2023 Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 18 DLX Pontoon Boat Review
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- This is a new 2023 Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 18 DLX, we purchased new on April 15, 2023. This is a detailed walk through of the features it has stock from the dealer. I will be adding a lot of customizations to make it fit us better and I will try to document each one and show how I do them. If this interests you, please like and subscribe and take the journey with us, also leave a comment if you have any questions or advice for what I am doing or if you think of something better.
Thanks
Rhett, congratulations! This ia a beautiful boat, excellent detailed walk through explanation. Enjoy the boat. Have a great day, Regards, Jay
Thanks
Nice boat. I have the 2022 in Cooper Red. A few things, I store my fishing rods the same place but keep a rag between the rods and the gusset to prevent a groove in the rods. The fore and aft storage under the lounge stays dry but the crosswise section gets wet from the drainholes in the cup holders and rod holder. The storage in the front also has the same drain holes in the rod holder. I got mine with the 20HP since most of the lakes near me are 20HP only.. Top speed is 12-13 mph which is not fast but good enough for me and the grandkids to enjoy. After almost two years now I'm very happy with it and have not had any issues.
I have a grill that hangs on the railing in the aft corner and can sit and fish while keeping an eye on the cooking. Sometimes I fill the front live well with ice and use it as a drink cooler to save floor space. The ice will last a day. Haven't noticed any rust on the trailer yet but the covering on the stops wore through from rivits on the rub rail.
All in all its been a great boat and hope you enjoy it as much as,we have.
Thanks for watching, I like the idea about using the live well for an ice chest, I was thinking about that as well. I am still trying to figure out the best way to mount our grill in the rail so that it is easy to put on and off.
Got my grill on Amazon it came with the mounting brackets, have to take them off for the mooring cover. I wanted the grilloitside the rail so I didn't get anything dropping on the floor
@@109jacosta I have the one from Bass Pro Shop, but I don't like how it mounts, so I am working on some other options
Thanks for your video. Every video I've seen so far was about 3 minutes long and really breezed through the features. Appreciate your detailed review. We picked ours up in February and we have not had it out yet. It's still covered with the white delivery cover. It's been a record snow year for us. I am also removing the port seat in the back for a "kitchen" area. I'll be mounting my grill where the rod holder is located. I also had a different fish finder installed and am installing a trolling motor next weekend. Enjoy your Summer and your new boat!
Great, I am glad you enjoyed the video. I get so much from CZcams I was just trying to give something back. I hope the weather warms up soon and you can get that new boat out on the water. Which trolling motor and fish finder are you going with?
@@northfloridafishing904 I picked up a basic Minn Kota Powerdrive, 54" shaft and 55lb thrust, foot pedal control. I also installed a Hummingbird Helix 7, Chirp MDI GPS Gen 4.
Nice, I am setting it up so that I can quickly switch my Garmin UHD 93sv between my little fishing boat and the pontoon, as well as switching a WaterSnake 55lb trolling motor back and forth on a quick release bracket for now. I would like to move up to the Minn Kota Terrova with spot lock and all that, later.
@@northfloridafishing904 I’m looking at the i Pilot conversation kit for my trolling motor. About $450. I had been looking at the Watersnake.
Cup phone holder works great
We just picked up a 2023 Bass buggy 18 DLX. We also got the 75hp Merc. I did the maiden the other day. Very quiet engine. Boat ran fine and handled perfectly. The 75hp was a good choice for this boat. It has plenty of power for what we are going to do with it. We are very pleased with this pontoon boat. I do wish it had storage features like the 20 foot boat. I am speaking of the storage in the back side of the lounge chair. I have already found out that the hatches on storage compartments are not watertight. I left the cover off one night and it poured. The drain canals around the hatch covers overflowed into the hatch's. Next time I will remember to put that cover back on. lol Can't wait to get it out again. The weather has not been cooperating.
You are absolutely right about the storage and under seat compartments, I was going to try some weatherstripping under the seat to see if it would make it a little more watertight, I will make a video when I do that.
Is the 75hp strong enough for tubing with other people on board?
@@MRios1128 I think so. I wouldn't do it with 5 people on board. 3 folks shouldn't be a problem. You are not going to tow fast. I have gotten my 18-foot bass buggy to 24 mph flat with just me on board. I do not think it will ever go faster than that. Conditions were good. You will need to play around with weight (moving people aft or forward) and adjusting the tilt when towing.
Can you waterski with it
@@jj-eo7bj I have gotten a maximum speed of 24 mph running a 75hp Merc. That is the largest engine recommended for this pontoon boat. You could probably pull a small child on ski's with it. However, if you want to go skiing, this is probably not the boat for you. If you are looking at a pontoon style boat to ski with, then I would look at a deck boat or a tritoon (3 pontoons) boat.
Can't wait to see your upgrades
Thanks for the video!
Very very nice! 👍
Nice overview! Hilarious on the 40 sticker! We just bought a 20 party barge and my 40 was all crooked so I reset it. These sun tracker boats get a bad rap alot of the reviewers constantly bag on these. From a structural standpoint as well as features and design these boats are great. Im a fabricator and the aluminum work is great! They add alot of extra material that they could skimp on. The cover, trailer and interior construction and storage is all fantastic! Where they do suffer is QC. Check your boat over thoroughly before signing. If its good when you inspect it you should be good 👍 .
Thanks for your kind comments, and you are absolutely right, these are solid boats and each one will have its own little issues that need to be corrected. I have already made several changes and upgrades to customize it to our needs.
Good Luck with your party barge, hope it brings years of enjoyment!
@@northfloridafishing904 Exactly! And thanks enjoy yours as well!
We have the 16 DLX bass buggy and love it. Got the 40 HP with ours.
We kept going back nd forth between the 16 and 18 and finally bit the bullet and got the 18. Happy Boating!
I've heard it recommended to get a 20' or longer pontoon for better stability over waves/wakes and less "bobbing" to the boat but I'll generally be going out as a family of 3 plus the dog on occasion so 20' seems like overkill. Has front to back stability been problematic on your boats? Great review BTW.
@@Lando-ve1ic No we have not had an issue with stability, and we have been in some rough water, but knowing how to drive in rough water is important. You need to keep your trim adjusted so that you hit the wave crest just a little forward of the center of the toon and adjust your throttle as needed hit the waves at the right speed. In normal choppy water it's a very smooth ride. With that being said, 3 adults and a dog on an 18' will be very cozy but is that worth the extra $10-15k for the 20' you will have to decide for your situation. Thanks for watching.
Is the 16 dlx good?
Awesome video!!!! Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks, glad you liked it.
Thanks alot . Very informative!
Thanks, glad the videos helped.
Most Tracer BB trailers are much more than a standard steal trailer. My 2019 is called GalvaShield Impact Coating. The trailer is cold formed steel then it’s galvanized, then a conversion coat is applied for adhesion of the next step. The last step is a galvanized impact powdercoat with chip resistant finish. 😳😊
Thanks, that is good to know, makes me feel a little better now. :)
Great review!
Thanks
My 18’ 1996 bass tracker does just over 20mph with the original 75hp elpt mercury force. I guess that’s not too bad compared to a 2023 75hp. Nice pontoon btw!!!
Thanks, it sounds like you have done a good job of care and maintenance. So many people do not keep their motors up properly and then wonder why they are stuck on the water.
@@northfloridafishing904 when I bought it it wouldn’t run over 7mph. It had some carburetor and throttle linkage issues. I bought a neglected boat but I am bringing it back to life slowly. Stay safe!!!
@@jmontoya1677 That is a good way to do it if you can do some of the work yourself. Hopefully you be ready for summer soon.
@@northfloridafishing904 it runs like a champ now but it took the first summer working on it but yeah we are ready for the lake. Stay safe out there!!
Great video
Thanks!
Nice
40th year sticker upside down? Nobody at the plant cares I guess ,Great quality control BP
How would a 9.9 work on a boat this size . Virginia Beach lakes only allow 9.9 hp
It would definitely move the boat around, but slow. I have a 55# 12-volt trolling motor and it moves about 2-3 miles an hour with no wind or current, if that helps.
Much appreciated. Stainless steel bolts? I ask because we go to the outbanks alot
Most of the bolts on the boat are stainless, the bolts on the trailer are not. We go into saltwater and freshwater; I am looking for a cheap pressure washer that will spray a soapy water solution on the trailer and boat really well and then rinse it off. The trailer is painted steel, it will rust out in time, but try to keep it clean and enjoy.
@North Florida Fishing good to know. Thank you. Also, is the trailer included, or do we have to buy it separately?
@@Eric-bh6ie We bought it as a package, but some of the lower advertisement prices do not include the trailer or may include a smaller engine than you want. Be careful to read the details before you think the advertised price includes everything you want. $33k BB18DLX, trailer, and 75 hp Mercury.
Did you treat the pontoons with anything ? Fresh or saltwater use?
I did not treat the pontoons with anything, I use it in fresh and salt water. If we go out to the salt water, I make sure to use a pressure washer soap applicator with dawn soap and soap it down really good top to bottom and them pressure wash/rinse thoroughly.
@@northfloridafishing904 thank you! We’re getting a new 24 Sportfish and plan to apply shark hide to ours. Videos and info have me terrified of it pitting 😂. Most likely overthinking!
Thx for the vid. Is it a waste to get fishing packages?
Also what is the add on that covers the bottom to help performance for 750 bucks??
I’m new to boats 😬
It is personal preference if the fishing package is a waste of money. I like to do a million hours of research and do the install myself, if you don't want to do that then get the package installed and get straight on the water. I am not sure about the bottom cover, but I don't think it really needs it.
@@northfloridafishing904
Thank u
I see below where you say you have run it in saltwater. No voiding the warranty if used or docked in salt? I was going let it sit in the water at the NJ shore for about 4-5 months of the year. I still do not know if that is a smart idea with the wiring underneath. Thoughts?
Saltwater destroys everything in time, but I live in Florida near the coast, and we are not going to avoid saltwater. I trailer mine, because we like to go to different places all the time, and I wash it really well with soap and water every trip out. You would need to address the warranty question directly to your dealer, but I did not see anything about saltwater voids any part of the warranty. If you do find out I would love to hear the answer you get. The only way to keep it like new is to put it in a garage and not use it, so go have fun and enjoy!
@@northfloridafishing904 I specifically asked this warranty question to bass pro. The only thing that the warranty doesn’t cover is damage due to corrosion. Which can be interpreted that if your corrosion is due to salt water and can be proved then this may prove an issue. Specific verbiage anywhere about saltwater though so you should be good.
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How fast is it with the 75 horse?
Downhill in a hurricane I can get to 25mph, mostly if I get it trimmed out just right about 23.5 maybe 24 mph
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better use a shift '' N '' as neutral with the boat trailer while slow down to the ramp water...
never use a shift '' R '' as reverse go down ramp to the water...
trailer need to add 2 amber yellow lights on the rear taillights for turnning signals at 000-005 / 008 - 016 / 113 - 134