Why would tracker do this?

[mogfisher]

This is an 89 Tracker 1800 TF bass boat. The main transom is 1.5" ply as expected. The two panels to either side of it are made of scraps. They took small chunks of 1/2" plywood and filled the gaps with what looks to be resin and glass dust or cabosil. Then they glassed it all in. Is there a good reason for this or were they just using up scraps where it didn't matter? The panel is flat and could have been done using 1 piece of wood. Thanks for any insight.

 

[BigB9000]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

are you the original owner?

 

[DJ]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

are you the original owner?

Good question. I hope not.

 

[abarron]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

Thats some sorry workman ship! Id ask Tracker if they wanted to use that photo for advertising purposes!

 

[109jb]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

Probably not needed. My guess is that you removed some knee braces or walls right at the edges of the big center piece of the wood transom. The knee braces/walls were in line with the stringers weren't they?

My Sea Ray in my avatar only has a transom that is about 2' x 2' in the center. The loads from the motor are transmitted by the knee braces into the stringers and hull.

The only difference between how it works on my Sea Ray and your Tracker is that my Sea ray is not flat all the way across the back of the boat.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

I am not surprised.......tracker is all about profits.

When tracker bought out fisher they building materials went from all aluminum decking to plywood.......

Well no need to get upset.....just replace it

 

[mogfisher]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

i am not the original owner. I bought this boat as a "fixer upper".

Yes, there were knee braces from the main transom board to the stringers. I've since cut out the inner skin along with the braces to replace the transom. It's all wet.

So you think it was just to use up some scraps? I didn't know if there might be some good reason to do it this way. This part of the boat doesn't hold the load of the motor so it doesn't need to be terribly strong I guess. Just seemed odd to me. My new one will be all 1 piece.

 

[109jb]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

If the back of the boat is flat then just use a single piece all the way across. Transoms get lots of things mounted to them like transducers, speed pickups, swim ladders, etc. The full width isn't needed for the main motor, but backing is needed for the add-ons. If the back of the boat is perfectly flat then they were just being cheap. Just go back full width and you will be fine.

 

[109jb]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

Looking at the picture again it looks like the back of the boat is not flat. You say that the outer prtions are flat so you can go back with 3 pieces to make up the transom.

 

[nuboat2me]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

I had a 92 TX17 and loved it. It was the best boat I have ever owned. Won a few local tournaments in MO as well as raised 3 kids to fish from it... Kids Got bigger and the boat didn't... I sold her for a 24 Ft. Skipper Craft with the Tower of Power. WOW now that was a BOAT! I never had a pontoon sit you back in the seat on throttle up...

Alot of folks complained about leaky rivets and such but I have had nothing but good to say about Tracker. I must be in the minority here.

THAT being said,

I now have in my stable, a 1973 Silverline Comoro 18 with Merc Inline 6 165 HP. Going thru the engine before I jump in to the over all structure. The PO had "Attempted" to replace the decking with Chip Board. I have already stripped that off to reveal the real reason. When $$ gets better, I will be redoing the decking/stringers etc.... Glad I have a garage to work in...

I just acquired an 85' Rinker V208 Deckboat from My Son inlaw. It runs, very well, Repowered with 305V8 and Alpha 1 drive. Runs great. BUT SIL was in a rush to get on the water last summer and didn't change out or adjust shift cables. SO, tonight, we change ALL shift and throttle cables.

Going to be fun...

Mu $.02 worth... YMMV

 

[109jb]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

I had a 92 TX17 and loved it. It was the best boat I have ever owned. Won a few local tournaments in MO as well as raised 3 kids to fish from it... Kids Got bigger and the boat didn't... I sold her for a 24 Ft. Skipper Craft with the Tower of Power. WOW now that was a BOAT! I never had a pontoon sit you back in the seat on throttle up...

Alot of folks complained about leaky rivets and such but I have had nothing but good to say about Tracker. I must be in the minority here.

THAT being said,

I now have in my stable, a 1973 Silverline Comoro 18 with Merc Inline 6 165 HP. Going thru the engine before I jump in to the over all structure. The PO had "Attempted" to replace the decking with Chip Board. I have already stripped that off to reveal the real reason. When $$ gets better, I will be redoing the decking/stringers etc.... Glad I have a garage to work in...

I just acquired an 85' Rinker V208 Deckboat from My Son inlaw. It runs, very well, Repowered with 305V8 and Alpha 1 drive. Runs great. BUT SIL was in a rush to get on the water last summer and didn't change out or adjust shift cables. SO, tonight, we change ALL shift and throttle cables.

Going to be fun...

Mu $.02 worth... YMMV

What does any of this have to do with the original question???

 

[nuboat2me]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

I believe there was a comment about quality and Tracker only interested in profits. I commented regarding MY experience with Tracker... Built in the great state of Missouri!!!

Sorry if I offended you

 

[Shife]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

There is nothing wrong with the method of construction employed in the OP's picture. In this specific application those two panels are simply a FRP panel with a 1/2in core. Using 1 sheet, or using 1/2in scrap interconnected by resin using the proper thickening additive, makes no difference in this particular application. The skins are what actually carry the load in a proper composite panel. These two particular panels carry little load perpendicular to their surface so the core choice is not critical.

It is difficult to tell from the picture, but if there is any camber at all to those panels then that is why they chose this method. Contour core and segmented balsa are both nothing more than small blocks of material held together by scrim for ease of installation. The gaps are filled with thickened resin and after being laminated into a composite panel the structure is far stronger than the individual parts.

 

[DJ]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

I will NOT make any desparaging remarks about a boat brand.

However, if that is "original" I would be ashamed at offering that product to the public. Acceptable? Probably. But, definetely not first rate quality.

Hey, we brought this upon ourselves. We want CHEAP enternatainment. To heck with the long term. Something to think about.

 

[Shife]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

I will NOT make any desparaging remarks about a boat brand.

However, if that is "original" I would be ashamed at offering that product to the public. Acceptable? Probably. But, definetely not first rate quality.

Hey, we brought this upon ourselves. We want CHEAP enternatainment. To heck with the long term. Something to think about.

Why? Do you understand composite panel construction? It may not be asthetically pleasing with one of the skins ripped off but there is no difference between what is pictured and a solid core in this application.

 

[DJ]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

I DID NOT say it was wrong. I just pointed out that a first rate boat maker would not do that.

I would not either. Opinions are just that-opinions.

 

[Shife]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

I DID NOT say it was wrong. I just pointed out that a first rate boat maker would not do that.

I would not either. Opinions are just that-opinions.

I've done repairs on high end $500k racing sailboats that are built like that. Granted the core isn't plywood, but the method is the same. The mode of failure 99% of the time is moisture intrusion at fasteners, not asthetic value of the core.

The type of manufacturer that would not do this is far beyond the financial means of the vast majority of boaters. Even then they would apply the same techniques and methods, just with much tighter quality control and much higher quality materials.

 

[mogfisher]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

109jb, You are right. The back is not flat but the 3 sections are. I guess I'll see how it goes. I agree that it is only used as a core and probably doesn't effect the structure here. This part of the boat doesn't seem to need much structure anyway. If I have solid pieces to put there when I'm done, then I will. If not, then I'll probably patchwork it like they did. I'm not going to buy a whole nother sheet of marine ply just for that though. It may not be pretty but it lasted since 1989 and I didn't know it was ugly until I pulled the inner skin off.

Thanks for all the info. I wasn't trying to bash Tracker. I love my boat. I think the styling is way ahead of most boats of it's era. I simply was wondering if there was a specific reason for it. If it was a structural reason or something. I guess it was just what they had left over.

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

Maybe my computer is messing up but that's not composite material unless wet, rotting wood counts. Having voids between pieces of wood is a big difference structurally then one or in this case three solid pieces. Although you are right that most of the load is carried by the fiberglass, the wood does act as reinforcement and you're only as strong as the weakest link.

That is what I call being cheap by Tracker.

 

[boatflipper]

Re: Why would tracker do this?

Possibly that is not how it came factory-maybe someone else replaced the transom years ago and thats how they did it?
Just my thought...