What Brand aluminum do you own?

[topcat]

Thanks guy for the information shared here........I am in the market for a new boat....and have thought about the aluminum boats with a V hull......

I read a article that Kvd wrote on buying a new boat...he says you should buy as much boat as you can afford and don't skimp on horsepower...and he says he is partial to Bass Tracker aluminum boats and Nitro fiberglass boats he reccomends that you up grade for performance not speed......

he also reccomended that you opt for a 65 pound trust instead of the standard......and finally he says  chose a boat that fits the type of water and terrain of the lakes you will be fishing...

thanks for sharing ........I will post what type of boat I get.........

Topcat

[kissmybass2001]

I have a Tracker Tournament Pro 18 w/60HP Merc. It fits me and the lakes I fish perfectly. Now that it's 8 years old I am planning to update the locators and upgrade the trolling motor to a 24V system, I foresee (at 50 yrs old) that this is the last boat that I will have.

[JayPea2006]

I have a Tracker Tournament Pro 18 w/60HP Merc. It fits me and the lakes I fish perfectly. Now that it's 8 years old I am planning to update the locators and upgrade the trolling motor to a 24V system, I foresee (at 50 yrs old) that this is the last boat that I will have.

With medical advancements coming everyday, I'm sure you'll live to be well over 100 years old and buy many more boats. lol   

[G3hp200]

I have a 2004 G3hp200 with a 2005 yamaha vmax hpdi 200.I've added a 6in. slidemaster jackplate,hootfoot,pro trim and 332c Lowrance.boat runs around 70mph at 5800-5900rpm.Boat fishes shallow water very well.Fishes Lake Erie good as well.Those guys can have their high $ glass boats.I'll stay with the Tin to Win theory!

[JayPea2006]

I have a 2004 G3hp200 with a 2005 yamaha vmax hpdi 200.I've added a 6in. slidemaster jackplate,hootfoot,pro trim and 332c Lowrance.boat runs around 70mph at 5800-5900rpm.Boat fishes shallow water very well.Fishes Lake Erie good as well.Those guys can have their high $ glass boats.I'll stay with the Tin to Win theory!

I looked at the G3 boats a couple weeks back just for grins and could not believe how much more expensive they were than the Tracker line up. You forgot to give us the length of your boat and the beam? Would love to know. Thx!

[G3hp200]

length 20' beam I think is 90 not positive,would have to look.

[G3bass]

   2005 175 eagle mod v with a steped hull g3. Take the yama and throw it in river and hang a merc on the back made big diffrence or i just like mer more. 8 inch jack plate  i hade to weld wedges  on back to add hook for stern lift i now run 54.2  on gps with a 90 merc 23 pitch stiletto prop. eagle 500 finder.

[topcat]

Welcome aboard G3bass we are glad you have chose to become a member of Ultimate Bass.....I see you are finding your way around......if we can help you find anything or you have questions about the site please let us know.....come on in and drop your anchor Ultimate Bass has tons of info and great members and a great place to chat and share info..........I look forward to seeing you around the site...
once again welcome and enjoy.......

Topcast

[Hunter91]

I have had a G3 17ft silverado with a 90 yamaha for about 4 years. Its a 98 model and still does a great job.

[archer292]

I just picked up a 97 Tracker pro team 17. It came with a 25hp but I'm swapping it out with a  60 hp mariner.

[Kal-Kevin]

That should get you around the water pretty good there archer I know we might not get to our spot as fast as those glass toys but we get there and can show them how to fish when we do! 

[g3mike]

i have a hp180 by g3. i love this boat and almost stole it. i was going to by the 20 footer but this boat was returned after 3 hours of break in and i bought it for 1/2 price cash. its got a 90 inch beam and a 150 carb yammie on the back. right now i am turning the stock 25 m to 5200 rpms at 64.6 mph. i added a 6inch plate and color electronics and a motorguide digital 67 lb trolling motor. it tows behind my toyota easy and runs or out runs most glass boat i see on the lake. ( no im not a speed freak) more like a holeshot junkie, curently 2.7 sec to full plane no bow rise and its very stable to boot. i also like the fact that were i live there arnt many g3's around. Since the boat is made by yammaha i am getting some great customer service when its needed. next project is locker lights, cooks tackle system and reverse lights on the trailer.
my last boat was a 1996 tracker pt 17.5 with a 60. just to many cracks to keep fixin.
g3mike

[bigjim5589]

I have a olive drab, 16' Lowe Big Jon, all welded jon boat. I bought it from a friend, who was my fishing buddy, and who wanted to upgrade. I knew the boat well as I had fished in it with him many times, so knew it's condition & that it would work well for me, plus the price was perfect!

It's got a 9.9 hp short shaft Johnson tiller, which hasn't given me a single bit of problems, and came with the boat. It's been decked front & rear, swivel seats with pedestals front & rear, Minn Kota 40 lb trolling motor on the front, two deep cycle batteries, center mounted 16 gal fuel tank, Rod Savers and 2 Humminbird depth finders, front & rear. It also has a single live well. The trailer was custom built by my buddy for the boat.

I often fish in tidal rivers, and some of the backwaters are very shallow, but I've had no issues as long as there is at least 6 inches of water!

BTW, my fishing buddy, Pete Welty from Easton, MD was a very talented fellow who was very good at making anything he put his mind to! The decks are made from a marine type foam, covered in fiberglass & carpet. They're made so they can be removed, and are attached via stainless steel bolts. There's storage compartments built in to the deck sections. The decks were also built with fly fishing in mind, as Pete & I both fly fished.

My buddy, was quite a guy, and my best friend for 15 years! He passed away a few years ago at 61. I really miss fishing with him, but figure he's still there in spirit, every time I take out the boat! 

This ones for you Pete! 

[MS_Brush_Hog]

hey bigjim5589, you any pictures of your boat? I love seeing pics of jon boats that have been fixed up. Thanks

[Baron49]

I now have a 2006 178 SC PolarKraft, single console, 17' 8", beam 92", .100 gauge Aluminum, reversed chine and double riveted seams.  Lifetime Warranty on the hull. Powered by a 2006 Mercury Optimax 150 with Hydraulic steering sitting on a CMC Hydraulic Jack Plate.  I run either a stainless steel 21'' Trophy 4 blade or a 21'' 3 blade Tempest, boat runs 57 mph (GPS) with the Tempest. Motorguide Tour digital 82 24 vt electric motor, boat comes pre-rigged with 6 gauge wiring and circuit breakers.  Lowrance X102's color dept sounders on the bow and console, Lowrance 3500 GPS on the console and a Garmin 76 GPS on the bow, boat comes pre-rigged with NextWave Plug and Play electrical system wiring and circuit breakers.  Added a SAS drivers seat, anyone who has spent time on the Great Lakes will understand why this option. Twin livewell system fore and aft with auto timers, shut off front livewell and use it for additional storage.  Two 8 foot rod lockers on each side come with this model.  All fasteners and pull up boat cleats are stainless steel.  Have had a lot of boats in the last 35 years including several Ranger Bass boats, and many aluminum ones.  This one I like the best because it is small enough to tow from NY to Florida with a mid-sized SUV, easy for one person to launch, but yet will handle an amazing amount of rough water.  I love my Bass fishing, but wanted a boat to do more.  This style is called a "walleye" boat, I troll Walleyes, Salmon, and Trout, cast for Bass, Northerns, Muskies, and Stripers all with equal ease.

[Baron49]

Remove this post

[JayPea2006]

Had some serious rollers this afternoon out on the lake with a stiff north wind about 25kts. I had the trolling motor all the way down and was still coming a foot or so out of the water on every upswing of the waves. I ran my Tracker up and down the lake and it did real good. I've had it out on some really rough water, but this was by far the roughest to date. I stayed relatively dry and did not experience the kidney busting I thought I would. Was really impressed by it today.

Managed some good fish too despite the rough water. 

[bigjim5589]

MS_Brush_Hog, I have some pics around here somewhere, but it may take me a little while to find them. They're on a disc, but I've been moving things around! 

I'll post them as soon as I find them! 

[RatherBFishing]

I bought a 2006 Pro Team 175 last Oct.  VERY happy with it.  I have a 40 HP EFI, and it runs the boat up on plane in a couple of seconds and holds at about 30 mph.  Really a well designed boat.  No frills, just basic stuff, but you can't go wrong with aluminum and a welded hull.  This is my first boat, and I've banged a couple of rocks, etc.  If it were glass, I would be hurting.  The greatest thing about the boat is the launch and recovery is so easy, even with some wind/waves. 

One modification I'm making is a small step up to the forward casting deck.  I'm just clipping a non skid step onto the center storage locker so that it is right next to the console.  Amazing how much it helps to split that large step up to the casting deck in half. 

[clubber]

Right you are RatherBfishing, about that step, It's specially bad for a fat kid like me...
(can't find a fat smiley)

[Baron49]

Jaypea...now you know why I added the SAS seat to my boat.  Even if it does get really rough the seat saves my back and kidneys big time.

[z22]

Triton 173 90 etec 101# minn kota, only bought it because the tracker dealer acted like he could care less if i bought it or not and they only offers mercury.

[boat-n-bass]

i own a 2002 g3 1652 dlx.  it has livewell casting decks and a 50 horse yamaha that'll scoot it along between 37 and 40 mph depending on persons aboard.  Man i really love this boat, the only reason i would ever get rid of it would be if i found a great deal on the same boat in an 18ft model.  its not your standard looking bass boat as it is an olive drab color, but that was another selling point for me b/c i also duck hunt from it.  and this boat gets into super skinny water, i am talking inches.  over all i love this boat, my one complaint is lack of storage, other than that i give it a 5 out of 5.   

[VA Bass]

a 1997 Grumman 18' with a 50HP Johnson.  Doing some work on the decks and will post up some pics. 

[Alan S]

02 Xpress X-60 w/ 115 Yammie.