Aluminum Bass Boats

[WMAMOS]

I'm consdiering making the transition from fiberglass to aluminum in an attempt to save a little cash on fuel in 2006. This will allow me to get out of my suburban and into a smaller SUV.

I'm looking hard at a '05 Tracker Pro Team 185. Does anyone have any opinion one way or another on this model or something similar? Obviously i'm losing the weight of a fiberglass boat so it may not ride as smooth and I'll be a little more at the winds mercy. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[mkspw]

I have used alum. boats for the last 25 years. All alum. boats have their strong and weak points. I currently use a h51 xpress which had a small front deck and is prone to proposing at high speeds. It also has it's good points. It might be wise to look at used alum boats as you can get a higher quality boat for the money you have commited to spend.In the( bass fishing home pages)there is a 2005 Triton mag alum. boat with a 125 hp mercury on it worth the money item number is 80826 if I didn't have the xpress I would be talking to the seller.I don't know the man selling the boat and have nothing to gain by mentioning the ad but it might be worth your while as he seems to be a motivated seller.good luck

[185tracker]

i own a 2005 tracker 185 fishes great rides and handles great
would highly recommend one to anyone

[Guest Author]

Buy what you like Wmamos it's your money.

I have a 2000 Crestliner with a 150EFI mercury on it and it does a fine job. Rides pretty darn good and is built like a tank and is plenty fast. One thing I really like about this boat is it carries its 95" beam most of the way forward. It is a very stable boat and will take rough water better than many others.

Tracker has put many folks into boats that may not have been in boating period or fishing. You've got to give them credit. Trackers problem over the years has been their handling of warrenty issues. I hear more complaints about that involving their boats than any other and their trailers. I also have heard that tracker won't budge on their price either. A dealer like Plapps probably will work with you anyway they can, just don't expect them or any other dealer to give them away. They have to make money to stay in business.

Now as Matt has said there are better deals out there to be had on boats similar to theirs and he's right. I've been looking at different makes for my son who is going to buy a boat early next year. We're going to the boat shows around here and look at the different makes. He'd like one like mine but doesn't want to spend that much money right now with 2 young kids and all. I told him don't buy your first boat later, get it now whiles its cheaper.

I would suggest you get the widest beam possible in a aluminum boat regardless of brand. It will be much more stable.

Geo.....Crestliner started out making boats for Ranger and after several years Nova started making them. Big difference between the hulls and quaility. Then shortly after that they were gone from the market. I don't think Nova is around anymore maybe wrong though.

I'm at Patoka every weekend from March 1 to November 1 at our camp. I'll take anyone out for a ride in my boat anytime you'd like. Rain, shine, high winds or not, cold or hot and we'll run her right down the middle of the lake to the dam and then come back.


Larry

[mattplapp]

Since your from Patoka, I thought I let you know about a large tournament coming your way in 2006. Skeeter hosts their Northern Skeeter Owners Tournament every October and in 2006 it's moving from its spot on Lake Erie to Lake Patoka. You must be a Skeeter Owner to fish or fish with a Skeeter owner. The tournament gets between 150-200 boats, they pay back 95-100% of the cash I believe and they draw for a $25,000 boat out of the field. It's an awesome event and the folks down your way will love it. The tournament actually started on Patoka but moved up North for 5 or 6 years.

It's back, spread the word. As soon as I get the exact date I'll post it on our tournament calender on our website, www.plapps.com

Thanks
Matt

[mattplapp]

Tracker makes a nice boat, but you would be happier with a G3 or Triton in that model of boat. Not because I sell G3 or Triton, but because it's a lot better boat and not much more money. In 2003 the #1 selling USED boat was a 2003 Tracker 185 Pro Team and the #2 was a 2002 Tracker 175 Pro Team as reported by Boat dealers across the county in Soundings, a boat industry trade magazine. The reason I point this out, is because if a boat leads the used boat market in the same or next model year that's usually an idication of a lot of things, but mostly its due to new boaters coming into the industry and realizing what the really want out of their boat the following year. If you coming from a fiberglass bass boat your not a new boater so your going to be happier with a boat that's a step up. Triton and G3 are 2 of the only ones that come to mind to me of a company that makes a higher end boat for a little more. G3 has the Eagle 185 that sells for $14,000-$16,000 and Triton has a 185 TS that sells for the same price range. Look at the seats, carpet, hinges and handles in the boat and that will show you a world of difference. I've heard Express makes a good boat, but I can't personally attest to that. Lowe and Fisher will be the same quality level as Tracker. If you look into Deep V's, Lund and Monarch are a few that are a step up as well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not boat bashing, I'm just pointing out some differences. Tracker is a good boat, but in this day and age there are better choices in my opinion for close to the same price.

Good luck,
Matt Plapp

[WMAMOS]

Matt,

Have a website and/or e-mail address?

[mattplapp]

yes, www.plapps.com and [email protected].

Matt

[apextrail]

Maybe another good explaination for tracker being so popular as a used boat is because there were alot more sold as new for that model year. Law of averages would predict the more sold as new would equal more sold as used.Numbers may be a bit fuzzy.I shopped pretty hard before buying a tracker and honestly I am happy with the purchase. Been a very good boat.

[mattplapp]

A lot of people are happy with their Tracker Boats, but the research shows that most tracker customers on those particular model boats are usually new boaters. And once they realize they enjoy fishing and boating they move up to something they find fits their style better and that includes a more premium product with more options and better ammenities. Again I'm not saying Tracker is a bad boat, but it's not close to the quality of a G3 or Triton. Plus you have to consider that up until 2004 Tracker was the only nationally advertised boat in that price range. Since then a lot of aluminum boat manufacturers have started to see the light and make a less expensive boat with great quality that competes on a price level with Tracker. By doing that companies like G3 are making a lot less profit on the smaller boats with hopes of getting those customers into higher profit and more expensive G3's in the future.

Matt

[Topwater2004]

Matt,

I don't consider a boat that is $16,000 to be just a little more money than a boat that is $11,000. 5 grand is a lot to me, percentage wise more than 30%.

It reminds me of 20 years ago when I contacted a realtor to put me in a house. I said I could afford $60 grand house. The realtors time and time again kept wanting to put me into a $90 grand house.

My point is, if a guy wants to spend only $11 grand, I think Lowe is a fine boat or I would not have bought it. Sure if I wanted to spend $16 grand, I could have got a nicer boat. I didn't need any more than what I got.

If I got what I wanted instead of what I needed, I would have bought a $40 grand Ranger, then got divorced, then sold the boat to pay the divorce lawyer and save all the gas money.

[mattplapp]

I'm not sure what boat prices your getting but the 2006 Tracker Pro Team 175 TX with a 60hp is $13,995 PLUS $800-1,200 for dealer prep, freight and rigging. That puts the boat he was talking about in the $16,000 range. The exact price range as a Triton or G3 that size. You talk about price issues, watch how companies market boats with a 9.9 for $9,999, that's wrong especially when everyone that buys that boat gets at least a 50. Heck the Tracker Pro Team 190 TX which is the replacement for the 185 Pro Team of 2005 is $15,295 plus another $800-$1,200 prep freight and rigging. That puts you up there as well. Again, I'm not on here trying to sell him a boat, I don't even know where he lives. But he asked for an honest opinion and being that I'm easily the most knowelable on this board when it comes to the manufacturing, pricing and quality of boats, I thought I'd give him my opinion.

So there's no need to compare me to a sleezy real estate agent or getting a divorce. If you want to see the prices I quoted go to www.trackerboats.com and look at the boats, there is an option at the top of the screen and that page gives you the prices for engine upgrades. Call any tracker dealer and you'll find my freight, prep and rigging to be really close.

Matt