The weather and other factors kept my new bass boat in the garge for 10 days after delivery... SO what is a man to do when he cannot go fishing in his new bass boat? Modify it! Enjoy
I have always run my fish finder and lights on a deep cycle battery. I use the cranking battery just for starting the motor. And my trolling motor battery is up front in a compartment on the left hand side of the boat. Trackers are good boats I’ve owned 3 but I’ll never buy a new one. Death or divorce can get you a nice boat cheap. I’ve completely restored 3 trackers. And a 86’ Alumacraft. I used them for 2-3 years sell them and made a good profit and had a free boat to use in the mean time. Look good man. Good video 👍.
Thanks for watching! I wanted to get one to restore... But my wife insisted on new. I have done so much to this boat now. I am about to move the trolling motor battery up front too. One day I will do the same as you. I have a friend who restores boats, uses them then sells them for profit too. Death and divorce is how I got a lot of my tools. I tell my wife, when that day comes for me... Let my stuff go to a young man who needs them too! Take care man.
JaimeAstin - Another great video. You are a detail guy, which is what I want, and maybe others, too. Whatever you have keep it coming! You are like a Heritage educator for the rest of us who are waiting for ours. Thanks a lot.
J G Thanks for watching and your kinds words. I am just putting out what I woukd have helped me. I try to do that with most of my videos where I feature a product or solution. Too many times I research only to find a lot of fluff or nothing. If you have any questions, please ask. If you find anywhere I can improve or you have a solution, please share. .thanks again for watching.
Rattle larry As of yesterday, tracker is no longer taking orders. Their production is full for the rest of the year. Glad I got in on this in late December. Thanks for watching
Yes, I have a big update coming. New trolling motor, deck, 4year review. What's broken, what's this, etc. Please subscribe and stay tuned. I am working on the boat and preparing for a tournament now
Jaime, you probably know by now that there are screws that hold the cover on the wiring tray. I had to take it off to run a new transducer on my 175 tX and the dealer told me that they are all the same when I called. My problem was that the carpet completely hid 2 of the screws and it took me almost an hour to find them. I also ran the wiring for an electric anchor at the same time so I used the lip on the front starboard side just like you did. I really enjoyed the video. It is great to see someone get a new boat and love it. One tip back to you, I rigged a rope in a loop to the hinge of my front fishing seat so I just take it off and place the loop on the fishing pedestal and lay the seat flat on the fishing platform. It works well for me.
Thanks for the tip. Yeah, I finally found the two screws, lol. They were really in there and covered. I even used a magnet to find it since the boat was aluminum, but still... Someone gave me a tip
Mike Moyer Thanks Mike. I am just trying to put information out there that I wanted when I was waiting for my boat. Thanks for watching and commenting.
you need to check the frequencies of both transducers if you put them back there together...they will cross-talk and give you faulty readings if they use the same frequency...my Brother had one on the way and we are installing a Helix 9 Si gps where you put your Garmin...may rethink it now?
Thanks for the recommendation. Thankfully, I verified this before setting it all up. :) The Garmin 74sv and hook 3x use different frequencies, which is why I went ahead and put the other back there. They share the 200 frequency, but otherwise it is 50/77 for the garmin and 83 for the lowrance. The hook 3 will just say on 83 so that we can get some information. In other cases, i might just be using the hook 3 solo. I like the garmin in front so the driver can see everything without looking down... But it was when we were fishing, my wife wanted to glance at it. Having it on the ram mount would allow you all to have it angled. Case in point, i let my wife drive and i was trying to see the structure and could not. Have it on the inside of the dash makes for a dry unit. It a clean install with nothing hanging out. Thanks again for watching. Let me know what you all decide to do. Those helix units offer some of the BEST imagining i have ever seen.
Daniel Walker Thank you. I recently purchased the same interstate battery to match the one the comes with the boat. This way, I can run them parallel for longer trolling motor use... For now, I will just use it for the electronics. I am planning on upgrading the gas tank.
hey jaime use a magnet and run it along the panel .the screws are steel and the magnet will stop when you are over the screw. i have a 190 tx and i put a garmin 93 sv on mine and a 93sv up front also.
Thanks for sharing your ideas on this boat. I've got one coming soon. If there are dents in the boat I get, I'll tell them to keep it and get me another. I wouldn't accept a new car with dents and I damn sure won't accept a new boat with dents.. I'll just have to wait until i get mine home. I agree with some of your ideas but not so much on others but I truly appreciate your input.
Chuck Barnett Yeah, I noticed them waaaay too late. I kinda broley rules during delivery and did not see them when they are very obvious. Thanks for the feedback. Please, enlighten me. I know some of the mods can clutter up the bow or the rods sticking up... I have weighed the options, but nothing is permanent. If you have some tips I would appreciate them:) Thanks again for watching and commenting.
Thanks for the video. My Heritage is due mid-July. Can't wait. I intend to use your idea for the bow fish finder mount as well as the rod holder locations. Happy fishing!
Thanks for sharing your upgrades. With regards to the West Marine Transom Saver that you replaced, does it attach to the trailer with the same pin style connection? I am trying to find some sort of upgrade that doesn't require me to squat down and mess with a pin. My knees aren't what they use to be.
I uses a pin as well. That is something that I need to upgrade... Thing is I have a second transom saver on the package in case this one fails. I have seen some that just sit between the motor and the boat, no pin required. About $40. Might want to try that.
Hi Jaime, great videos man. I have some interior LED lighting and a power pole but I have modified my 40th Anniversary Bass Tracker in almost all the same ways. I’m sure you have taken care of it at this point but it caught my attention when you were speaking on the issue with the back panel not coming off. I also scratched my head a few min when it came time to remove it. After some serious feeling around with the screwdriver, it’s actually two screws that your looking for in the front and back of that panel. I thought it may just had been my boat but after seeing your vid, I guess they sink these screws in almost at the bend of the panel itself. Not so much on the flat part where you would think you would find the screws which held it down. They are kinda at angle sank deep under the carpet way up in the v of that panel. If you haven’t got it already I hope this helps. Keep the videos coming!!!
Bo Griffin I haven't looked again yet... A few people have said they found the screws, but you have given me the best description. Thank you! I will check tomorrow morning! I hope you are enjoying your boat. Thanks for watching and the tip!
Hi Jaime! We got those rod holders to put in the same 2 spots. Seems like going through aluminum on both. Wondering what length stainless screws you used? (We got aluminum rod holders that will be .5inch away from being flush.
Any plans on adding LED lights on the decks? I'm thinking about it when I get mine. I did like your advice on the fish finder. I took your advice and I got a Ram mount for my Garmin Echomap 63.
I am about to pull the trigger and buy this boat. After watching your video, ( which by the way is great ) I had two question. I see the spare tire mount, is it easy to get the tire off if you have a flat? And what size tire and rim should I buy for the spare? Since I will be traveling from Central Texas to Oklahoma to pick it up, I don't want any problems on the highway. Thanks.
Jamie Love the video’s just got my bass tracker waiting for it to come back from getting new fish finders and trolling motor installed.....can I ask if you can give me a link to the rod holders you installed thanks.
Hey Jaime Great video, considering where the transducer is mounted, Does the motor get in the way of the side imaging when trimmed down? and how is the echomap working during highspeed considering where the transducer is? thanks!
Jamie, seriously, if you want more run time on the trolling motor and on the gas engine then you have to give up a little somewhere. Two batteries for the trolling motor will last you all day. You have a good onboard charger. I run a 30 amp/2 bank charger. Picture this, run 2 tm batteries in parallel and run one bank on your charger to one of them to charge both since they are both connected. You Merc is ONLY 40 horsepower. Motorcycle engines use much smaller batteries and start and run computers and fuel injection too. I used to use a garden tractor battery of 250 cold cranking amps for the 30 hp kicker i had on my 26 foot charter boat. It lasted for years. The garden tractor battery is definitely built for vibrations and is shock resistant since garden tractors have no shock absorbing suspension. I know I am gonna hear about this. Anyway, the smaller battery will allow you to possibly run a 9 or 12 gallon tank. Now you will have adequate starting power and if it dont work then you should have an auxiliary emergency starter rope. My 30 had a rope and electric starter. This was great if all my batteries were dead (they never were) because i could then start the 30 and it was wired to charge my inboard engine battery too.. Anyway, now you will have more room for a larger tank and two trolling motor batteries. There is another modification you could do and that is to have a box or framework between the seats where others often have a 3rd seat and this could house your starter battery if you need to do so. This would really free up some room in the back. I used to sell trackers and I sold an 18 ft grizzly where i relocated the batteries to the storage area along with the onboard charger. This left room for the gallon tank and another 3 gallon tank for the 5 hp kicker we set up. This also put batteries and charger away from the fuel, a possible ignition source. All cables went through a 1 1/8 in thru hull fitting acting as a heavy duty grommet to protect wiring from chafing. Another thing is that you may be able to go to a group 31 tm battery which is rated at about 115 to 135 amps per hour. Your electronics typically only draw about 1.5 to 3 amps per hour so putting them on any battery you have will not be a problem. Just a tip, the best bang for the buck is always the standard type lead/acid battery. More power for less dollars, stay away from a "dual purpose" start/deep cycle battery. They do not supply the punch to start a motor or supply as much run time on your trolling motor as the standard batteries. Also, check specs on them and others like agm or gel batteries. They cannot supply the power that lead/acid does. Also, your rear rod holders could be mounted to that new box between the seats too.
Jamie, I've enjoyed your videos. Just picked up my classic 3/4/19 it's a balmy 9 degrees here in Michigan. When I got it home I looked for what held that channel on, there are 3 screws just about in the 90-degree bend they are hard to find thou. Can't wait for summer but I have hard water so ice fishing it is. Again that's for the video.
Thanks for watching. I am working on a brand new video right now. I am currently replacing both fish finders, I replaced the trolling motor, and a lot more. The boat is back in garage opened up. We are getting lots of rain here, so I get to take my time with the project. The video should be out in a week or 2.
I’d extend the front deck back to the console and put a pedestal seat on front, buy a minn Kota ultrex with stop lock and ABSOLUTELY recess the foot pedal. Garmin makes networkable locates so you can share waypoints from one graph to the other. You are WAY TO SMART FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. You could have made a kickass bass boat but you are way to interested in DYI than practicality!
What is the fish finder on your bow? Can you please tell me where did you find the Scotty extension arm and mount? A link would be helpful. Thanks. Love your videos, I get my boat tomorrow I bought it used with 6 hours on it.
Thanks for watching. I used a Garmin striker CV plus. It had down imaging. You can use just about any. The Scotty mount is make up of s few different items I purchased at Amazon. The quantity and Scotty item numbers are: 1 x Scotty #241 1 x Scotty #429 1 x Scotty #259 2 x Scotty #415 1 x Scotty #368 Just search each Scotty number on Amazon to build that mount.
Thank you Jaime! It's my first boat, I am not sure when I will get it in the water, I have several upgrades to install first. I am replacing the stock Lowrance fish finder with a Garmin Echmap Plus 73cv fish finder on the helm and adding another Garmin Echomap Plus 43cv fish finder to the bow, another fuel tank and a bimini top. I am so excited though!
I wanted to buy this boat, because I didn’t want to drop a fortune on a bass boat. What has made me hit pause is the small motor. I really wanted to see a 90 hp on this. I wanted to run at least 40 mph. I do like the boat and price. Great video and upgrades.
Hi Ryan, with the 40 hp that comes with the boat it will actually run 34-38 mph in fairly choppy water depending on your weight, gear, etc. Go ride one and I feel pretty sure you will agree a 90 hp would be extremely overpowered if there is such a thing.
I looked into buying one of these when they first advertised them, but I ended up deciding against it. Good thing I did too because they severely under-produced these. I was told by a guy at my local BPS that they only expected to sell around 600 boats, and ended up selling near 6000 of them. He may have been exaggerating but he basically said "We forgot to add an extra 0". So now some people will be waiting going into 2019 to get their boat lol. It's definitely a nice little boat for the price they offered it at. The real thing that made me hesitant was the fact I didn't think this boat would be able to handle some of the larger lakes I fish, lakes that can routinely get 2-4ft rollers. The guy I was talking to @ BPS told me "off the record" that I made the right decision. He knows the lakes I fish because we got talking and pretty much confirmed that I was right to be skeptical about the boat's performance on that kind of water. So I ended up buying a used boat instead, 17ft deep-v hull. I've always wanted an aluminum bass boat but I had to be real with myself, a multi-species style boat is much better for the kind of lakes I fish.
RetroCNY Good deal or not, it is not the right tool,it's not the right tool. A deep v is way better for big water. This boat would be perfect fit e some of the lakes I fish in Arkansas, but many of the places I fish now are a little iffy sometimes.
I enjoyed your videos I have watched. Will you do one asking others what vehicle they use to pull this boat . I have this boat and curious if I should upgrade to a 4x4 truck as mine is 2wd.
I think this is a 16' boat - I used to pull a 16' fiberglass Nitro and now pull a Tracker 185 (18' 6" with a 50 hsp and a 9.9 kicker) with a minivan. You can pull aluminum boats with about anything.
Dude awesome walkthru of this boat. I was so close to buying it but managed to get a boat with an evinrude on it for only slightly more $ and Ithe evinrude had 10 year warranty so I scooped it instead. but man, this boat is sweet and awesome price point, I am betting I see a lot of these on the lake this year. Hope yours treats you well and great vid and cool mods
Matt Gerhard Congratulations on your boat! A good deal is a good deal. Thanks for commenting and the feedback. I try to make videos that can help others with content that I wanted pre sales or what has been requested of me. This boat has many people buying a boat this year. Some are finding dealsike you or just don't want to wait so they getA different boat... But they started on this one. I think there will be a lot of people like us with a new boat on the water. Enjoy your boat and if you come up with cool mods, let me know.
I believe there are 4 possibly 5 screws in that small rear panel. Take a small magnet and slowly move it along that panel should make it a little easier to find.
Tip go to Lowe’s buy a wire snake you can fish it thru underside of panels and not even remove them. It is a flat spring steel wire on an inclosed spool. After fishing thru tape wire to be pulled thru to end of snake pull it thru done. I have a Charger 596 . 21foot long pulled wires from back all the way to front took 1/2 hour
AddictedToMassBass Thanks! Yes it is... I just returned from the garage working on it. I need to leave it alone and just go fishing. Hopefully I will get to fish tomorrow
Henry Robinson Yeah, I finally found them in the corners of the bracket. Yeah, that panel was a pain too. I removed the screws on the top and the bottom... To get it back in the floor, I had to remove the seat.
Mark Blackstock Thanks. I will have to find the additionial screws. I am enjoying all of your videos as well Mark! You and your son are having lots of fun out there with your heritage.
My transducer works well. I made a few adjustments and I have two transducers now. One is a UHD, ultra high definition. I can read at 20 and 30 mph at times. You just have to mount and then you have to go out and test. Worked from initial mount... But I wanted it work over 5mph.
JaimeAstin - Hi there, You are the only one I believe I can rely on to answer this question. The trailer light plug that comes with the Heritage trailer has a flat 7 pin connector. Okay, is the tracker plug a MALE or FEMALE connection? I need to know if I need to purchase a male or female connector for the trailer. Thanks in advance. Joe
The trailer is a female. It will insert into your bracket, but the pins from your brakeet install inside the cable. I bought this CURT 57184 4-Way Flat Electrical Adapter www.amazon.com/dp/B001EOV424/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rkH-Ab9HB2XR2
I have been recording. I have a lot I need to edit and post. I am still doing it. I plan to get some videos up soon. I really appreciate your feedback. I will post soon. After my dog passed away, it was just hard.
Hey Jaime, I just wired my two Garmin's together to share data and I noticed there is just an open hole under the helm to access the wiring. It looks like there was a panel or lid to hide the wires. Does your boat have one?
I created a panel for my boat. I used kydex. Originally there was just as open hole. There is a carpeted hatch screwed down. Are you networking Garmin "plus" units or just chiro units?
great vids still waiting for our delivery, you have been very helpful during this painful period lol . by chance have you sourced the carpet for adding to the casting deck?? tks good fishing
How do you get the water to fill up in your live well just had my tracker heritage on the water today and could not fill up the live well can you help please
Were you satisfied with only a 6 gallon tank for fuel? I feel like that is so small compared to my 20 gallon on my skiff. I’m worried my trips might be cut short because of that. Also is there a gas gauge at all?
Great question and now i am not. I think it is enough to get me in trouble, lol! Some like to say that this is a small boat for small water. Yeah, i would not take it out to the bay, but there are some lakes where I would love to go farther in. Maybe they put such a small tank in because some people who buy boats just don't use them much and this will keep the gas from going bad... This maybe an entry price point, but i don't see this a beginner boat. It is a fishing boat that I plan to fish as hard as any boat out there. The great thing is that since is such a simple design, there is nothing stopping us from "fixing" this issue. Yesterday I purchased a matching interstate battery for the trolling motor. I will run them parallel so I can get a long trolling time. Currently, I take an extra 2 gallon gas can with me. I am researching a new gas tank to replace the one in there with. They are just portable tanks. Some people are adding a second portable tank. That's find and I have considered it, but I don't want to have to switch lines. I want to just get at least a 9 gall, but preferably 12 gallon plus tank to put back there. There is more than enough room for the tank and batteries. I am just looking for the right size so that I can rearrange things to where they are easy to use. Now, for this small body of water, i had no real issue. I just don't want to have to worry about battery life of gas. I want to fish and that is.
Awesome thanks for the reply. I ordered my boat about a week and a 1/2 ago because I just couldn’t pass up a deal like this. Just too cheap for a boat of that caliber. Keep up with the good videos. I have so far learned a lot about it before it has even gotten here. Lol
No I have not. We.pwoplw have and say their boat hits it when loading... That's not such a big deal though. Whenever obamas Fair tire, I'll probably put it there. Currently I just keep a flat tire kit in truck. I will need to get a trailer jack
I have a few kayaks, a few float tubes, and I had a couple inflatable intex boats. I used to want a sun dolphin boat... I still do. It would be very nice to have in Arkansas for some of the small bodies of water. I was thinking buying the sun dolphin then we saw the add for the boat... It was a nice package. I need to win the lottery, lol!
Richard Baker I have thought about it. Don't need to, no, not at all. The boat rides smoothly and get up to plan. I was over weight over the week with another guy who was ahem... The boat rode just fine . Maybe one day I be will add one. It wouldn't hurt
Hello guys I’m jason. I ordered my heritage feb 24th. I just got a call yesterday from bass pro saying that I wouldn’t get my boat til late June. I was supposed to get it in May. So yeah it sucks but I can’t do anything about it. They are slammed with orders.
When you get it, it will be right on time. I ordered dec 30th... mine was just a tad bit late, it was supposed to be in February. When you get yours, you will be out of the rainy season and have a lot of information on just what you will do, if you plan to modify it. Good you got your boat order in though... As of 3/16/18, they stopped taking anymore orders. I think it is rare for a boat to sell out, lol. So many people talk about boat depreciation, but this one at the price and simplicity should hold a lot more value compared to other boat purchases. Good luck Jason! JaimeAstin
Bought mine last week. They are telling me August possibly September. Went back to bass pro the next day and heard them saying December is now possible. Supposedly the boat showed well at a boat show and they sold like 500 plus units. So idk when mine will be here. For now I’ll just get my fix watching TH-cam videos lol
It is a 6 gal tank. I have not done a test to see how far I can get. I have never run out of gas. I also keep a 2+ gallon supply on my trips. It has only been used to fill up in between trips so I don't have to stop for gas Sorry I cannot answer question.
Yeah, I should have tried al ittle harder to fish it thought. They actually have a cable that I believe you can use a fish. it is a plastic tube that is not connected on either side. If I decide to put some loom on the cable, I will fish it thought next time. I thinking bout, i am sure that would have been enough room to fish it out.. Hmm., Thanks Billyboy!
Have you looked into changing the compartment latches to locking latches? My 2019 bass tracker classic is being delivered next week and the boat will be stored outside so that's one of the upgrades that has crossed my mind. Thanks
Yeah, I just released a modifications 2.0 video. Instill enjoy my boat. I have another video coming, modifications 2.5 because I did a few additional things to the boat after I edited the last video.
Those darn screws are along that bottom corner across that back panel. Take a flat head screw driver and start tapping along that edge to will hear it when you hit a screw head. Go slow and follow the entire panel.
jaime on . my TRACKER HERITAGE . I just pushed down hard on that corner of the panel used a round. screwdriver and pushed the wires back in under there sthet droped in and no no binding and wer free to pull tight to the front .
Yeah, I removed the panel later on when I ran my livescope and more. The fish finder is garbage, so I did. It mind cutting. I soddered the wires back together and it still works fine... Thanks
Mike Hart Yeah, I run cat5 sometimes, so I know. Without opening the hatch, there was not to to fish it through. I have since found the screws. They're run through the 90 degree corners and not through the flat ends.
I have always run my fish finder and lights on a deep cycle battery. I use the cranking battery just for starting the motor. And my trolling motor battery is up front in a compartment on the left hand side of the boat. Trackers are good boats I’ve owned 3 but I’ll never buy a new one. Death or divorce can get you a nice boat cheap. I’ve completely restored 3 trackers. And a 86’ Alumacraft. I used them for 2-3 years sell them and made a good profit and had a free boat to use in the mean time. Look good man. Good video 👍.
Thanks for watching! I wanted to get one to restore... But my wife insisted on new. I have done so much to this boat now. I am about to move the trolling motor battery up front too. One day I will do the same as you. I have a friend who restores boats, uses them then sells them for profit too. Death and divorce is how I got a lot of my tools. I tell my wife, when that day comes for me... Let my stuff go to a young man who needs them too!
Take care man.
JaimeAstin - Another great video. You are a detail guy, which is what I want, and maybe others, too. Whatever you have keep it coming! You are like a Heritage educator for the rest of us who are waiting for ours. Thanks a lot.
J G
Thanks for watching and your kinds words. I am just putting out what I woukd have helped me. I try to do that with most of my videos where I feature a product or solution. Too many times I research only to find a lot of fluff or nothing.
If you have any questions, please ask. If you find anywhere I can improve or you have a solution, please share.
.thanks again for watching.
That boat is insanely popular due to the price, it's an awesome boat!
Rattle larry
As of yesterday, tracker is no longer taking orders. Their production is full for the rest of the year. Glad I got in on this in late December.
Thanks for watching
Lucky you, congratulations on the new boat!
Thanks for taking me along on your customization project. It's great information.
Larry Mar
Thanks for watching and commenting. If you have any questions, let me know... I did rip a lot of it open.
Do you have any update on hat you have been currently been doing with the boat ? Great videos and thank you for the time of doing them .
Yes, I have a big update coming. New trolling motor, deck, 4year review. What's broken, what's this, etc. Please subscribe and stay tuned. I am working on the boat and preparing for a tournament now
Jaime, you probably know by now that there are screws that hold the cover on the wiring tray. I had to take it off to run a new transducer on my 175 tX and the dealer told me that they are all the same when I called. My problem was that the carpet completely hid 2 of the screws and it took me almost an hour to find them. I also ran the wiring for an electric anchor at the same time so I used the lip on the front starboard side just like you did. I really enjoyed the video. It is great to see someone get a new boat and love it. One tip back to you, I rigged a rope in a loop to the hinge of my front fishing seat so I just take it off and place the loop on the fishing pedestal and lay the seat flat on the fishing platform. It works well for me.
Thanks for the tip. Yeah, I finally found the two screws, lol. They were really in there and covered. I even used a magnet to find it since the boat was aluminum, but still... Someone gave me a tip
Thank you for your video
Do you have any updates on what you have done .. great videos and thank you for taking the time out to do so .
Best informational video yet on tracker boats thank you.
Mike Moyer
Thanks Mike. I am just trying to put information out there that I wanted when I was waiting for my boat. Thanks for watching and commenting.
you need to check the frequencies of both transducers if you put them back there together...they will cross-talk and give you faulty readings if they use the same frequency...my Brother had one on the way and we are installing a Helix 9 Si gps where you put your Garmin...may rethink it now?
Thanks for the recommendation. Thankfully, I verified this before setting it all up. :) The Garmin 74sv and hook 3x use different frequencies, which is why I went ahead and put the other back there. They share the 200 frequency, but otherwise it is 50/77 for the garmin and 83 for the lowrance. The hook 3 will just say on 83 so that we can get some information. In other cases, i might just be using the hook 3 solo.
I like the garmin in front so the driver can see everything without looking down... But it was when we were fishing, my wife wanted to glance at it. Having it on the ram mount would allow you all to have it angled. Case in point, i let my wife drive and i was trying to see the structure and could not. Have it on the inside of the dash makes for a dry unit. It a clean install with nothing hanging out.
Thanks again for watching. Let me know what you all decide to do. Those helix units offer some of the BEST imagining i have ever seen.
Very smart on adding the 3rd battery. Great video
Daniel Walker
Thank you. I recently purchased the same interstate battery to match the one the comes with the boat. This way, I can run them parallel for longer trolling motor use... For now, I will just use it for the electronics. I am planning on upgrading the gas tank.
hey jaime use a magnet and run it along the panel .the screws are steel and the magnet will stop when you are over the screw. i have a 190 tx and i put a garmin 93 sv on mine and a 93sv up front also.
Great idea on your rod holders. Even on a bigger deck I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve seen rods stepped on.
Thanks for sharing your ideas on this boat. I've got one coming soon. If there are dents in the boat I get, I'll tell them to keep it and get me another. I wouldn't accept a new car with dents and I damn sure won't accept a new boat with dents.. I'll just have to wait until i get mine home. I agree with some of your ideas but not so much on others but I truly appreciate your input.
Chuck Barnett
Yeah, I noticed them waaaay too late. I kinda broley rules during delivery and did not see them when they are very obvious.
Thanks for the feedback. Please, enlighten me. I know some of the mods can clutter up the bow or the rods sticking up... I have weighed the options, but nothing is permanent.
If you have some tips I would appreciate them:)
Thanks again for watching and commenting.
Thanks for the info I am looking at getting a boat this year and this was very helpful.
Thanks for the video. My Heritage is due mid-July. Can't wait. I intend to use your idea for the bow fish finder mount as well as the rod holder locations. Happy fishing!
Patrick Nimmo
Thanks for watching. Kwep on watching because is something turns out to be a problem z I will let you all know
What do you use to get the rod holder on? If screws, what kind of screw? Thank you I enjoy and love your videos with the boat and fishing.
Thanks for sharing your upgrades. With regards to the West Marine Transom Saver that you replaced, does it attach to the trailer with the same pin style connection? I am trying to find some sort of upgrade that doesn't require me to squat down and mess with a pin. My knees aren't what they use to be.
I uses a pin as well. That is something that I need to upgrade... Thing is I have a second transom saver on the package in case this one fails.
I have seen some that just sit between the motor and the boat, no pin required. About $40. Might want to try that.
Hi Jaime, great videos man. I have some interior LED lighting and a power pole but I have modified my 40th Anniversary Bass Tracker in almost all the same ways. I’m sure you have taken care of it at this point but it caught my attention when you were speaking on the issue with the back panel not coming off. I also scratched my head a few min when it came time to remove it. After some serious feeling around with the screwdriver, it’s actually two screws that your looking for in the front and back of that panel. I thought it may just had been my boat but after seeing your vid, I guess they sink these screws in almost at the bend of the panel itself. Not so much on the flat part where you would think you would find the screws which held it down. They are kinda at angle sank deep under the carpet way up in the v of that panel. If you haven’t got it already I hope this helps. Keep the videos coming!!!
Bo Griffin
I haven't looked again yet... A few people have said they found the screws, but you have given me the best description. Thank you! I will check tomorrow morning!
I hope you are enjoying your boat. Thanks for watching and the tip!
Hi Jaime! We got those rod holders to put in the same 2 spots. Seems like going through aluminum on both. Wondering what length stainless screws you used? (We got aluminum rod holders that will be .5inch away from being flush.
It is aluminum, but it is thin and foam afterwards. A 1/4 screw should do it.
@@jaimeastin Wow thank you so much. I thought I may have to wait until next week to put these in.
Any plans on adding LED lights on the decks? I'm thinking about it when I get mine. I did like your advice on the fish finder. I took your advice and I got a Ram mount for my Garmin Echomap 63.
I am about to pull the trigger and buy this boat. After watching your video, ( which by the way is great ) I had two question. I see the spare tire mount, is it easy to get the tire off if you have a flat? And what size tire and rim should I buy for the spare? Since I will be traveling from Central Texas to Oklahoma to pick it up, I don't want any problems on the highway. Thanks.
Jamie Love the video’s just got my bass tracker waiting for it to come back from getting new fish finders and trolling motor installed.....can I ask if you can give me a link to the rod holders you installed thanks.
Hey Jaime Great video, considering where the transducer is mounted, Does the motor get in the way of the side imaging when trimmed down? and how is the echomap working during highspeed considering where the transducer is? thanks!
Jamie, seriously, if you want more run time on the trolling motor and on the gas engine then you have to give up a little somewhere. Two batteries for the trolling motor will last you all day. You have a good onboard charger. I run a 30 amp/2 bank charger. Picture this, run 2 tm batteries in parallel and run one bank on your charger to one of them to charge both since they are both connected. You Merc is ONLY 40 horsepower. Motorcycle engines use much smaller batteries and start and run computers and fuel injection too. I used to use a garden tractor battery of 250 cold cranking amps for the 30 hp kicker i had on my 26 foot charter boat. It lasted for years. The garden tractor battery is definitely built for vibrations and is shock resistant since garden tractors have no shock absorbing suspension. I know I am gonna hear about this. Anyway, the smaller battery will allow you to possibly run a 9 or 12 gallon tank. Now you will have adequate starting power and if it dont work then you should have an auxiliary emergency starter rope. My 30 had a rope and electric starter. This was great if all my batteries were dead (they never were) because i could then start the 30 and it was wired to charge my inboard engine battery too.. Anyway, now you will have more room for a larger tank and two trolling motor batteries. There is another modification you could do and that is to have a box or framework between the seats where others often have a 3rd seat and this could house your starter battery if you need to do so. This would really free up some room in the back. I used to sell trackers and I sold an 18 ft grizzly where i relocated the batteries to the storage area along with the onboard charger. This left room for the gallon tank and another 3 gallon tank for the 5 hp kicker we set up. This also put batteries and charger away from the fuel, a possible ignition source. All cables went through a 1 1/8 in thru hull fitting acting as a heavy duty grommet to protect wiring from chafing. Another thing is that you may be able to go to a group 31 tm battery which is rated at about 115 to 135 amps per hour. Your electronics typically only draw about 1.5 to 3 amps per hour so putting them on any battery you have will not be a problem. Just a tip, the best bang for the buck is always the standard type lead/acid battery. More power for less dollars, stay away from a "dual purpose" start/deep cycle battery. They do not supply the punch to start a motor or supply as much run time on your trolling motor as the standard batteries. Also, check specs on them and others like agm or gel batteries. They cannot supply the power that lead/acid does. Also, your rear rod holders could be mounted to that new box between the seats too.
Jamie, I've enjoyed your videos. Just picked up my classic 3/4/19 it's a balmy 9 degrees here in Michigan. When I got it home I looked for what held that channel on, there are 3 screws just about in the 90-degree bend they are hard to find thou. Can't wait for summer but I have hard water so ice fishing it is. Again that's for the video.
Thanks for watching. I am working on a brand new video right now. I am currently replacing both fish finders, I replaced the trolling motor, and a lot more.
The boat is back in garage opened up. We are getting lots of rain here, so I get to take my time with the project. The video should be out in a week or 2.
I’d extend the front deck back to the console and put a pedestal seat on front, buy a minn Kota ultrex with stop lock and ABSOLUTELY recess the foot pedal. Garmin makes networkable locates so you can share waypoints from one graph to the other. You are WAY TO SMART FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. You could have made a kickass bass boat but you are way to interested in DYI than practicality!
Nice walk thru.
What is the fish finder on your bow? Can you please tell me where did you find the Scotty extension arm and mount? A link would be helpful. Thanks. Love your videos, I get my boat tomorrow I bought it used with 6 hours on it.
Thanks for watching. I used a Garmin striker CV plus. It had down imaging. You can use just about any.
The Scotty mount is make up of s few different items I purchased at Amazon. The quantity and Scotty item numbers are:
1 x Scotty #241
1 x Scotty #429
1 x Scotty #259
2 x Scotty #415
1 x Scotty #368
Just search each Scotty number on Amazon to build that mount.
Congratulations on the boat! Sounds like you got a great deal. I recently upgraded my fish finders, but the boat is solid! Zero issues
Thank you Jaime! It's my first boat, I am not sure when I will get it in the water, I have several upgrades to install first. I am replacing the stock Lowrance fish finder with a Garmin Echmap Plus 73cv fish finder on the helm and adding another Garmin Echomap Plus 43cv fish finder to the bow, another fuel tank and a bimini top. I am so excited though!
I wanted to buy this boat, because I didn’t want to drop a fortune on a bass boat. What has made me hit pause is the small motor. I really wanted to see a 90 hp on this. I wanted to run at least 40 mph. I do like the boat and price. Great video and upgrades.
Hi Ryan, with the 40 hp that comes with the boat it will actually run 34-38 mph in fairly choppy water depending on your weight, gear, etc. Go ride one and I feel pretty sure you will agree a 90 hp would be extremely overpowered if there is such a thing.
Hey, Jamie! Any updates on the boat? Still liking it?
I looked into buying one of these when they first advertised them, but I ended up deciding against it. Good thing I did too because they severely under-produced these. I was told by a guy at my local BPS that they only expected to sell around 600 boats, and ended up selling near 6000 of them. He may have been exaggerating but he basically said "We forgot to add an extra 0". So now some people will be waiting going into 2019 to get their boat lol.
It's definitely a nice little boat for the price they offered it at. The real thing that made me hesitant was the fact I didn't think this boat would be able to handle some of the larger lakes I fish, lakes that can routinely get 2-4ft rollers. The guy I was talking to @ BPS told me "off the record" that I made the right decision. He knows the lakes I fish because we got talking and pretty much confirmed that I was right to be skeptical about the boat's performance on that kind of water. So I ended up buying a used boat instead, 17ft deep-v hull. I've always wanted an aluminum bass boat but I had to be real with myself, a multi-species style boat is much better for the kind of lakes I fish.
RetroCNY
Good deal or not, it is not the right tool,it's not the right tool. A deep v is way better for big water. This boat would be perfect fit e some of the lakes I fish in Arkansas, but many of the places I fish now are a little iffy sometimes.
I enjoyed your videos I have watched. Will you do one asking others what vehicle they use to pull this boat . I have this boat and curious if I should upgrade to a 4x4 truck as mine is 2wd.
I think this is a 16' boat - I used to pull a 16' fiberglass Nitro and now pull a Tracker 185 (18' 6" with a 50 hsp and a 9.9 kicker) with a minivan. You can pull aluminum boats with about anything.
Dude awesome walkthru of this boat. I was so close to buying it but managed to get a boat with an evinrude on it for only slightly more $ and Ithe evinrude had 10 year warranty so I scooped it instead. but man, this boat is sweet and awesome price point, I am betting I see a lot of these on the lake this year. Hope yours treats you well and great vid and cool mods
Matt Gerhard
Congratulations on your boat! A good deal is a good deal. Thanks for commenting and the feedback. I try to make videos that can help others with content that I wanted pre sales or what has been requested of me. This boat has many people buying a boat this year. Some are finding dealsike you or just don't want to wait so they getA different boat... But they started on this one. I think there will be a lot of people like us with a new boat on the water.
Enjoy your boat and if you come up with cool mods, let me know.
I believe there are 4 possibly 5 screws in that small rear panel. Take a small magnet and slowly move it along that panel should make it a little easier to find.
Tip go to Lowe’s buy a wire snake you can fish it thru underside of panels and not even remove them. It is a flat spring steel wire on an inclosed spool. After fishing thru tape wire to be pulled thru to end of snake pull it thru done. I have a Charger 596 . 21foot long pulled wires from back all the way to front took 1/2 hour
Major upgrade from the mariner 4, congrats!
AddictedToMassBass
Thanks! Yes it is... I just returned from the garage working on it. I need to leave it alone and just go fishing. Hopefully I will get to fish tomorrow
Hey Jaime I installed a new fish finder today it’s 3 screws hidden 1 on each end the problem I had was getting the wire pass the hand throttle
Henry Robinson
Yeah, I finally found them in the corners of the bracket. Yeah, that panel was a pain too. I removed the screws on the top and the bottom... To get it back in the floor, I had to remove the seat.
It screws down just like the front panel at the bow, I watched BPS take it off to install my Elite 5ti
Mark Blackstock
Thanks. I will have to find the additionial screws. I am enjoying all of your videos as well Mark! You and your son are having lots of fun out there with your heritage.
Hey guys i cant find any other screws on that rear panel, Where do i look?
How does your Garmin work with the transducer mounted like you have it? Did you have to do any adjustments?
My transducer works well. I made a few adjustments and I have two transducers now. One is a UHD, ultra high definition. I can read at 20 and 30 mph at times.
You just have to mount and then you have to go out and test. Worked from initial mount... But I wanted it work over 5mph.
@@jaimeastin Thanks.. I recently ran across your channel.. Keep it up. I am upgrading my new Classic XL like you did your boat.
@@shockomedia
Yeah... I love my heritage, but the paint and the better carpet on the newer ones make me wish I would have waited.
JaimeAstin - Hi there, You are the only one I believe I can rely on to answer this question. The trailer light plug that comes with the Heritage trailer has a flat 7 pin connector. Okay, is the tracker plug a MALE or FEMALE connection? I need to know if I need to purchase a male or female connector for the trailer. Thanks in advance. Joe
The trailer is a female. It will insert into your bracket, but the pins from your brakeet install inside the cable. I bought this CURT 57184 4-Way Flat Electrical Adapter www.amazon.com/dp/B001EOV424/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rkH-Ab9HB2XR2
Yep, I see the one you bought. New you would be able to provide the necessary details. All the best to you.
Jamie, I haven’t seen a video in awhile. You gonna post anytime soon? I like your videos.
I have been recording. I have a lot I need to edit and post. I am still doing it. I plan to get some videos up soon. I really appreciate your feedback. I will post soon.
After my dog passed away, it was just hard.
Hey Jaime, I just wired my two Garmin's together to share data and I noticed there is just an open hole under the helm to access the wiring. It looks like there was a panel or lid to hide the wires. Does your boat have one?
I created a panel for my boat. I used kydex. Originally there was just as open hole. There is a carpeted hatch screwed down.
Are you networking Garmin "plus" units or just chiro units?
@@jaimeastin Garmin Echomap Plus 73cv and 43cv.
great vids still waiting for our delivery, you have been very helpful during this painful period lol . by chance have you sourced the carpet for adding to the casting deck??
tks good fishing
Awesome mods bro!!!
How do you get the water to fill up in your live well just had my tracker heritage on the water today and could not fill up the live well can you help please
Hey Jamie, do you have a how to on how you built the bow led lights combo with on off switches
Nice video. Please post more.
Thank you.
Use a magnet man theres 2 more screws in the carpet and they are deep in that carpet.
Great video Jaime.
Were you satisfied with only a 6 gallon tank for fuel? I feel like that is so small compared to my 20 gallon on my skiff. I’m worried my trips might be cut short because of that. Also is there a gas gauge at all?
Great question and now i am not. I think it is enough to get me in trouble, lol! Some like to say that this is a small boat for small water. Yeah, i would not take it out to the bay, but there are some lakes where I would love to go farther in. Maybe they put such a small tank in because some people who buy boats just don't use them much and this will keep the gas from going bad... This maybe an entry price point, but i don't see this a beginner boat. It is a fishing boat that I plan to fish as hard as any boat out there. The great thing is that since is such a simple design, there is nothing stopping us from "fixing" this issue.
Yesterday I purchased a matching interstate battery for the trolling motor. I will run them parallel so I can get a long trolling time. Currently, I take an extra 2 gallon gas can with me. I am researching a new gas tank to replace the one in there with. They are just portable tanks. Some people are adding a second portable tank. That's find and I have considered it, but I don't want to have to switch lines. I want to just get at least a 9 gall, but preferably 12 gallon plus tank to put back there. There is more than enough room for the tank and batteries. I am just looking for the right size so that I can rearrange things to where they are easy to use.
Now, for this small body of water, i had no real issue. I just don't want to have to worry about battery life of gas. I want to fish and that is.
Awesome thanks for the reply. I ordered my boat about a week and a 1/2 ago because I just couldn’t pass up a deal like this. Just too cheap for a boat of that caliber. Keep up with the good videos. I have so far learned a lot about it before it has even gotten here. Lol
Have you mounted a spare tire on the trailer mounting made into the trailer.
No I have not. We.pwoplw have and say their boat hits it when loading... That's not such a big deal though. Whenever obamas Fair tire, I'll probably put it there. Currently I just keep a flat tire kit in truck. I will need to get a trailer jack
Yes thanks, the tire is only 2-3 inches below the bottom of boat, not sure what else could be done
You can get a mount that puts the spare up at the winch
Great mods!
dicasolrac thanks. Working boat now shooting a mods 2.0 video. Recessed trolling motor tray and all
didn't you own a sun dolphin11.3 before you got your boat?
I have a few kayaks, a few float tubes, and I had a couple inflatable intex boats. I used to want a sun dolphin boat... I still do. It would be very nice to have in Arkansas for some of the small bodies of water. I was thinking buying the sun dolphin then we saw the add for the boat... It was a nice package.
I need to win the lottery, lol!
Do you recommend adding a fin on the motor to improve early planing?
Richard Baker
I have thought about it. Don't need to, no, not at all. The boat rides smoothly and get up to plan. I was over weight over the week with another guy who was ahem... The boat rode just fine .
Maybe one day I be will add one. It wouldn't hurt
Thanks for prompt reply.
Richard Baker
You are welcome. If you have any questions let me know. I have a couple videos coming due to questions.
I ordered my it comes in may, what was the top speed on it and
Noble 6 Gaming
My Max speed is 33.5 MPH. I will upload a video with the top speed and other things this weekend.
Hello guys I’m jason. I ordered my heritage feb 24th. I just got a call yesterday from bass pro saying that I wouldn’t get my boat til late June. I was supposed to get it in May. So yeah it sucks but I can’t do anything about it. They are slammed with orders.
When you get it, it will be right on time. I ordered dec 30th... mine was just a tad bit late, it was supposed to be in February. When you get yours, you will be out of the rainy season and have a lot of information on just what you will do, if you plan to modify it.
Good you got your boat order in though... As of 3/16/18, they stopped taking anymore orders. I think it is rare for a boat to sell out, lol. So many people talk about boat depreciation, but this one at the price and simplicity should hold a lot more value compared to other boat purchases.
Good luck Jason!
JaimeAstin
Bought mine last week. They are telling me August possibly September. Went back to bass pro the next day and heard them saying December is now possible. Supposedly the boat showed well at a boat show and they sold like 500 plus units. So idk when mine will be here. For now I’ll just get my fix watching TH-cam videos lol
Is that the 6 gallon fuel tank? If so how far can you go on that tank?
It is a 6 gal tank. I have not done a test to see how far I can get. I have never run out of gas. I also keep a 2+ gallon supply on my trips. It has only been used to fill up in between trips so I don't have to stop for gas
Sorry I cannot answer question.
@@jaimeastin it's ok and thanks for the info
Go get a fish tape from harbor freight or Home Depot and you won’t need to poll that panel to feed the wires👍🏻
Yeah, I should have tried al ittle harder to fish it thought. They actually have a cable that I believe you can use a fish. it is a plastic tube that is not connected on either side. If I decide to put some loom on the cable, I will fish it thought next time.
I thinking bout, i am sure that would have been enough room to fish it out.. Hmm., Thanks Billyboy!
JaimeAstin great video! You are way better showing all the ins and outs. I want one,and have the cash but they are sold out😞
Have you looked into changing the compartment latches to locking latches? My 2019 bass tracker classic is being delivered next week and the boat will be stored outside so that's one of the upgrades that has crossed my mind. Thanks
Could you mount your garmin up front
Yes.
Yeah, I just released a modifications 2.0 video. Instill enjoy my boat. I have another video coming, modifications 2.5 because I did a few additional things to the boat after I edited the last video.
Nice
Those darn screws are along that bottom corner across that back panel. Take a flat head screw driver and start tapping along that edge to will hear it when you hit a screw head. Go slow and follow the entire panel.
jaime on . my TRACKER HERITAGE . I just pushed down hard on that corner of the panel used a round. screwdriver and pushed the wires back in under there sthet droped in and no no binding and wer free to pull tight to the front .
I hav this sam boat. But I movd the gas tank to the passenger side.
I have a youtube video on how to remove those panels. No need to cut existing transducer cable
Yeah, I removed the panel later on when I ran my livescope and more. The fish finder is garbage, so I did. It mind cutting. I soddered the wires back together and it still works fine...
Thanks
They make this wonderful tool called a fish tape so you can run wires ....
Mike Hart
Yeah, I run cat5 sometimes, so I know. Without opening the hatch, there was not to to fish it through.
I have since found the screws. They're run through the 90 degree corners and not through the flat ends.
quality tracker welds lol
Change the prop next.
I sure I'm not doing something right or it just don't work
Upgrade 60hp mercury 😊
The performance modification? I am looking to do that. Currently replacing the throttle and shift cables :/
"Very very cool" bahahahaha
That fish finder contraption is ridiculous.
See more recent videos. Changed the fish finders up
@@jaimeastin hey. If the other works it works. But it looked goofy lol. I'll definitely checkout the new setup!