Attn: Banks Freedom owners

Farrukh Ashraf

Farrukh Ashraf

Active member
Guys I'm ordering the freedom for next season, my question is that beside the standard equipment, should i order any thing else?? Any upgrades or additions you guys recommend?? I'm getting the Ocean gray camo and mainly to go after sea ducks and divers.
Many thanks
Farrukh
 
Just bypass the 17 footer and have Michael build you a 19 or 21 footer. The only thing I've added to my 19 footer besides the hydraulic steering, jackplate, shelf and deck lighting, and 200 gallon per hour bilge pump was a VHF radio and anti-fatigue mats for the floor.
 
I put hydro turf in my 21' and added a VHF, satellite radio, and a garmin gps/ff w/ a through hull transducer. I also have a jackplate and can honestly say that it is the most important accessory you could ever have.

Have Michael run the grass rails as far forward as he can, they make great bumpers around the dock.

-D
 
19 would be too much of a boat for me, i usuually hunt by myself, just looking for more room for my son to tag along.
 
my buddy has a freedom and I love the boat, but we have often talk that a 19' would be better suited for the 2 of us a dog and decoys. His boat is open water grey and we have never had luck with seaducks or divers, consitently getting birds in decoy range with it. and when switching to a spot to hunt puddlers or divers along a shoreline completely covering the grey is difficult to do and stands out like a sore thumb. Before I sold my tender I switched colors from grey to MLB open water brown and I was much happier with it when I hunted out of the boat. Just my opinion.
 
put max hp on it

the previous owner of mine put on a 65hp, it is rated for 75

often think the extra 10hp would be good.

the led lighting under the shelves is great, helps in the early am.

I also added a second battery and onboard charger. gps
 
my buddy has a freedom and I love the boat, but we have often talk that a 19' would be better suited for the 2 of us a dog and decoys. His boat is open water grey and we have never had luck with seaducks or divers, consitently getting birds in decoy range with it. and when switching to a spot to hunt puddlers or divers along a shoreline completely covering the grey is difficult to do and stands out like a sore thumb. Before I sold my tender I switched colors from grey to MLB open water brown and I was much happier with it when I hunted out of the boat. Just my opinion.
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Hmm got to watch for colour, for the puddlers i have the Estuary , Freedom is being considered strictly for divers and sea ducks, you think open water grey is a good choice for that??
 
Your boy will get bigger and he'll want to bring a friend. I hunt my 19 footer by myself some days and with 2 or 3 other guys on other days. It hunts me and my two sons just great. Once you throw 6 or 7 dozen decoys and a wet lab in there it won't feel big at all.
 
Guys I'm ordering the freedom for next season, my question is that beside the standard equipment, should i order any thing else?? Any upgrades or additions you guys recommend?? I'm getting the Ocean gray camo and mainly to go after sea ducks and divers.
Many thanks
Farrukh
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seaducks and divers get the Ocean gray. I would get the the underlighting for the shelfs, jackplate, blind. I would suggest getting a tiller model as some people say that the console take up too much room. If you want to see the 21' for perespective I would be happy to show it to you.
 
I would suggest getting a tiller model as some people say that the console take up too much room.
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+1, I had a freedom with a console and it did take up a ton of the cockpit room. I highly suggest the tiller model if you go with the freedom.

You won't go wrong with a bankes!

Best Regards,

Todd
 
Your boy will get bigger and he'll want to bring a friend. I hunt my 19 footer by myself some days and with 2 or 3 other guys on other days. It hunts me and my two sons just great. Once you throw 6 or 7 dozen decoys and a wet lab in there it won't feel big at all.
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19 footer sounds great but quite a hike in price, have to think twice,lol
 
grey, not brown... tiller, for sure.... As my boat is a 20' I can appreciate going bigger... if I had unlimited funds I would have Duckwater 23' Ocean.... or bigger... but if I could only have 1 boat for a open water/big water boat as well as a puddle duck boat, I would have either a TDB 17 SeaClass, or a Banks Freedom.
 
I wonder, Does the boat color really matter that much for divers? I always hear about Grey, but I know a lot of Guides down in the Chesapeake Bay use standard Camo and grass their large boats up and decoy divers fine. I had a great 2 day hunt last year hunting divers at the Chesapeake Bay hunting out of a 23 ft boat in open water using plain standard camo.

Ps. My Bankes 19 is being built right now. I take delivery May 28th. I feel like a kid at Christmas! I ordered my boat in the military green color.

View attachment DSCF0038 [1024x768].jpg
 
i have the freedom, great boat, hunts 2 people and a dog very well, 3 people and a dog way to crowded. if you get the freedom make sure it has the jack plate and the dog
ladder bankes makes for the boat.


regards
 
I have the Freedom and it is a great boat for two guys ( three if they are not really big guys) a dog and everything you would want to carry. There are only a couple of things that over the years I have tweaked and consider a must; Dual batteries, dual 750 GPM bilge pumps (wired independent of each other), the large pattern military style camo, and a light weight 70 hp motor.

The motor is were folks tender to cut cost but the boat really needs the 70 hp and the jump to 75 hp adds to much weight IMHO.

If your dog is over 80 lbs a ramp sure would help in open water. Enjoy it is a great boat.
 
The Yamaha 75 hp four stroke is too heavy for correct performance.Ask Micheal Banks for his suggestions on the correct motor.Regards Duncan
 
Let me know when you plan to head up to Canada to check them out. My wife's family is not too far away in Kitchener. We can caravan. She can spend some time with the fam... I can check out duckboats with you :)

Anthony
 
I have the Freedom and it is a great boat for two guys ( three if they are not really big guys) a dog and everything you would want to carry. There are only a couple of things that over the years I have tweaked and consider a must; Dual batteries, dual 750 GPM bilge pumps (wired independent of each other), the large pattern military style camo, and a light weight 70 hp motor.

The motor is were folks tender to cut cost but the boat really needs the 70 hp and the jump to 75 hp adds to much weight IMHO.

If your dog is over 80 lbs a ramp sure would help in open water. Enjoy it is a great boat.
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Bomber thanks for the input, it answers all my questions, many thanks
 
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