20' Tracker SF Project
 

Hi All,
I mostly lurk around here enjoying everyone's projects but have now started one of my own. I picked this boat up this summer for $1250 w/motor and on a trailer with 2 bent axles. We managed to drag it up onto a rollback car hauler and get it to Shelter Island where I have a small boat shop. After running the boat a couple times it was clear that this was the one to keep long term. Being a sailor I never really did much with power boats. Anyway the gas tank started leaking while it was in the driveway one so this is where I begin this fiasco :rolleyes:. Enclosed are a few photos for you enjoyment and I will try to update this regularly.
Rod Anderson

The console fastenings had all stripped because the balsa core had gone away so the previous owners just set it in about 4 tubes of 5200! I'm going to have to start doing my paying boats in a few weeks so I won't have the time this year to replace the cockpit floor. Also, I felt the console was too big for a narrow 20 footer (it was a Grande) so as you can see I'm narrowing it 5" and shortening about 2 1/2". I shortened it from the bottom as the flange was pretty mutilated anyway and I'll mount it to a fiberglass angle that will be fastened and glued to the deck.
Rod

Spent last summer at brick cove marina and hope to do the same this year. Itll be nice to see another seacraft down there.

Absolutely, give a holler when you get out here :)
Rod

Keep the pics coming. We need more tracker 20 owners on here!!!! I did a quick restore of one early this year.

http://www.classicseacraft.com/commu...ad.php?t=23607


The way mine is setup, light, and with that 115 2 smoker..........it will surprise the hell out of you. Absolutely fantastic boat in a short tight chop. I frequently cruise by other boats taking a pounding in a typical 2 foot chesapeake bay chop.

You're right about the console. I swear the consoles are the same on that era 20's and 23's (i have both). The stock console on the tracker era 20's is way too big.

-Mike

I read through your thread a couple of times and it inspired me to dive in. I particularly liked your console and will keep looking for something similar. In the meantime though narrowing the present one and taking off the flange gives a lot more room to get around it. The motor that's on it right now is a 1989 Black Max 150 with a number of issues but with a daughter in college the 130 Etec is going to have to wait a couple of years :o. On the upside though I'm happy with the way it performs when it's running correctly. Fuel mileage is another story though :eek:.
Rod

You can buy those consoles for less than $700 shipped from marine connection liquidators in florida. I would have hacked mine up but given the shape it was in and what i ultimately wanted out of my project, i would have spent most of that rehabbing it anyway so i'm happy. I wanted something without the front seat to give the most deck space possible.

I was going with a 140 suzuki but i ran into a stupid good deal on a NIB 2005 Yamaha 115 2 stroke. I wasn't overly excited about the power plant before running it, but its a really sweet package. I cruise about 27 mph at 4,000 - 4,200 RPM. I plane off instantly with no bow rise at all. I have not calcuated exact fuel mileage but it's 3.5 mpg or better, i know that much. The only negative is, i only top out around 34 - 35 mph.

Honestly though - sweet sweet little boat to run around it. Very versatile and very capable. Lots of storage for a boat that size, my only gripe is i wish it had just a litttttttttle more freeboard.

I looked at the consoles on the marine connection site but I need to put my hands on it and see how it's made, so I don't know if that would work for me, lol. I need to keep a small seat as well, I'm thinking of putting my batteries up there. As far as the ride of the boat goes though I'm really impressed, especially in a short steep chop. I haven't had it out in any big stuff yet but I'm sure it will be fine as long as the old Merc stays running :rolleyes:.
Rod

Would like to see some pictures of the narrowed down original console.

Also if the windshield is still available, I could be interested.

You can see the two halves narrowed by 5" in the 6th photo. That is also shortened by 2 1/2" which I've since added back on :o. I'm also probably going to remove the seat/storage from the front of the console and use a cooler/seat when needed. I post a photo of the console back together tomorrow.

I'll check with GoFastSandman to see if he still wants the windshield, if not it's yours.

Here are a few photos of the console narrowed by 5". You can also see that I initially shortened it by 2 1/2" but then decided it was too short and added it back on. To further complicate matters I decided to take off the seat/storage bench tonight and use a cooler/cushion setup when needed. This thing has turned into a real "make work" project :confused:! It now measures 32 1/2" at the bottom and 31 1/2" at the bottom of the windshield recess.
Rod

I kept the wide console, but hacked off the seat and use a cooler instead. I am happy with that mod, although the console is still wide. It is in a Master Angler. I took the rod holders off the starboard side so you can get fore-aft easier.

Someone told me to narrow it 8" but I choose 5" instead and think it will be fine. I just have no tolerance for boats that I can't move around on, lol! I have a 1979 20' Seafari that I would love to turn into a walkaround :)

You've convinced me to cut mine down the same, to 32" ish wide. I too will do away with the seat and use a cooler for that forward seating on my Tracker '87 20' . Another thing I'm going to do is use the "Lefty Crech" bar stool as my helm seat, doing away with the leaning post. I've seen it on a 2000 20' master angler Lefty edition. it opens the back of the boat way up.

Is your 32.5" at flange or above?

Yes

any new pictures?

No nothing new, busy with paying boats right now but another month I should be able to do something on it.