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Back on the market for a boat after several years. Previous boat was a 2010 Bass Tracker 175 TXW, which I loved except for the fact very little wind made it difficult to cater to kids or even fish with more than 1 person. Was thinking about the Nitro Z7 to help with this.
Fiberglass boat is typically heavier, and sits deeper in the water, making them less prone to "blowing" around. Also, fiberglass boat usually has less of a flat side, to catch the wind.
Anyway you could rent, or borrow one? To try it out, before buying.
Today's Trolling motors is really the Difference so far in advance..Trolling Motor a Good one and Electronics..my opinion, I have both 20 ft glass and 16 ft Aluminum...The wind blows the aluminum around but able to control it with Trolling motor..
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.... my ProCraft 16' blows (drifts) fairly easily, even in a light wind. It just doesn't blow around as bad as my buddy's previous boat (Tracker TX17). The lower they sit in the water the less chance they'll blow around easily ... the trade-off being that high waves are more likely to come over the sides. The stronger your trolling motor, the greater the boat control to counteract the wind/waves blowing you around. :twocents
I have found a big difference in boats you sit "in" as opposed to boats you sit "upon." Especially with kids (I have three) it is easier to keep them corralled with a boat with tall sides and a floor not far from the actual bottom of the boat.
Skunked again,
I don’t know anyone with the Z7, know a few with more expense glass boats, but figure that wouldn’t be a true comparison.
Jackie53,
No doubt trolling motors are more advanced and my previous boat had the basic model. I thought about a power pole for shallow water, which then made me think glass because a few more thousand would get more boat for my range.
Thought real hard about panfish model, but didn’t look comfortable for spider rigging. Really liked the 175 TF, but not crazy about seating arrangements.Quote:
Originally Posted by smashdn
I just switched from a 20’ Xpress to a 20’ Ranger 520. The difference in the wind is night and day, I’ve been amazed how much better it sits in the wind and doesn’t get blown all around. The dry weight between the 2 boats is only roughly 3-400lbs
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I Have a 18’6” Xpress and love it ! But I have fished out of glass boats and I will definitely buy glass as soon as I can afford one ! With glass The ride in bigs waves is so much smoother,you don’t have the roll that you have on the front of most aluminum boats , and the wind doesn’t blow you near as much ! :twocents
I have a 20 ft multispecies glass boat and I can fish in 15 to 20 wind and still control it.
Try to find a Stratos 176 or 186, the 176 was intended to compete with the Tracker 175 series. I had one, probably should have kept it. Considerably more stable than the Tracker 175 and I never noticed how good it was in the wind until I hopped into a Buddy’s Tracker 175.
The 176 came out as the 176 XT, then they upgraded the top half and renamed it the 176 VLO. Same for the 186. The 176 is only rated for. 75hp motor, the 186 can run up to a 115 (I believe).
I have been in both varieties a few times ie ...glass vs. aluminum ….a lot of it depends on the total weight and design of the watercraft.
that said glass is typically heavier in most cases . but again there are exceptions , my little boston whaler was like a Styrofoam cup and my little aluminum was less likely to blow off the lake and it was lighter than the whaler and both were about the same length and the aluminum was much lighter .
Before Lund came out with there line of fiberglass boats about 10 years ago.....everybody that was anybody that was a serious Walleye fisherman ran the Lund Pro V.....for a aluminum boat they are one the best tracking boats out there.
A lot of those same guys are running Lund Pro V glass boats now and would never go back to a tin.
I got a 176xt with 60Yama 4stroke and love it.
However, if you plan on 4-5 people, you need the xt186 with the 115, or at least an 18 footer in what ever you choose. With glass, I don't have to fight the tm in wind near as much.
Thanks everyone, i definitely have a lot to think about and a few more options to consider. I think the reasons I liked the 175 TXW is the same reasons the wind affected it so bad.
Glass boat is night and day different in the wind.Alum will also bounce you around more,i tell everyone its like riding a bull when fishing in the wind in my alum boat[emoji23]
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Love my 19.5” ft Ranger fish and ski,, heavy enough to fish those bigger lakes, and fast enough when things get bad....
I have a tracker 175. I also fish a lake with options to fish out of the wind. You need several good fishing spots for all types of wind. And a solid TM will hold it in 15 mph winds.
I haven’t ruled out the 175, but feel I would need to upgrade the trolling motor and add a power pole. I like the older TF models with the front seating being front to back instead of side by side.
I was going to suggest something like a Lund but saw the OP was from Louisiana so figured he would be navigating some skinny water at times. A Lund would look sorely out of place down there I bet. Here in KY we call them Yankee boats and it is pretty easy to tell when you see one that "they ain't from around here."Quote:
Originally Posted by Central Minn
Same thing when you see a center console or bay boat around hereQuote:
Originally Posted by smashdn
Make sure you consider the tow vehicle into your decision.
I would say the biggest difference would be a better rough water ride
My last boat was an 18’ Bumble Bee, and being an ‘88 it wasn’t new technology. It rode very well in rough water and on my lakes, I was still trolling when others were on the trailer. I have a Carolina Skiff now and the difference is huge. If the chance ever arises within my budget I’ll have another glass bass boat.
I went from a 20’ tin bay to a 20’ glass. There is no comparison in the ride on big water or holding in a spot. Makes a big difference