Tracker vs Alumacraft/Crestliner/Lund

[Ice_Fishin07]

I am looking into buying a boat. I don't have whole lot of experience with boats. Any thought on welded vs riveted boats? Pro vs cons? Tracker(welded) seems to cost less then the others. Help a rookies out guys.

Thanks!

[delcecchi]

Crestliner welded too. Rivets can leak, welds can crack (if not done right in either case)

[JosMN]

I guess I have always been a Lund guy along with the rest of my family. I own an old 1990 Predator II tiller and have never had a problem with it other than replacing one soft spot in the floor. It is still water tight as it was when it came new, no loose rivets or anything, transom is solid etc. I think I could easily get 5-6k out of it with what it has, when I think it was 10k new, so they do hold their value pretty well being a 21yr old boat. Most of all boats these days are built well. I don't think you see the problems with transoms weakening back when there was a lot more manufactures ie. Sea Nymph, BlueFin, etc. Its all about personal preference, setup, options, etc - get a boat that fits you.

[Nick Kuhn]

We have a 2005 Tracker. Hull is still in perfect condition. The stock locator doesn't work anymore, and I broke a pin on one of the light sockets. I'd say the more expensive boats are just a little nicer in the details. If you just need something that floats on the cheap, Tracker will be fine.

[Esox_Magnum]

Trackers are cheaper for the reason they are built cheaper, fit and finish are not that great. They are though a good boat, we run a 05 Targa 17 but it's already showing lots of wear and things are breaking. granted it gets used hard but in all honesty my 91 Skeeter is in far better shape.

Crestliner and alumacraft are good boats but you will pay for it up front but do hold their value better. Don't get me wrong set up right the Trackers are good boats to but don't expect them to stay looking new for along time. By the time you upgrade the motor and put good electronics on a Tracker odds are for the same or close to it price you can get into a similar Crestiner or Alumacraft.

Tracker packages it's boats on the low end of power and trolling motors and adds on a cheap entry levle finder and in most cases need a motor upgrade to get decent preformance and trolling motor and finders will need upgraded to. Our 17 came with a 60, max ratings a 125 and should have at least a 90 on it, it is a dog out of the hole and lacks getting on full plane even light load and 1 guy.

[JohnMickish]

[quote name='Esox_Magnum)

Tracker packages it's boats on the low end of power and trolling motors and adds on a cheap entry level finder and in most cases need a motor upgrade to get decent preformance and trolling motor and finders will need upgraded to. Our 17 came with a 60' date=' max ratings a 125. [/quote']

This is the oldest trick in the book to hook new boaters. The bad part is after you have some time in the boat and figured out what you really want you go and try to trade in your entry level boat and find out it's worth less than nothing. This turns off many boaters.

Just make sure you compare apples to apples and get the boat that fits your style. There really isn't a bad boat out there, but some are better than others.

[Ufatz]

Take your time and do lots of research. Be sure to compare similar boats,accessories and POWER options. Generally speaking the Tracker boats are entry level. Examine and compare thickness of aluminum and how rigid the hulls are. If you can afford a Lund or Crestliner-even a late model used one-it might be your smartest move.

Read ALL the reviews you can find of Tracker boats. Maybe do a Google on "hull cracks and separations" etc. on Tracker and see what you come up with.

There are lots of them out there so obviously people use them. Just be an aware buyer.

[bassmann77]

I bought a new boat recently and here is what I learned.

1. Make sure that the boat has the layout that you want. No use buying something that won't fit your needs. Think of all of your gear and how you want it organized and how many people you will be fishing with.

2. The motor. Brand is important to some and less for others, but make sure that the horsepower is no less than 75% than the max horsepower rating.

3. Resell. Alumacraft and Lund have great resell value. That is really important. Tracker like the posts above cut corners and show their wear and tear quickly and don't have a great resell value.

4. Size of boat: What waters are you mainly fishing. If you feel you will be heading to the bigger waters in MN (LOW, Vermillion, Leech, The Pond) think about a full windshield or a deeper V boat.

I bought a Alumacraft Dominator with a 115 Merc 4-stroke and have been extremely happy with my boat. I have been on Mille Lacs in really bad weather and it kept me dry. I don't have the windshield, and on some days it would be nice yet I prefer the more open layout with the CS model.

Good Luck with you choice and let us know what you decide.

[boatfixer]

I agree with what most have said. Tracker is more of an enrty level boat. They are a fine boat but as others have mentioned, fit, finish and detail may not be as good as others.

One thing I would like to stress the most on this issue is with anyone who is looking to make a large purchase is dealer reputation and their ability to service what they sell. I dont give a dam what brand you buy, it is something that is prone to failure at some point. All things mechanical can and will fail at some point in time. Having a competant dealer and service shop is critical in my opinion. From rigging the set up correctly from the beginning to servicing in the fall, having a good dealer is key.

Once you decide on the type of boat/layout you want, ie, tiller vs side console vs full windsheild, then you can compare brands, fit and finish and the dealer. Its a large purchase for most and you owe it to yourself to do your homework. Its your money and you know what you can and are willing to spend. Are some better than others? sure they are. Is the best brand always the best purchase? Nope, not always.

Would I buy a Tracker? Sure I would if the right deal came around. Would I blow 40K on a boat because its the best? HIGHLY DOUBTFUL. Its not in my budget

[gregg52]

ya its that old sayin you get what you pay for

i would say this if you plan on having it a long time weather you are rookie or not i dont know exactly how much cheaper they are but i'm

guessing you are still going to over 10k for it and to me thats alot of money for something that as stated above is going to start falling

apart you are going to be wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better spending when you

buy if you are going to finance it will maybe be an extra 25-50$$

amonth so rather then it nickel and diming you to death in 5 yrs you a boat you can still enjoy and its still worth something

i would look for some non current deals first

as someone above said take your time and think about what you want and need go to shows and get in some are you going just fishing or are you going pull skiers etc etc think think before you spend

its a bummer after you spend big money and then say i shoulda..........

lund...alumcraft...crestliner.....are all good boats

you might want to look at yar craft...skeeter...ranger to

[Ice_Fishin07]

Thanks guys for the info. I am looking to buy a full windshield, 17 foot boat. It will be geared more towards fishing, but may try occasional skiing. I think my max budget is 15K.

What do you guys think of Monark boats? I like one from the pictures online and am thinking about going to take a look at it. Any reviews of Monarks?

[Stizo]

As ole Al Lindner always used to say in that famous Chicago, Minnesota accent of his…

Eye bin fi-chen a Lun-deh fer ter-dee years. Fer qwa-li-teee an der-a-bill-i-teee. Lun-Deh. Ther is no sub-stee-tooot.

Stizo

[gregg52]

also remember he gets those free and new every year as does roach and some of the others

big boys running those

[boatfixer]

Given their reputation and marketing abilities they could go to ANY manufacture and do the same.

[gregg52]

well as far al and roach

i believe there has been some friendships developed over the yrs

with big shots at lund i cant think o their names right off hand

i know roach use to fish the wave wackers with the ceo (or whatever he was ) of lund and as far as al goes they probably get get a very good deal on ALL the boats they have the have several

but ya thats a good point boatfixer

[JohnMickish]

With your budget take a look at the Fincraft boats out there. I think they might have something you will like.

[Northlander]

Another boat to look into is G3 with the Yamaha on it. Im a LUND guy through and through and would suggest one. After that it would go in this order. Alumacraft or Chrestliner, G3, Tracker and maybe even Northwoods. I had a old Northwoods that lasted me many years but they are surely a entry level boat like Trackers.

Max out the horse power and get the best trolling motoer, graph/gps you can afford.

[MikeEiden]

I own a 2001 Tracker Targa 17WT (bought used in 2005 and my first boat) and its a good multipurpose boat for the money. Many people are really impressed with it when I take them out and they own lunds and every other brand so that has to say something. I keep it covered and stored in a garage so that helps with keeping it really good shape. As mentioned they draw you in with their baseline packages (under powered motor/TM, cheap graph). Even if you are not a serious fisherman don't settle for less than adequate equipment because you will regret it later. I bought my boat used with a 75hp (rated up to 150) and it had a 52lb TM. It was great for a couple of years but the lack of power limited my fishability and made things frustrating at times. I repowered it with a Merc 115 4-stroke, 80lb Minnkota Terrova, and 8hp Nissan kicker; so some significant upgrades and fell in love with it all over again. Point being is its the same boat but fishes much better (like a whole different boat) so give these other items just as much consideration as what type of boat. All of these brands of boats will meet your needs just fine so just find one with the features and layout you want and DON'T SKIMP ON THE POWER. Tracker is a fine boat, the other ones mentioned I do agree are better to some degree, and if you are buying new I will say I've heard Tracker has horrible customer service.

Good luck on the new boat.

[gregg52]

i think what mike makes alot of sense

kinda says what i was trying to get across get everything off the bat look at what he spent to upgrade

that probably woulda covered the cost of a lund or whatever

but it all depends on what you have to spend or how you are buying it

[MikeEiden]

Well it wouldn't have paid for a Lund

I was in his same shoes when I bought this boat. I'll share a little more on how I ended up with this boat because I'm sure he can relate. When I was looking any 'namebrand' boat with a 90hp or bigger was over $12K even if it was a 15yr old Lund. I didn't want to pay that much for an older outboard and inherit any issues they may have been dealing with. Motor problems will ruin any experience no matter what its bolted to. Well this Tracker boat was 4 years old in mint condition, and had 49hrs on the outboard. Which doesn't guarantee there wouldn't be any problems but it reduces the chances of having to deal with motor 'fatigue'. The package met my needs and I knew it was a little underpowered but the guy claimed it did 36mph and that was plenty for me and these smaller lakes I fished. It actually ran 34 on the gps suprisingly. And it was thousands under everything I looked at. Bought it for $9K to be exactly. The boat and outboard was very reliable and worked fine (for many years) for me and one other but with the wife and 3 kids it was to gutless for my likings. Also that cable steer TM I had meant I was stuck in the bow so it made things more difficult to take the family fishing. Anyways, it was almost paid for so it was a far better choice to upgrade the big motor and other options than to look for another new or used one. Trust me, I looked at new boats and they are spendy. Now I have a boat thats in great shape with brand new power supplies for far less than I could have found anywhere. Yes I had to upgrade which hopefully this person can avoid. I did so for personal preference but was not required. If you could find a Targa with at least a 90 but would recommend the 115 or bigger for a reasonable price I wouldn't hesitate to check it out.

It's difficult to purchase something that has all the options you want up front, especially when you haven't had a lot of experience and are not quite sure what you want or need. So some upgrades could be expected at some point in time.

Again, don't buy a boat just because its a Lund, Alumacraft, etc... look at the whole package and especially the outboard which is the spendy part (I should know!). They're only as good as what pushes it.

[gregg52]

i dunno i guess our thinking is different cuz you said your tracker

was just bout paid for so you must of financed it

did finance that new 115 i doubt that was cheap

i guess with out knowing your finaneing albility its hard to say but if you got 9k could have you got or afforded a little bigger payment and

been done in 3 yrs or whatever

he said he was thinking 15k not sure if he has that cash if he does thats a good deal and should be able to do some serious haggleing

again look for non current..check out the shows take your time

and remember if you would need or want to a name boat is going to get some of your money back

everybody think different this is just my opinion

i go with quality even if it is a bit more it pays in the long run

plus a peace of mind being on the water

[whitebassman]

I was in the same boat last year (pun intended). It depends on your needs, fishing wants, and of course pocket book. I figured on keeping this one a long time, it's my first new boat, and replaced an old 14ft aluminum.

Like others said, don't forget dealership experience!!! Just as important as boat maker. Not worried about resale, but nice to have that assurance, I went with a Lund Explorer 175CS with 115 Merc EFI. Been on Kabetagoma and Mille Lacs, Devils Lake, Gull Lake and real happy with it. Don't fish big waters enough to justify 20ft boat, but a good compromise with mostly small waters I fish, (less 5,000 acres). Any windy day will take a pounding on you on big waters no matter the boat.

[gregg52]

Any windy day will take a pounding on you on big waters no matter the boat.

not in a Yar Craft!!!!!!!

[Ice_Fishin07]

Well it wouldn't have paid for a Lund

I was in his same shoes when I bought this boat. I'll share a little more on how I ended up with this boat because I'm sure he can relate. When I was looking any 'namebrand' boat with a 90hp or bigger was over $12K even if it was a 15yr old Lund. I didn't want to pay that much for an older outboard and inherit any issues they may have been dealing with. Motor problems will ruin any experience no matter what its bolted to. Well this Tracker boat was 4 years old in mint condition, and had 49hrs on the outboard. Which doesn't guarantee there wouldn't be any problems but it reduces the chances of having to deal with motor 'fatigue'. The package met my needs and I knew it was a little underpowered but the guy claimed it did 36mph and that was plenty for me and these smaller lakes I fished. It actually ran 34 on the gps suprisingly. And it was thousands under everything I looked at. Bought it for $9K to be exactly. The boat and outboard was very reliable and worked fine (for many years) for me and one other but with the wife and 3 kids it was to gutless for my likings. Also that cable steer TM I had meant I was stuck in the bow so it made things more difficult to take the family fishing. Anyways, it was almost paid for so it was a far better choice to upgrade the big motor and other options than to look for another new or used one. Trust me, I looked at new boats and they are spendy. Now I have a boat thats in great shape with brand new power supplies for far less than I could have found anywhere. Yes I had to upgrade which hopefully this person can avoid. I did so for personal preference but was not required. If you could find a Targa with at least a 90 but would recommend the 115 or bigger for a reasonable price I wouldn't hesitate to check it out.

It's difficult to purchase something that has all the options you want up front, especially when you haven't had a lot of experience and are not quite sure what you want or need. So some upgrades could be expected at some point in time.

Again, don't buy a boat just because its a Lund, Alumacraft, etc... look at the whole package and especially the outboard which is the spendy part (I should know!). They're only as good as what pushes it.

I can relate to what you are saying Mike. I know Lunds and Alumacraft have name that would re sell, But I don't know if I want to pay that much for 1990's boat with older motor, in this economy (specially when your paycheck has been same for few years now and cost of everything is going up). And I am buying to use boat for a while not to re sell it in a year. So, I think I might have to look past name on the boat, that might not be good decision in say 10 years for resale. But I would use a better laid out newer fishing boat for 10 years. I know some guys would disagree with me.

I hope I can haggle guys to come down on price with my cash payment. But I wasn't able to bring a guy down at the show. Wife and I really like 2010 18.5' fin craft, I would have bought it for 20k instead or 22k. But now, both of us are happy that we didn't buy it. I think I WILL stay under my budget, so I don't have to make payments.

Any MONARK guys out there? Please feel free to chime in.

[BoxMN]

But I don't know if I want to pay that much for 1990's boat with older motor, in this economy (specially when your paycheck has been same for few years now and cost of everything is going up). And I am buying to use boat for a while not to re sell it in a year. So, I think I might have to look past name on the boat, that might not be good decision in say 10 years for resale. But I would use a better laid out newer fishing boat for 10 years. I know some guys would disagree with me.

FWIW, related to older boats - me and bro (and Dad till he died) share a '97 Alumacraft TP175. It gets used a LOT! We take care of our stuff, but don't baby it. Starting in April, it gets out an average of probably 3-4 days a week until Musky season is done, or ice up, whichever first.

No probs with the motor, but had to rewire the trailer last year, and are on third livewell pump and second bilge pump, and added a bilge pump for safety (really, everybody should test there bilge pump some time to see how fast it can get water out. You would be surprised, even a big pump can't get out water fast enough to save you if you need to be saved. I saw this when big boats wakes came over our stern while beached on island having lunch. No way will one pump save you in middle of lake... sorry, for a different threadm haha!)

The hull is solid as the day it was made. We have replaced some seat bases and one steering wheel, and the throttle cable and gear cable once each. All of those are realted to use. Electrical is solid.

Each year we would go to boat show and look at new boats. There are some dandies, and we drool over them. Like the glass boats, like the new Lunds and Alumacrafts, and like the new motors. But when it comes down to it, our boat still does exactly what we need it to, and does it reliably, so even though we could afford to "upgrade" we just don't find the need. So we just get something new instead, like electronics, new seats with suspension, new trolling motor, whater, to make it feel a bit newer. But at a much cheaper price and at a faster pace.

So, if you do buy a "brand" you can find a deal even if it is old. Most people don't use their boats that much, honestly, so many "old" boats are simply lightly used. Find the layout and the model that is built right and you could use it for many years. Whatever brand that is, as long as it is built solid and you maintain it - and that might include learning to take the livewell out to get at the bilge... haha! If you not are a little handy and willing to spend some time, then an older boat might not be what you want, whether you are buying it old, or plan ot keep one for a long time. They all do have things to fix, even Rangers. Good luck, and enjoy whatever you get! (PS get the biggest baddest motor that hull will allow, that one is a 100% requirement in my book, or you will be sorry.)