Hull Cracks in Bass Tracker Bow

[Bill Morrow]

I am looking to buy a 1994 Bass Tracker Tournament 17 with a 60 Merc with low hours.



I talked with the owner of a used boat re-seller/mechanic and he warned me of an on-going problem with the weld on the bow. With the constant pounding you will develop a crack in the bow weld which is costly to repair, if it can be repaired.



He talked like this was a very big problem and I should NOT buy the boat.



Can anyone with more experience with the Bass Tracker help? I have always like the Bass Tracker but haven't bought one yet.



Thanks for the help.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

There is enough tin on this board to make a battleship. Somebody will have an answer for you.



Personally I run glass....I get cracks where there are no welds!!LOL!!



TOXIC

 

[Staci Matheis]

Bill -



In the 4 years that I have been hanging around this board, I have heard of only one Tracker product with a crack in the bow. That was on a practically new boat.



I wouldn't pay a bit of attention to this guy. Sounds like he has something he wants to sell you instead.....



me!

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

I poked a hole in mine somehow and it was welded somewhat easily.

I haven't noticed any problems in the bow area nor have I heard of any problem like that.



Bill

 

[TrepMan]

Bill - You said above "you will develop a crack in the bow weld which is costly to repair, if it can be repaired." was the mechanic talking about Bass Tracker's in general or this specific boat? In general this is NOT a problem - 4 years of some HEAVY pounding on my boat not a crack anywhere.



But if he knows this SPECIFIC boat and it's been repaired then RUN away, and find a different boat.

 

[Bill Morrow]

He was talking about Bass Tracker's in general, not this boat.

 

[JEFF WHITE]

cracks in the bow are easy to fix,any competent welder(tig prefered) can weld it with the utmost certanty it wont crack again.



mine had a crack in it,but they replaced the whole cap under warranty.if they didnt,i would have welded it up,and let it go like that5.but i found on my boat the bow stop has a lot to do with the problem,so i reinforced mine with a 1/4" aluminum plateriveted and glued to the bow where the bow stop hits,no more scuffed paint on the boat,just the plate which i can live with.mine was a fluke in my book as greg has the same boat and doesnt have the same problem as i did.i have not heard of any others cracking to my knowlege.



cracks will happen,due to the human element in the welding process,bad days,machine screw up,and so on.no one can predict if and when it will split.

 

[Larry Harp]

Bill, I'm in my third year with my PT-185, with an all welded hull. I give the boat the treatment one would give a 4X4 ATV on a backwoods deer hunt. I fish in heavy submerged timber and on shallow flats. In other words I get high centered on tree stumps and sand bars at times. I have also made some long runs at full speed, around 30+ mph on fairly choppy water. So far as I can tell I have no broken welds or strutural damage at all. I do have lots of scuffs and scratches and the decals are in pretty bad shape but that is all.



Harpo

 

[Steve Rizza]

I had a foot long cracked weld repaired on mine for twenty dollars.I had everything ready to go so all they had to do was the welding.

It was not a Tracker problem,it was from going too fast when the water was too rough.I really doubt if there are too many people that whoop their boats as hard as I do and that one crack was the only one I have ever had.

 

[Michael Harcar]

Mine is a 1995 TX-17 with a 60. All I have to say is good things. No crack and a good ride. As much as I would like to trade up to a newer model with the Revolution Hull - I can't make myself do it because I've had such great history with this one.

 

[Donnie Matney]

I have a 96....no leaks or cracks....



Donnie