Bass boats

What the category is on the used market

Used bass boats trade as component packages: a 20-ft fiberglass hull might be $25K while the 250 on the back, the bow-mount trolling motor, and two graphs are worth nearly as much again. The fiberglass tier runs Ranger/Skeeter at the top through Triton and Nitro on value; aluminum (Tracker, Lund, Lowe) owns the entry market.

Always price the package as components — and date-stamp the electronics, because 'fully rigged' with two-generation-old graphs deserves a meaningful discount.

What to inspect before money moves

These hulls live hard at 70 mph: inspect the pad and chines under raking light for stress cracks and prior repairs, and check transom rigidity around the jackplate — flex on a 250 hp rig is structural. Livewell pumps and seals, carpet and deck condition, and trailer brakes/bearings complete the hull list.

The outboard is the deal: full dealer history on four-strokes and Pro XS rigs, compression and lower-unit oil on older two-strokes. On riveted aluminum, float it and watch the bilge.

Value and resale character

Ranger and Skeeter hulls stay saleable for decades — depreciation concentrates in the rigging, not the glass. Aluminum packages hold a famously stable floor: a running 16-ft Tracker has cost $4–7K for a decade. Negotiate on engine documentation and electronics age; the hull's price is usually fair.