tracker jon vs alumacraft jon

[savage_sultin]

This will be my first Jon boat purchase, 1236 tracker or alumacast? from what I can tell very close to be the same tracker for $760 and local dealer has alumacast for $1299 I use it for small waters and lakes. mostly use it alone or with my kids 6 yrs old, I live in Canada and selection isn't great but this is what I have to choose from. I like Jon boats as a couple of fishing buddies have them and looking for something I can modify over time and put a deck on it. Just looking for reasoning to buy the more expensive alumacast but now that I know the price of both ill be buying the tracker unless most folks say stay away

 

[JimS123]

Looking at fit and finish and construction it is MHO that Trackers are low end. I never heard of Alumacast, but if you mean Alumacraft they are a much better boat. With that choice I would take the latter, but only you can decide if the extra $500 is worth it. It would be to me.

OTOH, I would think twice about modding a 1236 with a deck. That's an awful small boat to add more weight to. If that is your goal, go with a larger boat.

After having experience with jon boats in the past, that would not be my choice either. I would never own anything other than a V hull.

 

[ezmobee]

14' minimum for me unless you're planning on putting it in a truck bed or something. 12' are just too tippy.

 

[ondarvr]

Those 1236's are very small and unstable boats, I really don't like jon boats that size, and no way would I add any weight to it.

 

[ondarvr]

From this thread and the one you started about a battery charger, I think you're looking at the wrong size boat for what you plan to do.

 

[fishrdan]

I own a Tracker 1436 and highly recommend the Alumacraft. Scrutinize the construction and you'll see what I mean. A couple years after buying my Tracker I saw an Alumacraft, and the Alumicraft had much better construction. And I'm sure the Alumacraft wouldn't develop cracked welds like the Tracker........

Agree with the others that say a 1236 is small, my 1436 is small too, but I like the stealthy profile. It's tippy, and I don't recommend standing up in it, unless you like swimming.

 

[savage_sultin]

Thank guys for the info, found a local dealer with Crestliner, compared to Lowes what do you think

 

[Old Ironmaker]

My first and last experience fishing out of a 12' Jon boat made me decide to buy a real boat. I nearly flipped it coming around a bend on a small lake and went straight into a gust of wind. Nearly sunk it if I didn't jump up front. It is not a good fishing boat and I as well wouldn't add a single pound to it. Please reconsider the size you will safely fish and boat in with your child. And in my opinion stay as far away from a Tracker as you can, you get what you pay for.

 

[Texasmark]

Thank guys for the info, found a local dealer with Crestliner, compared to Lowes what do you think

I had a 10' Lowes Lake John. The lake john series is made for lakes so it has higher sides and is wider than average for it's length. I had a Merc 7.5 on it and it was a sweet boat for lots of things. Never had a problem. I fished alone in protected water. I could car top it and that was the reason for the length.

I don't personally like johns for the sake of johns because of the narrow width and lack of free board. that's why I went with the lake. On Alumacraft, that is a long time winner, had them back in the 60's made from 5052 aircraft alum as I recall, semi V design, not john. Never saw a john.