The FishPro Trophy 170 builds upon Sea-Doo’s first dedicated fishing model by giving serious anglers more of what they want while still offering an affordable craft that’s easy to trailer and store, and thrives in skinny water. Plus, few boats offer the thrill of battling a whopper as -up close and personal as a PWC.
The Trophy is based on Sea-Doo’s GTX 170 platform, a 12-foot-long, 4-foot-wide deep-V three-seater that can carve a thrilling high-speed turn, excel in bigger waters, and run close to 60 mph with its naturally aspirated 170 hp Rotax 1630 ACE engine without the fuel–consumption hit taken by its supercharged brethren. The hull is exceptionally stable. Put your weight into the port or starboard footwell and you won’t end up in the drink. Stand on the aft platform and note it’s also a viable casting platform. Sea-Doo carries over the original FishPro features, including gunwale footrests, a Garmin GPS/fish finder, and a 13.5-gallon cooler mounted via a quick-release system on the aft platform. The latter features clip-in rod holders around its perimeter, an EVA foam pad atop the lid, and handy pockets for tools and tackle.
The most useful improvement is the multipurpose cooler that also serves as a livewell. Sea-Doo added an in-hull pump, a quick-connect hose system, and an aerator to easily swap from chilling drinks to keeping bait alive. Set the pump to run continuously or, to save power, for 30 seconds every three minutes. Disconnect the hose from the cooler and it serves as a washdown. -Other upgrades include opting for a touchscreen version of the 7-inch Garmin, and a beefed-up, 650-watt dual–battery system so all of the above (plus the optional Bluetooth audio system) won’t zap power and leave riders stranded.
Trophy designers also took advantage of that stability and the removable aft saddle section to fashion a raised fishing chair. Remove the saddle section and unclip a small pedestal from its mount on the nearby cooler. Then put the pedestal into the deck socket and the saddle on top to assemble an elevated, swiveling perch perfect for sight-fishing or kicking back with rod in hand and feet propped on the cooler.
How We Tested
- Engine: 170 hp Rotax 1,630 cc ACE 170
- Pump/Impeller: 155 mm high-pressure/stainless steel
- Gear Ratio: 1:00.1 Fuel Load: 18 gal. Crew Weight: 155 lb.
High Points
- Intelligent Debris-Free (iDF) pump system disengages, then spins the driveshaft in reverse to push clogs and debris clear of the jet pump.
- Front storage compartment opens directly in front of the rider, making it easy to access the contents.
- Convenient grapnel anchor is housed within easy reach of the driver, and the GPS/fish finder includes a free token for regional charts.
Low Points
- Draining the livewell requires unscrewing the fitting on one of the drains, relatively simple on the trailer but rather difficult while on the water.
- Larger riders might find assembling the raised seat a game of Twister on a small craft, but most will be surprised at the room and stability.
Toughest Competitor
Outfit Yamaha’s FX HO ($14,299) with the 6-square-foot RecDeck accessory platform ($1,000), Premium Fishing package ($1,200 for multiuse rack, branded cooler, rod holders, cup holders and tie-down) and Garmin GPS/fish finder ($900), and you’ve got a comparably powered alternative—albeit one without a livewell or fishing chair—for $17,399.
Pricing and Specs
| Price: | $17,799 (base) |
| LOA: | 12’2.8″ |
| Beam: | 4’1.4″ |
| Draft: | 11″ |
| Displacement: | 898 lb. |
| Seat/Weight Capacity: | 3/600 lb. |
| Stowage Capacity: | 39.6 gal. |
| Fuel Capacity: | 18.5 gal. |
Speed, Efficiency, Operation
