Fish/Ski boats...

[RealDcoy]

So we are thinking about a boat consolidation at home.
I have a 1998 Tracker Pro 175 with a 1997 60 HP elpto. ( Motor new in 99)
She has a 1997 Bayliner 2052 CK SE.

We are thinking about consolidating to some type of "Fish & Ski"
Any experiences with any of the following??
1) Stratos 200 FS, 2) Ranger Reata 21, 3)Triton SF 21
4) Champion 21SX 5)Skeeter SL 210

YES...absolutely I understand I would be compromising on the fishing rig. But to tell you the truth, I don't fish enough for it to be a big deal. The Tracker is ok and has served me well. I was able to drop it in some smaller lakes off of sand ramps without much of an issue. BUT....It is really not quite a confident rig at all for taking out in Traverse Bay. Nowadays, I would appreciate a bigger boat for heading to the couple places I would go to on a yearly basis. (Traverse bay, Mullet, Black, the Au Sable impoundments.)

One issue would be the trolling issue again. I added a plate to my Tracker.
It looks like mounting a kicker motor on some of the above listed boats would not be very easy. Would trolling be possible with say a 4 stroke 200- 225?

[double trouble]

i have been in the ranger. rides like crap you get wet over 50 mph.triton is now making aluminum boats. says a lot about their confidence in fiberglass.you seem bent on a tournament bass/walleye boat. why don't you look at more of a sport boat the wife would enjoy more.i would also go aluminum with the price of gas and the towing/weight issues.maybe look at a crestliner or alumacraft 20 foot sport boat.lots more freeboard for those great lakes days ,more storage room and lots of luxury to lounge on those inland lakes.

[TimT]

My first thought would be a Sportfish from Crestliner, especially if the fishing time will be limited to inland stuff. But, it's been a few years since I did any shopping.

[k8vol]

creastliners ride good in bad water Plus the fish ski style hold there resale good . I like them for a welded aluminum hull , plus they look like a glass boat with the care of alumium. also gas is at 2.25 a gal so lite weight is also a plus.

[RealDcoy]

Truthfully, my better half was more interested in the fiberglass boats than me.
I have looked a little at the Lunds, but they seem to be a bit more expensive than my pocketbook will allow. ( Though the last model I happened to see was a 2150 Baron with a 250 Verado, so........)

The fuel price issue is less of a concern for the choice of boat. Like I said, I just don't spend enough time on the water for that to be a big factor at this time of my life.

That said, the Crestliner looks interesting.
It looks like the 21 wants a 250 to get up and really moving vs. a 200 for the 195.

[TrailFndr]

I currently own a Javelin Fish and Ski built bt Stratos. Its 17ft, and has a 15 HP on the back. its a 2000 model. Rides real nice, goes like a bat outta hades when I want it to, and works well for everything. My only complaints, are Size...(wish it was larger) and I can't put a kicker on it, so trolling is difficult ( hard to go slow enough)

The Stratos 200 FS is larger than mine, but you will probably still have the kicker motor problem. I have ridden in several Stratos boats, they all seem to ride real nice, and most are pretty fishable. Stratos Makes a good boat.

[Swamp Monster]

triton is now making aluminum boats. says a lot about their confidence in fiberglass.

Has nothing to due with their confidence in glass....more to do with producing a boat for all markets. Not every angler wants a metal flake boat. Their glass and metal boats are top notch.

If you want more of a performance hull for speed, skiing etc and that carries more influence than big water or rough water performance, stick with glass.
That said, I think metal is more user friendly here in michigan for the majority of use.

All the boats you mentioned produce a good hull....layout and the compromises that you can handle will probably be the decision maker or breaker. Champion would be my first pick with Triton their as well. The Skeeter should be fast, but it's a lighter hull (typically) and I wouldn't want to push it reall hard in rough water on a regular basis.

[double trouble]

i knew somebody would call me no this. i didn't necessarily mean that all glass is junk ,but the market is changing.you do not see too many new fiberglass boat companies cropping up in the bass /sport/fish catagory ,but you do see a lot of aluminum boat companies forming or expanding (i.e.tracker, g-3 ,princecraft,lowe ,monark).also when buying a boat you have to look at resale. which would you rather be re-selling today.a 2000 triton or a 2000 lund.i bet the lund held a better percentage of value over time.for the average weelend boater ,aluminum makes more sense.triton's market share was slipping so they did the logical thing.they expanded into the growing market of tin boats. see, even the good glass boat builders recognize what the market is doing. earl bentz is no fool.in the 24 foot and up market sure i would consider glass because you are more likely to put it in a slip ,but the smaller towable boats aluminum makes much more financial sense

[Swamp Monster]

The market depends on where you live. Glass boats are doing just fine in the south...where they have always had a strong market. I'm talking more along the lines on inland fishing boats here, not big water boats or pleasure boats. The market in the north as always been aluminum boats for the most part. Triton is just starting to tap that market. And I agree, more people are looking at smaller aluminum boats for their ease of towing, value etc. Triton wants a piece of that as well.

But to say that Triton is building aluminum boats because they no longer have confidence in glass is a stretch to say the least and that was my point. Their glass hulls are some of the finest production hulls money can buy. They won't be discontinueing that production anytime soon.

I would love to have a 20ft glass bass boat, but for 90% of the small lakes here in Michigan, lousy ramps, etc, aluminum makes far more sense for the fishing I do so you won't catch me arguing that glass is better overall. I just stated that if he wants a ski boat with maximum performance in a recreational hull, glass is the better choice...general use with some big water mixed in, aluminum would be a better choice.

DT, we probably agree more on this issue than we disagree I'd bet.

[double trouble]

the thread started with a guy wahting to buy a fiberglass bass /ski/fishing boat. i think we both want to talk him into an aluminum multi purpose craft.i was just down south and they are pushing aluminum boats hard in florida too but the majority are glass. i have had both( and my partner still ownes the glass boat. i sold it to him) and each had its days , but overall my 19 foot aluminum is a lot easier to trailer ,store, and maintain than my 19 foot glass boat.its also easier too sell.i think the boat market is swamped (get it) with too many choices ,just like the car market it. its a buyers market and you can pick what you want and be very picky.i just tried to pick an ultimate rig in my head and could not.if i had unlimited funds and had to choose just 1 all purpose boat i would go nuts. i would lean toward a welded aluminum with a big 4 stroke outboard (honda,yamaha or johnson).beyond that its a personal usage game.inland? great lakes? swimming? diving? tubing/ skiing?not one can do it all but r.c.l.(ranger, crestliner,lund, has a good expensive lineup to start looking.so does lowe/sea nymph ,alumacraft ,and even starcraft.genmar, the worlds largest maker of boats has some awesome choices too.i see why he asked for some assistance here,you could go batty looking at boats. :dizzy: :confused: