Jason,...I'll throw in my .02 for what it's worth. I owned an 896 and I drove "Bassin Fool's" Avalanche in NY at this years rally. Here's my take on both boats. First, ask yourself and be VERY honest,..."what kind of water do i Fish,..is it shallow and full of obstructions??..does it get rough( I'm talkin' 3-5ftrs,....not ripples up to 2ftr's)
and how long do you really plan on owning this boat"....
The advantages of an 896 is the fact that it's a tried and proven hull design that is very fast and easy to drive. A lot of people still like 'glass over aluminum, but when they think "aluminum" they think of a TX or TV series boat,..NOT an Avalanche. That's a plus for the Avalanche...it looks like 'glass!! anyway,..the 896 is very fast, stable, it has awesome storage, and with a 200 HP engine as a standard option,....it's an excellent pkg for a bassboat. The biggest disadvantages with 'glass are the stress cracking issues and repair time required to fix those things. Insurance will be more with the 896 for that reason alone. Just something else to consider.
The Avalanche on the other hand is absolutely awesome boat!
Jordan Paullo (he's a Nitro NAT'L Team member) and I took Bassin' Fool's boat for a ride on Champlain. He and I were both amazed at the overall performance of this boat. The storage and layout of this boat is equally as impressive and with a 150HP motor,...it flat out flies!! It's lighter and rock solid,..and the 150 is a lot easier on fuel than a 200EFI or XR6 that comes with the 896!! Put a 150 Opti on that Avalanche and you'd have one awesome boat for long runs!! Anyway, Jordan and I put the Ave through high speed turns to see if the hull "slipped or skipped" in a tight turn and it stuck to the water like a jet ski!! it was unreal. As Marke mentioned,...the holeshot was very impressive,..the bow hardly rises at all and you will never lose your field of vision when you get up on plane,..the boat literally jumps out and levels off immediately. As far as repairs go,...a crack in aluminum can be welded or repaired literally in a day by an automotive body shop or a metal forming/repairing business. Down time for repairs is going to be minimal......'glass on the other hand takes days/week/months to get repaired depending on the shop and the extent of the damage. That Avalanche is NOT, going to develope the spider cracks in the clear coat that is always evident in 'glass boats,...nor will it develope the transom cracking that is the kiss of death to a 'glass boat in some cases. My only complaint about the Avalanche is the overall length.....bigger is better where i fish and the difference between a 19'6" boat (896) and the 18'2" Avalanche is significant. If you rarely see water that gets BIG,..and you spend most of your time in calm water,..then I'd go with the Avalanche in a heartbeat!! If Tracker ever builds the Ave in a 20-21FT model,....it will blow away the 'glass boat market in the Great Lakes region and it will be the ultimate boat up here,...I would LOVE that boat in a 20ft model!! They look like 'Glass,...they're bullet proof,..much easier to repair, lighter, and they perform like a dream.....it's really a nice boat!! As more and more are seen on the water and the word get's out,...they will be a highly regarded and popular boat.
In closing,...get with a dealer and ask them to let you drive both boats,...or at the very least, ask to drive an Avalanche...you will freak!! LOL...I would lean that way myself, just based on past and current experinces with 'glass boats....granted, they're pretty and sparkly and everyone prefers 'glass over aluminum when it comes to bassboats,....but the Avalanche is the way of the future and you can have it NOW!!..Put a 150 Opti on that bad boy and you'll have a boat that will let you run and fish with the bigdogs and it'll cost you a lot LESS in the long run....that's the smart way to approach this sport!!HA!!
good luck man,....have
