PT 18 REVIEW

[saphireblue99]

I SEE GUYS STILL ASKING FOR REVIEWS ON THE PT 18, HERE IS MINE . PURCHASED A PT18 IN FEB 2017, UNFORTUNATELY I AM ONE OF THE GUYS ON THE BBC BOARD THAT HAD BAD, BAD PORPOSING ISSUES. BOAT WAS BASICALLY UNDRIVABLE, WEDGES, MOTOR UP, MOTOR DOWN, JACKPLATE, PROP NOTHING WORKED. CRESTLINER RELACED THE HULL WITH A 2018 5 MONTHS LATER. BOAT RUNS FANTASTIC NOW. RUN A TROPHY PLUS 4 BLADE, TRIED A FURY 3 BLADE GOT 54.2 MPH, GET 52.3 WITH THE 4 BLADE THE CORNERING , HOLE SHOT AND ROUGH WATER RIDING ARE BETTER. THAT BEING SAID THIS BOAT IS NO SPEED DEMON SO STICK WITH GLASS IF YOU WANT TO GO 60MPH OR HIGHER. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE DECKS ARE HUGE, 12 RODS AND 2 GUYS ON THE FRONT WITH PLENTY OF ROOM TO SPARE, AND STABLE, PLATFORM, GOT THE 2 TONE PAINT, FORTREX 80 LB TROLLING MOTOR, BUILT IN TRANSDUCER IS GREAT. GOT THE HOOK 7 FISHFINDER, NO PROBLEMS YET BUT IF YOU NOTICED LOWRANCE PROMOTED THEM FOR A YEAR AND THEN THEY DROPPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH WHICH IS NOT A GOOD THING. GAUGES ARE NICE, NOTHING SPECIAL,RED LIT TIP SWITCHES, HAVE TO BE CAREFULL NOT TO BUMP THE FIRST ONE WHICH IS THE MAIN POWER SWITCH AND SHUTS OFF EVERYTHING . BIG LIVEWELL BUT A BIT DECIEVING, DOESN'T EXACTLY FILL VERY DEEP, IF YOU ARE GONNA BE PUTTING BIG FISH IN IT IT'S KIND OF SHALLOW. ALTHOUGH JUST FISHED A TOURNEY IN 82 DEGREE WATER AND IT KEPT MY FISH ALIVE FOR 10 HOURS WERE AS OTHER GUYS HAD DEAD FISH AT THE SCALES. 150 FOUR STROKE, BLOWS OUT OF THE WATER AND PLANES SUPER QUICK ALTHOUGH FUEL PUMP WENT OUT AFTER 7.2 HOURS ON MOTOR. GOT THE TANDEM TRAILER, RUNS SMOOTH ON THE ROAD, HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES AT 55MPH TO AVOID DEER ON THE ROAD, WOW WHAT A DIFFERENCE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, NO WAY WOULD HAVE MADE IT WITH A SINGLE AXLE, ALTHOUGH THIS TRAILER IS A 1500 DOLLAR OPTION, HYDRAULIC STEERING WORKS GREAT, LIVE WELL PUMP OUT MAKES FILLING YOUR FISH BAG A BREEZE, SEATS ARE VERY FIRM AND RIDE UP HIGH WHICH I REALLY LIKE, EASY ON THE BACK, GONNA BE A BIT TIGHT IF YOU ARE OVER 6 FOOT 3 OR SO IN THE COCKPIT AND WOULDN'T RECOMEND THE HOTFOOT IF YOU ARE THAT TALL. HERE IS MY BIGGEST BUMMER ON THIS BOAT, THE 2 SIDE COMPARTMENTS ARE BIG AND HOLD A GOOD AMOUNT OF GEAR, THE CENTER ROD BOX HOLDS RODS WITH NICE SEPARATION BETWEEN THEM UNLIKE THE VT SERIES WHERE IT IS TRICKY TO GET THEM IN AND OUT, I USE THE SIDES FOR MY RODS AND CENTER FOR MY JUMBO TACKLE BOXES, NOW HERE IS THE ISSUE, THEY GET WET!!!!! NO DRAIN HOLE TO DIVERT THE WATER FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE WEATHERSTRIPPING TO THE BACK OF THE BOAT....WTF???? POPPED A CO2 JACKET ALREADY FROM RAINWATER, WATER HAS NO WHERE TO GO BUT THROUGH SEAM IN STRIPPING OR OVER TOP. THAT BEING SAID I'LL DEAL WITH IT. RIDE ON THE BOAT REALLY SUPRISED ME, THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GONNA BE ROUGH BUT IS REALLY CLOSE TO THE GLASS BOATS I OWNED, AND I CAN GET INTO 10 INCHES OF WATER WITH 2 BIG GUYS AND FULL LOAD, MY 225 TRITON I WOULDN'T OF EVEN HAVE TRIED. OVERALL I AM HAPPY WITH IT, WAS 33K OUT THE DOOR, LOOKED AT POLARKRAFT AND RANGER BUT THEY WERE A FEW GRAND MORE FOR THE SAME OR LESS OPTIONS. BOAT IS ALSO 300+ POUNDS HEAVIER DUE TO THE .110 ALUMINUM DEFINITELY MAKES A STRNGTH DIFFERENCE. ANY QUESTIONS JUST DROP A LINE.-