you will get a lot of different answers. I have a 1995 and it's pretty dry. What I would say is get what you can afford and that you like. You have to be happy with the boat you buy. I could not afford a $40,000 boat....Do your homework...wet or dry you will have a boat and that beats fishing from the bank any day..

Running down the lake 15-20 Minutes or fishing 6-8 Hours = Skeeter ZX225!!!!!!!!my2cents

The best riding/ driest rides out there in a bass boat are gonna be a Champion and a Basscat,(and I own neither).I own a Triton Tr-196 and fish alot outta my buddies' Ranger Z21- that Ranger is great to fish out of, but is waaayyy rougher and wetter to ride in than a Basscat Puma or Champion 210. I have heard that Allison's are great rides, but haven't been in one myself.

Thanks for the info fellas. Guess I'll get to shopping around, see if I can pick up a good deal sometime. Thanks again.

Matt

Get a boat and learn to drive it. Way too much emphasis is being put on rough water ride. They all are bad. I've seen every brand sit on a shielded bank when the wind gets up while I'll go where I need to in a wind. Heck Allisons don't even leave the dock. 17.5 ft lil Ranger that can't be sunk with two 1000gph bilge pumps and since 2003 I've speared only two waves. Both were in a tournament on Cedar Creek where most the Bass Champs boats stayed in the launch cove.

I would recommend you get the boat that has the layout you like and quality that you are willing to pay for. If I had known I'd be enjoying tournaments when I bought my boat I'd have gotten a 19ft boat with a 225 so I get there quicker. Like I said IMO way too much sales pitch/angler pride is put on rough water ride. I'll keep you dry 99% of the time in my 17.5 ft boat.

if the water is too rough find a cove, fishing is better in a cove anyway. Get something you can afford and that you like, test drive a few boats before you pull the trigger, every brand handles differently and every motor configuration affects the way each brand handles. Too many choices, and too many different motor/model configurations. The most important thing is that you get a used one checked out by a mechanic before you put any $$$ down on it.

Again,
Champion or Basscat, I have a Champ, and its my second one. Great ride, not the fastest. Fit and finish hard to beat a Cat.

Falcon baby all the way !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a 95 487 vs Ranger has a good ride but not as good as my 2000 ss21 Extreme Stratos that I had
jmo

I'm kind of partial to ChampioN, especially in the year models that were mentioned by poster.

Enuff said, lol. LUV THOSE CHAMPS.

I am partial to Bass Cat but what ever you get make sure it is properly powered. Then learn to drive it!

champion

I dont have any problems with my little Skeeter in rough water...but what I call rough, most people wouldnt even leave the dock in. It's mainly all in load distribution, trim attitude and throttle control. Some will be smoother than others, sure....but you'll sacrifice something with each brand...I suppose. Skeeters are fast and have great resale value here. Bass cats are really gaining ground based on a good product and good service. Rangers ride well, but are a bit heavy some say. Champion makes a great center console that rides very good, but no storage. I dont know much about their bass boats, except my friend had one and hated me because I could outrun him with a smaller engine on my Skeeter.

I would suggest looking into a center console of some sort if you plan on being in rough water a lot. Mako, Kenner ( same boat), Nautic Star, etc...all have nice little 19 footers that will take much rougher water than any bass boat....and they will run in 2 feet of water too. They also cost less. That's just my 2 cents worth.

Every boat can take rough water, the question is, how much can the boater take in that particular boat?