my trip to bass pro today......

[crappie josh]

well the wife and I went to bass pro today to mess around and kill some time and anyhow we walk'd in and the wife seen a pro 16 tracker boat sitting there looking so pretty and all and so she pulled her Iphone out and played wtih it so a little while and said that we could afford it and if i wanted to get it i could cause ive been looking at a boat for a looong time and when she said that i couldnt belive my ears i had to ask her a 2nd time what she said but long story short i resisted the urge and said "no" for i knew that we had higher pryorites so here i am boat less lol but its ok i need a place to keep it before i buy a boat dont want to just leave it outside for all the hoodlems to spray paint and the elements to do there thing

[stew6371]

It would be nice to have a nice boat but you could do what i did. I got a 14ft aluminum boat and modified it to be like a bass boat. Not as nice as a big boat but very functionable and comfortable. Oh yeah, very cheap.

[lazylakedog]

no kidding josh...that would be nice...i agree stew...cheap is the way to go right now and find a place for sure to keep it...i bought a boat a few years back off ebay for 650. I drove to topeka kansas to get it. I did not think I would win it because it was worth more...but what do you know it was mine...I then had to find a place to keep it...the local storage lot was 43 dollars a month!!!..When i sold it I had more in the storage lot then I had in the boat!...But I put more crappie in the boat than I have ever caught before...I now have a ranger that I found on craigslist last year....It cost me 1800, but it runs like a champ, and like the other boat, it is catching fish just like its 43,000 dollar big brother!

[OkieDon]

Hey Josh, don't feel bad! I've been in your shoes before and know how hard it is to fight the urge to drive away with a new boat. I had to fight the urge for years before being in a good financial position to buy a boat, but the wait was worth it!

IMHO, the boats at Bass Pro are way, and I mean WAY, overpriced for what you get.

Save your money and get a used boat. Then spend all the money you saved and rig it out the way you want!

I bought a 2007 2072 Fisher last year with a 115 Merc Optimax. Boat was pretty well equipped and it was 4k less than what Bass Pro wanted for their stripped down 18ft Fisher with a 60 horse motor!

At the same time I found my 2072, there was a 5 year old 16ft Tracker with top of the line Lowrance finders and a newer Minn Kota trolling motor, electric anchor and a gps unit. The motor was a 90 horse Merc and it was kept inside (according to the seller). He wanted about half of what Bass Pro wanted for the current model.

IMHO, new boats lose their value faster than new cars.

I also had to keep mine in storage until I had a carport installed to store it under. You could use a cover, but I prefer mine to be under some type of roof.

Just be patient, a good boat will show up in your lap when you least expect it!

[DC Crappie Kid]

What they said. I bought a boat I didn't have a place for last year. Got a high-dollar cover for it, and still can't keep it dry inside. Condensation on the inside of the cover drips onto the carpet and soaks through to the wood. The interior won't last long if I don't do something. Problem? Don't have the $$ to do something...

You'll regret your decision a few times this year, but the other 300 days of the year you'll know you did the right thing.

[Stinkfinger]

I agree with all these guys; Buy a used boat, then pimp it out the way you want it and save a "boat-load" of money.

[chance_livewire]

I Just Ran Across A 16' Fisher Flat Bottom, With 2, 35 Hp Evinrudes That Run. Been Setting On A Farm The Last Couple Years, Ole Boy That Owns It Told Me 300 Bucks I Almost Fell Over, And In The End I Got It For Some Work Cutting Down A Big Pine Tree, And Some Other Odd And End Work (family Friend). But It Has Stick Steering Set Up, And I Was Wanting To Build A Custom Helm And Go With Steering Wheel, Im Trading Both Motors For A 50 Hp Evinrude To A Friend.i Will Get Some Before And During Pics As I Rebuild This Future Crappie Slayer.
Does Anyone Have A 16 Foot Trailer For A Flat Bottom?? They Want To Get Rid Of? Mine Will Need Complete Rebuild, Figures I Can Pick One Up Fairly Inexpensive And Alter If Need Be.