Mako boats recently…

Does anyone on here I own a mako boat? Preferably something as new as between now and 2016. Im in the market for a bay boat that I might be able to take into the ocean once in a while. I've always wanted a Mako since I was a kid. But back then they had a great reputation. I'm finally able to buy one and my research shows that they were not what they used to be. Some people on other forums claim that the newer ones (2016+)are fixed and all the problems worked out. Those people work at dealerships unfortunately. Mako is a good fit for what I need and not so expensive. Any feedback about Makos would be much obliged.


I'm looking for a bay boat that I can mount a trolling mother on for crappie fishing open water and still fish the bluewater on a calm summer day. I sure like a 22 foot pathfinder but it's a $70,000 boat. I'm open to other options if somebody knows something that might work better.

Mako is a Tracker boat now. not that they're no good, but Tracker has a reputation of turning out lots of boats with quality control problems.

Mako is made by Kenner which is another tracker brand.

You can’t confuse one with a pathfinder but they are decent enough built.

Now where you’ll have to get picky is the rigging job your typical bass pro will do. Especially if it’s an inland store. They will rig it just like a bass boat and that will cause severe pain down the road.

I have a Mako 18 LTS and am very pleased with it. It's great for bass fishing and handling big lakes. It really shines in salt water flats fishing for Reds. The hull design allows it to get up on plane very quickly and is perfect for 2 man fishing platform in bays and shallow lakes. I have the Mercury 115 which is the maximum and does a great job and with a 26 gallon fuel tank it has a very long range. I have not gone off shore; the Mako 21 LTS would probably be a better choice if you want to go off shore.

If you are not familiar with Robalo go on YouTube and check out the 206 and 226 Caymans. I just got a 226 2 months ago and couldn’t be happier. We looked for a bay boat for about a year before I bought mine and I seen a lot and for the quality and the price of Robalo it was a no brainer. I fish Tawakoni and Texomo 75% of the time and I also bass fish out of it.

Do your self a favor and look at Blue Wave.

Biased I am , BW owner since 94

MO

There are so many good bay & flats boats, and some not so great.
From my POV, there's really just 2 major decisions to be made:
1.) how do you want to fish?
2.) how much can you spend?

lots of very good used boat deals out there right now.

We found a lightly used 2013 24' Blue Wave Pure Bay and it is a fishing machine. Bought it in Galveston so had to deal with a few minor salt issues (especially on the trailer...oof) but the boat is the bomb. 250 Zuk (had 100hrs) purrs like a kitten and romps like a Cheetah at WOT. It is a bigger boat and comes with the challenges of towing a larger boat but you cannot beat the fishability. Windy Texoma, no problem. Windy Tawak, no issues. We dont make it a point to go in those conditions but it does not scare us off like it use to. Upgraded the electronics and trolling motor and added a leaning post up front. Talked with the factory on a few things and they were more than helpful. For $33k, best boat find ever. Love me some Blue Wave.

There are a lot of 22' bay boats out there to choose from. I assume you are looking at the Mako 21 LTS. That's a Kenner hull. I ran one a number of years and loved it. It's a dry ride and will handle almost any lake condition. I felt very comfortable in it 30 miles offshore on a calm day. I would take a good long look at the used market, especially on a bay boat. They don't change nearly as much as a bass boat. You can pick up a 8-10 year old boat that basically looks exactly like a brand new design.

If you like the Mako, and are looking at the used market, look at the Kenners as well.

ROBALO makes a good boat

http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2015-robalo-cayman-206-103304496/?refSource=standard%20listing

Thanks guys this helps. I will consider Mako after I look at BW and Robalo. Still waiting on the barn to be built

I have a 07 Kenner 1904 bought new. It has been a great boat in bay and lake. It has a 115 hp trim tabs and 4 blade prop. Will haul 4 men good. In looking at current mako's the fit and finish is very poor compared to my Kenner. Most compartments are not finished inside and only use partition walls instead of smooth compartments. The price remains good but done so at the expense of the finish and features. I have been looking at 22' for next boat to handle rough seas a little better. I am in luv with pathfinder but my pocket book is coughing. Dream and wait since the Kenner is in great shape.

I looked hard at the Makos and ended up going with a tin boat instead. Center console too and with a yamaha 115 sho.

By the way their is not a dry compartment on the boat. Water gets in every single compartment even the console. Probably the most disappointing thing on the boat. After using for several days I must remove every thing from all compartments and dry it out. Just read another post on Mako LTS and he had the same complaint. I looked at Blackjack and Frontier boats at the Houston Boat show and compartment lips and seals look just the same as mine. Wonder if they have moisture problems also?

On my Ranger RB190 I had holes drilled at the base to let water out. The dealer also had do tweak the hinges a bit as they were not quite right. Could be a matter of adjustment?

hard to find now a days, but the Kenner 23(23' 9") is a great boat.

I have the 21 lts and love it.Been offshore on calm days several times.Like op said can handle mostly all lake conditions.Storage is great and warranty is awesome.Drafts in shallow water and gets up on plane quick and shallow I have no regrets.I had a budget of around 40,000 so I was limited hence why I have a 150 on the back,but with the fuel savings and extended milage its been worth it goodluck.