Boats can be expensive, especially if you’re still a beginner. Check out this cheap bass boat! The very best bass boats are highly specialized and extremely expensive, but if you’re looking for your first boat or have limited financial means, you’re probably sifting through a plethora of new bass boats for beginners. That can be a difficult task, but we’re here to assist. This beginner bass boat roundup narrows the field to identify ten top contenders that are simple to operate, simple to maintain, and inexpensive.
Key Takeaways
- Boats can be expensive, especially for beginners, but there are many cheap options available.
- Crestliner XF 179, G3 Sportsman 1710, and Tracker Pro 170 are among the ten top contenders for the best beginner bass boat.
- Crestliner XF 179, with a starting MSRP of $23,196, has standout features such as a 23-gallon livewell, an eight-foot rodbox, and a Motorguide X3 bow-mount trolling motor.
- G3 Sportsman 1710, with an MSRP of just under $27,000, is a well-equipped package with features such as a Minn Kota 55 Edge electric trolling motor, a Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5X fishfinder, and a custom trailer.
- Tracker Pro 170 is the cheapest bass boat on the list, with a “no haggle, no hassle” price of $19,195 plus prep and freight. It includes a fishfinder and an electric trolling motor.
Cheap Bass Boat for Beginners
Crestliner XF 179
The Crestliner XF 179 is a must-see for any beginning bassist. Crestliner Boats provided the image.
Crestliner has long been a standout in the beginner bass boat market, offering a wide variety of aluminum rigs that are reasonably priced and rigged for serious fishing. The XF 179 is an excellent example, with a starting MSRP of $23,196 that includes a 60-hp outboard and a bunk trailer. A 23-gallon livewell with an aerator and a timer, eight-foot rod boxes, a Motorguide X3 bow-mount trolling motor, and a fiberglass console with room for 12-inch electronics are among the standout features. It’s also worth noting that the hillsides and bottom are made of 0.10-inch-thick aluminum.
For more information, see Crestliner XF 179 boats for sale or go to Crestliner Boats.
G3 Sportsman 1710
The G3 Sportsman 1710 is an incredibly well-equipped cheap bass boat.
The G3 Sportsman 1710, equipped with a 40-hp Yamaha outboard, costs far less than most new cars, with an MSRP of just under $27,000. The standard features in the base package, on the other hand, are likely to make you take a second look: a Minn Kota 55 Edge electric trolling motor, a Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5X fishfinder, a two-bank battery charger, an aerated livewell, a locking rod box, built-in tackle trays, and a custom trailer. If you want to compete from the start without having to do a lot of extra buying and rigging, this package is ready to go right out of the box.
For more information, see G3 Sportsman 1710 boats for sale or go to G3 Boats.
Tracker Pro 170
Do you want to have some fun bass fishing at the lowest possible cost? The Tracker Pro 170 is the clear winner as a cheap bass boat. This is the cheapest bass boat we have on the list.
Tracker’s Pro 170 is the most affordable of all the dedicated bass boats on the market. This 16’8″ long, 6’5″ wide rig includes a 40-horsepower outboard and a single-axel trailer for the roundup-winning “no haggle, no hassle” price of $19,195 plus prep and freight. The package also includes a fishfinder (a Lowrance Hook2 4x) and an electric trolling motor (a Minn Kota 45-pound-thrust Edge). It’s also worth noting that the Pro 170 received some upgrades in 2021, including Tracker’s Diamond Coat 2.0 powder-coat/clear-coat finish and an all-welded two-piece hull with pressed-in strakes and chines, which will be carried over to the 2022 model year.
For more information, see Tracker Pro 170 boats for sale or go to Tracker Boats.
Vexus AVX181
The Vexus stands out from the crowd thanks to its glass-infused hybrid design.
With a starting price of $28,395 and a “glass-infused hybrid design,” the Vexus AVX181 offers some unique benefits. Several larger components, including the console, stowage compartments, and live well, are made of fiberglass. That gives you the slick gel coat finish and good looks while saving you money over a typical fiberglass bass boat. It also means you get the benefit of an aluminum hull’s lightweight, and the stock 60-hp powerplant has plenty of oomph for the rig. The AVX181 also has big-boat features like forward and aft live wells and a pad hull design.
Vexus AVX181 boats for sale can be found on Vexus Boats.
Xpress H17
The Xpress H17 cheap bass boat is extra tough, for extra assurance. Clemson Marina photo courtesy of Eclipse Marine.
The Xpress H17, which costs $27,795 with a Yamaha VF90LA and a BackTrack trailer, has something that other aluminum competitors in the same size and price range rarely have: 5052 aluminum construction is 0.125″ thick. Most cheap bass boats in this class have a 25% thinner hull, and some have even thinner hullsides. That extra beef will instill confidence in any boat owner, novice or not, in the toughness of their fishing machine. The H17 also features Xpress’s “Hyper-Lift” padded hull design, which results in a faster, dryer ride. With 90 horses on the transom, the boat can cruise in the mid-30s and top out at more than 46 mph.
For more information, see Xpress H17 bass boats for sale or go to Xpress Boats.
Check out our list of Fast Bass Boats too.
