Tracker Pro Guide V-16 WT: Fishing Boat Review

Tracker is the biggest name in aluminium fishing boats in the US and a leading brand internationally. You don’t see many of these innovative craft roaming Aussie waterways, but that is set to change as more models become available – such as the superb Pro Guide V-16 WT bay/estuary cross-over model we recently tested.

OVERVIEW
- Leading US brand breaks cover Down Under
Tracker Boats are built out of Missouri, USA, and distributed to more than 30 countries around the world. Tracker is part of the US Tracker Marine Group, which produces brands such as Mako, Tahoe, Nitro, Sun Tracker, Regency and Ascend boats.

The parent company for the Tracker Marine Group is the Bass Pro Shops outdoors retail chain. Majority owner, Johnny Morris established the Tracker Boat brand with a range of “turn key” bass fishing rigs back in the 1970s.

In Australia, Tracker Marine Group boats are distributed by the Gold Coast’s Fishing And Leisure Boats. During the past 12 months or more, a range of Tracker models have been imported, but they have sold so quickly that we have only just managed to grab one for a full review.

Our test rig is the Pro Guide V-16 WT, a versatile, soundly built bay/impoundment cross-over model with a dual console configuration and Mercury four-stroke outboard power.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
- Fully kitted direct from the US factory
The Pro Guide V-16 WT we tested comes directly from the factory fully equipped and ready to fish – well almost. It does not come standard with rod holders or a bait board, but these features are optional.

Everything else on a bream, bass or barra fisho’s wishlist is included – such as the 42 pound thrust bow-mount Minn Kota PowerDrive 12 volt (foot controlled) electric trolling motor (with battery under the foredeck), the 87 litre aerated and divided live fish well with dual 500gph bait pumps, removable bait bucket, timer and pump-out system, Lowrance Elite 3X Fish Finder (upgradeable) and duel cockpit 2.44 (8ft) lockable rod lockers.

Then there’s the carpeted bow and stern casting platforms, three deluxe pedestal chairs (which can be moved about through six different seat positions – including the bow), secure rear battery box and ice boxes, dual consoles with centre opening toughened safety glass windscreen, a special mounting channel in the gunnels for fitting options (like rod holders), plenty of underfloor or in-deck storage compartments, and underfloor foam buoyancy to Level Flotation standard.

As you might expect, all of the Tracker’s standard features do come at a cost. The Pro Guide V-16 WT is priced a little higher than a comparable sized local brand – but few local products have anything like the number of standard features.

The bottom line for the Aussie rigged Tracker Pro Guide V-16 WT is $42,500 - with pricing supplied by distributor, Fishing And Leisure Boats. This price includes a Mercury 75hp four-stroke outboard motor and locally made Dunbier single axle, drive-on braked steel trailer.

You can save a few dollars by dropping down to a 60hp Mercury four-stroke ($38,800), or spend a bit more ($44k) and upgrade to a Mercury 90hp four-stroke model. We believe the 75hp provides the best balance of performance, purchase price and economy.

INTERIOR LAYOUT
- Dual console layout with full width windscreen
The Pro Guide V-16WT has what the Americans call a dual-console layout. If the boat had a bow seating area Aussies would consider it a bowrider. Regardless, the layout has individual consoles – a helm console to starboard with steering wheel and controls, and a passenger console to port, complete with a large glove box, and built in cup and mobile phone holders.

Spanning the two consoles is a toughened-glass windscreen with centre opening pane to provide access to the bow. It is not the best looking set-up to be honest as the screen is quite vertical – and looks like it has been tacked on as an after-thought. This is perhaps a bit too critical as while it looks a bit ordinary, it is very effective in shielding the skipper and passengers from wind and spray.

With the windscreen in place you also feel more inclined to drive the boat while standing up, though this is probably not recommended as you can’t reach the side-mount throttle lever while standing - and the polyethylene console will flex a little if you use the top of the windscreen as a grab rail.

When seated the helm layout works well enough. Your view forward is clear, there is sufficient dash space for instruments and electronics (bracket-mounted) and the sliding bucket chairs are very comfortable. Conversely, throttle work is not as easy as it should be because you have to stretch across the top of the rod locker to reach the throttle lever – which is side-mounted against the gunwale.

Moving forward, the carpeted bow fishing platform is about 1.4m long x 1.83m wide (at widest point) and it is elevated 360mm above the centre cockpit floor and helm area. The platform is solid and the boat stable enough to handle the weight of a hefty angler standing and casting from the bow.

Built into the deck is the large 87lt live fish well noted earlier, along with a locker for the trolling motor battery, another for the trolling motor foot control pedal, and a third general locker.

You will need to make the sole vacant locker the anchor well because there is no other provision for the anchor or rode – as the trolling motor is mounted right on the tip of the bow.

The absence of an anchor well, bow roller or bollard would explain why the Pro Guide has twin cleats situated forward of amidships. If you anchor the boat you will need to tie-off to these cleats.

Additional stern cleats are included in the stern of the boat. They are not recessed, but perched proud of the somewhat narrow gunwales.

You will not be able to install flush-fitted rod holders, but a purpose made “Versatrack” channel section under the gunnels is designed to accept various factory accessories – including a four-rod rod holder, cutting board, downrigger bracket, tool bracket, tackle tray, and/or drink holders.

There is not a great deal of freeboard in the rear cockpit, or above the outboard well, but we should keep in mind the Pro Guide V-16W T is designed as a bay and inshore boat and is not intended for offshore use – as capable as the deep vee hull may be.

General cockpit and stern features include the two lockable rod lockers, cranking battery box, ice box, extra seat-floor sockets, and drains in the cockpit floor which move water into a sump area under the transom where it is auto bilge pumped overboard.

HULL AND ENGINEERING
- Foam-filled for a fibreglass-like ride
With regard to construction the deep vee model Trackers combine a
two-piece, plasma cut, all welded 3.0mm marine grade alloy hull (bent
and shaped over a large press) with a robot-welded longitudinal stringer
grid (with extra keel, chine and bow supports) and box-section transom.

Tracker
adds further rigidity to the hull structure by injecting two-part
expanding foam flotation to all vacant underfloor voids and cavities.
The foam reinforces the hull and does a remarkable job of deadening any
hull noise or wave slap in choppy water. On the water the test rig was
so quiet it felt and sounded more like a larger fibreglass boat.

The
Pro Guide V-16 WT is available with a black or dark blue powder-coated
exterior finish to the topsides and topped with an auto-style clear-coat
– which is said to be very hard wearing and abrasion resistant. We can
vouch for its good looks and would expect the finish to be durable.

ON THE WATER
- Surprise package – remarkably soft ride
There may be a couple of shortcomings in the design and layout of the Pro Guide V-16 WT – with regard to its suitability to Aussie fishing and boating – but you forget all about those once you hit the throttle and get the boat underway. We did just that coming out of the Gold Coast’s Runaway Bay Marina and were immediately impressed by the ride quality of the test rig.

In choppy water – or any sort of water – the Tracker Pro Guide is stunningly soft riding – and so quiet you forget you are in an alloy boat. The foam flotation injected into the hull works so well in dampening hull noise – that we had virtually no noise. It was eye-opening stuff, to the point that we would rate this boat as one of the softest, quietest riding 5.0m alloy boats we have ever tested.

We ran the boat inshore and offshore, out through a very lumpy Southport Seaway, and across some heavy bay chop. Throughout these tests the Tracker Pro Guide proved wonderfully soft, reasonably dry, well mannered and easy to handle.

Our only real beef was with the mounting height of the 75hp Mercury four-stroke, which felt an inch or so too high on the transom. This caused some cavitation during cornering and made it difficult to get enough positive engine trim to lift the nose out of the water for best economy and to trim the boat for a following sea.

What about stability we hear you ask? Well, you might expect some loss of stability in a monohull with such a soft ride – and you would be right, but while there are more stable boats in this size range, the Tracker’s level of stability is more than acceptable – both at rest and underway.

The key to the Tracker’s excellent all-round performance is in the deep vee hull shape. The vee angle at the bow is a pronounced 35 degrees. It moderates coming aft to deadrise of 20 degrees at the transom – which is still a very aggressive shape for a 16 foot boat.

There are planing/lifting strakes from amidships, but not up at the pointy end – which accounts for the hull’s excellent ride into choppy water.

Stability is aided by the boat’s relatively low centre of gravity, and further boosted by wide reverse angled chines. These are noticeable when viewing the boat from the stern, but they extend well forward, helping to keep the boat running flat and on an even keel.

With regard to performance, the Pro Guide V-16 is available locally with Mercury four-stroke power between 60 and 90hp. Our test rig was fitted with the beautifully smooth and compact 75hp model and proved agile enough with two adults on board.

Our top speed was a modest 32 knots, but there was power to spare through the bottom and mid range. Competition anglers might want to think about upgrading to the 90hp Mercury four-stroke, but for most of us the 75hp model will be more than sufficient.

VERDICT
- Great ride and performance in a feature-packed bay fisher
We are not often surprised by the performance, handling or ride of a new boat, but this is one of those rare occasions. The Tracker Pro Guide V-16 WT offers up a level of ride comfort you might expect from a 5.3 - 5.5m fibreglass half cabin – certainly not a 4.9m open tinnie. It’s a remarkable hull, a class leader in this size range.

The Pro Guide V-16 WT is the first Tracker we have tested and it has left us wanting more. The interior design could be improved in a few areas, but taken as a whole package the Pro Guide V-16 WT is an outstanding bay, estuary and impoundment fishing craft.

LIKES
- Remarkably soft and quiet ride
- Smooth, compact Mercury 75hp four-stroke
- Large live fish well and plenty of storage
- Foam filled to Level Flotation standard
- Ready to fish

NOT SO MUCH
- No anchor well
- Engine height not quite right – or wrong prop
- Exposed stern cleats
- Throttle lever too far away
- No standard rod holders

RATINGS
Overall rating: 4.76/5.0
Mechanical/equipment: 4.9/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.8/5.0
On the water performance: 4.8/5.0
Value for money: 4.6/5.0
X-factor: 4.7/5.0

PERFORMANCE - SPEED
3.7kts (6.8km/h) @ 1000rpm
4.5kts (8.3km/h) @ 1500rpm
5.5kts (10.2km/h) @ 2000rpm
6.9kts (12.8km/h) @ 2500rpm
14.6kts (27.0km/h) @ 3000rpm
20.5kts (37.9km/h) @ 3500rpm
23.7kts (43.8km/h) @ 4000rpm
27.0kts (49.9km/h) @ 4500rpm
32.0kts (59.2km/h) @ 5000rpm (WOT)

Specifications: Tracker Pro Guide V-16 WT
Price as tested: $42,500 including a Mercury 75hp longshaft (20”) four-stroke outboard (with five year Australian warranty), Dunbier single axle centre-line trailer, inshore safety kit for four adults, and boat and trailer registrations. Prices ex Gold Coast/Brisbane.

Priced from: $38,800 as above but with a Mercury 60hp (20”) longshaft four-stroke outboard.
Hull length: 4.88m
Beam: 2.24m
Hull weight: 549kg
Towing weight: Approx 1,100kg
Deadrise: 20 degrees
Bottom alloy: 3.0mm
Topsides alloy: 3.0mm
Maximum power: 90hp
Engine as tested: Mercury 75hp four-stroke outboard
Fuel: 56.8 litres
Maximum Persons: Five or 317kg
Warranty: Life-time limited structural warranty (refer website)

Supplied by:
Fishing And Leisure Boats
Phone: 0429 680 504
Email: tim@flboats.com.au
See www.fishingandleisureboats.com.au