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I looked at the Tracker boats during my trip to the new dealer in Anch. Do they make a jet tunnel hull? I'm hoping that the new dealer will start selling an outboard jet equipped tunnel hull boat. Did they not come and survey the local dealers and market? It seemed to me that they brought a whole bunch of lower 48 boats with the exception of a few high dollar inboard jets. At this point our local SeaArk and G3 dealer has nothing to worry about in my opinion. It's a bummer a little competition would be a good thing.
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LOL, you're funny.
I've never seen or heard of a Tracker tunnel hull for a jet outboard, although that does not preclude its existence.
Tracker Marine is not going to revamp their production to add a tunnel hull for jet equipped outboard just to sell it at the ONE Bass Pro in Alaska. They'd never recover their investment.
To put it in perspective, I grew up in BPS/Tracker Marine country, but I never even heard of, let alone saw, a jet equipped outboard, of any brand name, until I came to Alaska. Tracker Marine does very well supplying folks in the south east US with pontoon boats, jon boats, and bass boats. They're better off leaving the extremely limited Alaskan boat market to Seark, Wooldridge, and few others. -
I don't think the outboard jet market is nearly as small as you seem to think. From what I've read there seems to be a lot of them used on some of the east coast rivers and in the Midwestern US. I'm pretty sure the Canadians use a few also. Mercury already has a line of jet equipped motors. How hard would it be to add a tunnel to an exsisting hull? Or is there a reason they couldn't sell a brand of boats that offer a tunnel hull? Or at least a boat set up with an outboard jet. I'm going to hold out hope that they will adapt to the market they chose to enter and try and meet the needs of Alaskan river boaters.Comment
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Now we've moved on to fertile ground. Tracker will be Tracker, but Bass Pro needs to change their name, or at least leave bass country behind now.Originally posted by Branr1 View Post"Lay in the weeds and wait, and when you get your chance to say something, say something good."
Merle HaggardComment
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Tracker Boats
In the near future you will see some changes to the Tracker Line. Since establishing more of a presence in the PWN, Canada and now Alaska Tracker has been getting feed back as to what those markets need and want.
Already they have added all vinyl floors to several models of their deep v fishing boats in response to westerners not wanting carpeted fishing boats.
In talking with some folks from tracker at the plant in Lebanon they are working on a more "traditional" river boat hull that will be more suited for Alaska and the sorts. It may be a year or two till we see it, but that is the way big business is. Johnny Morris is not going to rush into something willy nilly, but rest assured when it comes out it will be very well thought out and designed.
If you talk to the folks at BRP and Mercury you will find that jet powered outboards are less than 4% of the total outboard market, and there is one single company producing the jet units for all OEM's. So yes the jet market is quite small in they eyes of the manufactures.
Tom
Originally posted by Branr1 View PostComment
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While you're talking to Tracker, tell them to put some beam in their johns and other small boats- on the order of 44-48". Those skinny little things they turn out are nothing but aluminum coffins up here."Lay in the weeds and wait, and when you get your chance to say something, say something good."
Merle HaggardComment
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That's why I've never, and I man never, liked Jon boats. No secondary stability and too tippy...unless you buy one the size of an aircraft carrier. It's v hulls all the way for me.Originally posted by BrownBear View PostComment
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Yeah, I guess I would have to agree that the local BPS should at least carry jet drive outboards.
As for putting a tunnel on an existing boat, I know a guy who just finished that project. He bought a used airboat hull (a HUGE one), cut a 2 ft wide chunk out of the hull at the stern, and a matching area in the lower transom, then welded in a box with a top that angled down from the transom forward to the bottom of the hull. All welded aluminum. Lot of work. Powered it with an 80's vintage OMC 140hp with a jet drive. So yeah, it can be done.Comment
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Its not a big deal to add a tunnel to a hull, its a bigger deal to find someone that can do it right.....but there is no big mystery. There is some good info on OB jets website on tunnel size....and you could always stop at a "real boat store" and look at one....and while your there why not buy a boat from a locally owned shop that knows boats......? Just a thought"FREEDOM" Only those that are denied truly know what it means.Comment
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Tracker is a lake boat.... Period....Do I give my friends advice? Jesus, no. They wouldn't take advice from me. Nobody should take advice from me. I haven't got a clue about anything..
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tracker jet
We use Trackers with little outboard jets on our east coast rivers. Not sure if the smaller jons would be a good choice for your rivers.
MAttached FilesComment
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Tracker V-hulls would work on some of the larger rivers up here. Many of the rivers (most?) up here are very shallow and rock strewn. Many folks prefer a very shallow draft boat, preferable with a small tunnel hull in the stern, and equipped with some sort of jet drive. Traditional outboards with props really take a beating in a lot of the rivers up here. If you're meaning Tracker Bass Boats...meh...they'd be okay on lakes on calm days, but I sold my bass boat rather than bring it up; they're just not terribly practical up here-especially the fiberglass ones.Originally posted by palasz View PostComment
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