If you want new.. You will have to go smaller... Like 18 or 19 ft... Look at nauticstar or bluewave.... Used options are more open

man.. if you want a diverse boat i say get a smaller bay boat. We have a nautic star 1910 and its a great all around boat. Runs a little under 40mph with a 115opti. It can handle 3-5ft seas not extremely fast but rather comfortable if you take your time around 20 mph. You aren't getting wet in that boat either unless you have a bad cross wind. We've fished 3 ppl off of the front deck before with 2 on the back deck. We were all experienced so we had nothing to worry about. It gets pretty shallow too and its not quite as wide as the bigger bay boats.

Only thing carpet is easier to keep clean than those white floors in the bay boats.

For 20k I would go with a 1810 nautic star or frontier 18

i thought you wanted a new boat :work:

Yeah frontier is where it's at...

Don't do it!!!!! Ask salty!! Lmao!!!!!


Now for the boat........get a bay boat. You'll need the size whether in big lake or Toledo........it gets really rough at both places real quick!!!

ummmm...i havent talked to salty or you in FOREVER... so **** !!!

I HATE to say this, but sounds like an express bay may fit your needs.....you can go to big lake and stump knock in Toledo.......ask asr, hell point ya in the right direction........

:spineyes: xpress in stumps? no way bro. After you put a few waves in the hull from hitting stumps that boat will be worthless.

Xpress
 

If you clobber the stumps it will ding it up, but if you are just fishing in them can't be that bad. I have ran several Xpress bass and bay and they are a good boat.

If you do go Xpress, don't do the HD hulls. Rough

If you plan on fishing toledo bend in the stumps I would go with a aluminum boat thats .125 gauge aluminum. I have seen several xpress boats ride with a lean or porpoise out of control after getting banged up in the stumps. Once you put a nice size dent in aluminum bottom its very hard to get it correct. Sounds stupid but a fiberglass boat is easier to get back in good running shape compared to aluminum after taking a blow from a stump.

The Xpress bay boat I have (X22BAY) has the Hyper-lift hull which is .125" thick. The dry weight of the boat is 1700 pounds which is more than a lot of glass boats of the same size. This boat also has a pad and a V. The HD hull is .100" thick and has more of a jon-boat hull. I had a HD and got rid of it. Anything over 1' seas you got your AZZ pounded. My X22B is not a glass boat, however, it is a great riding boat and really very dry. If you get your AZZ pounded in it, you do not need to be on the water. Currently, my X22B is in AR at their shop. It developed a small hair-line crack (right at 1 year) in a weld-seem thru on fault of me. The hyper-lift is a good hull. I just happen to have a case of bad luck. I know several people that have the hyper-lift hulls (Bay & Bass) with no issues. Unless you bang on something, Xpress has a life time warrany. However, if my boat developes another crack, from my conservation with them, they will likely give me a new hull. So far I have been happy with their response time on repairing the boat. I should get it back next week. All things screw up, it is how a company takes care of those issues. I remember reading several weeks ago about someone having a fiberglass boat with issue and the manufacture replaced the boat.
In the end, no company will warrant something if you cause the damage by hitting something....

Yes
 

That is what I was trying to say about the heavier guage. didnt' say it too well.

Not trying to rag on your boat ASR,but working on boats for most of my life xpress has the most problems. Most people buy them cause they look good and there cheap. In the end buy what your happy with and meets your budget.

the expensive part about the 18 is when you decide it doesn't handle like you want and trade it in for 22 :rotfl:

I hear you......but they are not cheap compared to the other mass produced aluminum boat builders.......ie....tracker, G3, Duracraft..... to name a few.... Also, you see a lot of repairs because they dominate the aluminum boat market.........Heck for example coming back from Toledo Bend a few weeks ago, I bet I saw 10 aluminum boats and at least 7 or 8 were Xpress........hey if I only fished I would have a glass boat.......

Well said........

i'd have to agree with that! there isn't that many spots without a stump or tree.

:confused::confused::rotfl:

I have been looking at bay boats and the Blue Wave Super Tunnel series is looking pretty good to me, but I haven't ever been on one. Can anyone enlighten me on these boats?