Modified front storage compartment Tracker 1654SC Grizzly

Well I love my new boat, but the front storage compartment was pitiful. I looked at how they changed it from the 2008 that I have to the current 2009 model and I had to change mine. I just couldn't get anything in that stupid plastic compartment. Anyway, I took the compartment out and removed some foam that was underneath it and then went to work. It was a pain, but WELL worth the effort. Now the opening is the full size of the lid and the compartment is huge compared to what I started with.

I forgot to mention that it still needs one piece of trim to cover the seam because it had to be 2 pieces for the floor in order to fit in there through the opening and some paint or bedliner coating. I am debating on using a piece of flat trim or to use a piece of angle. If I use the angle it would increase the strentgh quite a bit, but the angle would have to point up and make a lip on the floor because the floor is only about 1 inch from the hull bottom and I don't want any chance of rubbing on the hull. The lip could be kind of neat actually because stuff that was on the front part might have more of a tendancy to stay put when you pulled something out that was in the part closer to the door. I used 1/8 inch aluminum for all of it so it's amply strong as it is most likely. I'm also debating on putting 1-2 batteries in this compartment or building another (more likely) compartment in the front left part of the floor to put them in to help balance the boat a little better. It could use a little weight on the left side and on the front. Still thinking a bit on that too. I see that a lot of you guys have put some of the batteries up front to help the weight distribution.

Nice work.
Did you make everything yourself?
Did you buy the lid/hatch?
My boats around the same size with a tiller handle motor.If I get a bigger outboard,I will diffenitly need more weight up front,even now,I could use some.

The lid was the original. The problem was that the lid was a great size and the compartment hole was tiny.

Here's what I did:

Removed the lid and compartment as a unit
Removed foam
The remaining compartment was lined on all 4 sides but for some reason 2 sides did not extend low enough
Made extensions for these 2 sides
Attached angled aluminum to support the floor.
Made 2 floor pieces because 1 piece would not fit through the opening
I made the floow so that at the sides it was about 1 inch above the bottom of the hull, in the low parts of the v there is some more depth that is wasted, but I did maximize the space pretty well.
Then I drilled the rivets to remove the plastic tub
Riveted the hatch back on
Swapped out the pull handle for a locking version.

The amount of stuff that I could fit in the compartment was amazing compared to before. It was a lot of work, but worth it big time.

Maybe that plastic compartment was for a livewell?

Zum said:

Maybe that plastic compartment was for a livewell?

Click to expand...

Looks like one to me.

I guess that's possible. It only had a small drain and didn't have any provision for pumps. The boat has a livewell in front of the console and it's plumbed from the factory. It just seemed like a poorly designed storage area. I tried to open it up like the 2009 model.

Hmmm.guess you didn't need a livewell afterall.
I wouldn't need 2 livewells either,must of been for dry storage?
Be alot easier getting stuff in and out,the way you have it now,nice work.