Ben Garver
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I got the chance to look this boat over last year at Mille Lacs and loved the lay out. It's rated for a 150 HP max and I'm curious if anyone has one with the 150? Also does the 150 Yamaha have the kit to idle down the motor for slow trolling speeds. I'd love to get this boat but don't want a kicker on it if I can help it.
If you've had any expierences with this particular model I'd love to hear the pro's and con's of this thing.
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Ben Garver
Bass Pro Shops Pro Staff
Salt Valley Guide Service - Guiding available on all Nebraska waters.
Call 402-890-3057
I say we work 2 days and fish 5!!!
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Pete Bauer
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Hi Ben,
Don't quote me 100% on this but if remember right when talking to Dan Meyer, VTS isn't available on the tillers that large and a kicker would be recommended for trolling on the WX2000T.
Other than that I'm don't know much about it, Hope that helps some 
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Kooty
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I'd be really curious to see how this boat performs with the 150. If they are getting the speeds posted with a 115, I can only imagine a 150 has to be close to a 50mph boat??
I'd also still get a kicker Ben. It's just too important of a tool for cold weather fishing or when you simply want to save fuel. Plus they are super quiet of course. 
BTW, Pretty nice day we are having here in south central NE. I'll call if I get any free time when I get back to Lincoln.
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I was born in the 70's, grew up in 80's, made my mistakes in 90's now I'm just trying to make up for lost time.
John
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James Holst
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Quote:
I'd be really curious to see how this boat performs with the 150. If they are getting the speeds posted with a 115, I can only imagine a 150 has to be close to a 50mph boat??
I'd also still get a kicker Ben. It's just too important of a tool for cold weather fishing or when you simply want to save fuel. Plus they are super quiet of course.
BTW, Pretty nice day we are having here in south central NE. I'll call if I get any free time when I get back to Lincoln.
I drove the 20' tiller at the Eau Claire ride and drive and I saw 38 - 40 mph with the 115 with two 225 lb guys in the boat.
Hole shot was very good and this boat was very impressive in the waves as we had 30+ MPH winds that day and this skeeter handled it with ease.
I also checked it for tracking while back trolling to see how it handled directional input and how well it handled waves at the transom. The sponsons kept the transom high in the water after coming down a wave while moving into the following wave and the boat tracked very well in reverse. With a 150 this boat would be incredible! Ben, if you buy one, I want to drive it... then film it in action.
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James Holst - In-Depth Outdoors TV Host
IDA Guides Guide Service
Ph. 507-271-0362
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Kooty
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That's simply amazing. I ran that motor on a 17.5 aluminum boat that I'm sure was much lighter and that was pretty much top end for me too. Maybe a touch over 40 consistently. Sounds like a very impressive hull.
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I was born in the 70's, grew up in 80's, made my mistakes in 90's now I'm just trying to make up for lost time.
John
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Ben Garver
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The dealer that had the boat at ML lsat year thought that Yamaha was coming out with a VTS model 150. Does anyone know if this is still the case? I'll get the kicker if I have to but it would be nice to save a little $$ if the VTS was available or will be next year. I could always add a kicker at a later date if I felt the need. I plan to put a MinnKota Vantage 101 on the back anyway. On calm water that would easily cover my slower speeds trolling. 
40 MPH out of a 115 on this boat is great, but I like being able to run 52-54 with my current boat. Fishing tournaments like I do I really don't want to give up too much speed. If the 150 would run close to 50 I would be a very happy guy. 
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Ben Garver
Bass Pro Shops Pro Staff
Salt Valley Guide Service - Guiding available on all Nebraska waters.
Call 402-890-3057
I say we work 2 days and fish 5!!!
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Ben Garver
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Quote:
I also checked it for tracking while back trolling to see how it handled directional input and how well it handled waves at the transom. The sponsons kept the transom high in the water after coming down a wave while moving into the following wave and the boat tracked very well in reverse.
James- would this rig need White Caps? I have never owner or even fished out of a tiller much, could you get away without a bow mount? Especially having a Vantage 101 on the back?
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Ben Garver
Bass Pro Shops Pro Staff
Salt Valley Guide Service - Guiding available on all Nebraska waters.
Call 402-890-3057
I say we work 2 days and fish 5!!!
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James Holst
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Quote:
Quote:
I also checked it for tracking while back trolling to see how it handled directional input and how well it handled waves at the transom. The sponsons kept the transom high in the water after coming down a wave while moving into the following wave and the boat tracked very well in reverse.
James- would this rig need White Caps? I have never owner or even fished out of a tiller much, could you get away without a bow mount? Especially having a Vantage 101 on the back?
As a previous big tiller owner (yar craft storm) not having whitecaps on a tiller boat would be a mistake in my opinion. That 20' tiller handled the 2 footers I worked into fine with little splash into the boat. But when the waves get bigger... someone's getting hosed without the splash guards. I would add them without question. A tiller really shines when the wind really gets kicking and all the non-tiller boats have t run for different fishing grounds due to their inability to effectively fish live bait, etc., in BIG waves. Without those splashguards at the back you'll be giving up part of one of the main reasons to run a big tiller.... the ability to precisely back troll regardless of conditions.
I would definitely add a bow mount if you do any pitching, casting or fish multiple live bait lines. With one hand dedicated to running the vantage at the back of the boat you're going to miss that bow mount when it comes time to rig with two rods or cast a shoreline.
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James Holst - In-Depth Outdoors TV Host
IDA Guides Guide Service
Ph. 507-271-0362
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Criticalconcepts
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Ben, you would have to really look close at the transom width, there isn't a lot of room on the sides of the big motor with the sponsons back there. You can always run the vantage to fight the big motor if you want to slow down. And I've started to just about always throw a sock off the bow eye(even using the Vantage). Very seldom does the wind come exactly right and the sock helps keep the bow straight when backing into quartering waves.
Currently, Wave Wackers is the only brand making splash guards for this boat.
And like I said in the PM I sent you, mine got the 150 put on yesterday. After running the boat with the 115 for a couple hundred hours, I will be able to give you perspective on both motors. I know that with the 115 the boat/motor combo offers absolute pinpoint control, hopefully the 150 does the same....
By the way, I would have picked it up today but ended up having to come to your state today. (North Platte). 
Adam
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Crossin Eyes
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Ben,
While I don't specifically know about the Skeeter or the Yamaha 150, I can tell you that I had the opportunity to fish in a 2009 Ranger 620 tiller with 200 Verado for a day on Leech lake a couple weeks ago. The Verado had the smart guages and would dial down to around 550 rpm. At that RPM and with a 4 blade prop, we could forward troll at around 2.2 mph in glass calm conditions, and into some wind and 1 foot waves we could get as low a 1.6. He didn't have a kicker and with the 101 lb. vantage and 101 lb. bow didn't feel like he would ever need one.
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Ben Garver
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Thanks for some of the reminders of why we put specific equipment on our boats guys. This will be my first brand new boat that I need to choose the rigging options. I have always bought slightly used boats that have always been fully rigged. This will also be my first tiller too. Hopefully this purchace will work out for me sometime before the season is over.
I'm sure I'll have more questions for you all. CC, I'm looking forward to hearing how that 150 performs. I'd be extreamly happy if I could get close to 50 MPH out of a tiller. My current boat runs about 52 on average.
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Ben Garver
Bass Pro Shops Pro Staff
Salt Valley Guide Service - Guiding available on all Nebraska waters.
Call 402-890-3057
I say we work 2 days and fish 5!!!
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Criticalconcepts
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Ben, take a look at the space, it would be a tight squeeze for a kicker and the 150.
I picked it up today....and then drove down 169 from Aitkin......and didn't dump it in....  Had to get to the inlaws for their 4th party. 
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James Holst
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Let us know how that tiller runs with that 150 once you've had a chance to get it on the water.
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James Holst - In-Depth Outdoors TV Host
IDA Guides Guide Service
Ph. 507-271-0362
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Nic Habeck
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Looks saweet with that 150. Interested to hear how it runs.
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Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught. ~Author Unknown
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Ben Garver
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Adam- Do you have power tiller steering on that 150? Let me know what kind of idle speed you get out of it too.
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Ben Garver
Bass Pro Shops Pro Staff
Salt Valley Guide Service - Guiding available on all Nebraska waters.
Call 402-890-3057
I say we work 2 days and fish 5!!!
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Criticalconcepts
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Yep, the Mertens power steering. You can't get the Yamaha power steering yet. In fact, you need to have your dealer order just boat and trailer, then order a crate 150 and install/rig it at the dealership. Skeeter will not ship a 2000T with the 150 until the Yamaha power steering is done.
Your dealer should still be able to source a Mertens power steering. There were a lot of them sold/bought up before Tim M sold his buisness to Mercury.
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Kooty
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Hey Adam,
Why the license plate on the trailer??
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I was born in the 70's, grew up in 80's, made my mistakes in 90's now I'm just trying to make up for lost time.
John
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Criticalconcepts
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4800lb trailer, can't get the lifetime license
But I don't know why they're so stinkin big now!?!?
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Criticalconcepts
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If your kids get bored on the water, they can go swimming in the port livewell. If they get tired they can take a nap in the rod locker.
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Pete Bauer
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If your kids get bored on the water, they can go swimming in the port livewell. If they get tired they can take a nap in the rod locker.
That's Awesome!!
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Francisco de la Rosa IV
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If your kids get bored on the water, they can go swimming in the port livewell. If they get tired they can take a nap in the rod locker.
That is unbelievable!
FDR
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Francisco de la Rosa IV
Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity!
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Perch_44
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any update on speeds with this yet?
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A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'
That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'
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Criticalconcepts
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See 150/2000T Post.
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WX200T ?????'s
