If you’re someone that’s interested in purchasing a new bass boat, but you’re unsure of what you’re getting yourself into, don’t worry. This article will provide the insight you need between at least two brands of bass boats.
Although we are only going over two specific types of boats, this could provide you with some of the information you were looking for before you even know what kind of boat you were interested in.
1. Customization
If you’re wanting a boat that’s fully yours, you may want to look at the Tracker boat. An option that they have on the website is the chance to “build your boat”.
This option is available on the Skeeter website as well, but if you’re searching for more options than the average “happy meal”, Tracker has you covered. They have options for everything from “Comfort, Convenience, and Peace of mind” to “Trailers”.
If you are headed to Skeeter, you’ll find the customization options such as “Jack Plates” to “Trailers” as well. But the options are far more limited than that of the Tracker boats.
Colors for the boats may be customizable but aren’t straight forward on the building options.
2. Aluminum
Aluminum is the choice of material that the Tracker boats are made of. Generally, you can find that these are cheaper than those of fiberglasses–or composite–boats.
With the Tracker boats, you get the chance to have high-test aircraft aluminum placed upon your boat which in turn takes the stress off of your hull.
These boats are welded together, nothing to worry about with rivets leaking while you’re out on the lake. For the most part, modern boats are made with plate aluminum which is a little more expensive than the traditional stretch formed aluminum.
Aluminum is also easier to repair if there’s something that’s going to cause dents or such against the hull of your boat.
3. Composite
If you’re one that likes the fancier looking side of boats, there’s something that’s attractive about the shine that polished fiberglass can bring to the table.
Skeeter provides this option with composite–or fiberglass. Although you’ll have to wax and polish your boat at least once every six months, this is an option that you have when looking into the options that Skeeter can provide.
Composite is heavier than aluminum, which allows the hull to move through the waves easier. If you’re looking for a boat that could move through the water faster than others, fiberglass/composite is a good way to go.
In the end, you get what you paid for. If composite has been something you’re faithful to, be sure that you take everything into consideration before making the final purchase.
4. Ride Comfort
Going along with composite, if you’re wanting to have a comfortable ride, then Tracker is definitely the way to go. The Tracker has something called the “Revolution Hull” this provides a 10-degree angle at the transom and a 20-degree angle at the bow.
Besides it being heavier than aluminum which allows you to move through the water faster, you’ll have a satisfying level of comfort as you cruise through the water.
In regards to the Skeeter boat, they provide a 20-degree “v” with their patented hull. They work in sync with the primary and secondary chines that are a special part of this boat, which in turn causes them to guarantee that you will have a smooth ride.
Your preference is obviously going to take precedence when choosing the type of material that you’re going to have your boat made from.
5. Warranty
Obviously, when you purchase a boat, you’re going to want to make sure that you have a warranty. That’s usually something that comes with the purchase. When you purchase a Skeeter, you can trust that the warranty will have this:
- Limited Lifetime Structural Warranty
- 10 Year Limited Transferable Structural Warranty
- 3 Year Limited Component Warranty
Skeeter excludes repairs from damage that was a result of abuse, alteration, modification or neglect.
When purchasing a Tracker, this is included in the warranty:
- 5 Year Bow-to-Stern Warranty
- Limited Lifetime Structural and Deck Warranty
- 3 Year Warranty on Powder Coat Finish Adhesion, Trolling Motor and Fishfinder
- Provisions for Transfer to Second Owner
- One-stop Factory Warranty Solution
- Full Coverage Throughout the Warranty Period–No Pro-rating
- Applies to 2015 Model Year and Forward
There are many different things that can go wrong. If you’re wanting some extra protection just in case you’re accident prone or such, Tracker is going to be your best option in that aspect of the purchase.
With the warranty, you can feel a little better about going out and about and having something go wrong, you can trust that something is going to be able to be done within the warranty and the company that you chose to purchase from.
6. Chines
Chines add stability and provide a smoother and drier ride. Between these two boats, they each offer different chines.
The Skeeter boat has both primary and secondary chines that help in being able to keep the ride really dry and smooth. This is how Skeeter wants to be remembered, as a smooth and dry ride.
If you move on over to Tracker, they have reverse chines as well, but they don’t have the same setup as the Skeeter which happens to offer more than one set of reverse chines.
Chines are able to provide the maximum lift and speed in your boat. So, that’s something that’s important to think about when you are going to be purchasing a new boat, or even purchasing a new one.
7. Stability
One thing that Tracker is able to provide is the fact that their boats are all welded, when they are being welded, there is nothing that is going to waste. The fact that they use plasma cutting adds to the stability of their hulls.
They have a hull/transom/stringer system that helps to make the boat one of the most durable that you could ever purchase. With Tracker, as previously mentioned, they are guaranteeing a smooth ride no matter what.
Moving onto Skeeter, they claim that you can have someone jumping up and down and you won’t even be able to feel it in the bow. “Extreme stability and optimum flotation reduce rocking and rolling,” they claim on their website.
There’s a lot that can really affect the stability when it comes to a boat. Tracker also provides a hull that has foam in it, which helps to be able to add to the sound of your experiences. With the foam, it adds more durability to the boat itself.
When you’re going out in the water, especially if you’re going to be standing while you’re out and about, the Skeeter is really something that you would want to go with.
8. Rough Water Handling
If you’re wanting a boat that would be good in case you run into rough waters, Skeeter has been known to be one of the better rides in rough waters. They ride soft in the waters as well as keeping you a little drier than you would be with other boats.
With the Tracker boats, you are going to get a little wetter. The boat can rock a little more, so be prepared if you’re not one who’s that fond of getting wet in your boat–who would be?
Tracker offers their boats with the deep “V” which means that you have an advantage. Be sure that if you get a Tracker, you check the gauge of your aluminum, otherwise, you could potentially crack your hull. Though, these boats are made with strong aluminum.
9. Maneuverability
One of the things that Skeeter has committed to doing is a 90-degree maneuverability test that they do with all the boats that they make. What they do is they ramp up the boat to full speed, and as they are going, they make a sharp 90-degree turn.
They pass the test when the driver feels that they won’t lose confidence in this sudden change in direction. It says that all have passed at their maximum speed and horsepower ratings.
There isn’t much that’s I was able to find in regards to the maneuverability of the Tracker boats. But being able to just trust in a boat that is going to be able to turn literally on a dime and be able to stay stable while going at full speed, is a good indicator of how trustworthy these Skeeter boats would be if you’re looking at getting one that you can trust.
10. Hull
Skeeter has designed a hull that keeps you on top of the water, and you’re able to keep the performance up to where other boats will fail, which is something that they are able to offer that Tracker can’t.
With the way that the hull is designed, they are able to provide a larger front casting deck as well as over-sized storage, which is due to the curvature of the boat design.
With the Tracker boats, it’s different, mostly because they have a hull design that’s called a robust hull construction. They have welded hull supports to make sure that the hull is reinforced so you don’t have to worry about that durability issue.
They also have a deep-V design that helps you to be able to have exceptional steering. The reverse chines really help to be able to provide that stability you need in order to trust that you’re going to have a strong hull.
Between these two boats, it is honestly tricky for me to say which one I would recommend in order to be able to choose for your new toy. I suppose that the only real way you could decide is to be able to take these out for a spin and just see what you’d like more. Also to be able to look into the hull and just check out the layout and such.
11. Maintenance
With owning a Tracker, it’s important that you remember to keep both the boat and the trailer maintained. It was said that there were a lot of times that people would do what they could with their boats in keeping them maintained, but they would end up forgetting about the trailer, which essentially is quite important when you’re trying to get to the water.
It’s also important to remember that you need to polish your boat at least once a year for fiberglass, and twice for aluminum. Cover your boat when you’re not using it, to ensure that there isn’t any damage done by the elements around you. Keeping it either covered or in a garage of sorts is the best to keep your boat pristine.
For Skeeter boats, it’s good to wash the boat and get rid of the dirt and grime every month. So that’s one of the main differences between the Skeeter and Tracker boats. Be sure to wax it at least a minimum of twice yearly. Also, seeing as how there is carpet and such in the boat, vacuuming is definitely needed regularly.
It’s really simple to keep everything maintained because you wouldn’t treat something like a car or a motorcycle like that, just sitting out in the yard for all the elements to attack. Taking proper care of your boat should be second nature.
12. Durability
When you’re looking at boats, it’s important to understand the difference between fiberglass and aluminum. Fiberglass is definitely lighter than aluminum, but at the same time, if you were to have damage done to the boat, the aluminum would be more forgiving with repairs.
You could potentially get a scratch or a dent when you’re with an aluminum boat, but with fiberglass, you’re more in danger of a damaged gel coat or a crack as well.
If you’re someone who has a preference, then the purchase of the boat may land on the composition of the hull itself. Personally, I would go for the aluminum, simply because you never know what may be in the water, and you wouldn’t want to have your boat crack and have something go wrong resulting in a potential catastrophe.
13. Decks
Based on some of the things that we talked about earlier when it was mentioned about the hull. For instance, we talked about how the Skeeter has a higher curvature and will, therefore, have a bigger front casting deck.
Skeeter uses a composite one-piece floor which has some foam that is meshed in between fiberglass. Also along with this, they have an aluminum deck grid system which is able to provide support as well as ensure that the lids will be able to shut tightly and securely.
Trackers use 7-ply marine plywood in order to create their decks. They claim that their decks do better than aluminum. They are also able to absorb the heat and just provide a sturdy place for you to stand and be able to fish on.
14. Skeeter Benefits
With a Skeeter boat, you will be able to know that you can keep your speed high and still be able to maintain your confidence that you can keep the boat under control.
The boat is composed of composite, with some foam and aluminum mixed between the deck and the bottom of the boat. The front deck is larger for being able to cast out, while someone can be in the stern and you both are completely relaxed and uninterrupted by the presence and movement of each other.
You will have primary and secondary chines that will help you to be able to maintain a smooth ride as you are out in the water. Skeeter has also been able to prove that they are better than most other boats when you are in contact with some rough water.
A smooth and dry ride is also something that comes along with Skeeter, and that’s something that you can look forward to. Even though when you’re in rough water, you can expect to get a little wet, so just be prepared.
15. Tracker Benefits
With the Tracker boats, you are getting an aluminum boat that has been plasma welded, which provides assurance that your boat is tight and will stick together. Within the hull, they have placed expanding foam which helps with durability as well as making the ride a little quieter.
Tracker is definitely one of the boats that guarantees a smooth ride. They even have a 30-day guarantee if the boat ride isn’t as smooth as you’d like, you can return it for a boat of equal or lesser value. That’s something that sounds pretty serious when you’re considering a company. They are willing to risk the return of boats for a satisfyingly smooth ride.
Much like the Skeeter, the Tracker boats claim that you can have a smooth and dry ride. I suppose that it just depends on how smooth of a ride you would like. With the Tracker, you’re more than likely going to get wet in rough water, so pack accordingly.
16. Used
When you’re going to purchase a used boat, there are some things that you want to be able to check before you hand over the cash and ride away with a used boat.
The things that you would like to check are the following:
- Engine hours
- Compression test
- Do you know the seller?
- Zinc Anodes
- Prop and lower unit condition
- Switches that don’t work
- Crawl under the boat to check the underside
- Check the trailer for signs of rust or broken springs
- Taillights
- Seat condition
- Carpet fade and fit
- Hanging wires
- Turn engine to check steering
- Maintenance logs
- Open all the compartments
- Make sure all gauges work
- Check the trim and motor mounts
- Check corners of the transom for stress cracks
When you’re going to be in the process of buying a used boat, there are always some risks with going through this means of purchase. If you’re wanting to try out a boat, but not prepared to make the full purchase on a brand new boat, then this could be the way for you to get that experience, but who knows how long your used boat is going to last.
17. New
Obviously, with a new boat, you’re able to get all the features that you would like, including all the ways that you can move forward and customize your boat.
There’s not usually any worry about the condition of a new boat, but you want to be sure that you still have the choice of a warranty in order to be able to ensure that if something was to go wrong, you’re able to have some assurance that you can have coverage on your new boat.
With buying a used, you’re going to get what they wanted to have for their boat and you’re stuck with it. But when you’re moving forward and buying a brand new boat, you can be sure that you’re going to get exactly what you’d like, and that’s something that you’ve got to look forward to for sure.
Granted, it is something that is a bit more expensive when you go for the new route. When you’re investing in this, you can hope that your new boat will be around for a while, thus making good on your investment. But in the end, you’re the one that’s deciding which route you want to go in purchasing a boat.
18. Safety
All of the Skeeter boats are equipped with an aluminum emergency boarding ladder to make it easier to get back into the boat. You just have to pull a pin that will release the ladder and allow you to climb back when locked into place.
That’s something that’s important when you’re going to be able to move forward with a boat. It’s important that you have the proper safety precautions when you’re going out on the water.
Sure, you can have all of these things that you’ve placed on your boat in a way to ensure safety, but it’s important that you have life-jackets and such things as that. You can have never have a problem when you’re on your boat, but really all it takes is one time, and you could have instant regret.
So, make sure that you’ve got supplies packed away in storage, but you need to be able to get to them quickly, so be sure to have them easily accessible when you’re going out on the water.
19. Quality
Between these two boats, one thing that they guarantee is quality. Regardless of aluminum or composite, you can trust that you’re going to be able to have a good boat. If you hit up the dealer and get a new one, you can be assured that you will have the company behind you if something goes wrong.
It’s important to understand even though we’ve been comparing these boats, they both have amazing qualities that will be able to provide excellent opportunities when you are headed out and are going to be fishing for the day.
Depending on what you want to be able to do is which will help you determine which of these two boats could be the right choice for you. But these two makes, the Tracker and Skeeter are both some of the best bass boats that you can purchase.
Purchase of a Lifetime
There’s something that can be interesting about purchasing a boat, something that you’re going to be able to use for what you hope is a long time could be life-changing.
These are only two types of bass boats that are on the market. It doesn’t hurt to do your research as you keep on looking until you find that perfect purchase. You certainly don’t want to rush into this and then end up getting a boat that really wasn’t anything to get excited about.
After taking the time you need to be able to move out and make that purchase, you should be able to know that you’ve done the right thing as you’ve studied the boats.
When buying a boat, it definitely could end up being a risky purchase, especially when you’re going with a previously owned boat. That’s why it’s important to find a dealer that either specializes in those new boats or perhaps, one that has been able to specialize in the proper way to sell used boats.
Going fishing is supposed to be relaxing, so shouldn’t purchasing a boat be as well? Though you’ve got many choices, there is a chance that you can be able to have everything sorted out before you even go to a dealer. You can have what you want, how you want it, and what you need to have done ready before you even take a step through that door.
Take all that has been said in this article into consideration if one of these boats was in the running for you, if this has just provided some good insight, then take that and continue to grow from there. Continue your search until you’ve figured out which boat will perfectly suit you.
Best of luck to you on your journey into the wild.