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| Looking for a nice used boat in the $15k range, anyone have any ideas. Mostly using in smaller lakes/reservoirs in midwest but atleast 1 canadian trip each year.
I found a local 2006 Lowe FM175 with 90hp 2stroke for sale for about $13k, anyone have experience with this boat or know much about them? |
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Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Just from looking at them, Lowe seems to have come a ways with their designs and structure. This boat is similar to an alumacraft navigator 175, both in size and weight. With the 90hp motor on the back, it should move along right around 37 - 38 depending on trim and load.
Considering a used rig, I'd definitely be looking at what is under the boat... Lots of times, dealers skimp on the trailer to get the price down a bit, but that means less carrying capacity....sometimes to the point of no possible extra gear if you take a trip and need to put more in the boat. The boat looks to be solidly built, and you don't hear a bunch of bad things happening with them, but that can also be due to not being one of the bigger brands out there.
If you get a chance to run it, that can be the tell tale sign. If it runs well, and it fits what you are looking for, I say go for it.
Steve |
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| This will be my first boat purchase, any idea what kind of trailer I should look for? I see on his ad that it's listed as trailer with Swing away tounge, and that seems to be the standard when I go the Lowe Website, but not sure if you have any tips for what I should look for.
Thanks. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | what kind of tow vehicle you got, where will you store it ... $15k buys a lot of boat on the used market right now so take your time and figure out what youwant first before making an impulse buy.
for example there is a '99 champion fishunter with a 250 opti, kicker and electronics for around that number just posted ... you could find 690-692 rangers ... a sweet tuffy esox mag for that or far less depending on age and availability.
you have about a zillion better options than a year old lowe with a 90hp motor on it.
the last thing i would consider would be a lowe ... and no way would i buy new with that number. |
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Posts: 574
| My buddy just got a Tournament Pro 04 Alumacraft w/90 tiller for about that. 50 times the boat IMO. Longer, wider better resale safer in poor conditions.
Check craigslist in every city in your state regularly and you should find a good boat soon enough. If you don't mind driving to Minneapolis, thats the best city on craigslist usually.
If you want aluminum though I would stick to Lund or Alumacraft for too many reasons to name.
Personally I'd rather the Alumacraft I just paid 6k for than that Lowe. Any Lowe for that matter.
Personaly I'd look for some of these
Alumacraft Magnum, Tournament Pro, Navigator
Lund Pro V, Pro Angler
Ranger 692,690,681 any of the fisherman models newer than probably 97 are worth looking at.
Good luck
Edited by Jason Bomber 4/13/2009 2:53 PM
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Posts: 73
Location: Indiana | Check this one out....it's an awesome looking boat.
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/classifieds.asp?a=49531 |
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Posts: 1184
Location: Iowa Great Lakes | A friend has the FM 185 with a 150 Varado on it, nice rig. Seems to be a well put together boat I wouldn't hesitate owning one. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. |
yup ... if you're focused on aluminum i agree with halfpint ... that one there is a dandy. |
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| with that kind of budget you could get into a nice fiberglass used boat too.
IMO you are better off with glass any day over aluminum. |
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Location: Twin Cities | Having recently bought a Ranger in that price range, you can sure get a heckuva lot of boat for your money right now. I would heavily shop the 2000'ish Rangers or a little older right now, they are out there for some great deals! |
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| Hiya,
the TP 175 Half pint listed is well below max HP (Max HP 175 on CS series...my gut would say stay away from it...it would be a dog coming out of the hole and would not perform well with multiple anglers in wind.
not to say alumacraft and yamaha are not good items (I own that brand of package)...but that is one heavy boat at almost 1500 pounds for the boat alone.
Definitely a bunch of decent rigs to look at, but depending on where you live, and how much you may want to travel, that sometimes can be a shot in the dark...pictures say quite a bit, but being able to see the boat and water test it would (I feel) be a much safer way to go.
The last boat I sold, the buyer went so far as to pay to have the lower unit pulled apart and checked since it was replaced and painted a slightly different shade...
Steve
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Posts: 73
Location: Indiana | Depends on the size of lakes you fish really. If you're just looking to cruise at 30 mph on couple thousand acre lake, that Alumacraft with the 115 will work just fine. And it's a NICE boat for less money with that motor on it.
If you fish a gazillion acre lake up north, then get a boat with as big of HP as you can get so you can get to your spot at a decent hour. Where I'm from in Indiana, it's nice to go fast...but at some point it's overkill.
When you look at the boat he mentioned first though...that's only got a 90 on it, so I'd say the alumacraft would be a step up in quality with not much of a step up in price. They wouldn't be comparable in with the 175 on it... |
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Posts: 142
Location: Appleton, WI | Jaxed.com combines craigslist and ebay listings and you can search the entire country or by region. Much faster than going through every city on craigslist when shopping for boats or any other vehicle.
http://www.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?cat=cpboat
Edited by PeonPETA 4/14/2009 5:09 PM
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| I have a 98 Lowe 170 and it has been a good boat. I would not pay 13 for an 06 seems high. Look at the difference between the 06 and the new ones and you are not getting much savings. The type of boat and the features are very dependent on the waters you fish. I do a lot of electric only lakes and might not fire the big motor for two or more months. I would recomend you spend some time looking around and deciding the type of fishing you are going to do and match it to the style of boat you need |
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Posts: 73
Location: Indiana | Dave Dave Dave...electric only lakes don't have any fish in them 
That jaxed.com link is pretty awesome by the way...especially for someone like me who likes to window shop for boats...ie daydream.
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| I dont really fish on any electric lakes so not really an issue there.
I do appreciate all of the information everyone is giving, but now it's making my brain hurt!
I live in Indiana and typically just fish different reservoirs around the state, occasionally go to Michigan and Wisconsin to fish as well. Plus our canada trips are usually to either Lake of the Woods or Eagle...pretty big waters.
I know I probably could benefit from a much larger and more expensive boat, but the wallet and the cost/benefit of it for me and 95% of my fishing needs doesn't outweigh it.
I don't know if that helps explain my situation or anything any better, but again, thanks to everyone and keep the conversation going.
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Posts: 494
Location: midwest | If I had the money I would take a serious look at this rig. http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/classifieds.asp?a=46887 Add a rear casting deck insert and that is a nice rig for the waters you typically fish and would handle most of what the woods and eagle throw at you. |
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Posts: 620
Location: Seymour, WI | I think the rig you described in your original question sounds like a good deal. Of course give it a thorough check before you buy it. If possible I would bring someone withyou who has a good knowledge of boats when you go check it out.
Here is a post I started last yr on muskie boats that has a ton of great info in it.
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=40... |
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Posts: 574
| Heres a nice looking ranger
http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/classifieds.asp?a=49860
I knew someone with this boat but a 99 I think. Not huge, but can easily handle eagle and LOTW. I swear his did 50+ with a 135 opti too. Others have called the 690 huge, this is considerably smaller but still has the Ranger feel |
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$15k Boat suggestions, Lowe FM175?