New NX898 introduced for 2003!

[Staci Matheis]

We had set the time to meet in the lobby at 12:00. Easy enough; I just left home at 7:00 am and was in Springfield at 11:00. Had plenty of time to run by the Catalog Outlet and see what they might have that I NEEDED! Got back to the hotel at 11:45. The bulletin board said that lunch had started at 11:00; I looked over the balcony to the Conference area and saw a couple hundred people seated for their meal - many in red jackets like the red shirt Sue had said Doug was wearing the first day. I sat down to cool my heals..... 12:00, they'll be here any second..... 12:10, they must have gotten caught in a meeting..... 12:15, I ask the girl at the counter if there is another registration desk..... I didn't even suspect that Springfield, Missouri would have TWO Holiday Inns.....



Ten minutes later I was at the OTHER Holiday Inn and met up with Sue D. and Ken Neeley! Ken has one heck of a firm handshake - but the hug from Sue was MUCH better! We headed out to eat and stopped by Doug Patillo's both on the way. Unfortunately, Doug was going to his wife's baby shower and couldn't join us; but it sure was good to see him again and hear that he and his wife are expecting! Make sure the mobile has fish on it, Doug!



Sue, Ken and I passed by the new NX898 on the way out the door..... I want one! No..... I NEED one!!



Ken only had a few minutes for lunch because he had a 1:00 meeting to attend. However, before he left, he had time to share with us a few more of his stories..... Wait until he gets a chance to tell them here! You will die! We only briefly discussed black flies - we were eating!



Sue and I hung around for desert after Ken left, then got soaked when a thunderstorm hit just as we were walking back to the lobby. We did stop to drool over the NX898 again.....



In the lobby, where Sue's Guest Charger booth was set up, I was fortunate enough to meet Cheryl Schubert and Pat Huizar. These ladies were from Tracker's Marketing Department and there to greet the guests - they even greeted ME warmly! Better yet, they didn't throw me out when they learned that I had crashed their meeting! They treated me just as kindly as if I had been the guest of honor! Cheryl and Pat, Thank you very much!



Oh, yeah..... The NX898.....



Neeley actually got to take it for a test flight on Friday; he was impressed! You'll have to wait for him to tell you who his Co-Pilot was!



Tracker's literature describes it:



"The all new NX898 is the rig for the serious fisherman who fishes salt and fresh water. The NX898 is an excellent performer with a variation of the proven 896 running surface."



Basically, what I saw was Absolutely the Best Looking Bass & Bay Boat Ever! All the ammenities of the old NX896, with an updated hull AND a non-slip deck surface! The hull is 19'2" long with a 92" beam and rated for 200 hp. Graphics and colors appear to be the same as those available on previous NX series boats; although I would assume that the decks will all be the white I observed on the demonstration model.



I love the idea of the non-slip surface on the deck! Even if you never go near salt water, it would be so much easier to keep clean than carpeting. It has the appearance of a plain white gelcoat with white rubber sticky-dots covering the surface. What they actually are, I don't know - maybe Ken can tell us.



I only see one problem with the non-slip surface..... IF I were ever to own an NX898..... And IF I were ever to get that fishin' date with Mrs. Berryman..... And IF they happened to be playing Buddy Holly on the radio while we were out..... It would be pretty hard to do the jitter-bug on the front deck!



I can hear Penny singin' Buddy Holly now as she reads this..... "That'll be the da-ay, when I die!"



me!

 

[Bob G.]

Scott,



Sounds like you had a great time. The NX898 sounds like my kind of boat. I never liked the idea of carpet on a boat because of the drying time. I've always wanted a bass boat with a deck surface like the saltwater boats that you can just hose off. I'll be waiting for Ken's post!



Bob G.

 

[James D.]

Scott,



sounds like a great trip. the non-slip surface sounds good to me too as I get real tired of washin that catfish slime out of the carpet. that is enough to make ya wanna fish for bass all the time.



james d.

 

[Rich Stern]

Scott, glad you had such a nice time.



Regarding carpet vs. non-skid. I couldn't agree more that non-skid is so much easier to care for than carpet. But, the first time you kneel down on non-skid in short pants to lip a fish, you'll remember the benefit of carpet. And fish slim (or soap), even on the best non-skid, can leave a slick spot, particularly for bare feet. I've lost my footing more than once, on good quality non-skid decking while "swabbing the decks" with a bucket and boat soap. Carpet also makes the deck easier to stand on for long periods of time without developing fatique in the feet and ankles. It's definitely a tradeoff.



But, I am excited about the new model and looking forward to seeing it.



Thanks for the report, Scott!

 

[Staci Matheis]

I never thought about the slime/soap or kneeling aspect.....



How do the guys with real flats-type boats deal with that?

 

[Staci Matheis]

Now that I think about it..... It would appear from what I heard and saw on Saturday, that the NX896 is to be discontinued for 2003. Since the hull has been upgraded for the 898, there would be no reason for it to be kept.



Maybe Tracker will offer carpeting in the NX898 as an option.



me!

 

[TrepMan]

Rich - I know you've had both kinds, so you speak from experience. From my perspective i've always wanted a bay type boat, just from the ease of cleaning and being able to go to salt/brakish water anytime I want. I would LOVE to have a bay style boat with snap in carpet, I think it might be a good compromise, i've seen those in cruisers but not yet on fishing style boats.



Scott - what was the console/layout like? Typical bass setup?

 

[Staci Matheis]

Everything was a typical bass set-up. The display model was a single console. What I heard was that they were not going right to production on the dual - but literature says both single and dual

 

[TrepMan]

I think offering many of the existing Tracker/Nitro boats in a non-carptet set up would be a good extention of the line. Triton makes a number of their bass boats in the TX model with no carptet. I know in the Nitro boats it would be just non-skid patterned gelcoat stuff, but in the Tracker's they'd have to do something different. I looked at Fishers, another Marine Group brand, and they offer a few of their DeepV aluminiums with a non-slip Vinal flooring, that sound great.

 

[Mark Hofman]

Scott:



If you're out running around South County sometime, run by the Fishin' Hole. They've got a brand new, candy-apple red, single console Avalanche on their parking lot. You can poke around even after they're closed. Gorgeous boat.



(I wish my garage was a foot wider.)

 

[Staci Matheis]

MO, with a little effort, we could make your garage a foot wider..... Or we could get your wife one of the new Mini Coopers!

 

[TrepMan]

You jumped me to the point Scott, making the garage wider a foot is EASY!! You got a 1 or 2 car/garage door MO? A few strategically placed steel support beams before hand, some good cuts with a power saw, cut cut, nail nail and there you go!!



Or as Scott said if it's a single door 2 car garage get her a Mini Cooper or a Mazda Miata and you gain a few feet!!!



Trust me I understand!

 

[Mark Hofman]

Lesseeee....



I'm backing my truck up to unload some building materials (2x4s, bricks, some drywall,...) and I "accidentally" hit the outside wall....hmmmmmm.....and it "collapses".....hmmmmmm



Not only do I get a wider garage, but if I do it right I can get a replacement truck (four-wheel drive) and a new boat (Avalanche).....



Yeaahhhh... hmmmmmm.... must give this some more thought.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Hint, MO.....



Start with just the bricks. They're heavy enough to give you the momentum you want and you won't have top return as much!

 

[Mark Hofman]

Does owning a "half-ton" pickup mean that I can haul a half-ton load of bricks?

 

[Tom Mann]

Under the circumstances, seeing as a new pick-up is part of the deal, I would suggest going for a full TON on this one!

T

 

[Staci Matheis]

Who cares! You're gonna destroy it anway! Get a head start and overload it on the way in!



Go diesel on the new one - more towing power!