I ran my TX 17 one summer on Fork fishing about once every two weeks on 11 gallons of fuel for about a 3 month period. I always put in at the area I was fishing and didn't run the big motor a whole lot other than unloading and loading on the trailer. These boat with the new four strokes are supposed to be real gas misers. A buddy of mine bought one of these boats when they first started putting the four stroke engines on them and when he started using it he thought the gas gauge was stuck because it hardly moved.

yep even at todays gas prices 20 bucks gets me about 3/4 full and can fish on that about 4 or 5 trips on my local lake. or pull a knee boarder all day on that

I have a 17' Triton (1997 Triton TR-17) and have fished out of aluminum boats. I think the biggest noticeable difference is being able to fish and get around the lake in the wind. My 17-foot glass boat is nowhere near as good as the 20-21 foot glass boats, but it's a big improvement over an aluminum. I've never been on Alan Henry, but I'd really try to look at how much fishing you do in the wind. If you don't want to be deterred as much by the wind or you do a lot of open water fishing, I'd steer towards the glass boat. If you like fishing in the skinny water and don't mind canceling a trip due to medium-high winds, then the aluminum will be fine.

FWIW, the aluminum will, generally speaking, be cheaper to own, cheaper to repair, and cheaper to run. But a 17' glass boat isn't nearly as pricey to own and maintain as a 20-21 footer with a 225+ hp motor on it.

Also, the new Explorer model Tritons are fine if you have a limited budget and really want a glass boat, but they definitely took a lot of "necessities" out to make an economy model. My TR-17 came with a 115 hp motor, a 24V 55# TM and decent electronics (for 1997) on the front and at the console. The new Explorer models are pretty bare-bones (50 hp motor, 12V TM, cheap electronics, etc.). I'd try to find one with at least a 90 hp motor (preferably a 115) and a 24V trolling motor if I was looking. Whatever the new Triton model that comes with that or a Nitro Z6 might be decent options.

edit/add: I just looked on Triton's website and you can get the new 17' explorers with a 115 on it, but you're talking $20k to do it. That's a lot of money for a 17' boat. Nitro's Z6 is about the same price (I'd definitely take the Triton of those two). I don't know what a Bass Tracker will run you, but that might be the better value in the new boat market, if only because it will depreciate less because you paid less for it.

Cory Smith was selling his 18' Triton in the classified ads on here not too long ago. Might check that out.

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/7243075/1

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I am really looking for a used boat that would be a good starter boat. Alan Henry can get pretty windy so I am taking that in mind too. I would like to be get into a boat that if after a couple of seasons I don't get to enjoy it, I can easily get out of it without loosing much or having to wait long to get out of it. I have never owned a boat so I would also like min. maintenance if possible which is the only reason older boats concern me. I don't get to fish every week more like a few times a month so my investment is only that right now. This is why I have looked at a Tracker 175 txw or a triton explorer because they seem to fit what I have listed. I would really like to stay around 8k for a tracker and up to 12-13k for a fiber glass boat. Any thoughts?

You sound a lot like me when I was looking for my first boat. Looked real hard at the aluminum's, thought about the wind, rode in one, thought about the pro's and con's of both and ended up with a '97 Sprint fiberglass boat little over 16ft long with a 90hp which is the max rated motor for it. Can't be happier. Nice dry ride, not too bad on gas, goes plenty fast and so far, knock on wood, no real maintenance issues. I have had it for almost two years and still don't regret buying it. Got it ready to go to the lake for 3500.00. I literally had to do nothing to it to get it lake ready. I have done some maintenance on it and that is all. I looked at a lot of aluminum's about the same year old for about the same money with 50hp or less. I feel like I could sell it today for what I paid for it.

I have a 16' Tracker and love it. You dont really need a high thrust TM because of how light you are. Plus being light means you can get into really shallow water. I can get into about 6" of water if I'm by myself with all my gear and about 8" with another adult with me. I don't think i want to ever get a fiberglass boat for that reason.

Yep forgot about the wind thing, these boats do pretty well running in it and running in waves but they have tendacy to "sail" more than a glass boat when fishing......I ran my TX 17 at Fork one weekend in the remains of a hurricane/tropical storm and it actually did quiet well. I just had to get out of the wind to fish.........These boats feel more bouyant in rough water than a glass boat, I guess because of the diffrence in weight, but that also causes them to bounce a lot more.....

Good points. Haven't tried it, but I think I could tilt the big motor up and use the 40lb troller to get into some skinny water. Not sure how deep, but I betcha pretty dang near 6". But I don't sight fish. And don't get wet going back to the ramp.

I've fished out of both fiberglass and aluminum and have never been able to get in as shallow of water with a fiberglass. I've never had a problem getting wet going to the ramp. Also I can move my boat around on the trailer by myself without any problems. Just MHO though

Me too. But I don't bow fish either.

a bass boat is a bass boat is a bass boat, aluminum or fiberglass your gonna get wet in choppy water if you run parrallel to the waves, hit them head on and you wont, even my buddys 23' ranger bay gets you wet if you run parrallel to the chop, only way around that are the deep V lake or walleye boats.
I had 3 adults in mine yesterday in 25mph winds, i got sprayed trying to run along side the waves, i havent seen any boat not do it, the wind just pushes the spray over the boat, like i said hit them head on or head down and it doesnt happen.

I just bought a 175txw last month . My first gas powered boat, so I don't have a lot to compare it to. No buyer's remorse yet, and I have been out in it 15# times. The wind can be hard to deal with while fishing, but it handles the run to the coves really well. Most of the lakes here offer very little wind protection , so I have some experience with that. Granted, I am still in the honeymoon stage, but I am satisfied with the boat. Great gas mileage and I can easily pull it with my Colorado Z-71. Don't be afraid to pull the trigger on one. I have been itchin to get it on LAH, but it is a 110 mile trip for me. Maybe soon.

Which motor did you get?

60 Hp 4stroke.

I had the Tracker 16 and now, own the Tracker Tournament V-18 with a 90 hp for the past 5 years and love it. I don't think that Tracker sells the V-18 model anymore, with the 90 hp motor, I can do about 40+ mph, which is fast enough to get off the lake before a cold font hits.

However, you may want to look at the 'deep' V-Model. After running on the larger lakes here in DFW area. I decided to get the deeper V model for a better ride on the lake, especially, when the wind picks up.

Recently, I have upgraded the electronic to the 80lb 24Volt Terrova, Humminbird SI unit on the transom, Humminbird DI for the trolling motor, 3 bank inboard battery charging unit, and integrated i-Pod with satillite radio. I do more crappie fishing than bass fishing, and find myself in 25ft of open water and fishing brush piles.

I would suggest getting the largest engine and trolling motor you can afford. You will be happy you did.