This sleek, jet-black bass boat has plenty on board to attract serious club and buddy anglers, plus a passenger capacity of four to attract family anglers. At 1,100 pounds, it’s towable behind most vehicles, meaning it saves gas on the water and on the highway too.
We expected the TX 175 Pro to be nimble when we throttled it up. The shallow V of the bottom and narrow beam would work together to get it on plane quickly while reducing drag. We noticed the success there as we pressed down on the gas. It’s a rush to zip the 175 around tight turns, but the surprise was how solidly it handled chop. PolarKraft engineers did well in selecting the most-durable aluminum for stringers rather than welding and bonding them to the hull. The all-aluminum bulkheads and deck complete the bulletproof package.
We’ve seen PolarKraft’s team build so many solid fishers. What did surprise us was the way the 175 Pro handled the testers as we stepped aboard, walked around and tried to rock the boat. That stability comes from a wider footprint at the bottom that carries from amidships to the transom, offering superb buoyancy and easy-to-walk-on stability.
Yep, we found well-positioned rod lockers, livewells and dry storage — you’ll be able to see that in the showroom. So too with the easy bilge access from the large hatch on the aft-casting deck. We spent all our time driving the fun little rig … so we could tell you how well it handled.
Key Note: Prerigged with Minn Kota trolling motor and depth finder, the only real decision left for buyers is, “How much horsepower?”
Standout Features
• Trolling motor plug and panel is factory installed to handle the Minn Kota 12-volt motor.
• Twin built-in tackle boxes hold a combined six 4500 Plano utility boxes to keep you organized.
• Remove the livewell divider for one enormous livewell suitable for muskies and pike.
Vital Stats
* Length Overall: 17’6″
* Beam: 84″
* Dry Weight: 1,100 lb.
* Seating/Weight Capacity: 4/560 lb.
* Fuel Capacity: 24 gal.
* Maximum HP: 75
* MSRP (test boat w/ Yamaha F-50): $14,395
* NMMA Certified: Yes
Test Drive
* Test Engine: Yamaha F-50
* Test Prop: 10 3/8″ x 13″, aluminum 3-blade
* Test Load: People (400 lb.); Fuel (12 gal.)
* Minimum Planing Speed: 15 mph @ 3,500 rpm; 76 db
* Top Speed: 31.3 mph @ 5,400 rpm
* Time to Plane: 5.2 sec.
* Time to 20 MPH: 9.0 sec.
