Legend Boats

[Chrispy]

Anyone out there own a Legend boat? Looking at the Legend 20' XTR troller right now. It has the higher end 115 Merc on it. I am no tournament angler so not sure if this is under powered? The dealer told me the output of it is more like a 125 horse. Asked for the RPM dial down unit to troll since there is not enough room for a kicker. Would love to hear from anyone with experience with Legend boats before putting out the $$$.

 

thanks!!

[RickOnt]

I think a 115HP on a 20 foot boat would be underpowered.

You would want at least a 150HP.

[misfish]

A 20 footer has no room on the back for a kicker motor ? WTH is that ?

[Chrispy]

Yes the way the aft is designed, that is why I am going with the RPM control for the motor.

[strik]

Think a trolling plate could be added?

 

Surprised a boat called troller was not designed with kicker capability.

[Chrispy]

I can put one on but the cost is about $10k for the bracket, motor and controls.  The RPM control is about $500 bucks.

[Terry]

It is underpowered 

a 115 is a 115

a 150 is a 150. 
he is trying to get you to buy what it is equipped with 

[Chrispy]

Thanks Terry!  I think I am going to start to look at other brands as well.  I should be able to get close to what I want for the same money.

[craigdritchie]

Legend have nice boats. But like all boats, sometimes you see them sold with smaller engines as a way to keep the sticker price down. Here are a couple of things for you to consider:

1. What does the boat weigh? I'm not familiar with the specific model you mentioned, but a 20 foot aluminium fishing boat is usually somewhere around 1,500 pounds empty. The old rule of thumb for horsepower is to go somewhere around 1/10 of the boat's gross weight. If you have a 1,500 pound boat, you'll probably be happiest with a 150. A 3,000 pound boat will usually want something in the 300 hp range, while a big, 8,000 pound centre console will need twin 400s. There are obviously a ton of variables here and loads of exceptions to the rule, but overall, that's a good starting point for powering standard V-hull boats. 

2. What is the boat's maximum power rating? Something in that size range would usually be rated for 150 to 200 hp. If that's the case, then a 115 will be working awfully hard to move it around once you load it full of people and gear and fuel. Does it have a carpeted floor? If it does, and you're out there on a rainy day, the carpet will quickly suck up a couple hundred pounds of water, with a further impact on the boat's performance. There's a reason people tend to go with the maximum recommended power. 

3. What's the additional cost to get a bigger engine? Normally the cost to go up one or two steps in engine size is fairly reasonable in the grand scheme of things. That's especially true when you consider its effect on resale value down the road. People will always pay more for boats with bigger power, so at least a chunk of that extra cost will come back to you when you sell it - whether you sell it privately or trade it in at a dealership.

4. Where are you planning to use the boat? If you're going to be putting around smaller, more protected lakes then that 115 might be just fine. But if you're thinking of heading out onto the Great Lakes on a regular basis, then you're going to want more power - not just for comfort or to get to the fishing spots faster, but for safety on those days when the weather doesn't do what they said it would. 

5. Boats are often sold with smaller outboards to keep the sticker price down, but that could be more expensive in the long run. Engines that strain to push heavy loads day after day usually need more frequent maintenance than engines that push the weights that they were designed for. Buying a smaller engine can save you a few bucks up front, which you just hand over to the service department over time. 

Long rambling response to your question, but hopefully it gives you a few things to consider beyond just me saying yeah man, I think it's this or that.

Regardless of what you do, enjoy the new boat!

Edited January 14, 2022 by craigdritchie

[Chrispy]

Craig, thank yo so much to take the time to post to this thread.  When it comes to spending $70k - $80k for a new boat yours and everyone else's opinion that are boat owners mean a lot to us on this forum.  Thank you all for your input, it is greatly appreciated!!

[glen]

What load do you want to put in it?   How far do you want to travel? 

[Chrispy]

I fish lake st. Clair, Detroit river and go out on lake Erie.  St. Clair and the river is just a few miles, Erie is at least 10 - 20 miles to and from, when trolling for bows and walleye.

[RandyLinden]

Hi,
This boat is rated for 175 HP. Generally boats will perform best with an engine that is at or close to the rated HP. In my opinion a 150 HP would be the lowest acceptable HP on this boat. If you intend to do a lot of trolling I would suggest that you look for a boat that can accommodate a kicker. You will appreciate the ability to get your boat speed adjusted correctly instead of trying to force a large engine to idle down. The other big and often overlooked benefit to having a kicker is that you will have a back-up engine in case of an engine problem. Although I personally prefer a fiberglass hull there are quite a few nice aluminum versions available, check out a Lund Fisherman as an example. If you are buying a new boat my advice is to buy something that it is made for what you want to do with the boat. If trolling is the primary application then a bow mount remote steer trilling motor and a kicker are the way to go. Yes its expensive but it is the right tool for the job.

[Fisherman]

Ah yes a kicker would be in order when you have a Merc as the main, lol.  Underpowered doesn't cut the mustard when you're way out on a body of water and the thunder clouds are approaching faster than you realize.

[Chrispy]

Thanks again everyone.  I have decided to look at other makes and models.  If I add the kicker and bigger motor I am probably around the same pricing for Prince Craft or Crestliner or what I really wanted, a Tracker.  Just wish there were Tracker dealers around Windsor.  I think the closest one is Bass Pro around Toronto

[lew]

Haven't seen much posted lately but not too many years back there were lot's of complaints about Tracker boats having issues and it seemed as if many of the guys had a terrible time getting Tracker to fix the problems. You could look it up on Google and there were all kinds of complaints about lousy customer service. 

++++Just for fun I just typed "Problems with aluminum tracker boats" in Google and this was the 1st thing that popped up++++

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/boats/tracker.html

Hope this helps Chrispy, I'd hate to see you get stung.

Edited January 15, 2022 by lew

[Chrispy]

Thanks Lew, I remember all the complaints.  My Buddy has had 2, one he had to send it back to the manufacturer in the States for work on the rivets.  It was gone most of the summer.  

[RickOnt]

Lew is right I would be careful with a Tracker.

Crestliner makes a nice boat.

[porkpie]

21 hours ago, Chrispy said:

Thanks Terry!  I think I am going to start to look at other brands as well.  I should be able to get close to what I want for the same money.

This is generally the case with legends.  I’ve met the odd legend owner that was happy with their boat, but most I’ve talked to or known have been underwhelmed and eventually moved on!  Also, like you’ve already heard the 115 is underpowered.

Edited January 15, 2022 by porkpie

[Chrispy]

Thanks again Guys!!  I really appreciate you taking the time to school me!!  

[porkpie]

I just read that your considering or want a tracker.  Don’t do it.  They are junk.  I’ve seen many complaints of them splitting hulls, and I thought it was maybe just one of those occasional things, all boats have flaws etc etc.  Not the case, I know a guy who then bought one and the hull cracked on him within a couple of years of Great Lakes fishing.  Not a little crack either.  They might be ok for cottage lakes but they are garbage for big water!  Stay far away!

[John Bacon]

7 hours ago, lew said:

Haven't seen much posted lately but not too many years back there were lot's of complaints about Tracker boats having issues and it seemed as if many of the guys had a terrible time getting Tracker to fix the problems. You could look it up on Google and there were all kinds of complaints about lousy customer service. 

++++Just for fun I just typed "Problems with aluminum tracker boats" in Google and this was the 1st thing that popped up++++

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/boats/tracker.html

Hope this helps Chrispy, I'd hate to see you get stung.

Hance, their nickname; Cracker boats.

[Northerner1212]

I looked at legends last summer on paper they looked really nice but the build quality wasn’t there when I got to see one and for the price there’s better boats I ended up buys a prince craft the build quality was night and day different 

[LeXXington]

A lot of the comments about under powered are based on load.  Full family etc yea it matters.   Just cause you have a engine that can do 50mph does not mean that you use it.

I top out at 35MpH but best gas economy and ride is around 25mph.

Crap I sound old now

 

[Chrispy]

Thanks for the info.  Going to look at other manufacturers.  Just wish the boat shows were still on so I can see everything at once and make a good decision