Should there be a TBC website?

[slonezp]

Statistics say tin dominates the fishing boat market selling 7 times more than the amount of glass boats in 2015.

http://boatingindustry.com/top-stori...sophisticated/
Recent data from Statistical Surveys confirms that the freshwater fishing market continues to exhibit modest growth in the mid-single digit range each year. According to SSI, in 2013 dealers sold a total of 53,371 outboard-powered aluminum fishing boats in the United States. That figure grew to 56,788 boats in 2014, representing growth of 6.4 percent. For calendar year 2015, U.S. dealers sold 59,085 freshwater fishing boats, a further 4.0 percent jump.
Sales of fiberglass freshwater fishing boats were lower in terms of overall unit volumes but follow a similar trend, growing from 7,577 boats in 2013 to 8,031 boats in 2014 for a 5.9 percent gain. For 2015, dealers sold 8,561 fiberglass freshwater fishing boats, representing a 6.5 percent gain.

[krr6581]

Not sure if we need a TBC web site or not, but the reason those glass boats are falling behind in sales is because they are for the most part out of the price range of the average joe. Though pricing continues to go up wages haven’t. Machinist for instance are still being paid the same as they were 15 or 20 years ago. As a lead machinist I was only making $19 an hour and now at the same company their lead men are only being paid a couple of dollars more per hour. Unless you buy a used boat most folks can’t afford those premium glass boats. Hence the aluminum boat sales improving. They are much more affordable and for the most part meets the needs of the average fisherman. Of course you and everyone else here in the forum knows all this already. As for a new TBC site though not sure we really need it.

[Skeeterbait]

I would like to see a breakdown of what was included in those numbers. For instance does the aluminum numbers include every 12 foot jon with a 9.9hp engine and such. If so the numbers are not representative of the same markets. I would like to see numbers that compare specifically the glass vs aluminum bass class boats only for the past 5 years to get a true comparison of how the industry may or may not be shifting.

[mysuzytoo]

I would like to see a breakdown of what was included in those numbers. For instance does the aluminum numbers include every 12 foot jon with a 9.9hp engine and such. If so the numbers are not representative of the same markets. I would like to see numbers that compare specifically the glass vs aluminum bass class boats only for the past 5 years to get a true comparison of how the industry may or may not be shifting.

X2

[TheSilverFox]

You're bigger aluminum boats are going to run you $40,000 outfitted with a couple that'll push $50,000. Run the Xpress with the SHO 250 and you're there.

If someone would have told me a couple years ago I'd be dropping $40,000 to fish and aluminum boat I'd walked away quick thinking you needed your head examined. Now days thats not the case. Sure you can still get in the entry level boats around the $20,000 mark but by the time you set it up with a few goodies you're looking at $25,000. Seems every foot you go up in size is $5,000.

Ain't nothing cheap anymore. I remember when I was just out of high school you could buy a new Chevy Z-71 packaged truck for $15,000. I'd buy one every year now if that was still the case. Heck my 10 year old Tundra would still bring $15-$17,000 today with 122,000 miles on it.

[slonezp]

Not sure if we need a TBC web site or not, but the reason those glass boats are falling behind in sales is because they are for the most part out of the price range of the average joe. Though pricing continues to go up wages haven’t. Machinist for instance are still being paid the same as they were 15 or 20 years ago. As a lead machinist I was only making $19 an hour and now at the same company their lead men are only being paid a couple of dollars more per hour. Unless you buy a used boat most folks can’t afford those premium glass boats. Hence the aluminum boat sales improving. They are much more affordable and for the most part meets the needs of the average fisherman. Of course you and everyone else here in the forum knows all this already. As for a new TBC site though not sure we really need it.

I only bring up the TBC website as a joke because of the recent threads about Tracker being the black sheep and the speculation of Vexus being the best fishing boat ever invented. I was really quite surprised about the huge difference in sales between glass fishing boats and aluminum fishing boats.

[n2ratfishin]

Bass boats have never been "cheap". Most would turn their nose up at a boat with straight cable steering, Astro turf carpeting, no deck space to speak of, a beam the size of my RT 188, and one flasher depth finder. You can hook your "big motor" up to your choice of either 6 gallon gas tank. Make sure to clean the fuel filters often as the red paint tends to flake out and clog jets LOL. Oh, there was no such thing as a 24V trolling motor. I only remember 12V. Gasp, how did we survive??

YEP, THOSE were the good ole days when my lil Ranger only cost 9 grand. That was 1984 and I bought a basic little Ranger glass boat. Even the RT178 is light years ahead today and it's still about the same 21,366 when you factor inflation.

How is much do you figure these five year warranties cost vs the old year one year warranties? For about a grand extra I have 7 years platinum warranty on my 2017 115 4 stroke Merc. If you made three years with the early V-6's without popping them you had done something. I had a 1977 175 Rude on a 17' Hurst for years. I'd fathom most here have never had the pleasure of wrestling a V6 with straight cable steering on a long run. I promise you'll hug your hydraulic unit!

Tracker came out with package units when dealers were ordering trailers from one place, hulls and motors from two others and mating them all together. It was time consuming and getting it all to work together could be frustrating. Tracker has never claimed to be the best. They bought Nitro for their glass line and the rest is history.

[TheSilverFox]

If not for the wood issue, I'd be running the Tracker 195 boat. I liked the looks of the one they had at BPS a while back. It was slick.

[Obsessed]

Should there be a TBC website?

Not in my opinion. I get on the main forum as much as I get on this one here a BBC. This is not GBC.....it is BBC.

There is so much info on this site it is crazy, why would you want to split up the glass boys and the tin boys into complete different websites. That would just be a pain. imo

[TritonTRXV8]

If not for the wood issue, I'd be running the Tracker 195 boat. I liked the looks of the one they had at BPS a while back. It was slick.

Clarify the wood issue? Have yet to ever see a problem posted on here about the wood deck which is the very front half of the bow and cockpit floor. Those are literally the only 2 pieces on the entire boat.

[TheSilverFox]

Clarify the wood issue? Have yet to ever see a problem posted on here about the wood deck which is the very front half of the bow and cockpit floor. Those are literally the only 2 pieces on the entire boat.

I'm not trying to bash the boat or hurt anyone's feelings here... I'm just not going to spend $29,000 on a boat with wood in the deck and floor. The rest of the industry is moving away from wood and Tracker needs to follow them. I'm sure they do a good job on the boat but cutting corners by using wood makes you wonder if they cut corners anywhere else.

[12poundbass]

I'm not trying to bash the boat or hurt anyone's feelings here... I'm just not going to spend $29,000 on a boat with wood in the deck and floor. The rest of the industry is moving away from wood and Tracker needs to follow them. I'm sure they do a good job on the boat but cutting corners by using wood makes you wonder if they cut corners anywhere else.

Cutting corners but using wood? I've yet to see a rotted floor on a Tracker. The only way it's going to rot is if you leave it out uncovered year after year for a decade or more. If using plywood was so bad I imagine they wouldn't let you use it for basement walls on your home. I used to do lumber sales and sold plenty of houses with wood basements. My dad built one 30 years ago that's doing just fine today. Don't be scared of wood. I don't consider it cutting corners. I consider it keeping the average Joe in mind. There are plenty of us who can't or arnt willing to drop 30k plus on a boat. Tracker does what's needed to keep their cost low for those of us, which could explain why Tracker is the number 1 selling boat and why JM is where he is today, because he keeps "us" little guys in mind.

[slonezp]

I'm not trying to bash the boat or hurt anyone's feelings here... I'm just not going to spend $29,000 on a boat with wood in the deck and floor. The rest of the industry is moving away from wood and Tracker needs to follow them. I'm sure they do a good job on the boat but cutting corners by using wood makes you wonder if they cut corners anywhere else.

Boats have been made from wood since time began. How is that cutting corners?

[TheSilverFox]

Y'all are missing the point I'm trying to get across. The industry is moving away from wood... even Tracker to a certain degree. They used to have a lot more wood in their boats. The problem is you guys have been bashed so much if anyone says anything different you get all offensive and think they must be bashing my boat when I'm not. I really like the 195 I looked at. It was set up well and looked put together well. I've welded all my life until a couple years ago. Putting a welded deck and floor in there in place of the wood isn't a big deal and cost would be minimal. You can't tell me that with all the boats they sell they couldn't do it for just a few dollars more. Had it been all wood I would have bought one.

[gatorglenn]

Y'all are missing the point I'm trying to get across. The industry is moving away from wood... even Tracker to a certain degree. They used to have a lot more wood in their boats. The problem is you guys have been bashed so much if anyone says anything different you get all offensive and think they must be bashing my boat when I'm not. I really like the 195 I looked at. It was set up well and looked put together well. I've welded all my life until a couple years ago. Putting a welded deck and floor in there in place of the wood isn't a big deal and cost would be minimal. You can't tell me that with all the boats they sell they couldn't do it for just a few dollars more. Had it been all wood I would have bought one.

Do some homework and find out why they actually use the wood in those sections of the boat. And you’ll find out why it’s better overall.

[slonezp]

Y'all are missing the point I'm trying to get across. The industry is moving away from wood... even Tracker to a certain degree. They used to have a lot more wood in their boats. The problem is you guys have been bashed so much if anyone says anything different you get all offensive and think they must be bashing my boat when I'm not. I really like the 195 I looked at. It was set up well and looked put together well. I've welded all my life until a couple years ago. Putting a welded deck and floor in there in place of the wood isn't a big deal and cost would be minimal. You can't tell me that with all the boats they sell they couldn't do it for just a few dollars more. Had it been all wood I would have bought one.

Don't think anybody thinks you're attacking the brand, but you are attacking the engineering. We have yet to see any long term results of a tin boats structural integrity after years of use/abuse with non wood decks. I do know metal is less forgiving than wood and we've seen that first hand with cracked welds. I also know composite it susceptible to water issues if not sealed properly. No different than wood. I spent a bit more than $29k for a boat with a wooden deck and transom. It also has a lifetime warranty for all the wood in the boat. I also know that Lund no longer uses wood in any of their boats as of this year. Again, as of now, there are no long term results as to whether one is better than another. Welded vs riveted may also play a role in no wood deck longevity

[TheSilverFox]

Why do they use the wood?

You guys are way to sensitive. Anyone who doesn't own a Tracker better keep their mouth shut it appears. Maybe we do need a Tracker forum.

[slonezp]

Why do they use the wood?

You guys are way to sensitive. Anyone who doesn't own a Tracker better keep their mouth shut it appears. Maybe we do need a Tracker forum.

I don't own a Tracker and nobody is asking you to keep your mouth shut. To make a blanket statement that wood is cheap and crappy is ignorant.

[TheSilverFox]

I don't own a Tracker and nobody is asking you to keep your mouth shut. To make a blanket statement that wood is cheap and crappy is ignorant.

Take it what ever way you want to. In my opinion using wood in a wet environment isn't the greatest idea. If it didn't cause problems over the life of the boat everyone else wouldn't be moving away from it. Every time you drill a hole and mount electronics or what have you, you're opening up a material they sealed and making it porous. It's going to take a while but sooner or later it's going to rot.

Look guys... there are things I didn't like about my Skeeter. There are things I don't like about my G3. I'm not going to get hurt if you find stuff you don't like and comment on them. It's your opinion. Everyone is different. I might get the G3 home and hate it, who knows. The wood in the decks is the reason I didn't buy the Tracker. That was more of a negative to me than the small rod box on the G3. Sorry for having an opinion.

[12poundbass]

Take it what ever way you want to. In my opinion using wood in a wet environment isn't the greatest idea. If it didn't cause problems over the life of the boat everyone else wouldn't be moving away from it. Every time you drill a hole and mount electronics or what have you, you're opening up a material they sealed and making it porous. It's going to take a while but sooner or later it's going to rot.

Look guys... there are things I didn't like about my Skeeter. There are things I don't like about my G3. I'm not going to get hurt if you find stuff you don't like and comment on them. It's your opinion. Everyone is different. I might get the G3 home and hate it, who knows. The wood in the decks is the reason I didn't buy the Tracker. That was more of a negative to me than the small rod box on the G3. Sorry for having an opinion.

Your opinion is welcomed and nobody has told you to keep your mouth shut at all. It appears you are the overly sensitive one here. What everyone is trying to do is set the record strait from all the misinformed. You also did say "if it weren't for the wood issue I'd be running a 195". What's the wood issue? That's where a lot of people get bent. There isn't a wood issue. You read on here and elsewhere there's a wood issue and believe every Tom, Dick, and Harry. It's the internet....there's trolls all over.

They other comment you made that was misinforming was the one you made about drilling holes in the treated wood. If you were to Google how wood is treated you would feel a lot more comfortable about wood on a boat. If you Googled treated wood, how and where they're used you'd see that the fear mongering is a bunch of Bullshit.