Is the Bass Cat Sabre FTD Your Ideal Outing Companion?

Bass Cat Sabre FTD Review

Type: Bass Boat

Weight: 1520 lbs.

Length: 18’1 inches

What We Like About It: The fiberglass hull has smooth lines that are visually pleasing and the boat customization is much more malleable.

What we don’t like about it: The cabin has a small seating setup, making it difficult to accommodate more people’s activities.

Rating (4.7/5)

The Bass Cat Sabre FTD is an excellent performance bass boat that attracts a lot of attention. The 100% all fiberglass hull construction rides smoother, and less friction provides more room for boat speed. The large fore and aft decks provide anglers with a spacious fishing platform, even when multiple people are fishing at the same time.

Below I will give a brief overview of the Bass Cat Sabre FTD in terms of how it drives, how it fishes, specification details, and other versions as well as a lot of other information, so feel free to contact us if you happen to be interested in this boat.

Overall Impression

My longtime friend Scott is an avid fisherman, and under his influence I have gradually fallen in love with the sport of fishing, and have come to realize that fishing brings me more joy than any other sport does.

On the one hand, I enjoy the feeling of forgetting myself when fishing, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and feel the tranquility with my heart. On the other hand, the heartbeat at the moment when the fish is hooked is also what I crave for, and it’s not a bad feeling to have a drink with three or five friends after the fishing is over.

A frequent fishing partner on trips with Scott is the Bass Cat Sabre FTD, and I’ve become somewhat familiar with the boat after a few trips together. Recently it was prime bass fishing season and Scott asked me to fish with him, coincidentally I had just finished a project and the boss granted me a few days off, which I gladly agreed to.

Soon it was the day of the appointment, and the weather was not quite hot enough to be a good day for traveling. I boarded the boat, which I knew quite well, and walked gingerly to the passenger seat and sat down.

There was no one who knew this boat better than Scott, and he really was the right person to skipper it. Scott sat in the driver’s seat and turned the key to start the engine.

Even with 175HP, the sound of the engine didn’t make me feel noisy, favorable for a fishing boat. After his skillful maneuvering, the boat sailed smoothly through the water. I walked up next to Scott and he could see the interest I was showing in driving and filled me in on the various cockpit configurations.

Cockpit Details

“Look at the spaciousness underneath this console, even at my height, my legs can fully extend without any obstruction. The basket sport steering wheel is designed to make it easy for me to grab every corner, and my hands feel very comfortable gripping it.

The console layout is also simple, with a neatly arranged mechanical dashboard and electronic display, making it easy to keep track of the various parameters of the voyage. The X-shaped cell phone holder underneath the console does a great job of protecting my phone, which as you know I rely on a lot, and I hope it doesn’t get too far away from me.”

Scott said as he watched the waters around him and as he neared the turn, he slowly turned the wheel and I felt the boat tilt slightly before steering very sharply. Since it wasn’t traveling too slowly, the ripples left behind by the boat’s passing soon disappeared from my view.

Fishing Experience

Based on the area indicated by the fish finder, Scott soon had the boat in the neighborhood. I put the trolling motor on the foredeck into the water, and I didn’t have to exert a lot of effort through the pulling action of the rope.

 The recessed control pedals didn’t take up much space, and precise control of the boat to the designated spot could be achieved without bending over. Once the boat was parked, I took out our rods from under the deck, and the rod organizer design effectively prevented the fishing gear from getting tangled up.

Considering the special nature of catching bass, we chose to use an anodyne lure as bait, a material that is easy to cast and relatively easier to reel in. Scott and I chose to fish at the stern of the boat, as we felt that it was the place where the fish gathered.

Luckily, the deck was large enough that there was still more than enough room for two people to move around freely. I cast the lure out and waited for it to sink for a short while, simulating fleeing prey to entice the bass into aggressive behavior.

After a few seconds, I smoothly reeled in the line, found the right moment to raise the rod, and a bass was indeed tricked into hooking up at the other end. I removed the energetic fish and placed it in the live well, with a divider to separate Scott’s and my respective trophies.

Specification

The Bass Cat Sabre FTD, which is around 18 feet in overall length, provides the perfect fishing platform for the versatile angler, and the outstanding performance has earned this boat a considerable market.

On the one hand, the cockpit setup of this ship is very spacious, allowing plenty of room to move around even in the face of taller people. The console is clearly laid out with gauges and displays, which will make it easy to access all parameters. There is also a safety alarm on the console, which provides a certain level of safety on board.

On the other hand, the Bass Cat Sabre FTD’s various user-friendly designs are what make it so compelling. The under-deck cooler and sandwich compartments take into account eating and drinking on long voyages. There’s also the rod organizer design, with a separate hole to prevent rods from getting tangled.

In addition, the foldable fishing chair at the stern has a locking feature that requires a press button to open it, and the back of the chair won’t pop open if the boat is going too fast.

Other Version

If you still have some concerns about the Bass Cat Sabre FTD we featured above and would like to learn about other boats for comparison, then take a look at the Bass Cat PANTERA II below from the same brand.

The Bass Cat PANTERA II tends to be more of a racing boat than the Bass Cat Sabre FTD. The longer length of the boat allows for more storage space and a heavier overall boat weight. The PANTERA II’s 200 horsepower drive adds to the speed of the boat.

What we like about it

• The 100% all fiberglass hull construction ensures stability and passenger comfort.
• The embedded trolling motor not only saves space, but also helps to dock the boat accurately.
• Ample below-deck storage provides locations for a variety of fishing gear and life-saving equipment storage.
• Coolers and sandwich compartments make it easy to store food and beverages during long voyages.
• The seatbacks in the center of the driver’s and passenger’s seats can be lowered to serve as steps with a non-slip feature.

What we don’t like about it

• The greater hull weight makes it more difficult to move the boat in and out of the water.
• The cabins are set up with fewer seats and are less suitable for crowded events.

FAQ

1. How much does a bass boat weigh?

For different sizes and configurations of bass boats, they come in different weights. In the case of this Bass Cat Sabre FTD that we are focusing on today, it weighs 1,520 pounds, not a lightweight type of bass fishing boat. The smoothness and safety in the ride of this type of boat is its biggest advantage.

2. How to winterize a bass boat?

When winter comes, it is a good idea to move your boat from the water to land to preserve it so that it lasts as long as possible. With the boat out of use for long periods of time during the winter, you will need to drain the system, treat the fuel with stabilizers as well as cover up your boat. And, of course, it’s especially important to inspect your boat regularly after the heavy snow and windy weather has passed.

3. Can you rent a bass boat?

Of course, it is possible, especially for those who have a limited budget or a limited number of bass boat uses, to rent a bass boat for use when necessary is very economical. However, when renting a boat, you need to strictly examine the qualifications of the rental company and the preservation of the rented boat to avoid unnecessary disputes when returning the boat.

Bass Cat Sabre FTD Spec

Standard

Length	18’1″
Width	93″
HP Range	115-175
Fuel Capacity	33 Gal
Hull Weight	1520lbs
Rod Box Length	(Port) 8’0″, (Starboard) 8’0″
Approximate Storage Length	Engine trimmed down – 22’2″Engine trimmed down, Tongue Swung – 19’8″

Video

Comparison Table

Shipbuilding	Deck (of a boat etc)	Maximum Horsepowerlimit	Maximum capacity limit
Ranger Z518	Overall length 18′ 10”	200 HP	4 persons
Skeeter ZX190	Overall length 18’5″	175 HP	4 persons
Triton 18 TrX	Overall length 18′ 8”	200 HP	600 lbs.

Ranger Z518 VS Bass Cat Sabre FTD

The Ranger Z518 offers amazing performance and value, and when compared to the Bass Cat Sabre FTD, the former will have an advantage in terms of size and horsepower ceiling.

The multi-functional gauge package is also a highlight of the Ranger Z518, allowing the captain to easily access various data including the boat’s RPM, fuel, water pressure, voltage and even the temperature of the water. All of these are important for improving the efficiency of your fishing activities.

In terms of spatial design, the Ranger Z518 is also maximizing storage space throughout, providing as much room as possible for the storage of various fishing gear and life-saving equipment. The oversized casting deck provides anglers with a sturdy, stable platform to fish from.

Skeeter ZX190 VS Bass Cat Sabre FTD

If you prefer a professional type of boat, then this Skeeter ZX190 is really a good choice. This boat comes with the standard features of a professional bass boat and will be relatively accessible in terms of price.

The Minn Kota® Edge trolling motor with 70 pounds of thrust can already be called the standard for professional bass boats, and this less noisy engine can avoid disturbing the fish.

Besides, the 26 gallon fuel capacity is smaller compared to the Bass Cat Sabre FTD, which also means a reduction in range and endurance, making it less friendly for longer trips.

Lastly, the ZX190 26 gallon’s dual LIVE WELL system has an additional independent fill and recirculate mode to keep the fish fresher to a greater extent.

Triton 18 TrX VS Bass Cat Sabre FTD

The Triton 18 TrX is a better boat than the Bass Cat Sabre FTD. The Triton 18 TrX is a little longer and has a heavier weight, which makes it more stable when traveling.

In addition, the boat is more powerful in terms of boat horsepower, which may also be a result of the heavier weight, as larger boats need to be propelled by engines with more drive power.

In terms of cockpit setup, the hot foot throttle under the Triton 18 TrX console does a good job of freeing up the pressure on the hands, and the boat can be sailed under good control through the feet, which is somewhat similar to driving a car.

Do any of the boats we have introduced above have your favorite? We suggest you to buy them according to your actual needs.

Of course, even if you don’t have the boat you want, don’t be discouraged, contact us for more information about the boat, we will be happy to help you.

Summary

The Bass Cat Sabre FTD comes as a smaller model from the brand, but still has a full feature set to satisfy even seasoned anglers. Plenty of horsepower and 100% all fiberglass hull construction are its biggest strengths.

Of course, with the Bass Cat branding added to the mix, the price of this boat remains high. For those of you who are on a budget, perhaps these more affordable bass boats models from the NeoBoats website land are more suitable for you.

If you are in need of a more in-depth look, or contact us directly, we will be happy to recommend the most suitable boat for your needs.