# Mako 18 LTS or Blazer Bay 1960



## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

I am looking to buy a new boat at the Houston Boat Show in January. I fish Bastrop Bay in Freeport, Tx and the Mako 18 LTS or Blazer Bay 1960 would meet my needs perfectly. Does anybody have any experience with either one of these boats? If so, any pros or cons?

Thanks.


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## ATX 4x4 (Jun 25, 2011)

I do not have personal experience with either specifically.

I'd certainly say between those two, the Blazer. I've yet to come across an avid angler that was happy with any Tracker Marine product over time. Lots of folks just love their Blazers; however.

Tracker Marine is like the Walmart of boats...Just my opinion.

If brand reputation means nothing to you, go with your favorite layout.


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## Zereaux (Jul 18, 2006)

I had a BB 1960 and had some issues with the first hull, enough issues that they finally replaced it. Once I got it all lined out, it was a good boat. I run a Skeeter 22ZX now, but if I was in that market, I probably would not buy another Blazer Bay.....unless my only other choice was a Mako.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

Thanks guys. Like I stated, I am going to the boat show next month to look at all of the bay boats. Any suggestions on other boats I should look at? I want to keep the price under $30,000 so I know that limits me some.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

Also, any opinions concerning the 1910 Nautic Bay? Thanks for the help!


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## BigWW79 (Jul 12, 2011)

I have a 2110 Nautic Bay and I absolutely love the boat.


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## ATX 4x4 (Jun 25, 2011)

_Lots_ of happy NB owners here. Use the search feature and you'll see countless threads just like this one.

Since you are open to other brands, check out the Frontier 190. Not sure what you are wanting from a speed stand point but I'd seriously consider a 150 hp (which is max for that boat). I've never heard anyone say "Dang, I wish I'd gotten a smaller outboard". Far too many wish they'd gotten more HP.

I would also look at Bluewave while you are looking at the Nautic Bays. All three of these in my opinion are great boats for the money and your price cap should be about right. Whatever you do, don't sell yourself short on the power.

Establish a list of must haves as you look at each boat and go from there. For instance, some boats will have a removeable cooler in front of the console rather than the livewell. Some come with a leaning post in lieu of the flip/flop seat. Play with the different storage latch designs. Spend a lot of time in each boat looking through all the storage compartments etc. Spend some time at the wheel and get a feel for where the gauges, switched, cup holders, etc are. Do not feel forced to buy just because it is the show. Take your time and do your homework. It isn't something you can take back if you don't like it in a month. You'll take a huge hit in value buying new so be thorough. When you climb in the one that is for you, you'll know it.

As you may know, most any boat will have issues so take into account the dealer's location along with their service reputation. That'll make or break a buy for me. I personally don't buy a boat unless I've taken a wet test in it or a model just like it. Boats will always have a smooth and dry ride sitting on a trailer with a sales person holding on to it. :spineyes:

Good luck and we'll see you there! I'm more than happy with my boat but I still love to climb in all the new boats and act like a kid.


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## redexpress (Apr 5, 2010)

I looked and looked at the Mako LTS. What gave me the heebies was that flat plate glued across the back of the tunnel. Sales rep says it's glued with Super Whammy 5305 or something, and will not come off. Right.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

redexpress said:


> I looked and looked at the Mako LTS. What gave me the heebies was that flat plate glued across the back of the tunnel. Sales rep says it's glued with Super Whammy 5305 or something, and will not come off. Right.


I noticed the glued on plate too and was wondering how well the glue would hold up to salt water and the forces put on it by the water. I plan on owning the boat for at least 15 years and I do see the plate in the rear as a potential problem in the future.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

ATX 4x4 said:


> _Lots_ of happy NB owners here. Use the search feature and you'll see countless threads just like this one.
> 
> Since you are open to other brands, check out the Frontier 190. Not sure what you are wanting from a speed stand point but I'd seriously consider a 150 hp (which is max for that boat). I've never heard anyone say "Dang, I wish I'd gotten a smaller outboard". Far too many wish they'd gotten more HP.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice. I will definitely check the Frontier out and find out where the nearest dealer is. I looked at the Bluewave online and didn't see one of their boats that really exited me.


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## Dukdogtx (Jul 30, 2009)

We LOVE our NauticBay 1900!!!
Nice finish, nice ride, and very dry. We mostly fish EGB & Trinity Bay. Very good sub $30k boat. I'd buy another. Wish I had a 21' or 22' though.


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## Danny O (Apr 14, 2010)

When I'm at the boat show, I'm going to take a closer look at the Blue Wave 1902 Evolution. It has a 98" beam, good lockable storage, etc. With the 115 hp Yamaha, it is approximatly 25k. That leaves some room for taxes and electronics with a 30k budget. I believe the 150 hp upgrade will cost approx 5k more.

The Evo is new, so I'm trying to find out more info on it.


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## 2slick (Dec 5, 2008)

I have a previously owned BB 2220 Fisherman. We love the boat, but I have been disappointed in a few things. The Fisherman has a liner, and livewell and bilge pump is way down under there. They made no effort to assemble anything to make the pumps more serviceable. Things as simple as being sure hose clamps are turned to allow access from the rear hatch you must work thru. I have an auto float switch that is out now....haven't figured out yet how to get to it. The wife does like the idea of a deck plate thru the floor, but that may be the only way.

Wiring harness is another issue with me. I've found several cuts in wires, looking like someone was careless with cutters when clipping zip ties. All little things, but things that can keep you from fishing, or possibly strand you on the water. Perhaps I'm just too particular.

Good luck on whatever you choose.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

SlickWillie said:


> I have a previously owned BB 2220 Fisherman. We love the boat, but I have been disappointed in a few things. The Fisherman has a liner, and livewell and bilge pump is way down under there. They made no effort to assemble anything to make the pumps more serviceable. Things as simple as being sure hose clamps are turned to allow access from the rear hatch you must work thru. I have an auto float switch that is out now....haven't figured out yet how to get to it. The wife does like the idea of a deck plate thru the floor, but that may be the only way.
> 
> Wiring harness is another issue with me. I've found several cuts in wires, looking like someone was careless with cutters when clipping zip ties. All little things, but things that can keep you from fishing, or possibly strand you on the water. Perhaps I'm just too particular.
> 
> Good luck on whatever you choose.


Thank you for the feedback concerning the BB. I will definitely look the 1960 over very carefully before making a decision.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

Dukdogtx said:


> We LOVE our NauticBay 1900!!!
> Nice finish, nice ride, and very dry. We mostly fish EGB & Trinity Bay. Very good sub $30k boat. I'd buy another. Wish I had a 21' or 22' though.


Which boat dealerships in the Houston area carry the Nautical Bay? I did an Internet search and found that Texas Marine carries the NB. Are they a pretty good dealership or is there another dealership in the Houston area to consider?


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## commtrd (Mar 18, 2006)

ATX 4x4 said:


> _Lots_ of happy NB owners here. Use the search feature and you'll see countless threads just like this one.
> 
> Since you are open to other brands, check out the Frontier 190. Not sure what you are wanting from a speed stand point but I'd seriously consider a 150 hp (which is max for that boat). I've never heard anyone say "Dang, I wish I'd gotten a smaller outboard". Far too many wish they'd gotten more HP.
> 
> ...


This is great advice for anyone looking to buy any boat. Most of the time the little things (and maybe not so little) issues with a particular boat do not become apparent until quite a bit of use.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

The Nautic Bay seems like a good choice. Has anybody had any problems with this boat?


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## [email protected] (Jun 25, 2005)

That weird plate on the tunnel scares me and I wouldn't trust it. Like some people said Tracker marine is just not that great, I know the price is good but there are lots of unhappy customers out there. Blazer makes a good boat as well at Nautic Star. I am really impressed with what Nautic Star has done and their boats are nice and they are priced well for the quality you get. I think you should go to the boat show and look at the different models there if they have them there and then schedule a test ride for the boats you are interested in and then decide which boat works best for you.


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## CaptainJMB (Nov 28, 2008)

If I had no boat or a tracker.... I'd take no boat...I say that in all seriousness. 
There's a ton of other options out there for you if your going under 30k
Nautic star
Blue wave
Triton
The list goes on......

Look up book values on last years or the year before for the 191 lts. Tracker marine is HORRIBLE about not holding value. If you hated it, you'd have to keep it forever to get out of it. Tracker was a great aluminum boat until they started w h o r I n g up the boat Buisness in 2003. They're warranties are the worst in the industry - I always look at that to see what a company thinks of they're own product. Look at Kenner - is it a good boat? Absolutely - but pre 2003 ( when tracker bought them ) Kenner was a GREAT boat. By all means - if your heart is set on that ride go for it - but for 30k and under you can have a) a 2-3 yr old 50k boat with warranty left b) a nice, name brand and well built new one ( maybe a few less bells) with warranty to boot. I just hate to see someone buy a poor product when it can be avoided. 

Keep in mind : the January boat show has 2 things working for it - reps are involved because they want a 2012 order, dealers can only make that a decent one if they blow the 11's out ( meaning don't discount yourself too much prior to the show when you , in some cases can buy a Cadillac for the price of a Chevrolet) . Second thing is manufacturers with warranty upgrades - merc usually goes from 3 yr to 5 yr.... Yamaha goes to 5 ( but Yamaha warranty IS a declining warranty... Meaning you only have 100% for 3 years then it starts declining... Similar to whaler warranties) 
Sorry for the long post but you get the point - just my .02


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

I thank everybody for the great advice. I will definitely take a close look at the Nautic Bay and other boats that have been mentioned as being better quality that the 18 LTS. I didn't know anything about the NauticBay and do not remember seeing many of then on the road or bay.

My original plan was to purchase a boat in the 21 Ft range but decided to go small. I will be towing the boat over 80 miles to the west end of Galveston. I didn't want to put th constant stress on my old truck. A boat in the 19 ft range will meet my needs perfectly. I have been fishing out of a 17 ft aluminum bass boat for the last 8 years or so. I decided to upgrade so my wife and aging father will be more comfortable while fishing.


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## CaptainJMB (Nov 28, 2008)

Well, whatever you buy - make sure to keep it salty and most importantly....use it!!


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

CaptainJMB said:


> Well, whatever you buy - make sure to keep it salty and most importantly....use it!!


You can bet I will. I try to go fishing every time the tides are right on the weekends when the weather is nice enough to go.


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## CLVL (Aug 17, 2005)

Before you go to the show, take a good look at everything you normally take for fishing with your wife and father - tackle,, rods, food/drinks, life jackets, emergency tools, etc. When you get to the show, in your mind start placing everything in the boat you are looking at. Boats look awful big with no tackle on board, but once you start loading them up, space disappears pretty quick (or is unusable due to strange access shapes). I wouldn't want to get a boat where you can't get stuff out from under your feet, especially if your father has difficulty getting around. Also look for good railing and handholds to make moving around more secure.

Then, think about it if you take 2 friends instead of your wife and father - where will you put their tackle and stuff. There will always be more than when you fish with your wife and father, but a plus layout would be one that gets most stowed away.

Once you get a short list, if possible, take a test ride on a choppy day before completing the sale.

I also agree with the comments on TM.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

CLVL said:


> Before you go to the show, take a good look at everything you normally take for fishing with your wife and father - tackle,, rods, food/drinks, life jackets, emergency tools, etc. When you get to the show, in your mind start placing everything in the boat you are looking at. Boats look awful big with no tackle on board, but once you start loading them up, space disappears pretty quick (or is unusable due to strange access shapes). I wouldn't want to get a boat where you can't get stuff out from under your feet, especially if your father has difficulty getting around. Also look for good railing and handholds to make moving around more secure.
> 
> Then, think about it if you take 2 friends instead of your wife and father - where will you put their tackle and stuff. There will always be more than when you fish with your wife and father, but a plus layout would be one that gets most stowed away.
> 
> ...


Thank you. Very good advice. I have fished 3 people from my 17ft aluminum bass boat many times. It is a bit challenging but with a little thought and coordination it can be done. I typically drift using live shrimp under a popping cork. My father has an old 18ft Kenner. His boat is much more comfortable than mine but since he keeps his in Alvin and we typically fish on Bastrop Bay we use mine 95% of the time.


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## bthompjr24 (Jun 29, 2010)

boater1956 said:


> I didn't know anything about the NauticBay and do not remember seeing many of then on the road or bay.


A little clarification on the "Nautic Bay". The company is actually Nautic Star boats. There are a couple dealers in the Metro houston area.

http://www.nauticstarboats.com/


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

bthompjr24 said:


> A little clarification on the "Nautic Bay". The company is actually Nautic Star boats. There are a couple dealers in the Metro houston area.
> 
> http://www.nauticstarboats.com/


Thanks for the clarification bthompjr24. The two I found to be somewhat close (30 plus miles) are Reynolds Marine in Baytown and Texas Marine in Seabrook. I hope they are both at the boat show so I can see who is offering the best deal.


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## Fish-n-Chips (Sep 28, 2011)

I bought a boat from Texas Marine about 6 months ago and they are easy to work with and no pressure. Sales guy went out of his way to make sure I was happy with everything and didn't have any problems with a long "wet test" either. Their service dept is also top notch. Whatever boat you decide on, put a clause in the deal about having a successful test drive before anything final. If the dealer doesn't agree with it, then I'd shop elsewhere.


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## bthompjr24 (Jun 29, 2010)

Reynolds is an excellent dealership for NauticStar / Frontier / BlackJack. They are a very down to earth crowd over there without all the pressure and hype to push the sale. Bob & Carmen are great people to deal with along with excellent service after the sale.


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

Fish-n-Chips said:


> I bought a boat from Texas Marine about 6 months ago and they are easy to work with and no pressure. Sales guy went out of his way to make sure I was happy with everything and didn't have any problems with a long "wet test" either. Their service dept is also top notch. Whatever boat you decide on, put a clause in the deal about having a successful test drive before anything final. If the dealer doesn't agree with it, then I'd shop elsewhere.


Thank you for the heads up on Texas Marine. May I ask where you went for your wet ride and how long were you out there? Did you do your wet ride in a demo or the boat you actually ended up purcasing?

Thanks,

Harley


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

bthompjr24 said:


> Reynolds is an excellent dealership for NauticStar / Frontier / BlackJack. They are a very down to earth crowd over there without all the pressure and hype to push the sale. Bob & Carmen are great people to deal with along with excellent service after the sale.


Thank you for the heads up on Reynolds. It sounds like both Texas Marine and Reynolds are good dealerships. If I do end up getting a Nautistar 1910 I will see who is making the best deal.

I bought a new Four Winns runabout at the boatshow in 1989 and then a new Chris Craft runabout at the boatshow in 1999. I found the dealers to be much like the car dealers were back in the late 70s. Once the sale was made you became a liability to them and they let you know it. It is good to hear good things about boat dealerships. Thing must have changed for the better in the last few years.


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## Fish-n-Chips (Sep 28, 2011)

I wet tested the boat I ended up buying. Launched in Clear Lake, out through the Kemah channel and out into Galveston bay, probably lasted 45 min. Lots of time to get a good feel for what the boat was like on the water and helm. Test all the features, and give the engine a good run down from jumping on plane, cruise, extended idle and even how well it handled chop due to it being windy that day.


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## jramm (Jun 15, 2004)

Was at the show today, Texas Marine is definitely there, think Reynold was too. I think maybe the best deal I saw was a 20ft Skeeter Bay with 150 yam for 28k from Texas Marine.

I will admit I like the styling and layout of the Mako LTS but also been worried about that "new" hull style, been waiting for them to be around for a while to hear what people think (I think this is only 2nd or 3rd year of production) Marine Max also carries Mako and has an LTS at the show but it's last years model and only rated for 90hp Bass Pro had 2012 with increased HP to 115. I had also heard bad things about purchasing from Tracker but have read other posts that Mako (in general) is still good product.

I think there are plenty of options in that price range.

Enjoy the show and good look with your purchase.


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## bthompjr24 (Jun 29, 2010)

We have our blazer priced to sell. 1960 with 115hp is 25,995


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## boater1956 (Dec 17, 2011)

bthompjr24 said:


> We have our blazer priced to sell. 1960 with 115hp is 25,995


Thanks for the heads up. I looked at the yellow one at the boat show. It was definitely a nice boat but I think I am going to go with the Sea Fox 200XT. It appears to be a very nice boat for the money.


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## cwboca (Jan 19, 2013)

*Weird scoop plate on bottom of MAKO LTS*



[email protected] said:


> That weird plate on the tunnel scares me and I wouldn't trust it. Like some people said Tracker marine is just not that great, I know the price is good but there are lots of unhappy customers out there. Blazer makes a good boat as well at Nautic Star. I am really impressed with what Nautic Star has done and their boats are nice and they are priced well for the quality you get. I think you should go to the boat show and look at the different models there if they have them there and then schedule a test ride for the boats you are interested in and then decide which boat works best for you.


I own a 2010 MAKO 18 LTS in Boynton Beach Florida. The plate you are talking about appears to be glued to the bottom to the tunnel hull and is some sort of scoop that is subject to powerful forces underway. Mine has begun to come off and is at Tracker right now being reattached. I am waiting to hear if it will be covered under warranty and let you all know. I specifically joined this Forum because I searched EVERYWHERE for any information about this problem and found nothing mentioned except for concerns raised here. Since these have only been out since 2010 it is hard to find information. Hopefully this will be helpful if someone else is experiencing the same issue. I'll keep everyone informed and look forward to contributing to the Forum now that I joined. I like the boat.


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## newguy (Jan 8, 2013)

cwboca said:


> I own a 2010 MAKO 18 LTS in Boynton Beach Florida. The plate you are talking about appears to be glued to the bottom to the tunnel hull and is some sort of scoop that is subject to powerful forces underway. Mine has begun to come off and is at Tracker right now being reattached. I am waiting to hear if it will be covered under warranty and let you all know. I specifically joined this Forum because I searched EVERYWHERE for any information about this problem and found nothing mentioned except for concerns raised here. Since these have only been out since 2010 it is hard to find information. Hopefully this will be helpful if someone else is experiencing the same issue. I'll keep everyone informed and look forward to contributing to the Forum now that I joined. I like the boat.


other than the plate issue, how does the boat perform? What motor do you have on it?


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## cwboca (Jan 19, 2013)

Well... yes another issue but I still like this boat. I'd still buy this boat. The console got knocked loose. So far I've only heard of this on some of the earlier models like mine. Tracker is fixing that for me and is covered under the warranty. It has a super clean layout that I love every time I use it. It's good in a chop. It can get me into shallow water (18" not 12"). Handles beautifully. I have a 2009 merc 3 cyl that idles rough but performs well "after" it warms up and a jack plate. 

My wife stretches on the stern platform and reads on a ratcheting chair that sits or lays flat while I fish from the bow platform and run the trolling motor.

What I like:
Great clean layout.
Performs well in most conditions.
Very fishable.

What I don't like:
Wish I had a four stroke.
No mid ship cleat for spring lines (I added one - no big deal).
Water can pool up and sit in the self bailing reservoir in stern (common to lots of boats).


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