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Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year? Jump to page :123 Now viewing page 3 [20 messages per page]
Posted 1/11/2008 11:39 AM (#1922883 - in reply to #1920705) Subject: RE: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Forum Member
Posts: 162 Member Since: 8/6/2003
MercurySilver - 1/9/2008 3:55 PM
After much research... I've found that the Trophy truly does offer the most bang for the buck. They're well built and ready to go right out of the box. Construction is solid and the whole Bayliner stigma, I've found, is completely false. It's a great boat with a great ride and absolutely built to fish. I'd take it over a HydraSports any day!
Take it, then. Bayliner "stigma" was deserved and earned. If you like your "Trophy", fine, you don't have to please anyone else, or, for that matter, convince anyone else about it. These sort of posts always strike me as offensive/defensive in tone. "I love my Opti" " I adore my Bayliner". So what. Have fun. Shut up.
Posted 1/11/2008 12:06 PM (#1922907 - in reply to #1920705) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 2493 Member Since: 2/25/2002
Location: Saugus, Ma. USA
Not so harsh. Trophies and Bayliners are two different boats, as are Sea Rays and Trophies. The only people who generally seem to have any experience with these types of problems on Trophies are never seem to be owners. I've seen posts over the years from Grady owners asking the best way to fix a rotting transom, or a Whaler owner talking about waterlogged foam, but niether of these occasional posts would make me talk bad about one of those lines, or tell someone they would be crazy to get a Grady or a Whaler.
I had a couple of mionor hull issues with my Parker I had for 4 years, but I still think it was a good boat. I had zero problems with the Trophy hull that I had for eight years, and I still think it was a good boat.
Some of us find it offensive when people say that a stigma is deserved when they have no idea what they are talking about. If you don't want one that's ok, and if you prefer to have a Grady or a whaler or a Contender or even an arima that's fine with me. Just don't spout ignorant accusations about any brnad unless you have owned one and experienced the issue yourself.
I'm pretty sure I've spent far more time on Trophies (and even Bayliners for that matter) than you, since I can't picture you doing something as disdainful as actually setting foot on one and talking to an actual owner with an IQ above room temperature.
Posted 1/11/2008 12:20 PM (#1922925 - in reply to #1921129) Subject: RE: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 75 Member Since: 1/4/2005
Location: Western NY
UBETRUN - 1/10/2008 12:55 AM
When I joined this board a couple of years ago, some were saying that a Trophy boat was not safe to take offshore.
I did a lot of research, asked a lot of questions, and found that "advice" to be totally unfounded. In fact, for the number of boats they sell, there are surprisingly few complaints and none of them major.
They aren't the fanciest boats on the water but for the price, construction, ride, and layout, there aren't any that I would consider a "better value".
Now if they'd only get rid of the guy that designed the fishbox drains and the blind fellow that does the caulking... :trout:
Why should you guys be spared from the bashing
Hell, I just endured 16 + pages of Whaler bashing on how they were "unfit" for offshore use as well When they get a 20 page Trophy bash-fest rolling THEN you have something to bitch about.
Posted 1/11/2008 12:54 PM (#1922960 - in reply to #1922907) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 2566 Member Since: 1/14/2006
Location: ny
jobowker - 1/11/2008 12:06 PM
Not so harsh. Trophies and Bayliners are two different boats, as are Sea Rays and Trophies. The only people who generally seem to have any experience with these types of problems on Trophies are never seem to be owners. I've seen posts over the years from Grady owners asking the best way to fix a rotting transom, or a Whaler owner talking about waterlogged foam, but niether of these occasional posts would make me talk bad about one of those lines, or tell someone they would be crazy to get a Grady or a Whaler.
I had a couple of mionor hull issues with my Parker I had for 4 years, but I still think it was a good boat. I had zero problems with the Trophy hull that I had for eight years, and I still think it was a good boat.
Some of us find it offensive when people say that a stigma is deserved when they have no idea what they are talking about. If you don't want one that's ok, and if you prefer to have a Grady or a whaler or a Contender or even an arima that's fine with me. Just don't spout ignorant accusations about any brnad unless you have owned one and experienced the issue yourself.
I'm pretty sure I've spent far more time on Trophies (and even Bayliners for that matter) than you, since I can't picture you doing something as disdainful as actually setting foot on one and talking to an actual owner with an IQ above room temperature.
But that's just me.
Can't we all just get along?
absolutely true.........Last summer when I was caught in 12 footers off Rockaway
in my Angler w/around I kept flashing back to some of the ridiculous comments that Anglers aren't fit for the ocean etc etc..........well...not only did it get me back ..there were no cracks/breaks/failures/loose connections/or wiring...the only thing that broke down was my stereo because it was slammed off the bracket. And the bilge pumps and scuppers emptied the boat out like clockwork the entire 3 hours we were getting slammed.
Posted 1/11/2008 5:40 PM (#1923290 - in reply to #1922907) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Forum Member
Posts: 162 Member Since: 8/6/2003
jobowker - 1/11/2008 12:06 PM
Not so harsh. Trophies and Bayliners are two different boats, as are Sea Rays and Trophies. The only people who generally seem to have any experience with these types of problems on Trophies are never seem to be owners. I've seen posts over the years from Grady owners asking the best way to fix a rotting transom, or a Whaler owner talking about waterlogged foam, but niether of these occasional posts would make me talk bad about one of those lines, or tell someone they would be crazy to get a Grady or a Whaler.
I had a couple of mionor hull issues with my Parker I had for 4 years, but I still think it was a good boat. I had zero problems with the Trophy hull that I had for eight years, and I still think it was a good boat.
Some of us find it offensive when people say that a stigma is deserved when they have no idea what they are talking about. If you don't want one that's ok, and if you prefer to have a Grady or a whaler or a Contender or even an arima that's fine with me. Just don't spout ignorant accusations about any brnad unless you have owned one and experienced the issue yourself.
I'm pretty sure I've spent far more time on Trophies (and even Bayliners for that matter) than you, since I can't picture you doing something as disdainful as actually setting foot on one and talking to an actual owner with an IQ above room temperature.
But that's just me.
Can't we all just get along?
Sure, if you Bayliner/Trophy whoever guys would just give it a rest and enjoy whatever you have. Instead, so many seem to have the need to crow online about how wonderful their boats are and how they have an undeserved reputation of low quality. Why do you seem to care what other people think about your investment? They bought something else, and no doubt like it fine. So do you, so let it go.
Personally, I would never buy a Bayliner or a Trophy, but that's me. You go right ahead.
Posted 1/12/2008 7:54 AM (#1923783 - in reply to #1923290) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 2566 Member Since: 1/14/2006
Location: ny
EJAngler - 1/11/2008 5:40 PM
jobowker - 1/11/2008 12:06 PM
Not so harsh. Trophies and Bayliners are two different boats, as are Sea Rays and Trophies. The only people who generally seem to have any experience with these types of problems on Trophies are never seem to be owners. I've seen posts over the years from Grady owners asking the best way to fix a rotting transom, or a Whaler owner talking about waterlogged foam, but niether of these occasional posts would make me talk bad about one of those lines, or tell someone they would be crazy to get a Grady or a Whaler.
I had a couple of mionor hull issues with my Parker I had for 4 years, but I still think it was a good boat. I had zero problems with the Trophy hull that I had for eight years, and I still think it was a good boat.
Some of us find it offensive when people say that a stigma is deserved when they have no idea what they are talking about. If you don't want one that's ok, and if you prefer to have a Grady or a whaler or a Contender or even an arima that's fine with me. Just don't spout ignorant accusations about any brnad unless you have owned one and experienced the issue yourself.
I'm pretty sure I've spent far more time on Trophies (and even Bayliners for that matter) than you, since I can't picture you doing something as disdainful as actually setting foot on one and talking to an actual owner with an IQ above room temperature.
But that's just me.
Can't we all just get along?
Sure, if you Bayliner/Trophy whoever guys would just give it a rest and enjoy whatever you have. Instead, so many seem to have the need to crow online about how wonderful their boats are and how they have an undeserved reputation of low quality. Why do you seem to care what other people think about your investment? They bought something else, and no doubt like it fine. So do you, so let it go.
Personally, I would never buy a Bayliner or a Trophy, but that's me. You go right ahead.
EJ
your missing the point...the bashing never starts with the "low-mid tier" guys..it starts when a newbie asks a question about Trophy and the same bunch of know it alls with concocted 3rd hand info tell the guy to stay away from Trophy....then if the Trophy owner responds with positive experience with Trophys the know it alls blast the Trophy owner for not knowing any better...etc...etc...etc...etc........Find me one post where a newbie logs on and asks about a Grady White and a Trophy owner
tells him to forget the Grady and go with Trophy.......Its pretty tough to remain silent while these windbags are blasting a boat with no first hand experience and persuading some newbie to spend 3 times the money because a Trophy will fall apart in 2 footers. Mid-low tier boatowners never start these things..there fore they are not "crowing " about their boats...just defending them against the assembled
bandwagon of uninformed bashers.
Posted 1/13/2008 4:13 AM (#1924504 - in reply to #1923783) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Forum Member
Posts: 1300 Member Since: 4/14/2005
kloweree - 1/12/2008 7:54 AM
Find me one post where a newbie logs on and asks about a Grady White and a Trophy owner
tells him to forget the Grady and go with Trophy........
I have been a trophy owner and now own a Grady 265 Express. I have encouraged people new to boating to maybe steer away from Grady and look at the trophy. Especially when they are not sure what they want in a boat and are on a tight budget. Lets face it, how long is the average boat kept for? Three years? Why try to figure out what you want on an 80K 25' Grady when you can spend 30K on the same sized trophy. This way you only take a hit of 10K in three years vs. a 30K hit.
Keep in mind, the first boat that a newbie is buying has everything they THINK they want in a boat. With a few years on the water, the newbie realizes that he never does over nighters because his wife gets sea sick, or he realizes even though he had every intention of filling the fish lockers with striped bass, the reality is that they are filled with beach balls, other various toys, ect.
It is my belief that once a person owns a boat for a few seasons he can fine tune his requirements and select from there. If the Grady fits the bill, great, if it is Trophy, great.
The boat next to me at my pier is a Bayliner 28'er (something like an 2002)
This couple comes down and spends every weekend on the boat and absolutely loves it, including the room. If they bought a Grady, they would be in a 23'er for the same money. My point is that the boat is a perfect fit for them.
Again, coming from a person who has owned both, enjoy the trophy, enjoy the Grady, just be sure that you use whatever you buy!
Posted 1/13/2008 5:40 AM (#1924583 - in reply to #1920705) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 6185 Member Since: 8/19/2003
Location: Where I go, there I am
I would rather just enjoy my boats versus trying to always convince others how great they are. I guess it is that time of year for these rah rah ree looky looky at me trophy threads though.
Posted 1/13/2008 8:05 AM (#1924723 - in reply to #1924504) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Forum Member
Posts: 74 Member Since: 11/4/2007
Fishing FINattic - 1/13/2008 7:13 AM
kloweree - 1/12/2008 7:54 AM
Find me one post where a newbie logs on and asks about a Grady White and a Trophy owner
tells him to forget the Grady and go with Trophy........
Keep in mind, the first boat that a newbie is buying has everything they THINK they want in a boat. With a few years on the water, the newbie realizes that he never does over nighters because his wife gets sea sick, or he realizes even though he had every intention of filling the fish lockers with striped bass, the reality is that they are filled with beach balls, other various toys, ect.
Posted 1/13/2008 5:42 PM (#1925302 - in reply to #1924504) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 1046 Member Since: 3/18/2004
Location: Stafford, VA
Fishing FINattic - 1/13/2008 7:13 AM
Why try to figure out what you want on an 80K 25' Grady when you can spend 30K on the same sized trophy.
MSRP $60, 225 for a zero-option 2008 Trophy 2502 WA with a single 225 Opti, $55,252 for the CC stripped with the same motor. No options, no trailer, no electronics, as bare bones as they can be ordered.
If you can get them for $30k, I'll take one of each.
Posted 1/13/2008 5:56 PM (#1925328 - in reply to #1920705) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 202 Member Since: 3/7/2003
Location: Warrenton, Virginia
DriveJohnson---Very nice looking boat, we have had a couple of dark green boats, I think they are very sharp.
Let me ask you about that proprane grill, does your marina allow you to cook with open flame like that on the boat while you are tied up to the dock? I have always wanted one but have been a little leery of the heat close to the fiberglass, not to mention the 100 or so gallons of gas on the boat. Do you use it a lot? Does it make a mess?
Posted 1/13/2008 6:04 PM (#1925344 - in reply to #1920705) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 372 Member Since: 5/3/2005
Location: NH
GradySailfish25 - thanks for the comments. Actually, we didn't use the grill on the boat tied up. It was just sitting there as we used it on the water that morning (cooking sausage). We normally keep our boat on a trailer - this was at a marina for a fishing tournament. Not sure if they would have allowed us to use it there.
While on the water, the grill works fantastic. The key is to make sure you can close the cover when cooking (otherwise, you'll be waiting a while). I've got a nice spot to put it - right on top of the livewell. I have not had reason to worry about the flame - it's well ventilated and away from any possible contact with gas. You can also get the mount to put it in the rod holder which will take care of some of the drips. Normally, we just put a disposable cookie sheet-like pan to catch any rogue drips (although most are caught in the grease drip pan built into the grill).
Posted 1/13/2008 6:10 PM (#1925357 - in reply to #1924504) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 2493 Member Since: 2/25/2002
Location: Saugus, Ma. USA
Fishing FINattic - 1/13/2008 4:13 AM
Keep in mind, the first boat that a newbie is buying has everything they THINK they want in a boat. With a few years on the water, the newbie realizes that he never does over nighters because his wife gets sea sick, or he realizes even though he had every intention of filling the fish lockers with striped bass, the reality is that they are filled with beach balls, other various toys, ect.
Tim
So I'm not the only one with fenders stored in my fishboxes?
It is true though, that what families think they want and what ultimately works can sometimes differ. I owned an 18' Parker CC that worked for me, but after getting married, the only condition was that the next one needed to have a head.
Posted 1/13/2008 6:11 PM (#1925362 - in reply to #1925328) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 266 Member Since: 8/8/2006
Location: marblehead
GradySailfish25 - 1/13/2008 5:56 PM
DriveJohnson---Very nice looking boat, we have had a couple of dark green boats, I think they are very sharp.
Let me ask you about that proprane grill, does your marina allow you to cook with open flame like that on the boat while you are tied up to the dock? I have always wanted one but have been a little leery of the heat close to the fiberglass, not to mention the 100 or so gallons of gas on the boat. Do you use it a lot? Does it make a mess?
That's fer cookin up all those short BFT's before you hit the dock?
Posted 1/13/2008 6:28 PM (#1925402 - in reply to #1920705) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Posts: 2493 Member Since: 2/25/2002
Location: Saugus, Ma. USA
Many marinas don't allow any open flames on any boat - they don't want to take any chances. If one boat catches on fire while in a slip, chances are several boats will be burned to the waterline before the fire is contained.
When on the hook, I use my propane grill, along with an alcohol stove at times. While I'm making eggs for breakfast on the stove, my wife is making teh toast and reheating bacon on the grill.
Posted 1/13/2008 7:37 PM (#1925481 - in reply to #1921465) Subject: RE: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Forum Member
Posts: 189 Member Since: 7/20/2004
bellsisland - 1/10/2008 9:05 AM
the great thing about trophy is their bad name, because you can buy used and get a great deal. The boat is fine, just don't buy a new one, go used and you can't miss, because who ever bought new will take the hit.
SSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OUR SECRET! Let them bash... I want to buy a used 2503 next year...
Posted 1/14/2008 12:07 PM (#1926108 - in reply to #1920705) Subject: Re: Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
Forum Member
Posts: 18 Member Since: 4/9/2007
I got a 2005 1902 WA and it has all I need. The fishbox as mentioned needs redesigned and the optional bait tank under the passenger seat is a joke. I had to install a 30 Offshore tank, so that took out the aft seating my wife liked but oh well. So far this last summer I caught limits of albacore, yft, yellowtail, I even baited my 1st marlin. I've taken it up to 53 miles offshore. Same fish my friend in his 75k parker caught. Don't get me wrong if I could afford another brand/type of boat I'd get it, but for my budget and the fishing I do this works fine for me.
I'd stay away from those Grady White thingys tho
Jump to page :123 Now viewing page 3 [20 messages per page]
Anyone looking at Trophy Boats this year?
When they get a 20 page Trophy bash-fest rolling THEN you have something to bitch about. 
