I had a 17’ Lund Rebel with a 115 and it ran really well, but the 1875 is a much larger boat, so I went with the std 150 (Not The Pro) It will top out in the mid to upper 40’s with the stock prop depending on the elevation, and for me, that’s fast enough. Overall, I have been very happy with the boat, but if I could go to Powell as often as I would like to, I would get a little larger boat with a double axle trailer.
Boat reviews
- Thread starter Joe Wilson
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KBJ
Active Member
Lot cheaper than a motel room
Edward Gerdemann
Well-Known Member
I bought a Crestliner 1850 Fishhawk last years with a 175 Mercury. It's rated for a 200 which I would have gotten if I had custom ordered at, however it was on the dealer's lot with the 175 so I took it, and it does just fine with that engine. It's a solid boat for Lake Powell and other big lakes.
Whatever you get, be sure to get a big trolling motor with spot lock. Being able to hold the boats stationary in the wind or directly over a school of fish or piece of structure is a huge plus.
Ed Gerdemann
Whatever you get, be sure to get a big trolling motor with spot lock. Being able to hold the boats stationary in the wind or directly over a school of fish or piece of structure is a huge plus.
Ed Gerdemann
DocN
Active Member
I bought my first boat 4 years ago. A tracker 175 pro guide combo with a 115 merc and a 9.9 merc kicker. It came with a double axle trailer. It has done well. It is comfortable with three people fishing. It does a little time for water sports with grandkids but a 150 Ho would work much better for that. It has handled Lake Powell pretty well.
Pros: cost compared to others. Decent live wells. Versa track system. Double axle trailer.
Cons: electronics were junk. (I upgraded to networked humminbird’s). Trolling batteries have difficult accessibility. Low end trolling motor (I upgraded to Ulterra). 25 gallon gas tank would like larger for Lake Powell, works great for smaller lakes). Fit and finish.
Pros: cost compared to others. Decent live wells. Versa track system. Double axle trailer.
Cons: electronics were junk. (I upgraded to networked humminbird’s). Trolling batteries have difficult accessibility. Low end trolling motor (I upgraded to Ulterra). 25 gallon gas tank would like larger for Lake Powell, works great for smaller lakes). Fit and finish.
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greyhackle
Escalante-Class Member
I 2nd the big electric trolling motor. When I got mine I called minn kota and asked what size they recommend for my 16 ft boat. They told me a 55 lb thrust was plenty for it. WRONG.
When Dworwood was putting one on his 21 ft. Boat I talked him into the biggest one they had.
We were both fishing Halls one day in the wind and mine would barely hold my boat in place on 10 ( max) his was trolling around me in circles on 2 no problem. He has a cabin and twice the boat to catch the wind.
Long story but I wish I had gone with a 24 volt 80 lb thrust on my 16 ft Hewes.
Don’t let the tell you a smaller size will work. The told Dave he only needed an 80 on his Thunderjet.
i like my v-175 combo tracker just fine, but i tend to be a minimalist. just want to float and fish. mine is a 2013 model. purchased it new at Sundance in Grand Junction. it is all welded. watch that weld where sides come together just in front of captain seat. developed a leak and had to have it rewelded. my suggestion is be as picky about dealer as manufacturer. i was nine months getting repairs and back on water. missed bass spawn. almost missed boils season. im just saying!!!
Dorado
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
I have heard of bad welds and failing trailers, generally poor fit and finish and quality of materials. That being said, I also understand that most people have no issues and that the problems from the older Trackers have been addressed.
I will X3 on the trolling motors. My old boat was a 17' Crestliner with a 55 lb thrust with spot lock. Most of the time it was all I needed, but being a 12v system with one battery, it would drain the battery in a day of hard use.
Scheadhunter
Active Member
I have an 18 foot Lund that I inherited from my father 3 years ago. I actually helped him pick it out when he bought it in 2005. It was specifically picked out with lake Powell in mind. It’s wide has a nice deep V and windshields to hide behind when coming back down lake and we have been in some insane wind storms. I upgraded the electronics and added a Minnkota/ hummingbird System with spot lock. Spot lock is a game changer. This boat only has a 115 but it’s still does 40. I’ve had no issues with welds or leaks of any kind and we’ve had this rig in heavy conditions at Powell. It has a single axle trailer and I have the bearings serviced annually and keep the tires Cherry. We tow from SoCal and I’ve never had any issues with the trailer. Highly recommend the brand. It is a very well constructed boat
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Shredhook
Well-Known Member
never even thought about sand bags... Genius! There will be a few in my boat from here on out. Thank you sir!!!I have 65 gal. tank love it until have to fill it.View attachment 21854
I have a Lund Crossover that I custom ordered new in 2016. For my family and myself and how we use the boat it is the perfect fit for us. We were in the same position as you between the Lund, a Crestliner and an Alumacraft. I am unbiased on the brands so I went to the Denver boat show which had all three boats we were considering on display (I called before making the drive to make sure). I was fairly serious about ordering before I went and one of the dealers actually paid for my tickets to the show. My wife and I spent some time in each of the boats and came to the conclusion that that the Lund was the one that best fit our needs/wants and it still does.
Some thoughts on the lund and boats in general. From experience fishing at elevation (I live at 7300ft) max out the hp the hull is rated for. Especially by the time you add all of your electronics kicker motor etc you add a lot of weight to the boat so the extra hp is nice to have. I have not had a single drop of water in my boat since purchasing and have no complaints on the riveted hull it does just fine. Fit and finish on the lund seemed better than the other two brands which helped sell my wife as it seemed more luxurious than just a plain fishing boat. Again this is personal preference to what we were looking for.
If you have any specific questions on the Lund let me know.
Some thoughts on the lund and boats in general. From experience fishing at elevation (I live at 7300ft) max out the hp the hull is rated for. Especially by the time you add all of your electronics kicker motor etc you add a lot of weight to the boat so the extra hp is nice to have. I have not had a single drop of water in my boat since purchasing and have no complaints on the riveted hull it does just fine. Fit and finish on the lund seemed better than the other two brands which helped sell my wife as it seemed more luxurious than just a plain fishing boat. Again this is personal preference to what we were looking for.
If you have any specific questions on the Lund let me know.
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RandyAustinFishing
Well-Known Member
Very nice.I have 65 gal. tank love it until have to fill it.
Joe Wilson
Well-Known Member
The dealer is one of my main concerns. I live in Silt so my options are limited to Sundance/Mattas or Denver/beyond. I've heard horror stories of both Junction dealers, plus they have a very limited selection (also quite a bit of mark-up, some of which I can understand). I have been doing some searching online and have found that Waconda boats in Nebraska/Kansas have a really good reputation so if I end up going new, that's one of the directions I'm leaning (they're a pretty decent sized Lund dealer in terms of volume).
I also understand that all boats can have issues, so its kinda the luck of the draw sometimes. My parents have a 2006 Crestliner 1650 Fishhawk that has had the transom and complete interior replaced (roughly 3 years ago) and there were quite a few Lund's in that same era had transom trouble as well.
I guess my biggest issue right now is I feel like I'm being overly picky (and with the dollar amount these new boats go for, rightfully so). I can find things about every boat that I like/dislike and haven't found that one that screams buy me. My hopes with this thread is to find out how others have dealt with these type of issues (dealers, likes/dislikes, fit and finishes, etc.) and whether or not you regretted living with the dislikes and if you would do it again. I understand that everyone's uses/needs will be different, but we all have at least a couple things in common (fishing, Powell) so I figured this was as good a place as I could hope for to ask for experiences. Sorry for being long winded, but I really do appreciate all the comments thus far, they're all helpful to my overall choice.
P.S. I'm definitely planning to max out h.p. and go with the biggest practical troller (think Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor) hahaha
4LOJO
Escalante-Class Member
I carry metal stakes, sand bags and 12"x12" plywood with a hole in middle to tie a knot and bury. This trip wasn't to bad we slept on the boat tent camping I spend more time making sure the boat doesn't drift off than sleeping. I've got a lot of great ideas off of here, like it when people post pictures of there camp sites see different ways of doing things. Thanks
Dorado
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
As I understand it, many boat manufacturers changed resin/glue composition around that time and it failed. It was quickly replaced.
But yes, all manufacturers have issues. I think you will find that Lund/Crestliner/Alumacraft have less quality issues than tracker though…
Dungee
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
2014 Crestliner 1750 Fish Hawk with a 115 four stroke mercury and 80lb 24 volt terrova. 27 gallon tank, top speed low 30’s.
Love the aluminum for towing, can beat it up pulling it on shore etc. love the vinyl flooring, love the much bigger bow square footage than I’ve seen in some other boats. I don’t lose any sleep over this boat and set up. Of course, in a perfect world I’d want a 150hp, perhaps a 40 gallon tank, a small kicker motor and couple extra feet of boat length.
Only have the single axle trailer, change the bearing annually. Have had minimal issues trailer or boat wise due to typical wear.
My number one goal at Powell is to catch fish, so anything beyond that isn’t necessarily a priority, only have the two main captains chairs for instance (took out the reversible bench seat in the back). Have only ever had to specifically pull off Good Hope 1x due to rough waves (we were fully loaded heading up to find a campsite anyway).
This is always a fun discussion, it’s a fun and sometimes frustrating process looking for a new boat. There isn’t going to be one generic boat for you, you will have to find what YOU like the most and even then you will modify it (and then change it a 1000x’s lol) to your wants.
Current boat 2014 1750 fish hawk
Probably really want the 18 or 1950 version.
Dream boat is probably Ranger Reata.
BUT, I’m perfectly happy, it runs and I can cast from it.
Preston
Love the aluminum for towing, can beat it up pulling it on shore etc. love the vinyl flooring, love the much bigger bow square footage than I’ve seen in some other boats. I don’t lose any sleep over this boat and set up. Of course, in a perfect world I’d want a 150hp, perhaps a 40 gallon tank, a small kicker motor and couple extra feet of boat length.
Only have the single axle trailer, change the bearing annually. Have had minimal issues trailer or boat wise due to typical wear.
My number one goal at Powell is to catch fish, so anything beyond that isn’t necessarily a priority, only have the two main captains chairs for instance (took out the reversible bench seat in the back). Have only ever had to specifically pull off Good Hope 1x due to rough waves (we were fully loaded heading up to find a campsite anyway).
This is always a fun discussion, it’s a fun and sometimes frustrating process looking for a new boat. There isn’t going to be one generic boat for you, you will have to find what YOU like the most and even then you will modify it (and then change it a 1000x’s lol) to your wants.
Current boat 2014 1750 fish hawk
Probably really want the 18 or 1950 version.
Dream boat is probably Ranger Reata.
BUT, I’m perfectly happy, it runs and I can cast from it.
Preston
K&M
Well-Known Member
We have 2015 20 ft Crestliner Fish Hawk. We love it! We had a 17 ft Tracker first, and loved that as well, but this Crestliner is so stable in the water and I'd say that's its best feature. The only thing I would change is don't get carpet. Oh, it hasn't really improved our fishing skills, though.
Bummer
Inseminator
Well-Known Member
I live in Rifle and last year purchased a 1975 Tyee from Mattas and my experience was excellent i was replacing my 1875 Tyee that i had for 10 years give a shout if you want we can hit Rifle Gap and you can do a test run and see what you think 1 ft difference in length is huge and im loving this boat thats if the ice ever comes off
POk3s
Escalante-Class Member
As far as aluminum boats go, I believe a Lund has been, and will continue to be top of the line. In my boat search I was pretty sold on getting an alumacraft because of the layout of the boat but hasn’t sat in one.
I had a buddy really get in my ear and talk me into a fiberglass boat. Rangers are top of the line but BassPro currently owns them so they are taking a hit with their newer models, cutting corners. They also own tracker, if that tells you anything.
I went with a skeeter wx1850 with big western reservoirs in mind. I wanted a boat that would handle big water, but also small enough to launch about anywhere.
You have to look at layout with a fine tooth comb and see what needs are at the top of your priority list. Also, give fiberglass boats a look. A smooth ride was worth it to me on long boat rides on choppy water.
I had a buddy really get in my ear and talk me into a fiberglass boat. Rangers are top of the line but BassPro currently owns them so they are taking a hit with their newer models, cutting corners. They also own tracker, if that tells you anything.
I went with a skeeter wx1850 with big western reservoirs in mind. I wanted a boat that would handle big water, but also small enough to launch about anywhere.
You have to look at layout with a fine tooth comb and see what needs are at the top of your priority list. Also, give fiberglass boats a look. A smooth ride was worth it to me on long boat rides on choppy water.
Meatwagon
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
My boating experience on Powell have been in 3 different glass fish &ski boats. Starting with a 16.5ft skeeter, it was very limited to calm water and in fuel capacity but it took us to the fish. Those limitations led me to a 18ft Stratos which was much more capable in rough water, BIG boat wakes but was still limited in fuel capacity for Powell. If it had a 40gal. Fuel tank instead of 24gal. I probably would have kept it and just repowered it. Which led me to my current 21.5ft triton which pretty much checks all of my boxes, far more capable in every aspect of boating on Powell.
I would agree with the above posts that bigger is better, fuel tank, outboard, trolling motor, boats length and even larger screen display on your depth finder.
As for trailers my first two boats were single axle and were relatively easy to move around in the garage with a hand dolly, but the triton with a tandem is a chore even with a trailer Valet geared dolly. Never had any issues with any of the trailers with proper maintenance.
Aluminum is definitely lighter and more forgiving when beaching.
I would say if you are set on a 18ft Aluminum you've got it narrowed down to interior layout , fit and finish and capacity for power and fuel. Powell is a BIG place and a bigger boat with bigger capabilities is always a plus.
Good luck in finding that perfect for you Powell boat.
I would agree with the above posts that bigger is better, fuel tank, outboard, trolling motor, boats length and even larger screen display on your depth finder.
As for trailers my first two boats were single axle and were relatively easy to move around in the garage with a hand dolly, but the triton with a tandem is a chore even with a trailer Valet geared dolly. Never had any issues with any of the trailers with proper maintenance.
Aluminum is definitely lighter and more forgiving when beaching.
I would say if you are set on a 18ft Aluminum you've got it narrowed down to interior layout , fit and finish and capacity for power and fuel. Powell is a BIG place and a bigger boat with bigger capabilities is always a plus.
Good luck in finding that perfect for you Powell boat.
svivian
Escalante-Class Member
I was a bass boat and center console guy for a long time and always thought i would have one or the other for ever..... now i have a Walk Around and would never go back.
Look at other boats even if you think they may not be what you want. Until you are in one sometimes you dont know what you dont know.
Look at other boats even if you think they may not be what you want. Until you are in one sometimes you dont know what you dont know.
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