SilverFox

If you want a boat that you point in the direction you want to go and mash the gas without worry, buy a Skeeter. I had a ZX in the 20 foot and I've run the FX20 and both are great boats. They both fish great with 2 anglers up front. I will say this... you need to test what ever you buy. I went to an aluminum boat that's 19'10 and it fishes better than several 19 and 20 foot glass boats I've been in as far as space and stability. It's not fast and the ride isn't glass by any stretch of the imagination but it's stable when fishing. I fish 2 upfront all the time. It's more stable than several glass boats when moving around fishing and when boats get too close and you're on the trolling motor. There's nothing worse than not being able to stand when a boat wakes you while fishing.

Bluejig.... punctuation dude. I'd say something isn't right. My aluminum boat will run 50 with a 150hp motor and it doesn't have a padded hull. I'd also say it isn't your prop pitch that's causing the issue. The pitch is on average only good for 2-3 mph unless you're way off. If the prop isn't crap and the pitch isn't way off, you've got other issues. Good luck.

I throw shallow to medium running cranks on 8 pound mono. 6XD and 10XD on 10 pound mono. Only exception is traps and I throw them on 17 pound mono and braid. David Fritts cranking... https://www.bassmaster.com/david-fritts/throw-your-crankbaits-right-line

Knox station is saying changing to snow for most of east TN Friday night. Of course this is east TN and it may also be 85 and sunny. National weather was showing heavy snow (12+ inches) up the I-81 corridor for the weekend but mostly only extreme upper TN and all of VA when I saw it Friday and Saturday.

It's hard to comment without knowing what models you're looking at. I have a new G3 and there are several tracker owners on here. By the way... if you're talking about the $10,000 new tracker, don't expect anyone else to beat that price on a new boat set up similar. That's a heck of a price. I'd doubt you'd get within a few thousand dollars of that price. If you are, I've also heard they are getting ready to cut off production of them so you better act soon if it's true.

😎 you can slip around unnoticed in that one. I use to do that in the Skeeter. None of the crappie fishermen knew I was one too.

17 foot boat will need 8 gauge to the front for a 70 pound thrust tm to carry the load for up to 20' of wiring. Over that 6 gauge is recommended.

When I had an Optimax, the dealer told me to run premium plus vs dfi. I did for the year or so that I owned it. I ran Mystik in my Yamaha HPDI after switching from Yamalube. I did a lot of researching and talked to an insider in the industry and was told by him that Yamalube, Quiksilver and Mystik are the same oils. All produced by Citgo oil company. True? I don't know but they sure look and smell the same. Citgo does own Mystik for sure. I also run Marvel Mystery Oil in my fuel. I've run it in everything for years... my truck, lawnmowers, weed eaters, edgers, blowers, home generator and my boat motors. I run it in my new Yamaha 4 stroke now. I mix it in the gas per the instructions. I also ran it in a high mileage truck in the crankcase. I replaced 1 quart of oil with a quart of MMO. I did this for years.

Ty is a good guy. He did the service work for me on my Yamaha. I'd recommend him over anyone else in that area. Edit... I don't know the guys at Tom's but I'm pretty familiar with the other local dealer. I wouldn't let them touch my bicycle and I don't have one.

http://www.tysoutboard.com

Warranty is a great thing. My Skeeter was 10 years old when I traded it. Every time I went out after the warranty went out I had that $6000 rebuild in the back of my head. It would suck to buy a $35k boat and have to put $5000 in a rebuild within a year. I'd imagine once the warranty is out on that boat it's gonna be a $28k-$30k boat honestly. You'll be in the hole from the start on it if you ever needed to sale it. I'm good for another 6 years now. That's a relief. I went with a lighter aluminum boat this time. It's 20 foot but with a 150. Much easier on the wallet to run around on the lake and easier on the fuel bill towing it around. I'm much happier. A 18 Triton would be much easier on the wallet in the same ways.

Sharp ride Andy. Congrats. Breaking in the Yamaha sucks! I got the first 2 hours on mine Sunday. It's all worth it when you can finally mash it and hear that 4 stroke. It's totally different but in a good way.

Welcome to TNBF. Sounds like you're hooked and you hooked another one.

I heard tale of people putting screen wire like used for porches over the output into the live well... supposedly this adds oxygen to the water. Works like the little screens on your faucet at home. I can see how it would work but to what extent I don't know. I've often thought about trying it but haven't. If you have a fresh water input you could always add a pump inside to recycle the water. I did that in a Lowe boat I had. Used clear flex tubing and ran it to a pvc pipe the length of the Live well and drilled holes every 1/2 inch to inch. It worked well. I put a valve in place and had a hose that laid inside the live well for pump out.