Wendel Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Well, the ice is coming off Pittock and I'm getting the itch to fish again lol... I'm seriously looking at getting a new boat. My girlfriend loves fishing so we would be using this alot. I have been looking at Tracker Boats, this one in particulater http://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=2847 It's got a decent sized motor 90hp, nice and wide, seems like a good deal compared to some of the others.. How with this boat hold up though? I did a search and noticed that they seem to stand by their warranty, but I'm just curious... Also, they sell these at Hully Gully which is close to where I live, what are they like to deal with? Thanks in advance.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerritt Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 There is nothing wrong with Tracker, a lot of folks on this board run them.. I am sure you will hear from them soon... be sure 16,999 is your price out the door though.. because of rigging fees etc.. (Just something to investigate) I'll let the Tracker boys chime in with more info Looks like a nice boat though! G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PERCHER Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 (edited) For that price you could look at Lund's or even Sylvan or Smoker Craft. Just a thought. Edited April 3, 2008 by Percher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinHoffman Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 The stated price of $16,999 is the U.S. price before prep and freight. The Canadian price is $18,811 complete, plus taxes I would assume... I know a couple of guys that run Tracker boats and they all have good things to say. I was actually looking at the "bass boat" style Tracker last year... Good Fishing, Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendel Posted April 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I'd be using it on Lake St. Clair, Lake Erie, and some smaller lakes up north, I like the width of it... Last year I was only on the water 15 days, looking like alot more this year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassman Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I believe the Tracker boats are welded not riveted, which brings up another argument. If you're planing on hitting big water like St.Clair & Erie, you may want to go with riveted. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 If you do go riveted check out Legend Boats. I personally don't have one, can't afford it on a student budget, but they look nice and they are Made In Canada! They have quite a few configurations so there should be one for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taper Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Wendell look for a dealer other than Hully Gully I have heard more horror stories from that one dealer than all other dealers in the area combined. Complaints from the sales dept. right through to service and from street bikes to snowmobiles and boats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendel Posted April 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Thanks for that tip Taper, I know you did your share of research a couple of years ago. I almost ended up with a Polarkraft, divorce put the brakes on that though lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplumma Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I looked at the tracker brand 4 years ago and found that their were other names out their that had a better end product. I am sure the quality has improved but I wouldnt discard the other names before looking at their deals. Art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerritt Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Polar Krafts are still out there..... I know I just bought one last year! and I might know a place that has em I can honestly say I have never been treated as good as when I dealt with Giesler Marine... they put me in a boat within my budget, they were honest and helpful... I would have no problems in recommending them to anyone, including family members... Explain your needs and budget... Larry will do his best to satisfy both. PM if you would like more info. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dondorfish Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Well - what can I say - I'll let my user name speak for itself Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldphart Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 ~~~I've been running the same Tracker since 98, I've got a 16.5' VPro Tracker with 40hp Force, and is just now showing her age. I phish all the Kawarthas, east down to BOQ, and this spring heading down to Detroit River, and Lake St. Clair for some Walleyes, and when the ice moves off shore I'll be out on Simcoe.chasen Perch. Not afraid to take her any where, love rough water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walleyemen Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I,ve owned a tracker for 3 years and i like it very much Pro Guide V-16 side console, i fish erie and lake ontario 90% of the time ,never a problem very stable, had a few warranty issues during the first off season, but they followed thru and kept there word, even as much as to drive from Vuaghn to st. catharines, to hand deliver me items personally from the head service manager, they are welded, never had a problem with mine ,but have heard problems with older models when they first started with the welded hull, i searched for 8 months before buying mine, dollar for dollar they are good in price, you might find a better price, but does it come with a fishing package, (fish finder trolling motor and battery, now legend has great prices as well, but a few of my buddies have had problems , cosoles coming loose , gauges falling out ect, still in all they like there boats, i think you'll find everyone has something to say about every boat manufacture out there, boats are like cars , there are lemons! Best advice is pick a boat that suits your needs and your budget, good luck with your purchase, be sure to let us now what ya got!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookinforwalleye Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 When I did my research before buying a couple of years ago I ruled Tracker out because of the welded hull and the warranty horror stories of cracked hulls. If your confident that their welded hulls have improved then it looks like a decent package for the price, if it was me buying it I would spend an extra 1500 dollars and go for the Opti Max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Clemens Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 (edited) I am on my second Tracker boat. The first boat I ever owned, we purchased about 5 years ago and it was the Pro Angler. It came with a 25 hp Merc, but we had it upgraded to a 40. We picked it up at a sports show in Harrisburg, PA as the price was right for us and we got a pretty good deal. Never had a bit of problem with it and we liked the way the storage areas. I think it was a 16' with a 72" beam. This had the dual console. We wanted a bit more room and with fishing Ontario in late September, we could get into some chilly/wet weather running down the river. Of course, a Little console for my wife, just wasn't doing the job. Patsy even suggested we check out the boats that have a full windshield. Hmmmm ... A bigger boat. Let me think about that for a fraction of a second. Ok. Bass Pro had their grand opening in Harrisburg a few years back and they partner with Tracker. We really liked the tracker we had and worked with the sales rep on a trade with the grand-opening specials they were running. They had a TARGA V17 WT on site and looked it over pretty good. We liked the available open space and the multiple areas of storage. It came with a 75, but knew we wanted to upgrade to a 90, which wasn't all that much more money. What I didn't like was that they were only offering me 4K on my Pro Angler and I knew it was worth more than that. Other than a few scratches, the boat was is great condition as we keep it in our garage. After considering it for a while, we decided to go ahead and make the deal. We really enjoy the boat and are happy with it. The only thing I wish I had done differently was to upgrade to the 90 4-Stroke, instead of the 2-stroke I have. If you're considering the boat, get it prepped the way you want it ... up front. Otherwise you'll just be coming back later on and upgrading things. So far, I'm not yet permitted to upgrade the motor. (Still working on that one). Overall we are very pleased with the trackers and are within our price range for the boat we wanted. Of course, it seems that they don't hold their value at trade-in time like others do. As I mentioned before, we've hada no problems with either boat from the day we bought them. Of course, with a 30 gallon tank - it is starting to hurt a bit when pulling in the gas station. Our ride and our two regular fishing buddies. (Sadly I had to put the Airedale down a little over a month ago, be we have another to break in this year). Edited April 3, 2008 by Rich Clemens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dartee Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Wendel If you are not in a hurry and can wait till November eye-tracker (Sheldon Hatch) is selling his rig. http://www.fish-hawk.net/hawktalk/viewtopic.php?t=28586 Its a very nice walleye rig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eye-tracker Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 (edited) I have just purchased my 5th Tracker boat and over the years only had a few minor problems, as all boats do. My local dealer and Tracker Boats fixed the problem quickly with no questions asked. I can personally afford to purchase any boat on the market, but I choose Trackers because of the layout and fishability of the boats. I joined the Tracker Pro-Staff last year because I believe in their product - I asked them, they did not approach me. When fishing walleye tournaments I have seen every boat manufactured have hull, transom and structure problems to the point of complete failure. If you push a boat hard it will break no matter how it is made! Take care of your Tracker and it will take care of you for many years of fishing and family fun. Visit the Tracker Boats website and enter your postal code - build your boat, print out the price and take it to the dealer. No Haggle no Hassle Pricing as tracker sets pricing at head office. Happy boating this season... -sheldon Edited April 3, 2008 by eye-tracker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeontroller Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I know alot of guys here like their Trackers, but I wouldn't touch one based on everything I've heard. More than a few horror stories...And I know a guy who used to run a Marina than stopped dealing them, they would come in missing screws, bolts,etc. I highly recomend Doug and Clarence at BAY CITY MARINE in Hamilton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eye-tracker Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 And I know a guy who used to run a Marina than stopped dealing them, they would come in missing screws, bolts,etc. All boats that have screws and bolts will have them come loose during travel and on the water. A good dealer will make sure all of this stuff is tighten with marine sealant when they service the boat. My dealer has a checklist that they go over for all the boats that come in the shop and loose bolts and screws on boats and trailers is one of the many things they check. Lots of great boats on the market and I will not talk negative of any other manufacturer, but as I mentioned earlier I have seen them all have their problems over the years. Fish On, -sheldon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassboy Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 Wendel: Here is mine : 2007 Super Guide V16SC W/ Merc 50hp ELPTO I have owned it for less than a year (got it in June of last year), and with it being my first boat I have nothing to compare it to. I think we got a good deal on it, and after looking at others it seemed to suit our needs better for the money we wanted to spend. It was bought from Boatland Canada, who seem to be a good bunch. They treated us reasonably well so I have no room to complain there either. Had it in for a warranty issue (Motor only.....nothing to do with the boat) and they seemed to be ok in that regard as well. It got used on the Kawarthas last year and a couple of times on Simcoe as well. Overall so far I am pleased with it. I do know that Tracker Marine recently bought Fisher boats for, or so I am told, their welding technology so I would assume that some of the quality issues of the past that people mention would be fixed, but cant say for sure until something happens. Sorry I cant help much more, other than to say we are happy with ours. Good luck!! Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radnine Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I pick my new boat up on Wednesday. I bought at Proctor Marine in Simcoe, and have been thrilled with the experience so far. I have not owned a boat before and did loads of research (as you are starting to do now). It is a shame that you missed the boat show (I assume) because there is nothing like being able to hop from boat to boat and making direct comparisons. I found that all of the boats, within the same length and price range, were pretty comparable side to side and it is the little things that come from sitting in them that sway you. I also think that you can’t go too far wrong by sticking with a “major” brand, with history and staying power (Crestliner, Lund, Alumacraft, etc.). Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danbouck Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 My buddy bought a new tracker 12' john boat last year and the welds were horrible. I'm not sure about the bigger boats though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpsbassman Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 I've had two Trackers: One identical to Tracker's (99 Tracker Pro v-16 with a 60hp 2 stroke). It was a great boat, I did have a problem with the rivets though (which Irishfield fixed for me). This is my new boat 2006 Pro Guide V-16 with a 75 4 stroke. Its been a great boat so far and I wouldn't hesitate to get another. Here's the difference in the depth of the two and how much wider they've gotten. Talk to Pavo, the Manager at Tracker at Bass Pro in Vaughn. He is a great guy and will really take care of you. Their service and staff has been exceptional (I realize I'm a little biased, but it has been a real positive experience). Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outllaw Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 my friends tracker is at the factory getting re-welded. the hull cracked . if there going to be run in hard water i would buy a lund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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