I recently sold my Tracker Targa (17 foot deep V). It was a heavy boat which handled the bigger lakes & flowages in N Wis quite well. However, I fish alone most of the time and it was getting harder to launch, reload and generally move the boat around in the yard by myself. I still want to fish but am looking for something slightly smaller & lighter. Would like to stick with a deep V with side console and preferably, in the 16 foot range. I liked the Tracker that I had so I'm inclined to stay with that brand. They make two deep v boats in the 16 ft range. One is the Pro Guide V-16 SC and the other is the Super Guide V-16 SC. Both the same length but the Super Guide is a foot narrower in the beam. Anyone out there have either of these two boats. If so, how do you like them and how do they handle 12-18 inch waves. Would a 12 volt trolling motor system be enough to move this boat around or would I need to go to a 24 volt system. My Tracker Targa was heavy and I needed a 24 volt system.
Boats & Motors
Thoughts on downsizing from a 17 ft deep v to a 16 ft deep v
For the most part a 16' tin boat and a 50hp motor will fish any inland WI lake very well if you watch wind on bigger ones.
Buy whatever you think suits YOUR needs best. No shortage of people in the world who think you need exactly what they do. (Funny how that works)
Not a fan of Tracker personally, but if you had good luck with them, they are less expensive.
I have a 17.5 alumacraft and it can be a little much to manuver sometimes but i switched to a roller trailer and i love it. Used to have an 18 ft pro v and it was too much for just me. The alumacraft still handles petenwell and geneva just fine, even trolled sheboygan a couple times with no issues. sometimes smaller is better
I launch alone enough, and I have a 19 foot 10 inch fiberglass Ranger.
I also have the Ulterra.
I've done the Ulterra thing a few times. It does work great, but......you really, and I mean REALLY gotta be on top of your stuff in order to do that.
Which means, you need to have the remote with you when you launch. You need to have the trolling motor plugged in and powered up (and linked to the remote). And you need to make sure that your breaker switches are "on".
Or else your boat just goes floating away. I'm always paranoid when I launch that way. Breaker first. Plug in the motor. Turn it on. Grab remote. Power it up. Then cross my fingers and launch.
Tracker, my uncle has the Tracker Pro Guide v16 / 60 horse. He lives in NY and we drove all over the Saint Lawrence River near Alexandria Bay , NY. he has the 60 horse Merc on it and goes about 32 with a few people in in but they are kids. It was darn choppy out there on the river , with huge boats making waves including barges. It was rocky, that is for sure but I didnt feel unsafe at all. That river takes all the water from all 5 great lakes so it is a huge river , many times bigger than the Missy near La Crosse. He like the rig. I was disappointed till I found it was a 16' , I thought I was in an 18' but was surprised to see it was a 16'. I am in the same "boat" as you but want to go bigger. I have an Alumacraft V16/ 25 horse. It is just to small for Winnebago and the Bay De Noc in upper Michigan , so I am looking for a bit bigger . So far , a Crestliner has a Pro tiller 1650 with a 60 horse for about $33,000 with tax at Cedar Lakes Sales in West Bend . I think that , or similar is my best bet . A huge step up in safety and ride compared to my Alumacraft that weighs 285lbs.
Get whatever suits you and your fishing style best. Wider boat will be more stable while fishing. I would definitely get a 24v trolling motor if you have the option the extra power is always nice. As long as you can launch and load efficiently by yourself I wouldn't worry about that aspect even on a busy day. I fish alone exclusively and having to tie of and go park/get the truck is what it is, people have to wait their turn regardless.
There need not be concern if you are fishing and launching alone and take a bit longer than someone who is launching with a buddy or two. I often fish alone and launch by myself. I get to the launch parking lot and ready my boat away from the ramps, wait my turn in line if need be, back in and launch, tie off to the dock, park the truck, walk back to the dock and be on my way. The same in reverse when loading. If someone doesn’t have the patience to wait a minute longer for someone going solo that is on them and not you. Be as efficient as you can with the launching and loading process and don’t worry about anyone else. Being in my mid 60’s most everything is a step slower now than it was some years ago.
All great comments but do they solve what I’m guessing is the real issue? You fish alone a lot and unloading-loading at the dock by yourself, especially when there are other boats waiting is a pain. I know the feeling. I’ve thought about downsizing but couldn’t see how that was going to fix the fact that when you’re alone you have to back the boat in, tie it to the dock, go park the tow vehicle and trailer and then do all of that in reverse when you’re done. All the while there’s someone waiting on you more than likely. no Problem if the landing isn’t busy.
I bought a Drotto which works well with my boat but in all of the thought I’ve given my own personal issues the only solution I could come up with is to upgrade to an Minn Kota Ulterra and do what I’ve seen a couple of other guys do. Unload the boat, deploy the Ulterra with the hand held and run it out a 1/2 city block out of the way of any boat traffic, park it in spot lock, go park the trailer. Do in reverse when done!
Have I done it? Nope. I have a good working Terrova...
16ft deep v all welded 40 mercury is plenty I have never had problem with big water including lake Michigan. I 100% prefer a tiller for alot of reasons first being the console is in the way when fishing and takes up space and more mechanical problems possible most of my friends have a console and I don't care for it especially when you have fish on and the console is in the way plus the console produces more drag when towing. 23 years with the same boat I could upgrade but see no reason to plus launching alone is easier especially on a shallow launch. the launch we were just up in northern Minnesota on a real remote lake and I launched mine myself while my buddy with a 19 ft Lund took took 3 of us pushing on the bow while he had the motor full throttle in reverse and finally got it of the trailer. Bigger is not always better.
