Great video. Just a note - The trim tab above the prop is meant to be installed at an angle. It help counter act the rotation from the propeller. Torq, gyroscopic procession and bite angle when trimmed with cause the engine to want to the right.
Ryan, I love watching all your video adventures on your Sun Tracker 18 with your lovely wife and dog Cooper. I have picked up some great tips from you and do believe this pontoon has changed your life. My wife and I are retired school teachers and we are getting ready to order the ST sportfish 22 XP3 with the 150 HP. We live in coastal North Carolina and will be using ours on the Intracoastal waterway and near ocean on calm days.We have done a lot of research and find the Sun Tracker line to be a great choice. Please keep making these great videos and stay safe. Rob in NC
Glad you enjoy the videos and thank you for watching! Hoping to make many more videos in 2021. You're going to have so much fun when you get your boat!
@@ryan.vision it went great, and oh, yes! We’ve taken it out every day since Saturday and going out again today. We’re in love!! Thanks so much for asking. 💙💙
So much fun for the family!! I'd recommend going for the 18 if you can. The 16 is shorter and narrower so it's not as stable on choppy waters. You get some other goodies like much bigger fuel tank too. I feel like 4 adults and 2 large dogs on our 18 is pretty much a full boat even though it says 7 person max. On a 16 I think that same crew would feel cramped, especially with coolers and other gear.
RYANVISION Well, I live in San Leandro, so nothing I would call local, but my favorite would be Melones, but i fish a bunch of lakes, From Stampede to Shasta. I have a Nitro for throwing lures, but I can’t really troll with it, so I am having set of Scotty 1106 downriggers and a Helix 10 installed on the buggy to turn it into a trolling machine. They are selling a ton of pontoons now, I ordered mine two weeks ago. At that time they said my boat was 10-12 weeks out. Crazy.
Nice!! I'm near Folsom Lake so if you ever head up that way (Shasta is north of me) let me know. Would love to get schooled on how to fish since I have a "Bass Buggy" haha
Love your videos Ryan! I just purchased my 18 Bass Buggy DLX. Can't wait. If I could make a suggestiom? Could you add in details links to your "Add Ons"? Thank you. Look forward to watching more of your vids.
Thanks someone did point that out to me later and I thought about moving it back but honestly I didn't notice any difference so just left it alone for now
Thanks! These boats are great for fishing. Lots of room to move around, live wells, etc. One day my buddy and his son went out with me and we caught 9 rainbow trout! So much fun! That was the first time I used the filet table for more than a serving station haha
How do you like the 60 hp motor? We’re just starting to look at these in party barge package rather than fishing barge and am curious if the 60 is enough or if we should step up to the 75 hp. Thanks.
Not sure what the price difference is but the 60 has been more than enough for us. We tend to cruise most of the time but she will go pretty good when you do drop the hammer. Great fuel efficiency too.
What is your opinion......Do you think it is worth getting the 75hp or is the 60 hp CT enough? We do not want to ski but would consider pulling a tube. Is the $2000 and 100 lbs worth it?
60 has been more than enough for us. We pulled a tube a few times with a Y harness and orb and it did great. It's been a trouble free engine with plenty of power and really great fuel economy.
@@ryan.vision Thank you for the information! We are still on the fence but will definitely get the 18ft Bass Buggy, just got a call from a local dealer with a 2022 18ft Bass Buggy, 4.25 hours on the Mercury 75hp, wanting 26,500, I like the 2022 and older due to the seat on the live well, 2023 and beyond have removed the seat and moved the live well front left, anyway, gonna look it at it tomorrow, enjoy the videos and information, hope your family (including Cooper are well!)
Haven't had any issues with the BBQ in this location but you can mount it wherever you'd like. You can use a pedestal like I did or a simple rail mount.
I’ve watched your videos and I have the same boat, was wondering where you found the front Bimini. I’ve looked everywhere, and can’t seem to find it. Cool set up, I also love the boat.
Sorry to inform you that the original owner (I'm 2nd owner) had the front bimni custom made. Not sure who did the work but they did a nice job. It connects to the rear bimini to make one solid top and they also modified the storage cover to work with it.
I tournament bass fish in central Florida so I go full speed from spot to spot all day. I’ve been getting a craving to relax on the water and was looking into buying a pontoon. Bass buggy research brought me here. I gotta tell you, the 16 xl price caught my eye but your videos explaining the 18 dlx and aftermarket parts/uses has sold me on this boat. I noticed this model has a built in fuel cell. About how far/long can you go on a full tank?
I would definitely recommend the 18 over the 16. My boat has a 35 gal tank with a 60 hp Mercury. The motor is very efficient so I stopped filling the fuel tank because I wasn't using enough gas. I spend most of my time beached or anchored though. If I were you, I'd go for an 18 DLX with either the 60 or 75 hp motor. You won't be disappointed. Plenty fast, plenty of range, and like you said, plenty of relaxation/comfort. If you want a break from the fast spot to spot, I think the 60 hp is more than fine and you'll have plenty of fuel to go wherever you want.
Hi Ryan. I’m looking at purchasing the same boat. The bimini top on the one I’m looking at is smaller than yours. Is that an aftermarket top? If so, where did you find that top.
The rear section is the factory top, the front section was custom made and attached to the factory top. I'm the 2nd owner and that work was already done when I purchased the boat. Sorry I don't have more info!
The front/double bimini was custom made. Original owner threw it in for $200 because the aluminum frame was bent. Luckily I was able to fix it up pretty easily. The BBQ is a Kuuma 160 on a Kuuma quick release pedestal and I got both of those on Home Depot's web site. Been working out great!
Thanks! Got it back in June from the original owner with less than 30 hours on it. Paid $19,000 then added a few goodies to it. It came with the 60hp motor and double bimini. I added the BBQ, table, wash down pump, etc. It was a lot cheaper than it would have cost new and warranty transfers from 1st to 2nd owner after inspection.
Not sure if you can buy them off the shelf for the 18 series. The original owner I bought the boat from had it custom made. Said it ran him around $1200. We've been really happy with it, really helps keep the deck cool and shady for us and the dogs.
No bother at all! I need to make a video about the table because I get lots of questions on it. Scotty 243-BK for the rails and Scotty 368 for the table. Slight modification to 368 was needed - just drilling 4 of the holes out a bit larger so the bolts could line up to the table holes.
It's a great boat! We actually wanted black at first, but got an amazing deal on red and now I'm so glad I got red instead of black. Looks really good out in the sun!
Interested in the extended Bimini top. Bass Pro has been less than helpful in helping me get one. Did you order yours from BPS or directly from a dealer?
Sorry to tell you that the front bimini was custom made. Original owner had it done, believe it was around $1200. This is the number 1 thing people ask me about haha
I get that question A LOT haha. Turns out the original owner had it custom made. He said local shops can do it and it runs between 1200-2000. It zips to the front of the rear bimini and has been a total game changer rain or shine.
Depends on how loaded you are. Me, the wife, the dog and our gear can hit 22 mph or so. Throw a few more people on board and it's more like 17 mph. We spend most of our time cruising at or below 10 mph because people want to talk and move around the boat. 22 doesn't sound fast, but I gotta say when you're at like 6000 rpm it feels like you're going as fast as you want to on a small pontoon haha. I believe you can get 40, 60, or 75. I'd definitely recommend you go with at least 60 hp if you plan to have a few people on board. You can also pull a tube pretty good with a 60.
You'll love the boat! Mine came with a car stereo and we mostly just bluetooth from our phones so not sure about the weather channels on the newer boats.
People seem to love box anchors for pontoons and often use one off the bow and another off the stern to set the desired position without rotating. I'm pretty much always beaching but I do have a standard style anchor under the seat just in case I ever need it. Not sure what the weight on it is and haven't tested it enough to know how well it works.
I don't recall where I ordered from but if you Google search for Scotty universal rail mount and Magma fillet they should come up on various sites so you can compare prices.
Currently towing it with an all wheel drive 2011 Acura MDX. Wasn't sure how it would do, but it's been doing great. It has 300 hp, decent trans cooler, rated for 5,000 lbs and trailer/boat combo is about 3,000 lbs. The Acura weighs about 4,700 lbs and has nice sized brakes so stopping hasn't been an issue. The trailer is single axle so haven't had any swaying. The only issue I've run into is putting the MDX a little deeper in the water than I'd like to on certain ramps.
I think it was going to be high 30s out the door with trailer brand new back in 2020 but I lucked out and got it for 19k with less than 30 hours on it and extra goodies like double bimini. Had to drive to Oregon to get it.
Currently pulling it with an all wheel drive 2011 Acura MDX. It's got about 300hp and weighs around 4700lbs. If we ever tow it up the hill to Tahoe, probably will use the V8 Tundra.
I bought the boat from the original owner who had the front bimini custom made. It zips to the front of the rear bimini. Very nice setup. I think he said it was around $1200 to have it custom made.
In a bay or some sort of channel I think it would do just fine. Out in the open ocean though, rough waters, wind, waves would be a bit scary. It would have to be a very nice calm day for me to take this boat into the ocean. I think a larger pontoon with larger engine(s) might do better.
I have a DLX 22 party barge. I live in southern California and a drive out to the nearest lake is about an hour and a half drive. So I have taken it out in the Long Beach harbor a few times, we had a great time and the boat handled very well, I have to say it was a very calm day.
Great video. Just a note - The trim tab above the prop is meant to be installed at an angle. It help counter act the rotation from the propeller. Torq, gyroscopic procession and bite angle when trimmed with cause the engine to want to the right.
Great videos, really helped me to decide which boat to buy.
Ryan, I love watching all your video adventures on your Sun Tracker 18 with your lovely wife and dog Cooper. I have picked up some great tips from you and do believe this pontoon has changed your life. My wife and I are retired school teachers and we are getting ready to order the ST sportfish 22 XP3 with the 150 HP. We live in coastal North Carolina and will be using ours on the Intracoastal waterway and near ocean on calm days.We have done a lot of research and find the Sun Tracker line to be a great choice. Please keep making these great videos and stay safe.
Rob in NC
Glad you enjoy the videos and thank you for watching! Hoping to make many more videos in 2021. You're going to have so much fun when you get your boat!
Love your videos! We pick up our 2022 20DLX Party Barge tomorrow! (Fingers crossed it all goes well). We’re stoked!
Looks like I'm seeing this 5 days late, so how did the pick up go? Have you had it out on the water yet? Congrats!
@@ryan.vision it went great, and oh, yes! We’ve taken it out every day since Saturday and going out again today. We’re in love!! Thanks so much for asking. 💙💙
In one of your videos you mentioned adding a wash out system. I'd love to see a video on that and how/where you installed it.
Great idea for an episode! Thanks
Nice, I'm seriously thinking of picking up the 16 or 18 ft. Inexpensive and very nice family boat
So much fun for the family!! I'd recommend going for the 18 if you can. The 16 is shorter and narrower so it's not as stable on choppy waters. You get some other goodies like much bigger fuel tank too. I feel like 4 adults and 2 large dogs on our 18 is pretty much a full boat even though it says 7 person max. On a 16 I think that same crew would feel cramped, especially with coolers and other gear.
@@ryan.vision that's some good points
Cannot do none of this on a Jon boat or a tracker. Well maybe a big tracker boat. But this is way more relaxing.
RYANVISION actually all their pontoons are 8 feet wide platforms.
@@lmramos44 The 16' version we originally looked at (non-XL) was 7'1" wide. Can't remember if it was 2019 or 2020 model.
Ordered my Bass Buggy 16xl select about a month ago. I can’t wait to get it.! Thanks for a informative video. I am in Northern California.
Congrats! Good call on the XL version. Think you'll like the rear space it adds. What's your local lake?
RYANVISION Well, I live in San Leandro, so nothing I would call local, but my favorite would be Melones, but i fish a bunch of lakes, From Stampede to Shasta. I have a Nitro for throwing lures, but I can’t really troll with it, so I am having set of Scotty 1106 downriggers and a Helix 10 installed on the buggy to turn it into a trolling machine. They are selling a ton of pontoons now, I ordered mine two weeks ago. At that time they said my boat was 10-12 weeks out. Crazy.
Nice!! I'm near Folsom Lake so if you ever head up that way (Shasta is north of me) let me know. Would love to get schooled on how to fish since I have a "Bass Buggy" haha
I order3d mine this week, they offered to store it inside since I live in Buffalo, and it’s not expected until December, lol.
Michael Keller That’s Great! Ordered mine Aug 6th....still waiting.
Love your videos Ryan! I just purchased my 18 Bass Buggy DLX. Can't wait. If I could make a suggestiom? Could you add in details links to your "Add Ons"? Thank you. Look forward to watching more of your vids.
The little fin oboe the prop is called a trim tab. And it's meant to be off to the side a bit to countact the rotation of the prop.
Thanks someone did point that out to me later and I thought about moving it back but honestly I didn't notice any difference so just left it alone for now
Great set up Ryan love your boat. Looking at 20DLX In the fishing format.
Thanks! These boats are great for fishing. Lots of room to move around, live wells, etc. One day my buddy and his son went out with me and we caught 9 rainbow trout! So much fun! That was the first time I used the filet table for more than a serving station haha
How do you like the 60 hp motor? We’re just starting to look at these in party barge package rather than fishing barge and am curious if the 60 is enough or if we should step up to the 75 hp. Thanks.
Not sure what the price difference is but the 60 has been more than enough for us. We tend to cruise most of the time but she will go pretty good when you do drop the hammer. Great fuel efficiency too.
What is your opinion......Do you think it is worth getting the 75hp or is the 60 hp CT enough? We do not want to ski but would consider pulling a tube. Is the $2000 and 100 lbs worth it?
60 has been more than enough for us. We pulled a tube a few times with a Y harness and orb and it did great. It's been a trouble free engine with plenty of power and really great fuel economy.
@@ryan.vision Thank you for the information! We are still on the fence but will definitely get the 18ft Bass Buggy, just got a call from a local dealer with a 2022 18ft Bass Buggy, 4.25 hours on the Mercury 75hp, wanting 26,500, I like the 2022 and older due to the seat on the live well, 2023 and beyond have removed the seat and moved the live well front left, anyway, gonna look it at it tomorrow, enjoy the videos and information, hope your family (including Cooper are well!)
Is there any risk with the grill being so close to the engine? Would it be a good idea to put the grip on the other end of the boat? Any thoughts?
Haven't had any issues with the BBQ in this location but you can mount it wherever you'd like. You can use a pedestal like I did or a simple rail mount.
I’ve watched your videos and I have the same boat, was wondering where you found the front Bimini. I’ve looked everywhere, and can’t seem to find it. Cool set up, I also love the boat.
Sorry to inform you that the original owner (I'm 2nd owner) had the front bimni custom made. Not sure who did the work but they did a nice job. It connects to the rear bimini to make one solid top and they also modified the storage cover to work with it.
@@ryan.vision thanks for getting back to me, I will try to find someone in my area that can make one. Thanks again.
More pontoon videos, I think you are doing great, maybe some at speed or pulling a tube.
I tournament bass fish in central Florida so I go full speed from spot to spot all day. I’ve been getting a craving to relax on the water and was looking into buying a pontoon. Bass buggy research brought me here. I gotta tell you, the 16 xl price caught my eye but your videos explaining the 18 dlx and aftermarket parts/uses has sold me on this boat. I noticed this model has a built in fuel cell. About how far/long can you go on a full tank?
I would definitely recommend the 18 over the 16. My boat has a 35 gal tank with a 60 hp Mercury. The motor is very efficient so I stopped filling the fuel tank because I wasn't using enough gas. I spend most of my time beached or anchored though. If I were you, I'd go for an 18 DLX with either the 60 or 75 hp motor. You won't be disappointed. Plenty fast, plenty of range, and like you said, plenty of relaxation/comfort. If you want a break from the fast spot to spot, I think the 60 hp is more than fine and you'll have plenty of fuel to go wherever you want.
RYANVISION thank you
So you have any more info on the spray nozzle you were talking about in the live well? I’ve been thinking of adding one to my fishin barge
Check out Amazon and search for "wash down pump" there are a few that come with the hose and everything needed
Hi Ryan. I’m looking at purchasing the same boat. The bimini top on the one I’m looking at is smaller than yours. Is that an aftermarket top? If so, where did you find that top.
The rear section is the factory top, the front section was custom made and attached to the factory top. I'm the 2nd owner and that work was already done when I purchased the boat. Sorry I don't have more info!
Where'd you pick up the extended Bimini top?
And the portable gas grill? Looking for the same type of setup
The front/double bimini was custom made. Original owner threw it in for $200 because the aluminum frame was bent. Luckily I was able to fix it up pretty easily. The BBQ is a Kuuma 160 on a Kuuma quick release pedestal and I got both of those on Home Depot's web site. Been working out great!
RYANVISION is this powerful enough to pull for tubing/water skiing?
@@MRios1128 Yes, I've pulled a tube with it using a Y harness and orb. Worked great!
your boat is awesome. when did you buy and how much if you don't mind answering?
Thanks! Got it back in June from the original owner with less than 30 hours on it. Paid $19,000 then added a few goodies to it. It came with the 60hp motor and double bimini. I added the BBQ, table, wash down pump, etc. It was a lot cheaper than it would have cost new and warranty transfers from 1st to 2nd owner after inspection.
Thank You, I want to get me one soon!!!!
Love the double bimini top,where can I buy one ?
Not sure if you can buy them off the shelf for the 18 series. The original owner I bought the boat from had it custom made. Said it ran him around $1200. We've been really happy with it, really helps keep the deck cool and shady for us and the dogs.
Wawww, very nice👍
Hate to bother you, but what Scotty mounts did you use. I can't find any the look like yours?
No bother at all! I need to make a video about the table because I get lots of questions on it. Scotty 243-BK for the rails and Scotty 368 for the table. Slight modification to 368 was needed - just drilling 4 of the holes out a bit larger so the bolts could line up to the table holes.
@@ryan.vision Found them. Thanks.
I have the party batch 18 dlx on red and I love it
It's a great boat! We actually wanted black at first, but got an amazing deal on red and now I'm so glad I got red instead of black. Looks really good out in the sun!
The Bimini top is bigger than I realized. Was it a special option?
The original owner said he had it custom made which explains why I don't see many other 18 footers with a double!
Interested in the extended Bimini top. Bass Pro has been less than helpful in helping me get one. Did you order yours from BPS or directly from a dealer?
Sorry to tell you that the front bimini was custom made. Original owner had it done, believe it was around $1200. This is the number 1 thing people ask me about haha
@@ryan.vision Ok thanks. I was afraid that was the going to be the answer. I have the exact boat and absolutely love it.
@@jeffhardy1623 same here bro, such a game changer!! great little boat for family fun!!
60 HP machine ? How knot the boat max running ?
I LIKE THAT TOP WERE DID YOU GET THAT AT I HAVE THE SAME SIZE BASS TRACKER
I get that question A LOT haha. Turns out the original owner had it custom made. He said local shops can do it and it runs between 1200-2000. It zips to the front of the rear bimini and has been a total game changer rain or shine.
How fast does that 60 push that boat I’m looking at that boat I’m not sure of what engine to get though.
Depends on how loaded you are. Me, the wife, the dog and our gear can hit 22 mph or so. Throw a few more people on board and it's more like 17 mph. We spend most of our time cruising at or below 10 mph because people want to talk and move around the boat. 22 doesn't sound fast, but I gotta say when you're at like 6000 rpm it feels like you're going as fast as you want to on a small pontoon haha. I believe you can get 40, 60, or 75. I'd definitely recommend you go with at least 60 hp if you plan to have a few people on board. You can also pull a tube pretty good with a 60.
Hey where did the front bimini come from? I just ordered this boat and need it!
That is the #1 question people ask me haha unfortunately the original owner had it custom made so it's not available off the shelf as far as I know.
I'm going to order that boat this weekend. Does the radio have NOAA weather channels?
You'll love the boat! Mine came with a car stereo and we mostly just bluetooth from our phones so not sure about the weather channels on the newer boats.
What size is thr motor?
@@adamlee4831 We've got a 60 Mercury and it's been great
Just bought a 2022 Bass Buggy 18 DLX, curious what type & weight anchor do you use when you're not beached?
People seem to love box anchors for pontoons and often use one off the bow and another off the stern to set the desired position without rotating. I'm pretty much always beaching but I do have a standard style anchor under the seat just in case I ever need it. Not sure what the weight on it is and haven't tested it enough to know how well it works.
Can you call the guy you bought the boat from and ask him were he had the bimini top made.? Please!!!!!!!
I don't have contact with him but I believe it was a shop in Redding CA
What front extension is that for the top?
Previous owner had it custom made
Could you share a link please where you got the filet table and mounts from thank you
I don't recall where I ordered from but if you Google search for Scotty universal rail mount and Magma fillet they should come up on various sites so you can compare prices.
You still have the boat? Did you get the bbq at auburn outboard marine?
Still have the boat and I ordered both the BBQ and quick release pedestal from Home Depot's web site.
Looking at getting this exact boat. What is your tow vehicle?
Currently towing it with an all wheel drive 2011 Acura MDX. Wasn't sure how it would do, but it's been doing great. It has 300 hp, decent trans cooler, rated for 5,000 lbs and trailer/boat combo is about 3,000 lbs. The Acura weighs about 4,700 lbs and has nice sized brakes so stopping hasn't been an issue. The trailer is single axle so haven't had any swaying. The only issue I've run into is putting the MDX a little deeper in the water than I'd like to on certain ramps.
Where did you get the extended top
Original owner had it custom made somewhere in Redding CA
HOW MUCH IS THOSE IN CALIFORNIA THEY ARE 28/30 WERE I LIVE
I think it was going to be high 30s out the door with trailer brand new back in 2020 but I lucked out and got it for 19k with less than 30 hours on it and extra goodies like double bimini. Had to drive to Oregon to get it.
Does anyone know the make/model of this bimini cover???
Custom made, not sure who did the work
What type of vehicle do you use to pull this?
Currently pulling it with an all wheel drive 2011 Acura MDX. It's got about 300hp and weighs around 4700lbs. If we ever tow it up the hill to Tahoe, probably will use the V8 Tundra.
Thx
Where did you get the extended bikini too for that boat? Thanks
I bought the boat from the original owner who had the front bimini custom made. It zips to the front of the rear bimini. Very nice setup. I think he said it was around $1200 to have it custom made.
LOL well really don’t care about the water level or your title man, I just wanted a review of the boat !
I tend to get carried away, there's no script haha it's a great boat, no complaints at all. you can see it in action in my other vids
What if you took it on the ocean how do you think it would do?
In a bay or some sort of channel I think it would do just fine. Out in the open ocean though, rough waters, wind, waves would be a bit scary. It would have to be a very nice calm day for me to take this boat into the ocean. I think a larger pontoon with larger engine(s) might do better.
I have a DLX 22 party barge. I live in southern California and a drive out to the nearest lake is about an hour and a half drive. So I have taken it out in the Long Beach harbor a few times, we had a great time and the boat handled very well, I have to say it was a very calm day.