I've been looking for a boat with the best of both worlds. Want a boat that I can do tournaments in for bass and also take out on some bay flats fish. I'm looking to spend 22k to 25k. I need some advice. Please help.

Is there a bass boat with a saltwater rating?

That's a tough nut to crack. Any bay style boat will do in a bass tournament. But no Bass boat will do in the flats. I've seen a couple of bass boats in the flats and it looks like a chocolate fountain coming out from behind them. That being said, The major problem with a coast boat in a bass tournament is that they are so high sided that you really need a 101 lb trolling motor to keep those big tankers on a fishing hole in a 10mph wind. And you know, I cannot remember the last tournament where the wind was under gail force. Years ago, Champion made a flats boat, that was the champion hull and was almost a solid deck topside. They didn't catch on, and soon went by the wayside. Today; There are several manufactures that make a low side flats boat. Avocet comes to mind and another if Hells Bay. Both of those are on the higher dollar side. But Both will float in spit and run in vapor. Avocet is made in San Antonio and Hells Bay in Florida. There are also others I'm sure.

Look at the Bullet CB 20 CC. That is a center console bay boat I could get into.

http://www.bulletboats.com/

Thanks for the info. More the marior.

Won't buy anything new, but..find a champion bass n bay, or better yet, head to florida and find a flats rigged storm. THOSE are the real deal there pards.

You'll see a few lake n bay boca's running around, more than suitable also.

Ranger Caymen 223. I have one and t works great on the local lakes and bought it from a friend that was using it along the coast. It has plenty of deck/storage space and handles the rougher water pritty well. Not to mention it is a Ranger!!

Ranger makes some saltwater flats boats and Bay Boats. Bass Cat makes a Bay Boat, and Champion used to, but I doubt they do any more.

Dont take that Ranger in the marsh unless you want to spend the night out there.

I also have the Century 2102.I have been pleased with everything .It also has a Yamaha 200 four stroke.

Here's hulls that will easily fish bass tournaments and *somewhat* shallow bay fishing:
Majek Extreme
Haynie Bigfoot
Lake N Bay Boca Grande
Transport XLR8
Storm Bass N Flats

All of these are real saltwater boats that are based on bass type hulls. Won't get as shallow as a true tunnel flats boat, but will give decent speed, rough water ride, and handle anything a lake can dish out.

What you need to be really aware of, there are some "crossover" bass hulls that are just pain waiting to happen if they ever really hit the salt. Look under the console, open copper connections, butt connectors in the bilge, rigged just like a freshwater bass boat, but will be history in a short time in the brine. Those pretty lights and switches are not long to live after a few hours of salt spray.

Haynie

Something like this sounds like it's what you're looking for?

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=319505

Would a nitro bass boat manage bout 3 trips a year to the bay?

That storm 22 cat 5 is reallllllllllllllllllly nice!