Wanted WTB Tracker Targa V18

[King Slammin]

In preparation of the sale of my 24.5' bayliner, I'm looking for a deep v 18' aluminum to replace her. I like the Tracker Targa but might be interested in a Lund, crestliner, polar kraft, etc. must be dual console with wide gunnels for rigger mounts.

[GAMBLER]

I would stay away from Trackers.  There are notorious for having hull leaking issues.  I would stick with one of the other brands you mentioned. 

[bandrus1]

I would stay away from Trackers.  There are notorious for having hull leaking issues.  I would stick with one of the other brands you mentioned. 

 

 

I dont have first hand experiance but this is what I came to post.

 

Read all over the place about hull leaking issues

[steelie1]

I have a smoker craft 178 fazer with wide gunnels it has a 120 merc a 9.9 evinrude kicker 3 cannon mag 10a riggers 2 lowrance units. A HDS 5 gen 2 and an elite 5 x ship to shore only has about 50 hrs on boat. It sat in storage the last ten years put it back on the water last year and now decided I might want something bigger. Never really thought of selling it but for the right price I could be persuaded the hull is like showroom new. It is a 1999 if your interested maybe we can work something out

[bandrus1]

I have a smoker craft 178 fazer with wide gunnels it has a 120 merc a 9.9 evinrude kicker 3 cannon mag 10a riggers 2 lowrance units. A HDS 5 gen 2 and an elite 5 x ship to shore only has about 50 hrs on boat. It sat in storage the last ten years put it back on the water last year and now decided I might want something bigger. Never really thought of selling it but for the right price I could be persuaded the hull is like showroom new. It is a 1999 if your interested maybe we can work something out

 

 

sounds like a heck of a deal

[Rookie Fisherman]

Ill give you my 2 cents.......I own the very boat you mention Targa V18 (2012).... I'll give you a little background first 

 

I spent 10+ years working in the Marine industry at the retail level. Worked as both as sales rep and a Store manager.

Was resposible for boat sales, ordering from manufactures etc etc. I always had a Aluminum boat as my demo as I liked to fish.

In addition I have owned several different aluminum boats over the years. Smokercraft , Crestliner, Sylvan, Starcraft, Grumman, 2 Trackers  and maybe 1 or 2 more I cant remember.

 

I did have one with a leaking hull brand new from the factory....it was a Smoker....they took care of it with no trouble. 

All other boats no significant issues.

 

As for Tracker hull issues. I also read some of the horror stories on line when I was researching for my current boat. 

I looked at it like this. Bass Pro shops is a marketing & retail powerhouse. Tracker far and away sells more aluminum boats than anybody in the industry. (This doesnt make them the best just the biggest). They sell more in some months then many other manufactures do in a year. With all of these sales they have a greater exposure so you are more likely to hear and read about problems. With the amount of boats they sell each year the odds of having one with hull troubles probably isnt that much greater than from another manufacture.

 

As for the new Targa, the good and the bad

 

The Bad

 

On the way home from the dealer I blew a tire....had no spare of course. Tracker paid for 2 new radials to be installed at a local tire shop (trailer did not come with radials from the factory)

Not long after I got it home I noticed a defect in the paint. I took it to a local body shop and the local Tracker Dealer (not where I purchased it though) It was everyones conclusion that there must have been some damage to the paint like a large scrape or something and a repair was attempted instead of repainting the side of the boat. After a little bit of going back and forth with Tracker they agreed to pay for that side to be repainted. They sent the paint, the decals and the check no problem.

My only complaint with the design of the boat so far is the bow area is very tight...but this leaves more room in the back.

 

The Good

 

The Beam is 102" widest in its class.

Wide gunnels for mounting DR's (you will need to plate underneath them)

Handles rough water well for a boat its size 

Price. 8-10K less then the Higher end boats with alot of the same features. This is money you can use to outfit the boat.

 

 

Boat Comes standard with a 115HP....spend the extra and get the 150.

 

I would certainely recommend looking at the Lunds, the Crestliners and Alumacrafts

 

Sorry for the long post....just wanted to give you as much info as I could 

 

Hope some of this help....Good Luck with the sale of your old boat and the purchase of the new one.

 

 

[BAZOOKAJOE]

You can buy a Lowe for less than a tracker. Usually used ones are plentiful.

[King Slammin]

Thanks rookie. This is why I love this site. I'm not completely sold on the Trackers, just like the layouts I've seen. Some other models have too much bow room and not enough on the stern.

[bandrus1]

Ill give you my 2 cents.......I own the very boat you mention Targa V18 (2012).... I'll give you a little background first 

 

I spent 10+ years working in the Marine industry at the retail level. Worked as both as sales rep and a Store manager.

Was resposible for boat sales, ordering from manufactures etc etc. I always had a Aluminum boat as my demo as I liked to fish.

In addition I have owned several different aluminum boats over the years. Smokercraft , Crestliner, Sylvan, Starcraft, Grumman, 2 Trackers  and maybe 1 or 2 more I cant remember.

 

I did have one with a leaking hull brand new from the factory....it was a Smoker....they took care of it with no trouble. 

All other boats no significant issues.

 

As for Tracker hull issues. I also read some of the horror stories on line when I was researching for my current boat. 

I looked at it like this. Bass Pro shops is a marketing & retail powerhouse. Tracker far and away sells more aluminum boats than anybody in the industry. (This doesnt make them the best just the biggest). They sell more in some months then many other manufactures do in a year. With all of these sales they have a greater exposure so you are more likely to hear and read about problems. With the amount of boats they sell each year the odds of having one with hull troubles probably isnt that much greater than from another manufacture.

 

As for the new Targa, the good and the bad

 

The Bad

 

On the way home from the dealer I blew a tire....had no spare of course. Tracker paid for 2 new radials to be installed at a local tire shop (trailer did not come with radials from the factory)

Not long after I got it home I noticed a defect in the paint. I took it to a local body shop and the local Tracker Dealer (not where I purchased it though) It was everyones conclusion that there must have been some damage to the paint like a large scrape or something and a repair was attempted instead of repainting the side of the boat. After a little bit of going back and forth with Tracker they agreed to pay for that side to be repainted. They sent the paint, the decals and the check no problem.

My only complaint with the design of the boat so far is the bow area is very tight...but this leaves more room in the back.

 

The Good

 

The Beam is 102" widest in its class.

Wide gunnels for mounting DR's (you will need to plate underneath them)

Handles rough water well for a boat its size 

Price. 8-10K less then the Higher end boats with alot of the same features. This is money you can use to outfit the boat.

 

 

Boat Comes standard with a 115HP....spend the extra and get the 150.

 

I would certainely recommend looking at the Lunds, the Crestliners and Alumacrafts

 

Sorry for the long post....just wanted to give you as much info as I could 

 

Hope some of this help....Good Luck with the sale of your old boat and the purchase of the new one.

 

 

can you put "it comes standart with a mercury" as a con also

[King Slammin]

Pm'd steelie

[Rookie Fisherman]

can you put "it comes standart with a mercury" as a con also

 

I'm not going to bite

 

I put a 150 4 stroke EFI on it...so far about 50 hours on it with out a hick up. Also put a PRO-Kicker 9.9 with a pro-troll 2. So far very happy with that set up as well. 

[fathobbit0074]

i have a 2006 tracker pro guide 17 walk thru 90 hp merc     i bought it last year from a guy in another state the hull has numerous pressure cracks i missed as well as a major leak  on the keel where weld is cracked on inside of boat      called tracker and they toldd me that there is no hull waranty on a boat that old   iam stuck with a leaky boat untill i can getr it welded       dont make same mistake as me

[fathobbit0074]

i got a tracker ill trade you   if your interested      it comes with custom leaks