won’t hurt it…..but your performance will suffer greatly!

Recommend you:

1-Dump those 10’ talons & get ppole sportsman IIs (much lighter, less drag & incredibly reliable).
2-Remove the 5 degree wedges….unecessary.
3-Consider a Fury 4 prop…..my boat runs the same speed with my 25P fury 4 or my 26p tempest plus…..and I can stay on plane at 16 mph.
4-Feather the throttle as you come off plane…..avoids flooding the splashwell.

Bass Boat Inspection Checklist


Hull:
Transom integrity
Pad integrity
Gel coat cracks
Rub rails
Coloration/ Discoloration
TM mounting

Trailer:
Data plate
Fenders
Lights & Bulbs
Rust
Bunks
Wiring
Tires:
Wear
Spare
Bearings
Bunks
Guides
Winch/ Winch Strap
Jack

Motor:
Data plate
Open cowl-maintenance signs
Leaks
Compression w/in 10%
Plug wear
Relays
Fuel line
Water pump pressure
T/T:
Fluid level
Switches
Leaks
Lower Unit:
Signs of maint
Skeg
Fluid color
Prop:
Integrity
Material
Name stamp
Leading Edges
Prop Nut
Remove and Inspect
Thrust washer & fish line


Helm:
Data Plate
Trim/gauges/sonars
Carpet
Seats
Plastic integrity
Lights:
Dash
Bow
Stern


TM:
Voltage
Prop:
Leading edge
Remove & Inspect
Fishing line in seals
Mount
Shaft
Rust/ Lack of Rust


Bilge:
Wiring
Cleanliness
Pumps


Battery:
Voltages
Acid levels
Tiedowns
Ages

Paperwork:
Original bill of sale
Maint Records
Motor cert of origin
Boat title w/ out liens
Boat registration
Trailer title w/out liens
Trailer registration

[Lightning 6]

Forgot to add this. No such animal as a trx-186. That sure looks like a TR-186……not a 189-TRX.

[DaleMc0622]

I asked the owner and he says it is a trx 186 but I blew up the picture and it is a TR 186. The trolling motor is a Lowrance Ghost and the front depth finder is a Lowrance 12 HDS Carbon and the one at the cockpit is a HDS 12. Thanks for the things to check, very detailed list, thanks for the info.

[mactlman]

wedges

[Lightning 6]

Good luck w/ your boat search. Tr 186 is a great platform….narrower at the bow than newer boats (triton 18xs replaced it in the line-up and the main difference was deck width at bow). Set up correctly and with a strong motor you’ll get 55ish fully loaded. Its gas tank runs beam to beam under the seats so it has the triton lean when cornering or when gas us below 3/4 tank…..if it has tourney package (2 separate livewells & max pro air vents) you can balance it with water ballast.

[bombercraw]

My brother has a TR186 and was running a 150 Honda 4 stroke. He added two 12 foot talons and struggled tremendously trying to get the boat to plane off. He tried ditching the wet cell batteries for lithium, tested multiple props etc., all with no success. The Honda 150 4 stroke just didn't have enough RPM's to lift out of the hole with all that added weight. Because he really wanted to talons, he ended up repowering to a new Merc 4 stroke 175 pro xs and his problems were solved. Assuming that your Merc is a 150 2 stroke, you may be okay, especially if you lighten the transom with lithiums instead of the heavy wet cell batteries.

[PatriotAW4]

TR186 is a great boat and those brackets are not a problem if torqued correct. I would not buy it with just a 150 on it unless you plan on repowering.

[DaleMc0622]

Thanks for the input, the guy selling ended up changing the time I could see it which didn't work out so the search continues.

[bombercraw]

Good luck to you buddy :-)

[berudd]

I asked the owner and he says it is a trx 186 but I blew up the picture and it is a TR 186. The trolling motor is a Lowrance Ghost and the front depth finder is a Lowrance 12 HDS Carbon and the one at the cockpit is a HDS 12. Thanks for the things to check, very detailed list, thanks for the info.

He's wrong and that makes me nervous. I am never comfortable buying something from someone who clearly knows nothing about it. Can go either way. I did get a good deal on my first boat because the seller was clueless on how to hook up and on board charger but for the guy to not even know the model of the boat (did you say he called it a 189) is a big much for me. So be careful. If you really know what you are doing and know how to check it out AND know what constitutes a good deal, you might be OK. I would at least have it taken to a dealership to get the hours pulled on the motor. I would not trust this guy to be accurate on that.

FWIW, I had a 2008 TR-186 with a 150 Optimax and it was a great boat. A bit light on storage but a great rig. I am guess he added those wedges to try to get more lift after adding the poles. I didn't have poles and I was I got the engine height correct was about to go 60-61 in good conditions with my hands in my lap. When I got it, the jack plate was to low and it started to walk around 56.

Good Luck!

[berudd]

Thanks for the input, the guy selling ended up changing the time I could see it which didn't work out so the search continues.

That may be a blessing in disguise.