Originally Posted by
delee36
There is virtually no difference in the way a Crestliner and Tracker are constructed...at least not the meat and potatoes of the hull. (layout of stringers, # of stringers, etc etc) Some small differences in hull design, but mostly built the same method.
There is a difference in the way the PK, Excel, War Eagle, Xpress are built. PK torque box construction, Excel extruded heavy gauge stringers and more of them, Xpress hull design, etc etc etc.
When you get into Weld-Craft, Gator Trax, Sea Ark, there is just no comparison at all. Heavier gauge alum all around, double keels, 2x as heavy extruded top rails.
I get this is the same Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge argument. Some of you could would argue a blue car is red in that regard.
My point with the post was that, given the same price and market, all of the modern alum boats are pretty good for what they are. You cannot expect a Tracker to be a Sea Ark, because it is not a Sea Ark, but both are good boats for their markets. I spent weeks looking up info on boats and could not find a single thing from any reputable source (and Google/general internet reviews does not count as a reputable source IMO) that says anything different. (most of the reviews I read had nothing to do with the boat maker at all). There is nothing out there that says one is junk while another is great. Not a single thing (other than your opinion, which means little to anyone but you).
Each have their issues (just like cars or any other manufactured items) but nothing that points to Tracker (or any other) being better than another in its same price range. (like whomever compared Lund to Tracker --- ummm ---when rigged out the same, they do not costs the same. The Lund costs more than a Tracker.)
You get what you pay for - just like anything in life - and if you are happy with it, it does what you want for the money you paid, then you got a good boat for a good deal.
Keep on believing Trackers are junk if that helps you sleep at night or helps you justify spending 2x as much on a boat you use exactly the same way as your buddy in a Tracker- but Tracker builds a good boat for a good price.
So does Crestliner
So does Xpress
So does Sea Ark
So does.............................
It is all just relative.
If you think paying 2-3K more for a Ranger for the improved floatation, then it is worth it. If not, then it is not worth it....but if you are going to rip on the guy in the Tracker just because it is not a Ranger - then you are just a jerk.