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Mako Pro 17 Skiff review Day '0'

3M views 3K replies 271 participants last post by  yeocokent 
#1 ·
No in-water use yet, so I can only report on what I have so far.
I'll post up another after I break it in.

This is rather long, if it does not interest you then you probably want to click away.


So this is my first new boat, so I’ll give you some background…My past experience has been a 14 foot runabout (with 25hp motor) when I was in my early 20’s and 2 months of ownership of an 18 foot Bayliner pleasure boat.

I’ve been in a boat on Copano bay and in party boats but other than that I’ve been landlocked regarding salt water.

Early this year the wife felt like if we had a boat we’d be on the fish more often. When the wife thinks buying a boat is a good idea, jump on it! So we began looking at what we could afford and began looking at some used boats

We wanted:
Bay and lake usage
Possibly pull a tube with one of the kids
Handle my wife, two kids, and I within the posted weight limit
Good gas mileage, and preferably easy to tow
Fit in the garage
Reliable and safe
Within our meager budget

Initially we looked used but the budget for used was around 6k, and I just didn’t see much where I really wanted to buy. I didn’t want to have to put a lot of work into a boat, or have something I didn’t fully trust.

I then saw the low payments on a new boat…holy **** they finance these things forever. I have good credit, no truck payments, and got a decent raise last year. I could afford a small number of new boats at a higher price than used. While I could easily get credit double of what I eventually settled on, I wanted a ‘starter boat’ with good gas mileage and something that would fit in the garage.

We then looked at some aluminum bass boats. The Crestliner was interesting, and the Bass Tracker had a ‘coastal’ edition that included vinyl flooring. The trailer had a swing hitch which fit in the garage nicely, and the boat had a lot of nice features like dual livewells. However the trailer was “galvashield” and not a pure galvanized trailer and the vinyl covering that replaced the carpet still had a lot of small areas where dirt could accumulate; it was merely a carpet replacement and didn’t look like it would hold up well over time. A bass boat just didn’t seem like a good bay boat, but the deal killer was the posted maximum weight was 575 pounds. The wife is light and the boys are about 300 pounds together. With my 210 pound self it was just not going to work. We fully understand that 4 people on a small boat will be VERY tight. I think the majority of the time we fish it will be 2-3 of us anyway.

So we glanced over at the Pro Skiff 17. This boat looked like something we were looking for. I prefer the v front rather than skiff or flat bottom, but the boat fit the bill. With the wide beam it also gave much more room in the front casting deck. The 850 pound capacity cleared the 4 of us and gear easily, 60hp motor is workable and fuel efficient. I know speed-wise this thing isn’t going to blast us around, but posted top speeds are around 34mph (not fully loaded of course). The video on the Mako site was interesting, and the external videos we found, plus one on the sales ladies phone when she rode one looked very nice.

I looked the boat up and down, and checked the threads here… I saw the snarky comments, the legitimate ones, and inspected the boat to see indeed where corners were cut. I’ve posted some pics below on those areas that highlight the types of things one might see on these. I was aware of that when buying the boat, but the price and utility of the boat looked to fit my need.

Two large casting decks, walk around room, yeti-clone, basic center console (made of the same plastic as the cooler it seems), a single small sealed storage area, all aluminum trailer, and not much else. Included is a single 6 gallon fuel tank, a single battery, the basic navigation lights, and something that I liked a lot: 100% composite construction.

The boat was $16,020 with the 60HP. It included free 5 year warranty on the Mercury engine and two years of “VIP” card at Bass Pro Shops. They had a deal that also included $500 gift card if purchased before April 16, basically dropping it to $15,520. I plan on using the gift card for a Lowrance HDS5 unit.
I watched the inventory drop as I procrastinated, and by the time I was ready to pull the trigger the only one they had left included trailer guides ($125) and spare wheel/tire ($175). I figured I was going to buy both so it really wasn’t too much more than originally intended.

The sales process was great; no pressure and no hassle. They answered my questions best they could, but they are obviously not as skilled or knowledgeable as a ‘real’ boat store. I think indeed they might offer a particular boat style or size to someone where it doesn’t best fit them. This is where I would recommend that true newbies or those who don’t want to do research should work with a ‘real’ boat store.

I submitted paperwork for the loan and got a great deal on financing. I went ahead and added the extended warranty, which I rarely do, that covers boat, motor, and trailer for 7 years. As long as I perform the proper maintenance, I shouldn’t have to do major repair work for awhile.

I had measured the boat more than once and knew that a 17’4” boat length does not include trailer tongue or engine. The total length was 22’4”. The downside is my garage is 20’ from wall to door. Even adding a swing hitch I was about 6” too short at best. Our youngest son had moved bedrooms and the bedroom directly on the other side of the garage was being used for bicycle storage. The wife was completely agreeable to cutting the wall with a notch for the engine if needed. I had never done destructive modifications to the house, but had a new sawzall in the box waiting for just such a need.

So on the big day I hit McClain trailers to pick up the Fulton Swing hitch, and then out to pick up the boat. We did the walk through with the prep person, fired up the engine and hooked it up to the truck. I pulled away and had a hard time believing that I actually have a boat behind the truck again.

I pulled into the garage and backed it all the way up. It barely but perfectly cleared the garage door opening. No T Top for me unless it folds down. You have to understand that I have motorcycles and bicycles in the garage so I had already moved around as much as I could. I couldn’t angle the boat in the garage. I knew the swing hitch alone wouldn’t allow the boat to fit so I pulled it forward, flipped the breakers, grabbed the sawzall, and began cutting. I carved out a nice notch just wide and tall enough for the motor and backed it up. I had a decision to make now. I could enlarge the hole which would take up much more of the room than already defined (currently I think I can go about 18” and have plenty of room with the swing hitch) or I could cut the trailer and install the swing hitch.

There is a very bad feeling when cutting up your brand new trailer. I moved the wires out of the way, scribed the line, and cut away. After slowly drilling all 16 holes, installing, and properly tightening the bolts the trailer was essentially one piece again. With the swing hitch, and the notched garage, I now have the boat fitting into the garage as intended.

A late night with the hitch but I would be ready for the motor break in on Lake Conroe, I had thought.

A strong wind blew on Saturday and Sunday so I sat in the garage and made motor noises.

I plan on heading out next weekend for a couple of break in runs, I’ll post back my thoughts then.

Pictures to follow, I tried to focus on areas of the boat you don't see on the Mako site, and the 'bad' things that I could find. The Mako site has plenty of beauty shots.

The battery and fuel tank are held in with Stainless screws but the cooler and rod holders are not - I'll replace the cooler tie down screws with stainless.

Any other advice for prep or things I am missing to install/update would be very welcome.

I plan on adding a VHF radio, the Lowrance HDS5, a small battery for the electronics and possible amplifier and Mp3 player, spare tank (3 or 6 gallon?), mount some rod holders to the back of the cooler (using 5200?), and a second, smaller, cooler mounted to the bow casting deck for fish.
 

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#841 ·
Venting is the key to allow water to reach the proper level when at rest. A small amount of water will flow through the vent when the pump is working, so it would be interesting to see how they terminate the line. Does it run over the transom?

Please post pictures, as my curiosity is in high gear.
 
#844 ·
water in hull

Ok guys i wanted to get yalls opinion, i went to the lake for about 4 hours the other day and no water in the hull at all, but i did not use my baitwell at all, earlier i went to the lake for six hours and did use my bait well and drained about a half gallon or so out, ive never had a boat with a live well so im not sure how to fix this business.
 
#845 ·
LitUp,
If your water is coming from your baitwell then there is a leak in either/both the fill hose or the drain hose. I think I would test this on dry land by putting a water hose on the pickup end, filling the baitwell and letting it run for a while to see if you get any water coming out of the hull. Don't let the baitwell overflow so that you are sure you are only testing the hoses.
 
#846 ·
Livewell leaks

Lit up,
When I first got my 17' Pro Skiff, I noticed water under the console when I filled my live well. Water under the console can travel into the rigging hole under the console. The rigging hole "boot" was not caulked to the floor of my boat and none of the screws securing the boot were caulked.
My live well "leak" was coming from the drain fitting on the bottom of the live well. I tightened the hose clamp on the drain fitting but, I couldn't reach the drain fitting nut to tighten it. So I caulked around the drain fitting on the inside of the live well with 5200. Then I caulked under the rigging hole boot and caulked all of the screws going thru the floor under the console. This was all I could think of to prevent any water from going down the rigging hole or going thru the liner.
The next time out I filled the live well and I had no water under the console all day.
After doing this and tightening my hull drain plug with a wrench, I have very little water come out of the hull at the end of the day. I still intend to thoroughly investigate/reseal all of the fittings going thru the transom, but I haven't gotten around to that yet. I believe there should be NO water in the hull under normal circumstances!
 
#847 ·
Barring a hole in the hull the only water that should be able get into the hull would be water from taking a wave over the bow/side or heavy rain sufficient to fill the bilge area high enough to overflow into the rigging tube. Then the rigging tube would have to have a crack or hole in it. This assumes that the ends of the rigging tube are actually sealed. Even if water got under the console and drained into the rigging tube it should exit at the bilge. Double checking or re-sealing around both ends of the tube should eliminate the possibility of water from the tube unless it is cracked.

I got this tip from another ProSkiff owner and as a precaution I took the extra step of silicone caulking completely around the base of my console where it meets the floor in an attempt to keep any deck water from running under the console.

If the rigging tube is sealed and you are sure you have not gotten any water in the boat that could enter the rigging tube and there is still water in the hull then the most likely source is the 'O' ring on the drain plug or an improperly sealed through hull fitting.

These are pretty simple boats and there are a finite number of places where water can get in. Testing and eliminating each possibility should solve the problem.
 
#849 ·
I've been wanting a boat for awhile now and glad I came across this thread. When I read the first post, I was "hey this sounds just like me!"

I started out looking at used flatbottoms 1648's & 1654's with a 25-30hp motor then the wife suggested new (I thought she gotten sick but I shall take full advantage of it LOL).

So I stopped by a few local dealerships just getting a feel of the prices... I kinda already had my mind made up of what I wanted but THEN we came down to SPI (still here) and stopped in Harlingen at the BPS. Looked at boats for 4hrs solid. Made some calls to my friend that's boat savvy and he suggested something in the lines of the Pro Team 175TF. Man that's a nice looking boat but still wasn't like "YEAH!!" Then the wife and I go back outside and look at the Sportsman 1654... Torn I was... I like both and could use both.

Finally talked to a salesman about the 175TF. Pretty much had me sold but something in my mind just didn't say this is the one. We talked and talked and talked. Finally he asked if I looked at that mako 17' pro skiff. I had no clue what it was. When we got to it, I was thinking it looked like a bathtub with a couple of controls but the more I looked and the more he talked about it... Man talking about something growing on ya fast!! I kinda fell in love...

Me being me got on the computer to do a little research as soon as we got to the hotel and here I am. What a thread. I still have to search out some terms used in boats cause I'm boat ignorant but all in all this Mako boat should suit me and my family to a "T".

Thanks for the info guys
 
#851 ·
I've been wanting a boat for awhile now and glad I came across this thread. When I read the first post, I was "hey this sounds just like me!"

I started out looking at used flatbottoms 1648's & 1654's with a 25-30hp motor then the wife suggested new (I thought she gotten sick but I shall take full advantage of it LOL).

So I stopped by a few local dealerships just getting a feel of the prices... I kinda already had my mind made up of what I wanted but THEN we came down to SPI (still here) and stopped in Harlingen at the BPS. Looked at boats for 4hrs solid. Made some calls to my friend that's boat savvy and he suggested something in the lines of the Pro Team 175TF. Man that's a nice looking boat but still wasn't like "YEAH!!" Then the wife and I go back outside and look at the Sportsman 1654... Torn I was... I like both and could use both.

Finally talked to a salesman about the 175TF. Pretty much had me sold but something in my mind just didn't say this is the one. We talked and talked and talked. Finally he asked if I looked at that mako 17' pro skiff. I had no clue what it was. When we got to it, I was thinking it looked like a bathtub with a couple of controls but the more I looked and the more he talked about it... Man talking about something growing on ya fast!! I kinda fell in love...

Me being me got on the computer to do a little research as soon as we got to the hotel and here I am. What a thread. I still have to search out some terms used in boats cause I'm boat ignorant but all in all this Mako boat should suit me and my family to a "T".

Thanks for the info guys
If i were you and seriously considering a mako, i would fore go the 17 and jump to the 18lts. much better boat. the proskiff 17 has its designs flaws such as the bilge area which is suppose to be the lowest point in the boat so that water gets pumped out. Instead there is a cavity under the bilge area, if look you will see a stainless steel lower drain for this area on the transom. if water gets into the hull the only way to drain it, is by pulling the boat out the water, Can't be drained while under way. Cracked rigging tube which allows water to get into inner hull. The Hull and Liner are bonded/sealed pretty poorly to each other. Take a closer look under the Gunnels and you'll get an idea. they just put both sections together and pop rivets in through the fiberglass cracking it a bit to join both hull and liner. doesn't look like they apply any sealant. To be Honest tracker marine isn't that great to deal with as far as customer service goes. they just bought mako for the name. Makos used to built in Miami now there built up in either n.carolina or missouri.Check out Classicmako.com to see what those guys have to say about the newer tracker era makos. The 60hp 4 stroke is made in China, yes China. mine has been pretty reiliable, though. trailer is pretty good crappy automotive grade wiring and running lights thats corrode easliy in saltwater, but easy fix though.. getting any help from rolco(trailer manuf.) aint no peace of cake. the vault hubs are great, read up more on vault hubs from UFP products. no matter how long the warranty is, it aint no good if they don't honor it or they can't figure/ or don't want to figure out whats wrong and your 1-2 months without a boat while they d**k you around. as joebucko said read through all these pages.
 
#850 ·
Welcome BKT
I bought my Pro17 CC skiff to fish from and it is awesome. For it's size it the most stable fishing platform I have ever been on and it can take heavy chop like a champ while keeping you bone dry. It is VERY basic like the only gauge on the boat is the Tachometer.

If you have not already done so you might want to spend an hour or so and read through this thread from the beginning. You will come away with a very good idea of what people are using it for and what they like and dislike.

Good luck
 
#852 ·
Welcome BKT
I bought my Pro17 CC skiff to fish from and it is awesome. For it's size it the most stable fishing platform I have ever been on and it can take heavy chop like a champ while keeping you bone dry. It is VERY basic like the only gauge on the boat is the Tachometer.

If you have not already done so you might want to spend an hour or so and read through this thread from the beginning. You will come away with a very good idea of what people are using it for and what they like and dislike.

Good luck
I read through about 25 pages of this thread then started jumping 5-6 pages at a time. Basic is right where I need to keep it. Most of the time its gonna be just me. Next would be the wife and I. Then a toss up between me, wife and one of our sons (15-17 years old) and me and the two boys.

If i were you and seriously considering a mako, i would fore go the 17 and jump to the 18lts. much better boat. the proskiff 17 has its designs flaws such as the bilge area which is suppose to be the lowest point in the boat so that water gets pumped out. Instead there is a cavity under the bilge area, if look you will see a stainless steel lower drain for this area on the transom. if water gets into the hull the only way to drain it, is by pulling the boat out the water, Can't be drained while under way. Cracked rigging tube which allows water to get into inner hull. The Hull and Liner are bonded/sealed pretty poorly to each other. Take a closer look under the Gunnels and you'll get an idea. they just put both sections together and pop rivets in through the fiberglass cracking it a bit to join both hull and liner. doesn't look like they apply any sealant. To be Honest tracker marine isn't that great to deal with as far as customer service goes. they just bought mako for the name. Makos used to built in Miami now there built up in either n.carolina or missouri.Check out Classicmako.com to see what those guys have to say about the newer tracker era makos. The 60hp 4 stroke is made in China, yes China. mine has been pretty reiliable, though. trailer is pretty good crappy automotive grade wiring and running lights thats corrode easliy in saltwater, but easy fix though.. getting any help from rolco(trailer manuf.) aint no peace of cake. the vault hubs are great, read up more on vault hubs from UFP products. no matter how long the warranty is, it aint no good if they don't honor it or they can't figure/ or don't want to figure out whats wrong and your 1-2 months without a boat while they d**k you around. as joebucko said read through all these pages.
The dealer I'm headed to this Friday has a 18lts but I'm thinking that is outside my price range. After all I started out looking at 1648's with a 15-20 HP tiller motor.

The Mako skiff is not a done deal by any means but I think it comes closer to what style/type of boat I'd like to own. I'm open to suggestions on different brands in that style so if there's something out there just let me know cause I not in a hurry to buy but i sure want it bad!!!!
 
#853 ·
Basic Boat

BKT,
This boat has what you need to get out on the water, but no extras, and it is exactly what I wanted. For me, this is a stable fishing platform with the highest person capacity I have ever seen for its size. When I fish with my two brothers(big boys) we are not over capacity. When the whole family is going with grandson, I pull off my trolling motor and throw in two beanbag chairs and we are still not over capacity. It fits in my garage. It is the most affordable boat of its type and size that I saw in a couple years of looking. No one boat is best for everything, you need to consider how you will use it. This one works well for me!
 
#854 ·
Don't be overly influenced by a user with buyers remorse. The hull design works very well in chop and has been a good choice for our family.

As far as the ClassicMako folks go, they have a problem with any of the newer Makos due to several years when the quality of the brand went south. Bass Pro bought them out and is coming out with new models such as the Skiff. You will probably never find one of them who has any experience with the Pro Skiff, but they discuss it anyway similar to an old lady gossiping.

Most owners find the boats to be a good choice for them and enjoy them as much as we do. Look at the Skiff as an upgraded Carolina Skiff suited for skiff duty. It is not an open ocean craft and is not meant for that service.
 
#857 ·
We have the tiller model with the 30 HP which is great for our use. We cruise at about 20-22 MPH with two or three on board which works well for us and fit out the boat for whatever our plans are for the day. We installed a bimimi top and use yacht chairs at times when fishing. The large flat floor enables you to fit out the boat in different ways without a consul getting in the way.

It handles river chop very well and generally provides a dry ride.

They normally come with the 9.5 x 11" prop, but we have the 9.75 x 9.5" fitted which handles extra weight in the boat (up to five of us). It will run at 23-25 MPH and 5900-6000 RPM with three on board. I bought a 9.5 x 11" for use with just my wife and I. We do not use gas containing alcohol in the motor.

Stick to the Mercury props. We tried a Michigan Wheel which gets great gas mileage, but loves to cavitate. There is a mismatch in the hub diameter vs the gearbox diameter.

When loading the boat, pay attention to the suggested seating as posted on the hull with a sticker. Too much bow weight can result in cavitation.

If you are getting the version with the steering consul, you probably want the larger motor rather than the 30 HP. At least one fellow has the 40 HP, but most seem to go for the 60 HP. It is a matter of personal expectations.

Others can fill you in on performance of the larger motors, but it appears the 40 will provide something like 28+ MPH and the 60 HP something like 34 MPH.
 
#861 ·
Just got back from Bass Pro, and they are listening to the bait well pump problem. The boat I saw had the pump mounted on the starboard side about inline with the cockpit drain. It had one of the EZ Pickups mounted on the inlet, but I did not see if there was any kind of vent on the system.
 
#862 ·
Thats the fix which they used on the 2013s only and retrofitted some 2012s like mine which hasn't worked too well. We need to see the 2014s, those should have the vent line. It would be good if they would install a seperate line form the bilge pump going into the cavity where the lower drain is, so that it can be pump dry also. It wouldn't surprise if they would do something like that in the future. that system has a technical name, but i can't recall what it is.
 
#863 ·
I believe you are speaking of a bypass line, and yes, it would allow venting of the pump. If very small tubing were run from the discharge of the pump back over the transom down to the top of the EZ fitting, air should be vented from the pump until the EZ fitting was flooded. As soon as the water filled the fitting up to the tubing connection, no more air would flow.

It has been too long since I balanced water flow from pumps for me to even attempt the necessary calculations. I really need to give this more thought before actually recommending this. I am not recommending this at this time.

I am really looking forward to seeing how the system is piped on the boat which is said to have had the system improved.
 
#864 ·
I decided to install a manual jack plate on my Pro17 and needed a safe and easy way to hang the motor without having to disconnect any cables so I came up with this. All I used was my Little Giant Ladder, a short piece of chain and the trailer. My Mercury 60 hp 4stroke only weighs 240lbs and has a built in lifting ring so I knew the ladder would support it safely.
-Chock the trailer securely
-lower the tongue jack all the way down(raising the engine/transom to max height)
-remove the cowling, position the ladder squarely over the engine and attach the chain so that it is fairly tight removing as much slack as practical
-slowly raise the trailer tongue(lowers the transom) until the full weight of the motor is on the chain.
I removed the two bottom transom bolts and just loosened the 2 top bolts enough to work the sealant free. I wanted to make sure the entire weight of the motor was completely transferred to the ladder before disconnecting completely.
When the top bolts were removed the engine swings away from the transom just enough. This method could also be used to just raise or lower the engine if you wanted to change mounting holes.
 

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#866 ·
#867 ·
I installed a manual Rapid Jack Jackplate. I just did not want to shell out the money for a hydraulic or electric jack plate. My main objective is to try and get as much top end speed out of my ProSkiff as I can. I raised the motor manually one time but that is a real PITA and you are limited to 3/4" height adjustments so an easily adjustable manual seemed like a good compromise.

Some combination of engine height, propeller and possibly anti-ventilation plate will make this boat run as fast as it is capable of going. I will use my Mercury aluminum propeller to experiment with the jackplate settings and get comfortable with it before starting my search for the right stainless steel propeller.

I don't know if I am right but with one passenger I feel like the Pro 17 is capable of running about 40 mph.
 
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