Are you a beginner who wants to enjoy boating and doesn’t want to invest a hefty amount in buying a new boat? You have heard a lot about Astro boats and wondering: Are Astro boats any good?
The answer is a conditional yes. If you have a limited budget and you want to purchase a second-hand or an old model boat in good condition, I’ll recommend you go for the Astro boats right away.
You must be thinking, why am I so persistent in buying a second-hand or old Astro. It’s because of the fact they are no longer in production.
Yes, I know, it’s a sad thing.
Read along to find out why they are no longer in production and why they are still so popular.
What are the Astro boats?
Astro is one of the long-established boat brands, known for their durable construction and high performance. It manufactured a variety of boats ranging from 17 feet to 20 feet in length.
Do you know Brunswick corporation? It’s one of the largest boat groups in the entire United States. However, in 1999, Johnny Morris bought the majority of the shares and stopped Astro boats’ production.
You can find the outboard and pontoon models of Astro boats before 2003.
Types of Boats built by Astro
Astro focused on pursuing the traditional boating pursuit of freshwater fishing. For this very reason, they designed pontoon boats, stern boats, ski boats, and outboard boats with different fuel systems.
Astro boats are famous for their Bass boats among the rest of the boat models. These boats come with quite a shallow draft and a narrow beam.
Due to their classic and crowd-pleasing traits, they are perfect for freshwater fishing.
Why Are Astro Boats So Popular?
What sets the Astro boats apart from the rest of the boats?
It’s the level of customization they offered in their boats. From canvas to miscellaneous optional equipment, you can personalize the vessel according to your boating requirements.
Customization also refers to boat repowering projects. In this case, you opt for an old model and transform it into a modified version.
- Canvas – Gives you various options, including bimini top, boat cover, bow cover, bridge enclosure, cockpit covers, and salon enclosure. By the way, the total dimensions of boat cover range from 7 x 14 feet all the way up to 32 x 25 feet.
- Electronics – You get a myriad of options, such as autopilot with or without remote, battery charger, depth sounder, fish finder, and GPS. Other electronics include customizable inverters and radar.
- Entertainment – You only get to choose between stereo, TV, and VCR. You know these are old models, so you don’t have many options here.
- Fishing – It’s an exciting feature. You can add a bait tank of either 22 or 32 gallons. Not only that, you can opt for an electric or manual downrigger, an outrigger, a storage tackle center, and transom live well.
- Gallery – It’s entirely up to you to add amenities according to your budget. You can have a bar/console, dishwasher, fish box, ice maker, microwave oven, cooking range, and refrigerator. Moreover, you can also include a trash compactor, washer/dryer, and water heater.
- Personal Watercraft – Includes carburetion kit, cover, high-performance exhaust, stainless steel impeller, trailer, and a steering system.
Affordability
It plays a decisive factor in opting for an Astro boat. You must have heard the very famous quotation, “Old is Gold”. Here, in the case of Astro boats, the gold is relatively cheaper and fits our budget.
Examples of Astro Boats
I’ll be discussing four Astro models in this article to emphasize the quality of Astro boats.
1998 Astro 2050
As the name suggests, it’s a 1998 model. This bass boat comes in a nominal length of 20 feet.
It comes with a powerful outboard mercury engine.
By the way, it’s a perfect example of a compact and affordable boat with a comfortable seating arrangement for two people.
1996 Astro S-20
This S-20 model was designed in 1996, featuring a fiberglass hull to keep it lightweight.
It offers a length of 20 feet with ample space on both the front and rear deck for anglers to catch fish comfortably.
Moreover, it’s more spacious than the boat discussed previously. However, the steering system and navigation are of older technology than 1998 Astor 2050.
Nonetheless, you can always upgrade the steering system and electronics.
1989 Astro Quickfire 1700
It’s my personal favorite. Not because it’s cheap but because of its features.
This 1998 model features a bass boat of 17 feet in length with a Mercury 115 HP outboard engine.
What’s included in the package will surely fascinate you.
It comes with quicksilver controls and four stainless steel cleats. Not only that, this featureful boat includes a 74 pounds trolling motor, foot pedal, and extra propellers.
Wait, the list doesn’t end here. It also features two pole holders, a livewell, a Humminbird 597CI, a bow, and transom storage.
Another essential feature of this 1989 model is its seating arrangement. It can accommodate a total of four passengers.
You can find an additional seat between the two main seats and another seat in the middle of the rear deck.
It offers ample space on both decks allowing two anglers to fish simultaneously.
Common Feature
You must have one thing common in all the above boats, and that’s the mercury engine. It only implies one thing that Astro boats never compromise on their quality.
Conclusion
To sum up, you can find Astro boats an ideal choice for boating and fishing based on three conditions. First, you are a beginner, and second, you have a low budget.
Other than that, if you are a boating enthusiast and want to take up a boat repowering challenge, an Astro boat is definitely the right candidate. Imagine the level of personalization you can do in a boat!
By the way, you also get to learn a lot about boats if you repower old boat models.
So, what’s your reason for buying an Astro boat? I am really keen to learn your thoughts.
