Bass Tracker III to Tracker Grizzly

So i recently acquired a 16 ft Bass Tracker 3 for $250. Boat and trailer completely stripped. Only plus side was two brand new tires and two brand new nav lights. The plan for this boat is to turn it into a tracker grizzly 1648 layout. Hoping to score a 25hp - 40hp tiller. I had other plans for the boat to make it like the original layout but I already own a ranger so I want to have fun with this one and change it up to something I can duck hunt, frog gig, catfish, and trout fish the northern lake with. Boat is going to be all aluminum. Scored a good deal on 3 sheets of aluminum so it will be almost identical to the grizzly.

Here are pictures of the trailer project. Was pretty cut and dry. Nothing too bad as far as bends or rust. No hard bolts to undo. Actually the easiest trailer I've ever restored. Have to love a Yuma, AZ trailer.

Here is the goal. Once foam pool noodles are laid for flotation and the aluminum is all laid and tacked in. I am going to Raptor line the entire inside of the boat. I am going to have a tint shop match a duck hunter green raptor liner to aluminum paint so the entire boat flows yet I have traction on the inside. And hopefully it won't chip like paint.

Due to weather I haven't done much on the boat other than pick up the metal and put it in the garage. 115 degree days are keeping me away from the aluminum work at the moment. Tear into it one night here pretty soon. i may order some wiring harnesses and a light bar off amazon so I can run the electrical while waiting for a cool day.

Cool build. Wish I could find that boat for $250. Lol.

derekdiruz said:

Cool build. Wish I could find that boat for $250. Lol.

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Yeah it was definatly a score. A lot of counties and old neighborhoods to check here for boats laying around. That's how I've found most of mine.

Will you be leaving the livewell?

FYI - not sure if you encountered this or not, but the old Trackers (II/III) were built using a thinner gauge aluminum than the grizzly series (.072" vs. .100") so it won't take nearly the punishment that the all-welded setup would.

I have thought about that. Where I am there is no marsh or anything rought I have to take it the ought. Even up in the mountains it is all pretty decent size lakes. Maybe once in a while it will see the lower River down here but still will only be pulled through some shallow soft sand. And yes livewell is staging however being relocated to the front. More of cooler/livewell. Use it for baitfish, ducks, frogs, and trout. Don't know if it will ever hold anything living. Like I said this boat is for all the stuff I won't take the fiberglass boat in. But nothing like down south marsh hunting.

UHG! I started tearing mine down last night and found they used F'ING MILD STEEL SCREWS holding the front deck on. What idiots. Corroded crappy mess that i now need to drill out.