Lowe vs Lund vs Tracker- 16.5' boat class

[Lowe and Behold]

Hi all,

 

I'm researching for a 2021 purchase of a 16-17 foot boat (must fit in garage) to use for fishing and the occasional social outing. Wife says in order to get a bigger boat we need to be able to take friends/family out on it every now and then. So far I've narrowed it down to:

 

Lowe FM 1625 WT
Lowe FM 1675 WT

Lund 1650 Rebel XL Sport

Tracker V165 WT

 

Obviously the Lowes and Lunds are related with the Lowes being welded and the Lund riveted. Being in the Oklahoma City area my closest dealers for both is about 1.5-2 hours away, and there aren't too many of either make running around out here. I haven't gotten to see one in person yet, but I really like the jump seat option on the Lowes and Lunds for additional seating. 

 

The Tracker is the local option with a handful of dealers within 25 miles. The Tracker doesn't appear to have a jump seat option so seating may be an issue if we have 5-6 people on the boat. The Tracker does have a foot of beam width over the Lowe/Lund, so that could be nice on a short 16.5 ft rig and would offer more horizontal space, but without the additional seating to utilize the space it may be for not. 

 

How much weight should I be putting on the dealer distance?

Does the extra beam width on the Tracker give noticeable stability benefits over the Lowe/Lunds, and would all boats in this class be considered tippy?

Any owners of these boats have the max capacity in your boat at any time? Too crowded?

Any other boats I should be considering?

 

Any feedback is welcomed! Thank you!

[Shimano_1]

no experience with any of those boats but they're all respectable brands and I'm sure you'll be satisfied with any. I think people turn their noses up at trackers and they're super nice boats. Buddy has one and its well made and fishes well. Lund has built a reputation making high quality aluminum rigs. I would take into consideration the dealer distance for sure but wouldn't let that be the deciding factor. Id go look at all 3 and im sure you'll favor one over the rest. The foot of beam would absolutely be nice and would help in several ways.  Good luck

[Dwight Hottle]

For what it’s worth Lund is not typically a competitor of Lowe or Tracker. By reputation Lund is at the top of the aluminum boat manufactures for quality & resale value historically. Crestliner & Alumacraft are more typical comparisons to Lund. 

[Jig Man]

I’ve owned Lowe and Tracker.  I’ve sold Lund boats.  Lund has always been the top of the line.  Tracker is typically under powered to hold down the price and appeal to first time buyers.  Lowe was a great boat but has changed hands several times so I can’t speak to the current ones.  I am guessing that you are a first time owner and would not notice much difference among them.

 

You might consider what I did.  I let my wife pick my last boat.

[slonezp]

If you have the chance to look at all 3 brands in person, you'll see why Lund is at the top.

[RoLo]

Granted, Tracker has enormous market share (I've owned a couple),

but if you're looking to upstage Lund, it's gonna take more than Tracker or Lowe.

In my opinion, Alumacraft & Crestliner are more formidable opponents.

 

Roger

[gim]

9 hours ago, Lowe and Behold said:

The Tracker doesn't appear to have a jump seat option so seating may be an issue if we have 5-6 people on the boat.

6 adults in a 16.5 foot? That’s a lot of weight and a lot of people for a boat that size. But ya if you have several passengers you’ll need those jump seats.

[Bolar]

On 5/22/2020 at 9:54 AM, Lowe and Behold said:

Hi all,

 

I'm researching for a 2021 purchase of a 16-17 foot boat (must fit in garage) to use for fishing and the occasional social outing.

 

 

For fishing those boats would be fine, but anything social your way too small.  I would suggest a small pontoon. 

 

 

Quote

 

[Russ E]

Thery are all fishable boats. if you can afford it, the lund will probably last a lifetime.

while they all have a 6 person capacity, that many people in a 16.5 boat will be tight quarters.

[slowworm]

1 hour ago, Russ E said:

Thery are all fishable boats. if you can afford it, the lund will probably last a lifetime.

while they all have a 6 person capacity, that many people in a 16.5 boat will be tight quarters.

Not to mention all 6 people will have to be tall and skinny.  The 16.5 ft tracker deep-v has a payload limit of 1000lbs.  So 6 people would have to weigh on average 167 lbs.  That's without any tackle, coolers, drinks, food etc.

 

The Lowe Fish & Ski 16 ft has a max person weight of 800 lbs.  So the average weight is 133 lbs with no tackle, food etc.

 

The Lund 1675 adventure doesn't list a person weight capacity, but physics doesn't change with the manufacturer so it still going to be around 1000 lbs blah blah blah.

 

Bottom line, the person capacity of most boats is wildly overstated unless you have 2 adults and 4 young kids on the boat.

 

J.

[haggard]

Looking at the layout of the Lund 1650 XL Sport, even if you've got 5 people not 6, looks like it puts 2 in the rear jump seats, 2 behind the windshield, and leaves 1 at the bow pedestal seat - not the safest place to be while underway. And 16.5 feet gets pretty tight if people start moving around. As one other mentioned, a small pontoon could be worth checking out (or a larger deep V). Though if fitting in the garage is a must, then you may have to settle on 4-5 people. A trailer with a swing-away tongue can buy you some extra garage fit.

 

https://www.lundboats.com/boat-models/1650-rebel-xl/

 

[ATA]

On 5/22/2020 at 7:54 AM, Lowe and Behold said:

Lund 1650 Rebel XL Sport

inam in same situation, but I am looking for staiblaty in boat as well, I myself in search for same size boat(16'), I have my own idea, but if they are your choice, I like the Lund more. good luck with your new boat. 

[slonezp]

3 hours ago, Russ E said:

Thery are all fishable boats. if you can afford it, the lund will probably last a lifetime.

while they all have a 6 person capacity, that many people in a 16.5 boat will be tight quarters.

3 people fishing is plenty much in a 16.5' boat. I can do 4 bass fishing in my 20 footer but everyone needs to be conscious of where everyone else is at or someone will get a lure stuck in their head.

 

The above boats are perfect for a small family, not for 4+ adults

[Captain Phil]

No one boat does everything.  Unless you want to own more than one boat, you must compromise.  I decided to buy a pontoon boat after fishing with a friend in his 14' pontoon.  His boat is docked on a small lake of about 300-500 acres.  The Harris Chain where I fish is big water, so I decided on an 18' pontoon.  I considered anything bigger than that as too big for bass fishing the way I want to do it. My boat is docked in a marina with a lift.  Trailering and launching a pontoon boat is a PITA.

 

Keep this in mind.  The more expensive the boat the greater depreciation you will have.  The slowest depreciating boats are older pontoon boats. This is understandable as they can be rebuilt as good as new by anyone with a screwdriver. Any boat you buy will be only be new for a short period of time.  For that reason, I bought a ten year old Tracker Bass Buggy with a good motor.  If I recover my cushions, you couldn't tell how old it is.  Most people buy a boat not thinking about the day they will sell it.  I've been down that road many times myself.  Lesson learned.

[Allen Der]

I have the 1650 rebel XL and it isnt tippy at all.  it also fits in my 20' deep garage.  I've fished 4 in it but even 3 is really too much.  perfect boat for 2 fishing in smaller lakes.  the only way you could get 6 is if two sat in the bow.  the boat you probably need is the lund adventure with bow seating cushions.  ideally the 1775 but it may not fit in your garage unless you angle it. the 1675 should fit a 20ft garage.  how deep is your garage?

[NHBull]

Buy a 2020 lund and don't look back.

 

[slonezp]

14 minutes ago, NHBull said:

Buy a 2020 lund and don't look back.

 

I like the way you think

[Lowe and Behold]

On 5/22/2020 at 5:03 PM, Dwight Hottle said:

For what it’s worth Lund is not typically a competitor of Lowe or Tracker. By reputation Lund is at the top of the aluminum boat manufactures for quality & resale value historically. Crestliner & Alumacraft are more typical comparisons to Lund. 

Why wouldn’t Lowe be considered a competitor? I thought the only difference between the 2 came down to welds vs rivets. I believe they are both under the same ownership umbrella with Crestliner, and they looks to be a couple thousand cheaper. I didn’t notice a quality difference when comparing online but I’ve seen neither in person. 
 

Not disagreeing, curious and wanting to learn. 

On 5/22/2020 at 5:49 PM, Jig Man said:

I’ve owned Lowe and Tracker.  I’ve sold Lund boats.  Lund has always been the top of the line.  Tracker is typically under powered to hold down the price and appeal to first time buyers.  Lowe was a great boat but has changed hands several times so I can’t speak to the current ones.  I am guessing that you are a first time owner and would not notice much difference among them.

 

You might consider what I did.  I let my wife pick my last boat.

She’s leaning towards the Bayliner Element E16. Not a bad boat from what I hear, but I think it would lack the fishability that I’m looking for. 
 

Hoping what we settle on will be a compromise between the Bayliner and our current Tracker v14. 

On 5/23/2020 at 10:16 AM, Bolar said:

 

For fishing those boats would be fine, but anything social your way too small.  I would suggest a small pontoon. 

 

 

I wouldn’t be opposed to pontoon. They have the bass buggies out at bass pro and I kind of dig them. I had to cross them off the list fairly quick though because I don’t think there’s any way for it to get into the garage vertically. It’s too tall on the trailer. 

[Lowe and Behold]

44 minutes ago, Allen Der said:

I have the 1650 rebel XL and it isnt tippy at all.  it also fits in my 20' deep garage.  I've fished 4 in it but even 3 is really too much.  perfect boat for 2 fishing in smaller lakes.  the only way you could get 6 is if two sat in the bow.  the boat you probably need is the lund adventure with bow seating cushions.  ideally the 1775 but it may not fit in your garage unless you angle it. the 1675 should fit a 20ft garage.  how deep is your garage?

If I fit 4+ in it, it wouldn’t be to fish. More for food, drinks, music, etc. 2 is the likely number for fishing outings. 
 

The garage is 21 ft. I might be able to stretch a 17’ in there, but because of where the hot water heater is, the motor would likely have to sit right in front of the door into the house, so there needs to be a little wiggle room there. 
 

How long have you had your Rebel and what HP motor did you get? Anything you’d change?

[slonezp]

All the company's are run independently of Brunswick. Think of Brunswick like General Motors. Lund would be Cadillac, Crestliner would be Buick, and Lowe would be Chevy. Not that there is anything wrong with Lowe, it's just not a Lund. Bayliner is the Chevy of their pleasure boat brands.

[detroit1]

I have been looking pretty hard at a Ranger 1680 (or 1682?), not a "family" boat, but has a lot of nice fishing features that are options on Lund or Crestliner, with a very competitive price. 

[Dwight Hottle]

15 hours ago, Lowe and Behold said:

Why wouldn’t Lowe be considered a competitor? I thought the only difference between the 2 came down to welds vs rivets. I believe they are both under the same ownership umbrella with Crestliner, and they looks to be a couple thousand cheaper. I didn’t notice a quality difference when comparing online but I’ve seen neither in person. 
 

Not disagreeing, curious and wanting to learn. 

 
 

 

Lowe would be considered a competitor just not a top competitor. My comments are based on years of experience & the historical significance of Lunds being the top of the food chain of aluminium boat popularity. Seeing & fishing out of a Lund helps you notice the quality differences. Lund's reputation as a manufacturer has waned a little after the ownership sellout similar to Ranger's circumstance when they soldout. 

[Hower08]

One thing to consider if you go with a lower or crestliner theirs no wood in the boats. Tracker and lund still use wood decks. Now saying that my tracker is an 01 and it's still on the original wood floors. It is a garage kept boat which obviously helps. But don't necessarily let wood keep you from buying 

[Vilas15]

I have a 2016 Lund 1650 Rebel XS. Its got the flip up seats that fold down to be a platform in the back. 2 people fishing is ideal. You can do 3 but need to be very aware of hooks when casting. Helps if youre all fishing out the same side. Fishing 4 would only be possible if youre vertical jigging.

 

As for cruising, i think you could fit 4. Two in the seats and 2 in the flip up seats. The front seat is not meant to be used while under way. Its rated for 6 people but two would have to be children on someones lap or sitting on the side bench or rod box/edge of front deck. Even at 4 people there would not be much room to move around.

 

I think all this information would apply to any 16.5' Deep V boat.

[Allen Der]

21 hours ago, Lowe and Behold said:

If I fit 4+ in it, it wouldn’t be to fish. More for food, drinks, music, etc. 2 is the likely number for fishing outings. 
 

The garage is 21 ft. I might be able to stretch a 17’ in there, but because of where the hot water heater is, the motor would likely have to sit right in front of the door into the house, so there needs to be a little wiggle room there. 
 

How long have you had your Rebel and what HP motor did you get? Anything you’d change?

mine is a 2014.  I have the side console with 60HP and it is plenty for my needs.  at the time the Merc 90 was a lot heavier so it didnt make sense. now the 90 and 115 are lighter so you'd definitely want to max the HP in a Rebel or Adventure with the full windshield.  I went with a 24v 80lb terrova with ipilot.  dont skimp out and get the 12v trolling motor. I'd also get it with the electronics you want for the next 5+ years.  If you order direct from Lund the electronics, trolling motor, etc gets covered by the bow to stern warranty.

only thing I'd change is the color.  I have black and it looks dirty most of the time.