Tracker 1542 is no side ribs a problem?

I am seriously considering this boat. I did never noticed that thy no longer have side ribs. What issues will that cause me? I am considering adding a floor and several bells and whistles as I get the $$$ to improve it. I know it is about the same gauge as the Lowe 1440 but the Lowe uses side ribs as well.

Thanks for your help narrowing down my decision.

Greg

This would be considered a very light duty boat due to the side bracing coming only from the benches and the fact that it is made from .063 aluminum. It would be fine for lakes with a trolling motor but I'm afraid that use on a river with a 25HP gas motor would be a bit iffy for me. You'd have very little "ruggedness" built in for possible problems. For $1000 or less you should be able to buy a gently used 1448 made from .072 with ribs for support. This really is a light weight boat...

momule said:

This would be considered a very light duty boat due to the side bracing coming only from the benches and the fact that it is made from .063 aluminum. It would be fine for lakes with a trolling motor but I'm afraid that use on a river with a 25HP gas motor would be a bit iffy for me. You'd have very little "ruggedness" built in for possible problems. For $1000 or less you should be able to buy a gently used 1448 made from .072 with ribs for support. This really is a light weight boat...

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot

Can u post a pic I just bought one and Iam pretty sure it has side ribs

Tracker 1542 can be viewed here: https://www.trackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3687. There are no ribs in these pictures, only benches which serve as supports for the sides of the hull. As stated by the Tracker web site there are also "transverse aluminum ribs to strengthen hull sides". This refers to the ribs that run front to back on the sides and are bent into the aluminum during manufacturing. Most other hulls have this feature as well as riveted or welded ribs AND benches. There is nothing wrong with the 1542, it's merely made to hit a certain price point and as such is a very light duty boat. If I had property with a fishing lake on it I'd buy one of these for sure and it'd probably last for 50 years. Put it in a creek with a rocky bottom and a moderate current and it might not last the season.

Just looked at mine and it does have horizontal ribs and it is 2016 model