Love this boat!! You couldn't ask for better service than I've received from Jim wells. The boat speaks for itself. Anyone who knows Jim knows he stands behind his product and takes pride in his work. You won't meet a more down to earth guy than Jim. Congrats man!!!!
The best boat I've ever owned. Not one issue in 3 hard seasons. You can hear the quality in how tight the boat is when running a 2 inch chop. I at first thought the motor was coming apart as no other boat I've been in had such a crisp sound to it.
No doubt that if they are putting that time and material into building it, it is a top class boat. And people will pay for it. But to be fair, when Lee Livesay had to go to another brand because his boat was pulled out from under him literally last minute (his explaination) a lot of people also may raise and eyebrow or two and think twice about it.
Check Milikens latest, believe you guys think alike. Was eye opening like a lot of your videos have been. As far as Ballistic I believe you that is a top of the line boat but would like to hear what happened with LL getting dropped by Ballistic couple weeks before the 2023 Elite season
Not surprised on Ranger . Since 2016 they have started down the path of being a shiny nitro. Curious about ride quality. There has been a lot of shiny boats come and go
Need some air clearing from Mr. Wells on what went down with Mr. Livesay boat for last season. Lot of people not to high on Ballistic boats on perception that Mr. Livesay got done dirty by Mr. Wells , regardless of how well they are built or fast they can go.
I live in the valley where Ballistic Boats are made and from the ones I’ve seen I can see the quality just in the carpet alone from a 3-4 year old boat.
Anytime a boat company especially a small one starts moving there facilities around they are in trouble. Next year (2024) is going to be very tough on small business, especially the boating industry. 90k plus boats are going to take a hard hit. My guess is they will not last long unless they have a deep pocket investor. IMO, they are a very sexy boat.
I had a chance to meet Jim at the Bassmaster Classis I Ft Worth. Stand up guy. Went through the 204 he had there and fell in love with it. Everything was done right and perfectly. That will be the next boat I order. Is he still doing the 223?
I tried to get some info / quotes a few years back and never heard back from ballistic. They’ve moved facilities multiple times. While they make a great looking boat, zero chance I’d put my hard earned money down on a deposit for a boat from a small company where I’m not sure I’ll ever get the boat. Where there is smoke, usually there is fire.
Is there wood in the boat? How do they make the boat torsionally rigid? Are the decks tied into the side gunnels? I mean structurally, resist twist. Big boat builders deliberately do not tie in all structural panels because if too stiff it breaks. Materials want to move a little. Boats have to twist and bend based on what the water serves up , or the beach ,stuff like that.
Forrest Wood was nothing more than a figurehead, a marketing tool from the day Genmar (Rangers 3nd owner, Wood sold out to the Thompson Co. In 87) bought the brand in 91. From that point the focus slowly switched from quality to hype. The slide slowed a bit when Platinum equity bought the company but it really accelerated when O'l Johnny (Morris, BPS) bought them. Customer service virtually disappeared with this lat buyout, which is a shame because that was their #1 quality even after build quality started to fall.
I have a couple of observations and comments that I hope are constructive. Jim Wells is too close to his product because he doesn't know how to speak to its value. He knows its quality and can use industry jargon to describe his product, but he is missing the meaning, relevance, value, and purpose of his boat. He needs a sales/marketing spokesperson to do that for him. Second, due to this video I went to the Ballistic Boat website to see the layout of the deck and didn't find any pages with the layout or much else to help me select a Ballistic bassboat. I wish Jim well. I love dedicated people who are innovative, and creative and who build things. Bravo!
Hey sir, Why haven't you all did a BLAZER Good, Bad, Ugly?? I have a 2002 Blazer 190 I'm restoring. Not much on UA-cam about blazer bass boats like that.
Does Ballistic make a larger boat than .204? Ballistic's website only shows the 204.... I see 223 Ballistic's on youtube but i dont see them on the website... I'm in the market for an upgarde over my 96 202 Champ.. EIther i go Champ again, but a 2007 210 or i order a NEW Boat and it will be a Ballistic. BUt i would want the 223....
Great video buddy Thats one on the 3 best boats built these days they cost the most money because they the best build. Yeares ago Ranger held that Crown .
Hate to beat a dead horse.....but.....I see one every tournament on i fish (same trail) and cant help but think about why they had such a bad fallout with Lee. No doubt they look sweet and are built like tanks, but if that was one of thier only pros....why do him dirty? Looking forward to that video and walk-through....good video, and seems super humble and love that he is on the floor putting his hands on the boats...means a lot.
My 1989 Hydrasport Vector is one of their Kevlar hulls and it's as strong today as the day it left the Hydrasport factory in 1989!!! If the Bulet is made the same way (and it sounds like it is) it's built right. The deck lid being made of the same stuff is the ONLY one I've ever heard of being done in this way in the entire bass boat industry and that is the RIGHT way to make a deck lid that has soooo many openings for hatches because it mens it can take the use and abuse over decades from running from front to back all day long! Falcon's boats are beautiful but that deck lid is primarily all Chop Gunn CRAP so I can see them lasting just a handful of years before the deck starts to weaken and sag, requiring EXTENSIVE repair work/bills to rectify. There are too many junk boats going in the 6 figures that are engineered exquisitely well, but their actual construction practices are shit and the final product is literal junk!
@@TeamMarineService I remember your over/under on them, that's been a dream boat ever since then, unfortunately..I'll never get to that point of being able to afford one. I'm content with my 196 champion though.
@@jeffhenard472 oh I know. I'm well aware of what my boat is, I'll never get rid of it, I poured a lot of time and money into it. Sometimes, it would be nice to have something newer though, but I am perfectly content, it's set up exactly how I like a boat ...simple and clean.
Yes it is. He did the same thing to another guy that I’m friends with from Canada. He was having guys put there full down payments down and using the money to build the previous buyers boat! Pretty crooked if you ask me!!!
@@yellowladdermedia9101that's BS . This guy was his boat sponsor and had a boat built for him and they had the deal worked out year prior, Lee was coming off one of the best seasons on the Elites and actually put this brand on the map I had never even heard of ballistic boats until Lee.. no this dude is just a shitty businessman and at the end of the day people don't really want to hear the straight truth they want to throw their ideas and what they heard at the dock on top of it to make it fit their ideas and beliefs ..when in reality the guys just a shitty businessman? Lee is not the only guy that he did that to.
Every company out there says theirs is the best, all of them. But I look at the weight. When ALL other name brand boats in the 20 foot range weigh 2000 lbs and Ballistic is 1600, where is it thin at? Even though it's kevlar, material is material and material is weight. But never the less, I think Ballistic is here today and gone tomorrow type of company. Another thing is I'm not traveling 400 miles to look at a boat. Not many dealers.
Not a fan of Jim Wells or Ballistic boats after the Lee Livesey debacle .... cancelling sponsorship a week before Elite series season start which left Lee without a boat was a kick in the nuts! Dont buy Ballistic period
@@joeg1709 The truth is the truth! We’ve obtained the text messages back and forth and we will simply show y’all and let you decide who’s in the right and who’s in the wrong.
Is Seth Feider still running a Ballistic? I don't follow BASS that closely. . . . last I heard Seth was running the same Ballistic for a 2nd (or more) season. Is he still running that boat ? . . . is he getting new one for 2024 ???
After a 5 mins into this i could have moved on cause the rest was just repeating the same thing in different words over and over and over and over and over. Coulda made it a 10 minute video and saved us 14.
Aluminum deck lids? 10+ years of support with parts? Not sure if it's a good long term investment. I've seen these small company's tell us fisherman to get bent and parts aren't readily available. Hard sell.
Cat does the hull. But Cat did it first. Point is there is nothing new. Nitro even did it for a while but it only works with the vinyl resins. Acid base resins don’t perform as well when a vacuum is pulled on it. Vacuum infused Also lets the builder use less MEK. Making the boat tougher.
Before you post your "truth" series, text messages show to the world, id appreciate it as a fan of both parties involved for team marine to stay neutral and due your due diligance to the livesey side and do a little homework to make sure you get the truth on this ballistic story.
Of course they want some attention on their boats after no one wants to deal with them how they hung out Lee livesay.. and no offense but how you talked up gambler boats and how they completely screwed everyone you can’t put a lot of stock in these videos but I do love all your other content about motors and boats just not the manufacturing process
I guess you could look at it in multiple ways. White river cuts costs at every corner and they are a business powerhouse while small companies who try to build the highest quality boats struggle. Why is that? You could say that the consumer either simply doesn’t care about quality (think Walmart shoppers) or that they are just dupped by great marketing? What do you think? The economy is simply killing companies too. Caymas is dead too
WHEN will Bass Boat manufacturers DITCH THE HORRENDOUS GINORMOUS CHICANO FLAKE paint jobs! I swear they make their beautiful boats look incredibly CHEAP and UGLY!!! If you have to go with metallic paint, go with a normal fine flake so it shimmers without looking like Lowrider should be blasting from the stereo!!! There's also the option to paint them pretty pastels or rich solid colors. I mean Giant flake paints aren't the only paints out there.
Because you have the option to choose your colors when you order a boat, and you can choose plain gel. Yet, you still see most of them with crazy flake because, well, most people buying a bass boat like the flake. Just the way it is and I don't see it changing or boat companies taking away their consumer's favorite option.
Love this boat!! You couldn't ask for better service than I've received from Jim wells. The boat speaks for itself. Anyone who knows Jim knows he stands behind his product and takes pride in his work. You won't meet a more down to earth guy than Jim. Congrats man!!!!
The best boat I've ever owned. Not one issue in 3 hard seasons. You can hear the quality in how tight the boat is when running a 2 inch chop. I at first thought the motor was coming apart as no other boat I've been in had such a crisp sound to it.
No doubt that if they are putting that time and material into building it, it is a top class boat. And people will pay for it. But to be fair, when Lee Livesay had to go to another brand because his boat was pulled out from under him literally last minute (his explaination) a lot of people also may raise and eyebrow or two and think twice about it.
I like what you covered and went to the website. I wasn't able to see any photos of the deck layout can you post some
Check Milikens latest, believe you guys think alike. Was eye opening like a lot of your videos have been. As far as Ballistic I believe you that is a top of the line boat but would like to hear what happened with LL getting dropped by Ballistic couple weeks before the 2023 Elite season
That’s how I feel about the Quality of the Gator Trax aluminum we have …nothing on the market “Aluminum” compares to Gator Trax
That's a damn fact.
Not surprised on Ranger . Since 2016 they have started down the path of being a shiny nitro. Curious about ride quality. There has been a lot of shiny boats come and go
Need some air clearing from Mr. Wells on what went down with Mr. Livesay boat for last season. Lot of people not to high on Ballistic boats on perception that Mr. Livesay got done dirty by Mr. Wells , regardless of how well they are built or fast they can go.
Jim was top notch in everything I asked, and Ballistic was an amazing boat. Had I not gone Gatortrax, it was going to be his 204- in all white.
Let's hear Jim's side of the Lee livesay deal....
I live in the valley where Ballistic Boats are made and from the ones I’ve seen I can see the quality just in the carpet alone from a 3-4 year old boat.
So we actually have a new boat in shop and we get no actual video or tour of said boat? !
Did you not even watch the video? They're going to do a walk-through on another video
Any chance you've seen Ben Milliken's new video? Would love to see your reaction or even you two team up on a video
Anytime a boat company especially a small one starts moving there facilities around they are in trouble. Next year (2024) is going to be very tough on small business, especially the boating industry. 90k plus boats are going to take a hard hit. My guess is they will not last long unless they have a deep pocket investor. IMO, they are a very sexy boat.
I had a chance to meet Jim at the Bassmaster Classis I Ft Worth. Stand up guy. Went through the 204 he had there and fell in love with it. Everything was done right and perfectly. That will be the next boat I order. Is he still doing the 223?
I tried to get some info / quotes a few years back and never heard back from ballistic. They’ve moved facilities multiple times. While they make a great looking boat, zero chance I’d put my hard earned money down on a deposit for a boat from a small company where I’m not sure I’ll ever get the boat. Where there is smoke, usually there is fire.
Jim looks like a guy who’s never missed a day of work in his life.
Is there wood in the boat? How do they make the boat torsionally rigid? Are the decks tied into the side gunnels? I mean structurally, resist twist. Big boat builders deliberately do not tie in all structural panels because if too stiff it breaks. Materials want to move a little. Boats have to twist and bend based on what the water serves up , or the beach ,stuff like that.
The newer "Ranger" boats are that in name only, far cry from when Forrest Wood had his say so
Forrest Wood was nothing more than a figurehead, a marketing tool from the day Genmar (Rangers 3nd owner, Wood sold out to the Thompson Co. In 87) bought the brand in 91. From that point the focus slowly switched from quality to hype. The slide slowed a bit when Platinum equity bought the company but it really accelerated when O'l Johnny (Morris, BPS) bought them. Customer service virtually disappeared with this lat buyout, which is a shame because that was their #1 quality even after build quality started to fall.
I have a couple of observations and comments that I hope are constructive.
Jim Wells is too close to his product because he doesn't know how to speak to its value. He knows its quality and can use industry jargon to describe his product, but he is missing the meaning, relevance, value, and purpose of his boat. He needs a sales/marketing spokesperson to do that for him.
Second, due to this video I went to the Ballistic Boat website to see the layout of the deck and didn't find any pages with the layout or much else to help me select a Ballistic bassboat.
I wish Jim well. I love dedicated people who are innovative, and creative and who build things. Bravo!
Would like to hear his side of the story of why they left Lee high and dry and pulled sponsorship.
They couldn’t agree on a price and I don’t think Jim wanted to give a boat away for basically free considering he builds about 3-4 a year.
Why doesn't mr. Wells talk about what happened with Lee Livesay? that's what we all want to know!
I wish this situation would have some closure about it.
Hey sir, Why haven't you all did a BLAZER Good, Bad, Ugly?? I have a 2002 Blazer 190 I'm restoring. Not much on UA-cam about blazer bass boats like that.
We could do that for ya
@TeamMarineService awesome!!! I enjoy you guy's content! Part of the reason I jumped on this blazer I have.
Does Ballistic make a larger boat than .204? Ballistic's website only shows the 204.... I see 223 Ballistic's on youtube but i dont see them on the website... I'm in the market for an upgarde over my 96 202 Champ.. EIther i go Champ again, but a 2007 210 or i order a NEW Boat and it will be a Ballistic. BUt i would want the 223....
Great video buddy Thats one on the 3 best boats built these days they cost the most money because they the best build. Yeares ago Ranger held that Crown .
If I'm gonna pay 90k I definitely want the best made I'd have to keep it till I died
Hate to beat a dead horse.....but.....I see one every tournament on i fish (same trail) and cant help but think about why they had such a bad fallout with Lee. No doubt they look sweet and are built like tanks, but if that was one of thier only pros....why do him dirty? Looking forward to that video and walk-through....good video, and seems super humble and love that he is on the floor putting his hands on the boats...means a lot.
I need to know what happened with Ballistic and Lee Livesay.
Hey Andy, should've done an over/under on the odds of Lee beating his ass lol
You think he could take him? lol
@TeamMarineService get enough Busch light down him and we'll find out 🤣
i kept wanting you to do a walk though but you didn't i really wanted to see it.
My 1989 Hydrasport Vector is one of their Kevlar hulls and it's as strong today as the day it left the Hydrasport factory in 1989!!! If the Bulet is made the same way (and it sounds like it is) it's built right. The deck lid being made of the same stuff is the ONLY one I've ever heard of being done in this way in the entire bass boat industry and that is the RIGHT way to make a deck lid that has soooo many openings for hatches because it mens it can take the use and abuse over decades from running from front to back all day long!
Falcon's boats are beautiful but that deck lid is primarily all Chop Gunn CRAP so I can see them lasting just a handful of years before the deck starts to weaken and sag, requiring EXTENSIVE repair work/bills to rectify.
There are too many junk boats going in the 6 figures that are engineered exquisitely well, but their actual construction practices are shit and the final product is literal junk!
Are they tied to Mercury? Or can you get one with a Yamaha or Suzuki?
Nope you can run whatever with them
@@TeamMarineService I remember your over/under on them, that's been a dream boat ever since then, unfortunately..I'll never get to that point of being able to afford one. I'm content with my 196 champion though.
@@c.shoefishstick with the Champion, timeless classic, they won’t build a boat that rides better
@@jeffhenard472 oh I know. I'm well aware of what my boat is, I'll never get rid of it, I poured a lot of time and money into it. Sometimes, it would be nice to have something newer though, but I am perfectly content, it's set up exactly how I like a boat ...simple and clean.
Isn’t that the same dude that Dumped Lee livesay like 3 weeks before his Season started?
Word has it that Lee was broke and didn’t have money to pay for the boat! Dude’s gonna be bagging groceries when people catch on to Lee’s BS
Yes it is. He did the same thing to another guy that I’m friends with from Canada. He was having guys put there full down payments down and using the money to build the previous buyers boat! Pretty crooked if you ask me!!!
100%
@@yellowladdermedia9101 Couldn’t tell ya if the man is broke or not. But phoenix sure jumped on board and helped him out.
@@yellowladdermedia9101that's BS . This guy was his boat sponsor and had a boat built for him and they had the deal worked out year prior, Lee was coming off one of the best seasons on the Elites and actually put this brand on the map I had never even heard of ballistic boats until Lee.. no this dude is just a shitty businessman and at the end of the day people don't really want to hear the straight truth they want to throw their ideas and what they heard at the dock on top of it to make it fit their ideas and beliefs ..when in reality the guys just a shitty businessman? Lee is not the only guy that he did that to.
Seems like a mistake not to hear his side of the Livesay debacle or even bring it up.
Sounded like a infomercial
👍🏻👍🏻
Sounds like a BPS thing to me!!
How aboutome saltwater boats for us east coast guys
Balistic Tunnel Hull.
😮
I think I’ve seen maybe one or two around wonder where they’re selling them 😱
So @teammarine where are the so called text messages?
Every company out there says theirs is the best, all of them. But I look at the weight. When ALL other name brand boats in the 20 foot range weigh 2000 lbs and Ballistic is 1600, where is it thin at? Even though it's kevlar, material is material and material is weight. But never the less, I think Ballistic is here today and gone tomorrow type of company. Another thing is I'm not traveling 400 miles to look at a boat. Not many dealers.
Video Idea: Ikon vs. Ballistic
If I could buy any boat I wanted it would be a Ballistic no two ways about it.
Built in gorilla hull, I like it. I would get out of a Champion for one. This or a Bass Cat only.
Not a fan of Jim Wells or Ballistic boats after the Lee Livesey debacle .... cancelling sponsorship a week before Elite series season start which left Lee without a boat was a kick in the nuts! Dont buy Ballistic period
And im assuming you know the entire story?
The real story with the real text messages drops in a couple weeks! 💥💣
@@TeamMarineServiceyou sure you want to put your shop in the middle of that drama?
@@joeg1709 The truth is the truth! We’ve obtained the text messages back and forth and we will simply show y’all and let you decide who’s in the right and who’s in the wrong.
Truth is the truth. No matter who it hurts. If it’s the truth then nothing else to talk about. Simple as that. 💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼💪🏼
Is Seth Feider still running a Ballistic?
I don't follow BASS that closely. . . . last I heard Seth was running the same Ballistic for a 2nd (or more) season.
Is he still running that boat ? . . . is he getting new one for 2024 ???
Nope
He's running a Blazer next year.
..Also doesn't Andy Morgan run a Ballistic..
@@TheFISHIN14 Andy runs a Bullet
Why they do lee livesay like they did ?
The real story with the real text messages drops in a couple weeks! 💥💣
I will stick with my bullet the real ballistic
Can’t be too good with a junk Mercury on it 😂😂😂😂
That's 24 minutes of love fest I won't get back. We not going to show the boat?
Ill stick with Rick and cat
After a 5 mins into this i could have moved on cause the rest was just repeating the same thing in different words over and over and over and over and over. Coulda made it a 10 minute video and saved us 14.
How come they screwed lee livesey?
The real story with the real text messages drops in a couple weeks! 💥💣
Awesome. I know there is two sides too every story. Interested in hearing their side.
Aluminum deck lids? 10+ years of support with parts? Not sure if it's a good long term investment. I've seen these small company's tell us fisherman to get bent and parts aren't readily available. Hard sell.
Entire boat is vacuumed infused. His fiberglass work is second to nome
Bass cat does that as well.
@@blaineschwarzel2440 top cap as well? Pretty sure they just do the hull but I’m glad they’re following ballistics lead with that
@@blaineschwarzel2440no Basscat does not vacuum infuse there boat!
Bass Cat does not vacuum infuse the whole boat. They vacuum mold the transom. And the also vacuum bond the hull, floor, stringer and transom together.
Cat does the hull. But Cat did it first. Point is there is nothing new. Nitro even did it for a while but it only works with the vinyl resins. Acid base resins don’t perform as well when a vacuum is pulled on it. Vacuum infused Also lets the builder use less MEK. Making the boat tougher.
HCB owns ikon
Before you post your "truth" series, text messages show to the world, id appreciate it as a fan of both parties involved for team marine to stay neutral and due your due diligance to the livesey side and do a little homework to make sure you get the truth on this ballistic story.
We are just going to lay it all out there and let y’all be the judge.
Of course they want some attention on their boats after no one wants to deal with them how they hung out Lee livesay.. and no offense but how you talked up gambler boats and how they completely screwed everyone you can’t put a lot of stock in these videos but I do love all your other content about motors and boats just not the manufacturing process
I guess you could look at it in multiple ways. White river cuts costs at every corner and they are a business powerhouse while small companies who try to build the highest quality boats struggle. Why is that? You could say that the consumer either simply doesn’t care about quality (think Walmart shoppers) or that they are just dupped by great marketing? What do you think? The economy is simply killing companies too. Caymas is dead too
What's happening with Caymas?
Ballatic is overprice.......
WHEN will Bass Boat manufacturers DITCH THE HORRENDOUS GINORMOUS CHICANO FLAKE paint jobs! I swear they make their beautiful boats look incredibly CHEAP and UGLY!!!
If you have to go with metallic paint, go with a normal fine flake so it shimmers without looking like Lowrider should be blasting from the stereo!!!
There's also the option to paint them pretty pastels or rich solid colors. I mean Giant flake paints aren't the only paints out there.
…never because women like sparkly shiny things??? Haha
Because you have the option to choose your colors when you order a boat, and you can choose plain gel. Yet, you still see most of them with crazy flake because, well, most people buying a bass boat like the flake. Just the way it is and I don't see it changing or boat companies taking away their consumer's favorite option.
Or you can tattoo it with a bunch of Rice Crispy logos and do the ridiculous billboard thing.
Slap the Pep Boys logo all over the boat and get it over with. Manny , Moe, Jack
I just bought a boat. Used nitro. Most stuff for least money
They screwed Lee.....not a fan of these guys
Did they?? Just going off Dave and Lee's conversation best listen up