Ranger or tracker aluminum boat?? 2024
AmericanMade reply :
I've been considering a tracker 17 or 18 foot center console aluminum Jon boat. Just got back from a boat show where they had a similar model but also a ranger rt178. The ranger was a few thousand more and felt like a nice boat. The salesman kept bashing tracker saying they were absolute trash, etc. . Any truth to this or was he just being a salesman? I'll admit the ranger was nice but just a tad more than I wanted to spend, but still affordable.
Ranger - http://www.rangeraluminum.com/model.cfm?sid=7323
tracker - http://m.trackerboats.com/#boats_scr_detail?boat=3840
Ski213 reply :
I can't speak to either. I've fished from trackers in the past but not ranger aluminum boats so I can't give you any useful information on a comparison. I'm not schooled on aluminum boats in general but you might also check out Lund and Crestliner or maybe even a Carolina skiff to see if they have something like you're looking for.
As far as the salesman, if he spent the whole time bashing tracker rather than telling you what makes the ranger stand out, he's not much of a salesman. Do your homework on all that you look at. There are several folks on here who are very well versed on aluminum boats, hopefully one of them will chime in.
tbone1993 reply :
That boat you posted ( 2015 TRACKER® GRIZZLY® 1860 MVX SC) is more of a work boat / duck hunting boat. Not much storage room or amenities. That ranger is a fishing boat through and through. I would buy the ranger 10X over if it were only going to be used fishing.
Bluebasser86 reply :
If you get a Tracker, make sure you get a welded one. If you get a riveted Tracker, make sure you have a good bilge pump because I've never seen one that was more than a few years old that didn't leak. My last boat was very similar to the Grizzly style boat (Lowe Roughneck). While not a "fishing" boat, I caught a lot of fish out of it and got a lot of good use out of it. If you have the money though, the new Ranger aluminum boats are super nice.
AmericanMade reply :
Thanks for the replies. After doing some more research I'm definitely going with the ranger. I usually fish every weekend from about April to September and I'm planning on setting it up to troll for steelhead and Kokanee salmon too. I've never bought a new boat before. Is it similar to buying a car where I might be able to haggle off a couple thousand? Also is it normal to have to pay a freight and document fee? I know with cars you can usually get them to remove that but not sure how flexible boat dealers are.
Thanks for the help!
Bass newb reply :
Trackers have wood in the floors. This qualifies as crap to me.
WRB reply :
Considering Johnny Morris now owns both companies I would imagine the Ranger aluminum bass boat will be discontinued. Trident also makes a good aluminum bass, however has same owner today.
You might want to contact Worn Man, sounds like he has a new Tracker that maybe available.
Tom
flyfisher reply :
Any salesman who bashes another product to make his look better is not showing you anything other than lack of knowledge. I personally have no experience with the ranger boats but do with the tracker and have had zero complaints. I can imagine that many of the features on the ranger that people like will trickle down to the tracker lineup as the years go on as well.
slonezp reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 5:27 AM, Bass newb said:Trackers have wood in the floors. This qualifies as crap to me.
So does Lund. Does that qualify as crap to you?
flyfisher reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 6:10 AM, slonezp said:So does Lund. Does that qualify as crap to you?
of course it does...he said wood qualifies as crap.
WRB reply :
You could also conact Catt, he has a All Weld and sure he researched thoroughly!
Tom
slonezp reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 6:15 AM, flyfisher said:of course it does...he said wood qualifies as crap.
They've only been making boats with wood since the beginning of time
flyfisher reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 6:18 AM, slonezp said:They've only been making boats with wood since the beginning of time
The Ark held up ok from what i have read....not sure if they still use gopher wood though
slonezp reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 6:20 AM, flyfisher said:The Ark held up ok from what i have read....not sure if they still use gopher wood though
Those old wooden Chris Craft runabouts are fetching 6 figures at the auctions
Junk Fisherman reply :
All things being equal, I get the Ranger. The seats and console is top notch. The Ranger tins I looked at were very nice overall. I wouldn't put too much stock in what the dealer said about Trackers. A lot of people are happy with their Trackers. The 195 with the 150 4-stroke Merc is a very appealing package.
Bass newb reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 6:10 AM, slonezp said:So does Lund. Does that qualify as crap to you?
Boats shouldn't have wood covered in carpet, or inbetween fiberglass layers.
gulfcaptain reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 7:56 AM, Bass newb said:Boats shouldn't have wood covered in carpet, or inbetween fiberglass layers.
Okay, older boats have wood in the transoms to renforce them as so they solid. Most bass boats have decks made of plywood (marine grade). Very generalized statement and ill informed one as well. The use of marine grade plywood in decks saves on costs as well. And if I'm not mistaken, most boats use some sort of wood for stringers also
Bass newb reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 8:10 AM, gulfcaptain said:Okay, older boats have wood in the transoms to renforce them as so they solid. Most bass boats have decks made of plywood (marine grade). Very generalized statement and ill informed one as well. The use of marine grade plywood in decks saves on costs as well. And if I'm not mistaken, most boats use some sort of wood for stringers also
Wood doesn't belong in transoms or on decks covered in carpet. Nothing ill informed about that. It's poor and shoody construction that won't last.
no39 reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 8:10 AM, gulfcaptain said:Okay, older boats have wood in the transoms to renforce them as so they solid. Most bass boats have decks made of plywood (marine grade). Very generalized statement and il informed one as well. The use of marine grade plywood in decks saves on costs as well as well. And if I'm not mistaken, most boats use some sort of wood for stringers as well.
I worked for a year building sail boats. One thing i noticed was that all of the older boats with wood cores were always waterlogged. Even the cores well above the waterline were rotten. I'm not saying that all boats with wood cores are bad boats. I would say that wooden core boats are at a higher risk of damage due to core contamination than modern core materials like high density closed cell foams. Some manufacturers tend to use cheaper polyester resins which have a much higher water absorption than vinylester and epoxy resins. Not only that, the polyester resins don't flex as well and eventually get micro cracks and let in more moisture.
TL:DR:
Wood is perfectly fine core material provided that the manufacturer didn't cheap out on the resin.
gulfcaptain reply :
So what kind of boat do you have if I may ask?
On 2/8/2016 at 8:28 AM, Bass newb said:Wood doesn't belong in transoms or on decks covered in carpet. Nothing ill informed about that. It's poor and shoody construction that won't last.
no39 reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 8:28 AM, gulfcaptain said:So what kind of boat do you have if I may ask?
No problem. I have 14 v-hull mirrocraft and I converted to be a bit more bass friendly. When I do upgrade it'll be an all composite boat.
gulfcaptain reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 8:37 AM, no39 said:No problem. I have 14 v-hull mirrocraft and I converted to be a bit more bass friendly. When I do upgrade it'll be an all composite boat.
Nice boat. But as long as you take care of the boat properly, then it will last. Wood isn't the problem, moisture is. I've ran charterboats out here that are 40+ years old (glass and plywood) and as long as they are maintained they last a long time. We all have our own opinions on what's right and wrong. I've seen wood/glass boats last longer then Aluminum boats.
no39 reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 8:47 AM, gulfcaptain said:Nice boat. But as long as you take care of the boat properly, then it will last. Wood isn't the problem, moisture is. I've ran charterboats out here that are 40+ years old (glass and plywood) and as long as they are maintained they last a long time. We all have our own opinions on what's right and wrong. I've seen wood/glass boats last longer then Aluminum boats.
I agree. My argument wasn't that wood was the problem but it's propensity the absorb moisture which is often made worse through inferior resins. I just didn't like the generalization about wood in boats either.
gulfcaptain reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 9:04 AM, no39 said:I agree. My argument wasn't that wood was the problem but it's propensity the absorb moisture which is often made worse through inferior resins. I just didn't like the generalization about wood in boats either.
But that's not how it came across....lol This is a better statement though of why you feel that way. When I bought mine I made them take the motor off the boat and put 3M's 4200 Marine Adhesive on the transom mounts as I feel sillycone is not the proper sealant for that and since it's going through the transom, I want the best sealer I can (and still be able to remove the bolts when needed) to make sure I don't get any water leaking through.
slonezp reply :
Having wood in a boat if it is taken care of does not mean you are dealing with an inferior boat any more than just because something says composite means you are dealing with a superior boat. Fiberglass can become waterlogged and delaminate. Wood is stronger than fiberglass, less expensive to manufacture, it doesn't fatigue, it absorbs sound, easier and less expensive to customize and wood is eco-friendly. To make a blanket statement that wood is crap is ignorant.
Lund warrants the hull, wood floor and wood transom for the lifetime of the boat. Tracker warrants the hull, wood floor, and wood transom for the life of the boat. Ranger Aluminum warrants the hull for lifetime and the non wood floor and non wood transom for 5 years......
slonezp reply :
Almost forgot. Wood is easier and cheaper to repair
sprint61 reply :
Either brand will last you a lifetime. Around here you see more trackers then anything, most 20 years old with 5 people crappie fishing out of them lol.
AmericanMade reply :
A question about two very specific aluminum boats turns into an argument about wood. Gotta love the Internet
RangerDanger reply :
You can compare a Tracker and a Ranger aluminum all you want the Ranger will win every time. The big difference is how they are built and how they come equipped. Ranger is foamed with aluminum deck and set up ready to fish. The price of the tracker looks attractive until you figure out what needs to be upgraded. If you compare the trailer you'll even find differences in the quality. I have an RT178 and if you'd like to know more pm me.
Bass newb reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 8:28 AM, gulfcaptain said:So what kind of boat do you have if I may ask?
Ranger. No wood anywhere.
gimruis reply :
A little bit of wood isn't gonna ruin a boat. The Tracker 175 has been the best selling aluminum bass boat in this country for a LONG time, and it didn't get there by any coincidence. It will have a lower price tag than the Ranger but with less options. I looked at both of these along with a Crestliner VT17 when I was in the buying process last month. The nice part of the Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW is that they have a nice center rod locker, and a new feature they have is an accessory mount gunnel system. So there are some items that one boat may have that another will not. In the end I went with the Ranger RT178 myself because there are just more customizable options available and the service dealer is closer to my house than the others.
thomas15 reply :
If your foam core is waterlogged then you need to replace the foam. Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon. 50 gallons in the foam adds 415 pounds weight to the boat which is like adding two adult passengers to your fishing trip. If there is wood in the transom or the stringers then the water in the foam will rot that wood. If there isn't any wood then you still need to replace the foam because waterlogged foam will not dry out even if you have it out of the weather and in a barn for 10 years.
So if the foam is waterlogged and is coming out you have a lot of work ahead of you. More work if there is wood in the stringers/transom. Either way it's still a lot of work.
Bass newb reply :
On 2/18/2016 at 11:05 PM, thomas15 said:If your foam core is waterlogged then you need to replace the foam. Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon. 50 gallons in the foam adds 415 pounds weight to the boat which is like adding two adult passengers to your fishing trip. If there is wood in the transom or the stringers then the water in the foam will rot that wood. If there isn't any wood then you still need to replace the foam because waterlogged foam will not dry out even if you have it out of the weather and in a barn for 10 years.
So if the foam is waterlogged and is coming out you have a lot of work ahead of you. More work if there is wood in the stringers/transom. Either way it's still a lot of work.
Closed cell foam won't take on water or "water log".
flyfisher reply :
closed cell foam can absolutely take on water over time just not as easily or as quickly as open cell foam.
Bass newb reply :
On 2/19/2016 at 11:23 AM, flyfisher said:closed cell foam can absolutely take on water over time just not as easily or as quickly as open cell foam.
That wouldn't be closed cell then. That would be sun deteriorated or heat deteriorated and then be open cell.
flyfisher reply :
On 2/19/2016 at 7:41 PM, Bass newb said:That wouldn't be closed cell then. That would be sun deteriorated or heat deteriorated and then be open cell.
Semantics....but bottom line is closed cell foam can deteriorate and or get worn to the point that it takes on water and all "closed" cell foam can take on water in a certain situations. To be called closed cell foam it has to meet a certain level of water absorption and that level is not zero but it is considerably less than open cell foam.
Bass newb reply :
On 2/20/2016 at 11:40 AM, flyfisher said:Semantics....but bottom line is closed cell foam can deteriorate and or get worn to the point that it takes on water and all "closed" cell foam can take on water in a certain situations. To be called closed cell foam it has to meet a certain level of water absorption and that level is not zero but it is considerably less than open cell foam.
And not only is it considerably less than open cell foam, as if that has any bearing on the conversation at all, which it doesn't, it has magnitudes less water absorbtion than any wood product. In wood, the cell itself will take, or absorb the water. In the case of foam, the interstitial spaces between the cells can hold slight amounts of water (by weight comparison).
@gimruis
Yes a little wood can ruin a boat. In the case of the tracker, it is in the floor itself. This will enivitably rot out and the floor area where this is located will need replacement. This happened to my sea ray bowrider that had wood not only in the floor, but in the transom as well. I personally was appalled to find this, as it seemed like poor building practice to use wood in a boat in this manor. The transom was soft and severly compromised, it needed replacement, as it also let water leak into the bilge. The floor was weak where standing, walking, and general boating activities took place, not to mention the seats pedestals were bolted to this rotted wood also, and they could no longer support the weight of a human being.
All of this happened to a boat that had wood in it, under carpet, and between fiberglass in the transom. Had there been foam there instead, or laminate fiberglass, or plastic, the boat would not have been "junk". So it is not without experience that I strongly advise against buying any boat that has wood in the deck, underneath carpet, pressure treated or not. The op asked "ranger or tracker?", and my response is "Ranger".
Tim Kelly reply :
An observation on a difference between Tracker and Ranger aluminium boats that might be worth considering is that the Tracker revolution hull almost certainly runs a bit smoother on choppy water, but at idle speeds it's bow sits very high and it is not as easy to control, especially in a cross wind. The ranger hull sits flatter in the water and is easy to control at low speeds and it probably more stable as a fishing platform. I would choose a ranger if the price difference were affordable.
Puggz reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 1:49 AM, AmericanMade said:Thanks for the replies. After doing some more research I'm definitely going with the ranger. I usually fish every weekend from about April to September and I'm planning on setting it up to troll for steelhead and Kokanee salmon too. I've never bought a new boat before. Is it similar to buying a car where I might be able to haggle off a couple thousand? Also is it normal to have to pay a freight and document fee? I know with cars you can usually get them to remove that but not sure how flexible boat dealers are.
Thanks for the help!
Good decision. Sorry I didn't see your post earlier but there's no comparison between the 2 model. Actually, I surprised that there's only a few $k difference in price.
The ranger will perform better, will have a better layout, will last longer, and have wayyyy better resale.
Any a way better trailer!
Brent Christian reply :
On 2/8/2016 at 7:56 AM, Bass newb said:Boats shouldn't have wood covered in carpet, or inbetween fiberglass layers.
buy a ranger lol now wood at all
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