Does fiberglass make a big difference in wind?

[warhawk]

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).

[Ketchn]

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 .

[Central Minn]

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.

[jay the baptist]

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.

[LA CrappieMaster]

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.

[blueball]

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

Sent from my SM-S907VL using Tapatalk

[Takeum]

Love my 19.5” ft Ranger fish and ski,, heavy enough to fish those bigger lakes, and fast enough when things get bad....

[thaDudeAbides]

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.

[LA CrappieMaster]

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.

[smashdn]

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 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."