i know there are already tons of threads on here about his but i wanted a more specific feedback to my case. so i have had a 1756 alweld cc commercial hull for a while now but i want to start fishing tournments soon and it has no live well and its really not a tournment boat. i have been scanning craigslist and have about 7000 grand for a boat and i am wanting something 2003 or better in good shape with low hours, at least a 50 hp i want a 90 or higher tho, and preferably 18-19 feet 17 at the shortest. i know sea ark and express are the favorite boats around here but express is a little bit out of my budget with what i want, and sea arks just dont come up for sale enough. also storage is a main thing for me, i have enough tackle to be a guide. so what do y'all think i have seen alot of fishers and trackers, some g3s, triton, and lowes, and a few crestliners but they are all deep v's and i need more of a modified v. also i have heard some horror stores about tracker welds breaking in rough water. finally i fish alot of stump bed lakes and have been known to hit a couple so i am trying to stay away from glass boats. one last thing i have an powerdrive 70 i pilot so dont care about trolling motor status.

If yall have horror stories about any of these boats please share!!!

i am new here i have been following and reading posts though and it has helped me pull in some good ones. and if this is in the wrong section please let me know.

thanks a lot

sam

Forgot to add alumacraft no duck boats tho

I think what your looking for is the comforts of a 20+ foot glass boat in a smaller aluminum with the budget for a kayak.

good luck.

yea man i have seen alot of stuff that i would love to have thats out of my budget im a broke student, but have found some nice ones in my budget i really just want to know what brand boat is good. i saw a 2005 fisher 18 foot in good condition with a 115 merc on the back that i could swing for 7000

What your looking for is an Xpress. But yes they can have weld issues and such just like any tin rig. My Xpress had some issues with the top plate in the splashwell area and the person rigging the jackplate set the small bolt blocks to an area that dug into a weld and caused an issue there. The Xpress X line has plenty of storage for its size, mine is a 19ft. I do wish it had more front deck area. My rig is a 2001 Xpress x19 with a 2001 yamaha 200 3.1 vmax. I picked it up for $9000 back in 2010. Look up polar kraft also. Some of theirs are close to the layout of the Xpress.

Also check out G3 boats.

I have a G3 1860 CC that I picked up for $9K a year and a half ago. I added a T-top and I use it to run service calls for my marine AC business, so I'm usually loaded a little heavier than the average fishing boat. To me it's the perfect size for what I do, and it's easy enough for one person to trailer. it's not as heavily built as the Xpress or Sea Ark, but it's more than enough boat for what I do. I'm vry happy with it and heartily recommend G3. Keep in mind that in rough water, any tin flattie or modified flattie is going to be rough and wet.