Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

A while back i bought a new tracker 1542 and sold it as i thought it would not hold up to the conditions of the gulf as when it turns rough that boat would of taken a beaten.Well i know a few people have had one for a while and was wondering about some feedback on them.

Are they worth the cheap $999 they are advertised for or just stick with a lowe or g3 boat or even a alumacraftI just had some bad luck with the alumacraft as far as welds but that was only one particular boat as all the other jons they had at the marina were perfect even the little jons.I know the tracker itself as far as the hull was very solid but the seats or live well was so flimsy it just looked as if they would not hold together as well as a lowe or g3 or even an alumacraft.Of course you pay more for a 1436 lowe then a 1542 tracker,so my question to all is it worth taking the risk for the money?

It scared me off the first time but it's like how can you turn down a 1542 for $999,it just seems to good to be true.I'm not saying there junk but does anyone think they will hold up as well as another top brand.I know most 1542 boats are extremly solid all the way through and the seats are very firm with very little play as the trackers.They just don't seem to go the extra distance as far as foam in the seats thats why they seem so cheap.I sat down on one a while ago [almost a yr ago]and it just seemed like it was poorly built but again i wasn't taking in consideration it was only $999.Ok i would love to here some great feedback on this boat if anyone wants to chime in.I'm going boat shopping today so i want to get all the info i can get about any jon boat.Thanks for any info.

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

Okay...... why are you looking at a Jon boat? They are NOT good in any chop. If you are looking to go into the Gulf , even for a short distance I would consider a V-hull. If your budget is willing I would watch on CL for a used aluminum boat....... a v-hull to be more specific.

Now the tracker modified V hulls will out-perform and out handle a jon boat hull too. So, I would look for a V hull first.....then a modified V and the jon would be at the bottom of my list. Actually......... I consider the smaller aluminum boats regardless of brand........ all designed for lakes and inland water.

Sorry to snow on your parade (we rarely see rain this time of the year!)

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

Okay Boater, I'm confuzzed. What about the Alumacraft? Are you building a john boat fleet? Inquiring minds wanna know.

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

Okay, I just read the culmination of the Alumacraft debacle. Sorry to hear you had problems with that jon as I thought they were a reputable manufacturer. I do think they would appreciate hearing about your experience, so give them some constructive feedback when you get a chance. Now, Tracker. Tracker runs a close second behind Bayliner when it comes to brand bashing. I hate brand bashing because it's so often ill-informed and rarely helpful, but I will say this. Like Bayliner, Tracker builds their boats to sell. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It gets people into boating who might not otherwise be able to afford it (check out one of the vessels in my sig). That said, Tracker hulls and chop are not a good combination. I'll leave it at that. Hope your luck turns.

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

lncoop said:

Tracker runs a close second behind Bayliner when it comes to brand bashing.

Click to expand...

WhooooA there! Bayliner isn't that bad

I have a 3YO tracker 1436 and it developed transom cracks similar to the ones you have on the Alumicraft, only bigger. This was with a 7.5HP outboard and the boat is rated at 10HP. Do some searching and this is a common problem with Trackers, cracked welds.

I looked at Alumacrafts after buying my Tracker (new store came into town) and the Alumacraft's construction looks far stronger. I was kind of kicking myself as the price was the same between the Tracker and the Alumacraft...

FWIW, I bought my "new" boat a couple years ago and I wished I had waited for a good used one to come along. I've seen several nice used 12-14' Vhulls for less or close to a new jon boat, they came with a trailer, outboard, etc. As long as it doesn't leak and is in good condition, an old tinny is just as good as a new one, especially if you are going to be modifying it... Heck, around Christmas I saw a nice 14' Crestliner Vhull, full carpeted interior, swivel seats, 25HP outboard, 2004-5, and they were selling it for 3-4K Yeah, that one didn't last long.

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

fishrdan said:

WhooooA there! Bayliner isn't that bad

I have a 3YO tracker 1436 and it developed transom cracks similar to the ones you have on the Alumicraft, only bigger. This was with a 7.5HP outboard and the boat is rated at 10HP. Do some searching and this is a common problem with Trackers, cracked welds.

I looked at Alumacrafts after buying my Tracker (new store came into town) and the Alumacraft's construction looks far stronger. I was kind of kicking myself as the price was the same between the Tracker and the Alumacraft...

FWIW, I bought my "new" boat a couple years ago and I wished I had waited for a good used one to come along. I've seen several nice used 12-14' Vhulls for less or close to a new jon boat, they came with a trailer, outboard, etc. As long as it doesn't leak and is in good condition, an old tinny is just as good as a new one, especially if you are going to be modifying it... Heck, around Christmas I saw a nice 14' Crestliner Vhull, full carpeted interior, swivel seats, 25HP outboard, 2004-5, and they were selling it for 3-4K Yeah, that one didn't last long.

Click to expand...

Wouldn't know whether Bayliners are that bad or not. I suspect most of the flamers wouldn't either. I do know I've seen many smiles made in them (and on various toys towed behind them), and that's kinda the point, right? You make good sense fishrdan. There's a lot of value in the secondary aluminum boat market, and only minimal knowledge is required to avoid costly mistakes when buying one.

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

Oh no, I'm not saying Bayliner's are not bad,,, just not as bad as......

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

Ha! You realize it's just a matter of time until this thread gets hijacked. Guess it'll be my fault though.

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

Bought a boat,end of thread,thanks guys.

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

No, that's just the beginning.

Good for you. A new boat is always exciting. So, whose suggestions did you follow? What did you buy?

Most of all, let's see some pictures!!!

Re: Thoughts on the new 1542 jon boat from tracker/worth the money or not?

Hey jim it's on the other thread with the corner braces of the 1442 alumacraft.I bought the same boat just the way it's suppose to be,looks like new.