I am thinking of buying a Tracker Deep V boat for use on Lake of the Woods , but have no experience with this brand. I know they have a welded hull how does this brand compare with say Lund or Alumacraft. Any comments good or bad greatly appreciated.

Welcome to the forum. You will find a ton of info on this site. I would suggest that you take a second to learn how to use the search function. It is a great tool and is easy to use. Just make sure you are logged in when searching. Use a few key words and then play with the amount to narrow your search. Can't help you on the Tracker other than in my opinion ( IMO ) there are much better quality boats out there. I would rather buy a used Lund or Alumicraft than a new Tracker. I'm sure someone will chime in for you.

Good luck in your search.

Bill

They are a great boat for the money. I have their top of the line 2008 model decked with all the usual stuff including 9.9 pro kicker in the back & terrova 101 up front all electronics ect. All brand new. I have about $40K or so in it.

A smiliarly equipped Ranger is probably twice that and anything else comparable is close to $60K. I have had the boat for the last 3 yrs and it has been used from Dale Hollow to a dozen trips to Lake Erie which by the way is always a good test for any small boat. I've never been there when there were'nt some size waves to deal with. It is my multi-species boat, I feel safe in it everywhere I've been. It has a solid feel to it, not a bunch of crap rattling and vibrating like I've experienced driving some of the smaller johnboat style riveted aluminum bass boats. I have had zero problems with either the boat or the optimax motor.

Would I like to have a Ranger sure! But I can't afford it and I did not want a used boat. So a Tracker was the right answer for me.

Its tough to test drive a boat this time of year but i would consider riding in all of them before you make the purchase. I ran a Lund 1900 Pro-V's for many years up until last year. Last year I ran a 2011 Tracker 18 Targa. It was far and away a SMOOTHER and DRIER ride than the Lund Pro-V! I put the Tracker through its paces last year and I was never dissapointed. The 20 degree V hull sliced waves very well. I liked the layout and fishability of the Lund but was always dissapointed in the ride and the service I recieved from the factory. I think Lund, Alumacraft and Tracker all build quality products. I've rode in most of their 16-19 footers over the past couple of years. Like I said before,what impressed me was how much better the Tracker rode and drove vs the other two. It's a much more solid feel. I will say I wouldn't have touched a Tracker deep-V before 2004-2005. The quality seemed to really ratchet up at that point, not sure why. They're not your Grandpa's Tracker anymore! Good Luck.

Tracker is a great entry level boat if you're on a budget. They have all sizes and models with a wide range of horse power mercs available. However, you do get what you pay for. If you're looking for welded, consider Crestliner or Lowe. If you want riveted, consider Lund which is probably one of the best for durability, warranty, and performance. Lund also makes a wide range of models priced from 15k to the 60's. If you're looking for glass I would say Ranger or Warrior. It all depends on what youn fish and how often. If you're an occasional weekender, Tracker may be perfect. If you're going big water, Lake in the Woods, Leech, etc... save and spend a little extra even if it's used. Hope it helps.

We all have our different opinions and ways of looking at things. I've had one Alumacraft and three Lunds. 1) The Lunds cost me more to start but when I went to sell them I never had to advertise any of of them. Their resale is great. 2) Look around at the hard core fisherman, i.e., Canada. Lunds are the majority of boats used. Many guides use Lunds vs. other manufactures. This factor alone is a tribute to Lund boats. 3) Recently looked at some new Trackers at Bass Pro and you could see the internal welds and brackets denting the outside looking down the side of the boat. Not the kind of quailty I'm looking for. As a previous poster said, maybe the Tracker quality has improved from the past but I'm not interested in finding that out on my dime. I know what the quality of a Lund boat is and the resale value. It's a good point that you can buy a new tracker for the price of a used Lund. The key is to do your due diligence on what your buying used, i.e., owner maintenance, hours on motor, etc.. and you'll be fine. The bottom line is you get what you pay for as there are no free lunches. Again, just my opinion. Good luck on boat purchasing.

I have the Tracker Pro Deep V 17' and absolutely love it! It's a '97 model with a riveted hull that I bought brand new and have no intentions of parting with it. This boat suits me perfectly and I see no reason to upgrade to anything else.

Even with the riveted hull this boat has never leaked a drop.

Before you buy, get prices from Dealers.
I know Lund now has a web site to price out a boat but get a real quote.
I was looking hard at a tracker deep V in the fall of 09.
I had quotes from lowe, tracker, G3, and Lund.
The price d difference was really not that much by the time you got something beside a bottom of the line model with a very small motor.
I ended up with a 1725 Lund Rebel. (which some people will call bottom of the line)

What made me get it, A lot more trade in on my old boat from the lund dealer. Also I did not think I wanted a 101 inch wide boat. Then in the back of my mind was the tracker problems with seams.
Tracker also that year made fish finder and trolling motor an option.
they no longer were "ready to fish boats"

I am thinking of buying a Tracker Deep V boat for use on Lake of the Woods , but have no experience with this brand. I know they have a welded hull how does this brand compare with say Lund or Alumacraft. Any comments good or bad greatly appreciated.

You need to be careful comparing packages. A boat is only one component. Packages usually contain 4 components: the boat, motor, trailer and accessories (secondary motors, electronics, safety equipment).

It has been my experience that once everything is apples to apples you won't find much difference between manufacturers in most tin boat packages, and if you do, try another dealer. You can do a fair amount of research on the net, along with a few follow-up calls.

There is always a raging debate between riveted vs. welded. A proprly designed welded boat is a very sturdy craft, but, welding is inherantly a more fussy process than a simple mechanical riveting process, and as such is subject to occaisional issues.

3) Recently looked at some new Trackers at Bass Pro and you could see the internal welds and brackets denting the outside looking down the side of the boat. Not the kind of quailty I'm looking for. As a previous poster said, maybe the Tracker quality has improved from the past

It hasn't. I was at the boat show last week, and took a few minutes to check the Trackers out. Thirty feet away, I could see the square outlines of the stringers on the outside of the hull. The closer I got, the worse they looked. I almost stopped looking at that point, but decided to see if things got better. They didn't. The welds in the splashwell and on the transom were deplorable. I've never touched a welder, but I guarantee that if someone gave me a five minute tutorial on how to, I could have done a 10X better job. The fit and finish on the interior was laughable. Nothing lined up at all.

Three questions came to mind as I was walking away from the boat. 1. How could a manufacturer let a boat such as this one leave the factory? 2. What dealer in their right mind would bring this boat to the show to show it off? 3. What consumer in their right mind would purchase such a rig?

I looked at the price on the boat. With shipping, delivery charge, and an upgrade for a more suitable motor (the rig was very under-powered), it was only a thousand or two less than other boats of the same size, but much higher quality.

Jim,

If you are the type of person that expects good craftsmanship for your dollar you are getting to be one of the minority. It never ceases to amaze me when I go into new homes and look at the craftsmanship and think to myself there is no way I would ever spend my money on this. I have grown to realize however that there are people out there that will buy it because it's shiny and new. The same goes for the boating industry. What you have described about Tracker boats has been my experience as well. They get you on the water but I just find to many things that I couldn't live with.

Although even in my Rangers I have found myself scratching my head from time to time. On Ranger boats though I find the design for the most part has been top notch but the quality of the employee installation or execution has been questionable.

I too think it is unacceptable to look at a boats profile in the morning sun and see every weld on the side. It's not like a well thought out line of rivets but more like an oops. Kind of like waxing your car with a sandy rag on a cloudy day and when the sun comes out what did I do? Then instead of getting a new rag you do it all over again the next day.:banghead:

Just my opinion.

Bill

Last year around this time Gary Parsons visited the sight pretty regularly to tout the redesigned deep v Trackers. I saw a new model at the show in Harrisburg PA last February and it was significantly better workmanship than others I'd seen in the past. I don't recall reading of any issues with new Trackers over the last year on this site.

A fillet weld of most any length with decent base metal penetration will distort alumimum sheet whether it is .070", 0.100", or 0.125" thick, regardless of brand. Welded boats have been proven; there are plenty of them out there floating.

I saw a few ugly welds on new Tracker a few years ago when shopping around. It was on top of the transom and probably a manual welds. I thought it could have been better in appearance.

In searching for a 17' walkthru tin boat a few years ago, the comparable package prices differed by more than $1k or $2k. I bought a Lowe, another modestly priced boat brand that had better looking welds, more desirable layout for my desires, and a stronger keel piece on bottom of boat. There will always be those that boast of their better boat, but a lower priced boat can get you on water if you can't or don't choose to pay the premium from bragging rights.

Welded boats have been proven; there are plenty of them out there floating.


To a point. Depending on what kind of waters you mainly fish. I would not want a welded hull if I mainly fished big water. A friend of mine had a welded hull, from a very reputable manufacturer, and mainly fished Lake Erie. On his third season, he noticed the boat taking on water. Not a bunch, but not normal, as it hadn't in the first two years of ownership. It went back to the factory, and they found eighteen cracks in the welds, in various places. He sold the boat within a week of getting it back.

In big water, the hull needs to flex.

keep in mind tracker is not always less than better boats. They get you with the intro pricing but once you add what you want, the price is usually close to a better boat. I suggest looking at Lowe, Smokercraft, alumacraft boats. you may find them in the same price range for a better boat. Now, i don't think Trackers are junk, they are a good entry level boat but not always better priced like alot of poeple think. I think resale is better with other brands.

When I was looking for a boat I looked at Lund and Tracker. I asked the Sales Mgr at Bass Pro some pointed questions, as I was familiar with feedback on their boats at this site and others. He described Lunds as Cadillacs and Tracker deep v's as Chevys. He also said the Trackers had had some problems with welds cracking, primarily from colder use in the north. He thought that after 5 years or so, if no problems on the welds developed, then they were good.
I ended up deciding I would only buy a tiller, and Tracker has little there. But if I was looking now for a walk-through/side console and considering a Tracker, I would ask for data on the number of weld and structural failures on the national level and in my area. I would also want to feel confident they were addressing any problems under warranty.
When I bought my 20' Alaskan I planned on keeping and using it for many years. Having it for two years I can see this boat could outlast me. A few thousand dollars above or below is irrelevant to me. I love having total confidence in it for reliability and functionality.
For someone else a Tracker could be a perfect fit.

Look at any classified ads to look at the resale value of a Tracker versus a Lund or Alumacraft or Crestliner. You will see Trackers at a much higher level of depreciation. Look at them all "well used". After 5-10 years of use, the differences start to show. They all look "pretty" when they are new. The differences really stand out after a few years of hard use.

Good luck selling a used Tracker up here. If it says Lund, Crestliner, or Alumacraft, it is a much easier sell...

Tracker puts out a boat at a price. I had one -- it may of not been a lund but it was a boat and it served me well. KVD runs one -right. else.

I have never understood how a company could go how many years and never notice 12 $$million gone on a CFO embezzle --- U know the profits were high at lund to let that go UN-noticed no less. Now the prices are so high on that glass has to look better. I am not knocking the boat as they are the best -- just the price.

If you havent run a tracker --- dont knock em. When comparing resale always take the percentage of what actual depreciation you realized purchased-less--sale vs. what other brands XXfoot boats are selling for. Same with vehicles. See how relative that is. When i went to sell mine i had i dont how many phone calls /inquiries from all over the country and canada. It was sold instantly.

Tracker puts out a boat at a price. I had one -- it may of not been a lund but it was a boat and it served me well. KVD runs one -right. else.

I have never understood how a company could go how many years and never notice 12 $$million gone on a CFO embezzle --- U know the profits were high at lund to let that go UN-noticed no less. Now the prices are so high on that glass has to look better. I am not knocking the boat as they are the best -- just the price.

If you havent run a tracker --- dont knock em. When comparing resale always take the percentage of what actual depreciation you realized purchased-less--sale vs. what other brands XXfoot boats are selling for. Same with vehicles. See how relative that is. When i went to sell mine i had i dont how many phone calls /inquiries from all over the country and canada. It was sold instantly.


I have to say I personally think Lund's are way way way over priced. I have 2 buddies who each bought brand new and BOTH have had tons of problems.

There's nothing wrong with a Tracker. They are cheap because they sell in mass volumes.

I had a Lund. Although I didn't care for the ride it provided, mainly due to the particular model I owned, the fit and finish was as good as it gets, and I never had a problem with the boat. I almost got what I paid for it after a few seasons. Take a minute and Google 'tracker marine consumer complaints' or 'tracker marine problems' and grab the popcorn.

I had a Lund. Although I didn't care for the ride it provided, mainly due to the particular model I owned, the fit and finish was as good as it gets, and I never had a problem with the boat. I almost got what I paid for it after a few seasons. Take a minute and Google 'tracker marine consumer complaints' or 'tracker marine problems' and grab the popcorn.


ya I've read that too..but I've seen just as many complaints about Lund. Every company has it's problems and complaints.

ya I've read that too..but I've seen just as many complaints about Lund. Every company has it's problems and complaints.

Really Jinx, really...... I don't know where to begin so better to say nothing at all.

Really Jinx, really...... I don't know where to begin so better to say nothing at all.

The phrase "Better be thought the fool, than open your mouth and leave no doubt" comes to mind.

I see a lot of Tracker bashing on fishing and boating forums and it makes me wonder how a boat builder with such a supposedly inferior product could sell so many boats and stay in business as long as they have while others have folded and gone by the wayside?

I'm pretty sure most of these nay sayers have never actually owned a Tracker themselves and are just going with hearsay info.

As stated earlier in this thread, I love my 14 year old Tracker that I bought new and have no intentions of parting with it.

been several posts on this web site about transom rot -- i havent seen one of them about that sort of rot on a tracker -- its mainly hull related with those.

Hi
I am new on this forum and english is not my first language so I will do my best. I own a targa 2008 and I have more than 750 hours on it. I am very happy with this kit and I will have no problem to refer that equipement to any futur buyer. These boats doesn't have the best details, but for the money it is a good investment. You don't pay as much as a Lund, so I don't pretend they are built better but the big deep V does a great job on rought water ....for an aluminium boat

No idea how they fish, but detail and finish is lacking. Most people will not pay up for quality, that is why tracker sells so many boats.

I firmly believe many problems with entry level products, are due to owner's inexperience. Tracker attracts many first time buyers who have no boating experience with maintenance, handling etc. Hence they seem to have lots of complaints, that wouldn't have developed if they were more experienced. Buyers of higher quality boats, often have the experience necessary to care for a boat properly. I think we all know people with, "what's the expression, two left thumbs?" Some folks just can't seem to accomplish simple mechanical tasks required by boat ownership. Then it's, " Wha, Wha, Wha, my boats no good.
My neighbor just bought a portable generator and had a problem with it. He was advised to take it in for repair. He complained he had no way to take it to a repair shop, and I think he emailed everybody except the president of the US complaining. They did send someone out to repair it, but he didn't let up till they sent him a brand new generator. Two days ago he's putting the wheels on it and said the axles were too short. Now he's flaming mad and is going to call the company and make someone come out and fix the new one. I take a look at it, and he has the wheels on backwards, rubbing the frame. A simple reverse of the wheels, and the problem is fixed. he continues to complain that the instructions weren't concise enough about wheel installation. what's Jeff Foxworthy say, "Here's your sign".

I firmly believe many problems with entry level products, are due to owner's inexperience. Tracker attracts many first time buyers who have no boating experience with maintenance, handling etc. Hence they seem to have lots of complaints, that wouldn't have developed if they were more experienced. Buyers of higher quality boats, often have the experience necessary to care for a boat properly. I think we all know people with, "what's the expression, two left thumbs?" Some folks just can't seem to accomplish simple mechanical tasks required by boat ownership. Then it's, " Wha, Wha, Wha, my boats no good.
My neighbor just bought a portable generator and had a problem with it. He was advised to take it in for repair. He complained he had no way to take it to a repair shop, and I think he emailed everybody except the president of the US complaining. They did send someone out to repair it, but he didn't let up till they sent him a brand new generator. Two days ago he's putting the wheels on it and said the axles were too short. Now he's flaming mad and is going to call the company and make someone come out and fix the new one. I take a look at it, and he has the wheels on backwards, rubbing the frame. A simple reverse of the wheels, and the problem is fixed. he continues to complain that the instructions weren't concise enough about wheel installation. what's Jeff Foxworthy say, "Here's your sign".

There surely is a lot of truth to this. It reminded me of a guy I once knew that bought a meticulously maintained used Baja family boat. It was his first boat. I remember spending a couple days with him and he just couldn't get the concept of considering the wind when docking. He smacked the dock every time. By summer's end it looked like it had been up a river during the Viet Nam war.

Everyone has an opinion. I bought a tracker BRAND NEW in 2006. If i were you i would look into lund or alumacraft. Both have always had a solid name. Lunds always hold their value. Alumacraft also has a better resale. Both are very solid well constructed boats, and in my opinion tracker cuts every corner they can just to get a "level entry boat"
My personal experience with tracker was nothing more than a joke.
But it's apples to oranges. Just do not be surprised if something goes wrong and tracker will not support their product.

There is no question that Tracker positions themselves to be a "price point" boat and markets themselves to first time boat buyers.

Although I do agree that first time buyers have an impact on the perception of the boat, we all have seen PLENTY of evidence on here and other forums to show the inferiority of that boat compared to Lund, Alumacraft, and Crestliner.

With that said, I think a Tracker will meet the needs of most boat buyers. It is a bargain for what you get and there is no doubt in my mind that this is the reason why they sell so many boats.

I have fished out of several Trackers over the years from inland lakes to Erie. They have all been riveted hulls and none were leakers. Fit and finish, quality of hardware and overall appearance left a lot to be desired. Their trailers are scrap in my opinion.
Fwiw, I own an '06 Triton DV176 aluminum boat with welded hull. It is used the majority of the time on Erie with some inland lake use. It has been a great boat so far despite beating the crap out of it. Fit & finish is top notch, visible welds look professionally done and the boat feels rock solid. Triton trailers are built like tanks compared to many of the trailers I've seen.