New Boat ???

I am looking at retiring in another 5 or 6 years.
I want to have all my toys in order before I do.

I am fishing out of a 2072 tracker and there is a lot I like about the boat but a couple of things I don't.

Pros...
lots of room for a load of grandkids
Painted with rhino liner so the kids can smear catfish bait all over it and I just power wash it back clean
not much chance of hurting it when I hit a stump ( lake of the pines is full of them )
Not real heavy, my Tacoma pulls it well

Cons
Rides pretty rough being a big flat bottom
If the lake is rough you get pretty wet
Coating on the inside is rough non slip which is abrasive on kids hands and knees
boat gets really hot, you can't set anywhere that is not covered as metal will burn you


Is it possible to have the inside of the boat carpeted ?

I'm really leaning towards a new 21' bass boat but i am afraid I will spend $70,000 and not like fishing out of it as much as I do my tracker.

What do y'all think

I’m thinking you would like one of those Lund’s about that size and about half the cost.

Just went through the retiring issue myself. So I was looking to upgrade my boat also. So some of the things I was looking for.

A boat that was stable and easly allowing me to move around in, as I get more unstable and get older.
A boat that was Deep V, or had high sides for running dry.
A boat that would handle from 0 - 15 mph winds, without beating me and the boat to pieces.
Center Console.

So after looking for the best boat to fit my needs both now and in the future. I bought a used Pathfinder 1900, (Bay Boat) with a 150 Evenrude. Searched for a year to make a great deal on the boat. And was able to set up boat the way I wanted it. Wasn't interested in buying a "ready to go" boat.

My old boat was a 17.5 Bass Tracker Deep V, I had just replaced trolling motor with a Minn-Kota Fortrax, so I swapped it out to the Pathfinder. Put 2 pedestal seats on front for crappy fishing. I swapped out the electronics on the 2 boats (HDS-10 Gen- 1 on bow & HDS - 9 Touch Gen 2) at center console. So, nothing cost me extra money, just swapped my best stuff on to the Pathfinder. It is All Fiberglass, for easy washing out. Enough seating for 4, with leaning bench at console tha 2 cac sit on. It handles rough water, and I have yet to get ANY water spray no matter the roughness of the water.

So, like I said made a heck of a deal to get me upgraded to a boat that fits my needs for years to come, and safer as I get more unstable. After a year of searching and some haggling. I bought boat for $10,000, adding $300 for pedal seats, then swapping parts off my Bass Tracker, I had a total of $10,300 in my New To Me boat. Sold the Tracker for $4,500, making my total cost of the Pathfinder $5800. The boat is exactly what wanted, and have a boat that I can grow old with.

So be open to what your need will become in the fugure, be willing to swap pieces, and sell old boat. A lot of the time you can find boats that doesn't fit your ammediate need, buy it cheaper, and with just a little effort build the exact boat you are looking for.

Just what I did instead of buying a new boat, and get what fits most of the fisherman. And got the exact boat the fit every one of my needs. Also able to pull it with my Toyota Tacoma V-6 4 wheel drive.

It won't be a new one! Look and see if they still make the intercoastal model! Didn't have carpet. Was finished like a bay boat but with a bass boat hull. That was a sweet ride!

Look at the xpress boats or something similar with the off white color painted spray in Liner. I can stand bare footed in mine all summer. . If you go the xpress route make sure you get the hyperlift hull. It’s a pad v hull like a bass boat so it rides great. They are the best compromise between an aluminum and fiberglass rig. It’s really night and day difference compared to a modified V style aluminum rig.

I see you’re in avinger. I live in Longview and fish pines quite a bit. Hit me up if you ever want to ride and drive mine to see if you like it.

I’ve had both fiberglass and aluminum rigs over the years. No aluminum boat is going to hold in place in the wind as well as a heavier fiberglass boat without staying on the trolling motor more but with the new ultrex style motors that’s not nearly as big of a deal as it used to be.

I'm not a huge fan of center consoles, mainly because the consoles are usually too big and take up too much room.
But, if you're going to fish 3+ people half the time, the CC is the way to go, minimum 19 ft. better with a 20 ft. or bigger. And I prefer fiberglass hulls with step pad. As mentioned, the Xpress hyper-lift hull is a better ride for aluminum hulls. The 20-21 ft bass boat is great, but it will get crowded with 4 people. Everything is raised deck space and not quite as safe for kids.
CCK gives some good advice about the CC type boat.

Half the costs? Have you priced a Lund lately, their as much or more then many glass boats.