what to look for in used 170 bass

[orteneau]

I'm looking into getting my first boat. I want to fish intercoastal areas and limited offshore fishing. I first test road a 2001 logic side console 15'. I loved the ride and the deck space. I am currently going to look at a 2002 170 bass. Does anyone have any suggestions of what problems I might want to look out for? The one owner says that they have had it on a lift the majority of the time exposed in the hot florida sun. I have seen places on line where there are concerns about delamination of the core and all that. Is this something to be concerned about? Is there anyway to look for any damage that might be present.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. By the way it has a 50hp Honda 4stroke. I've read a few places that this seems to be ample power for this boat and a CC may need a little bigger engine. Any thoughts on this?

Thanks every(any)one!!

I'll be browsing the forum.

[rkola]

Don't know about the lift situation, although there was a recent post that said the 170's are somewhat less prone to the hull distorting if not properly supported. This would make sense, given the physics involved. I'm not aware of any delamination issues.

As for the engine, I have a 170DC with a 75hp 4stroke, and it has plenty of power. I think a 50hp would be a bit less that I would want, although that probably depends on how you plan to use the boat. In my case, the wife wanted to use a tube, I want to waterski, and the grandkids want to do both.

In either case, the best way to check for both sufficient power and any hull distortion would be a test ride. With you and the current owner aboard, see how easily it comes up on plane, and check for any "wobble" at speed that could be caused by hull disortion. Other than the engine and guages, there's not much else goes wrong with these boats - that's why my current (and first) boat is a Triumph!

Ron

[fridaysoff]

orteneau,
I had a 170CC before I moved up to a 195CC. I had a 60HP 4 stroke Yamaha on it and it was a good match.If I bought another 170CC I would go for the max hp motor like rokola has. The 75HP is not that much more cost and I would guess the fuel used would be almost equal. I took my 170CC offshore often but I never took my eyes and ears off of the weather. 1-3' seas are do-able with the 170 but the comfort and safety zone would suffer with 2-4 footers in my opinion. Look at the bottom of the hull. You would be able to see if the hull is distorted. I would be sure to get the original trailer or one designed for the Triumph boat. Good Luck!!
John D.

[orteneau]

Thanks you two (rkola, fridaysoff) for the information. I went to see the boat today, it was bought 5yrs ago next monday, so the warranty can still be transferred (within 5 yrs). I'm going to water test the boat on Saturday. I noticed that it did have a small wavy area just in forward of the outside bunks. I spoke with a customer service rep from Triumph today and he said that was normal. On the water test I will see if there is any wobbling from the hull and see if the engine is powerful enough. They had taken out the rod holder box, which I had seen a some forum somewhere that it was a good idea to do. So, I'll just have to find a place to put some rod holders. The owner just had a bunch of work done on the boat, new tilt/trim engine, 100hr motor service, reconditioned prop, 2 new batteries, new bilge pump, a bunch of new wiring. I have the number of the mechanic so I'm going to talk with him. Hopefully he can provide an unbiased version of his opinion of the boat.

So we'll see. If it the right one, I will know, if not there are plenty of boats for sale in the winter.

Thanks again!!

[Putershark]

What part of Florida are you in? I always thought that the 170 Bass would make for a good little flats boat and in my photo album is a shot of some 150 and 170 Flats Models (no longer made) so you can see how they look with a poling platform on one

I would not be worrying about it "setting" on a lift, this as long as the lift bunks were of the same spacing as the factory trailer. Here again, when the boat makes it back to the water, or on the correct trailer it should correct for any such deflections over time which is one of the great properties of this hull material.

As for myself, I would be looking for some more horsepower, but with the correct prop and lower unit tweaks, you may be surprised how well it runs. Boat loading and weight positioning is key when running on the lower end of the horsepower scale.

Let know how you make out and see you on the flats Send me a PM with your contact information, and maybe we can get up a trip to chase a few Snook and Redfish..

[rkola]

orteneau,

Sounds like the boat has been well maintained, and hopefully the mechanic will give you some additional insight. I bought my 170DC used (it's a 2003), with about 30 hours on it. Haven't had any regrets. Unfortunately, since I bought it from a dealer, not the original owner, I wasn't able to transfer the warranty. However, based on both what I've read here and my own experience to date, I don't think that will be an issue.

Good luck with your test ride,

Ron

[Troll]

Orteneau,

I bought my 2002 170 bass new in November of 2002. My engine has about 125 hours on it. A couple of things to look for.

If the boat is on a trailer and the transom extends beyond the bunks on the trailer, the hull can warp and my dealer told me that this would not be covered under the hull warranty.

As for power, the 170 bass is heavy due to the storage behind the driver and passenger as well as the holding tank. There are also the two bass fishing seats. I would think that 50 hp with a 4S would be a little light. I know that I had problems getting mine up on plane with my 70 hp 4S. I installed Nauticus Trim Tabs and solved that problem, but I have almost 1/2 more power than you do. Yes the correct prop helps, but without the HP to start with, you can only go so far.

Look at the gauges to make sure that they all work. Also look at the manual and when you turn on the motor, the tach should give you the engine hours. Make sure you know what you get. What kind of wiring was done on this new of a boat? These boats are pretty much maintenance free.

As for price, the 50 hp motor (and if no factory trailer is with it) is an issue that should really drop the price.

Good luck and let us know what you find on the test drive.

Troll

[jconstab]

I have a 17ft cc with a 50hp Yamaha 4 stroke. It tops out at 30mph by myself, and 27 with 2 people. That's enough power to get you around, especially for intercoastal fishing. More power would be nice but that setup is sufficient to get you fishing.

You mentioned "limited offshore fishing". IMHO, I don't think it is a good idea to take a 17ft boat anywhere offshore, even if just a few miles. I have had my boat in significant chop in the bay and around the Skyway, but I wouldn't risk getting very far from land. Water down here, especially over the summer, can turn from good to deadly in no time and a 17 ft skiff isn't the boat to be in when things turn south.

[orteneau]

Thanks everyone for the conversation. I was going to go on a test ride today but I didn't have anyone to go along with me that has knowledge of boats. jconstab, I agree with you about taking the boat out into the gulf. I would probably only take it out to one of the buoy stations just outside of Clearwater pass for bait on a calm day. I'll mostly be staying in the intercoastal and backwater areas. This is new to me, so I will try to get comfortable on a boat while staying real close to land. I do understand that it can be dangerous even when in the intercoastal waterways. I have taken a basic boating course offered by the US powersquadron just to get some basics in my head.

The boat was kept on a lift for years and wiring was starting to corrode at the battery terminals and I'm not sure where else. The owner took it to a mechanic and asked what maintenance should be done on the boat. He gave her a list of what needed to be done and she spent about $650 getting the suggested work done. I still need to speak with him to find out the details.

The trolling motor that came with the boat malfunctioned and she fought to get a new one. When she got it back they never used it. I'm not sure what size or make it is. What does everyone think would be a minumum power necessary for this boat?

It does have a triumph trailer and the transom is supported.

Troll, where do you usually take your boat? Pine flat, Shaver, Courtright, or Wishon. I used to live in Trimmer in the winters and Dinkey Creek in the summers from 92-98. I love the winters here in Florida, I do miss it out there.

Jerry

[jconstab]

I don't have a trolling motor yet but I would think 55lb thrust should be sufficient. I live in Clearwater and going out to those bouys is defintely not a problem. I was just referring to going more than a mile or two offshore. The 17 is a great all-around boat for intercoastal fishing. The v in the front of the hull makes the boat handle chop pretty good for its size and the draft is remarkably shallow.

There is nothing wrong with buying a used boat but fixing the small stuff can nickle and dime you to death. Just make sure you take your time and go every everything thoroughly and make sure every little thing works. Check the compression on the motor and make sure the trim and tilt goes up and down smoothly, especially while up on plane.

Good luck and make sure you post some pictures if you do buy the boat.