Photo courtesy of Crestliner
January 24, 2018
By Game & Fish Staff
Photo courtesy of Crestliner
Game & Fish takes a closer look at the Crestliner 1750 Bass Hawk as part of our series of 2018 fishing boat reviews.
By Jason Durham
The 1750 Bass Hawk is a lightweight aluminum bass boat/multi-species rig that will turn heads. The 17.9-footer has a massive front deck, with two large and two small storage compartments to accommodate the most afflicted tackle hoarder. An illuminated center rod locker holds 15 rods measuring up to 8 feet with room for another four rods in the cockpit's port rod storage area.
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The cockpit includes helm and passenger bucket seats with the option for a third center seat. All of the seats have storage underneath. On the bow, flush-mount electronics (up to 9-inch screen), cup and tool holder and LED light strip at the command center proved very practical.
I found the 1750 offered ample angling space for two, with the rear deck having gobs of storage compartments (the Crestliner engineers made use of every cubic inch of usable space).
Equipped with a 150-hp Mercury OptiMax, our 1750 popped out of the hole and planed effortlessly with a top speed of 52 mph. Under full power, the boat rides smoothly, due in part to the variable degree deadrise hull design and welded, one-piece keel. I found the Crestliner Bass Hawk has a nice mix of features offering fishermen a very solid, all-around fishing machine.
G&F Fishing Boat Reviews
2018 boat reviews in this series:
Fishability The over-sized angling areas complement those who like to move about when fishing. Seemingly acres of gear storage let you keep the decks uncluttered, adding to the sense that this 17.9-footer fishes like 19-foot counterparts.
Handling The 1750 is responsive, knifing turns when throttled up. On snaking river runs, it will excel, with its excellent power-to-weight ratio and responsive handling letting the pilot navigate twisty water easily.
What We Liked The 1750 is a well-rounded boat with a thoughtful layout. I really appreciated the engine battery compartment's large access hatch, making it very easy to access wires, in-line fuses and the batteries themselves. The amount of rod storage space in this sub-18-foot boat is incredible.
What We'd Change I'd love to see a compression latch on the center rod storage locker for additional security. Also, the optional center seat should simply come standard with the package.
Specifications
Length 17 feet, 9 inches
Beam 95 inches
Dry Weight 1,509 lbs.
Fuel Capacity 29 gallons
Max Power 150 hp
MSRP $28,895
