RLC61's Tracker 1542 Build

[RLC61]

Hi. My name is Randy, and I have spent countless hours in these forums and have learned a lot from yall. Big Thanks. I'm not much for forums as people can be caddy, but I have to say, the people here seem quite nice.

I've had a Landau 1232 for about 15 years. I put in a cheap pedestal and seat, and it had a 24 lbs thrust Minn Kota TM that I purchased new about the same time I got the boat, and that rig was fine for me as I usually fish ponds and small lakes with lots of wood and vegetation. My new wife has learned to fish, so I added another cheap pedestal and seat for her. I put a wood floor in the middle section, and carpet throughout. We fished it since last July, but with 3 rods each, TM batteries, tackle bags, cooler, paddle, life jackets, anchor, etc, we needed something bigger. So, I bought a 2014 Tracker 1542. I got a Bass Pro VIP card with the purchase that gives me 10% - 20% off, and it has saved me a lot on the parts for build as well as other fishing gear. I have bought everything new, except the side console, which came with a Teleflex Safe-T QC Helm, steering wheel and 8' cable for $150.

On the new boat, I have finished the aluminum tube framing for the front deck, battery box, mid-section floor and seat/deck expansion for more storage. I still have to frame the rear section with a hatch that will cover most of the gas tank area. Modify the console to fit properly. Cut and treat the decking, put the carpet on the decking. Mock up all the wiring. Once everything is built and mocked up, I will stripe it back down. Then paint the little bit of metal on the inside that will be showing, as well as the outside top edge all the way around. I already bought some of the Wetlander product from Scott. After paint, I will apply the wetlander, then put it all back together, and go fishing.

Many photos to come.

1st photo - Our old Landau 1232

2nd photo - Our new tracker 1542

 

[RLC61]

We are strictly catch and release, mainly for Largemouth Bass, and we never use live bait, so I removed the livewell, and made it the battery box, which will hold two Series 29 batteries, a Minn Kota MK-210D Onboard charger, and Blue Sea Systems 6007 m-Series Battery Switch. I welded up the hole and the rivets from the livewell, and took the boat out to make sure there were no leaks. To be on the safe side, I covered the welded areas on the inside with 3M Marine Fast Cure 5200 Adhesive. I layed 1/2 foam insulation over that. I riveted 1" alum tube to 1 x 1 angle and riveted it in place on top of the foam, and filled in between the tube with 2 more layers of foam, and added 3 layers of foam vertically in front and back. So now there is almost the same amount of foam in there as there was from the factory.

I built a battery box with plywood I had laying around. The bottom and front is 3/4" for strength and screwing the battery trays and battery switch to, and the onboard charger mounted to the front. It was wood glued and screwed and stapled together and will be treated with Helmsman Spar Urethane, though water will not be able to get inside unless the boat is flooded.

I riveted most of the framing together, but I did weld some.

The mid-section floor is also made from 1 x 1 x .065 Alum. tube and 1 x 1 x 1/8" Alum. angle and riveted as well. The other structure is a storage area/seat/extended rear deck that will have a lid that will open forward, and it will have two pedestal bases mounted side by side. The seats can be removed from those bases, and mounted on a front and rear seat post and base once we reach our fishing spot. I welded the seat/storage section together and welded it to the floor, so it can all be removed in one piece. There is one layer of 1/2" foam under the floor framing. There is enough room to add another layer, then install the floor framing, and add 2 more layers of foam between the framing, and then add the carpeted decking.

The last photo shows all the framing I have done so far. I need to do a little more bracing in the front section, and make it all so I can remove the decking from the framing, and the remove the framing from the boat in a few minutes. I haven't worked with aluminum before, but I love it. Most of my welding experience has been with steel and mostly on Harley frames and things like that. All the aluminum in this build so far can be picked up easily with one arthritic hand, haha.

 

[typed by ben]

wow that is going to be one heck of a machine. i love it already :mrgreen:

 

[rscottp]

Really nice work so far, I wish I could weld!

 

[bigwave]

Welcome, very nice layout so far. =D>

 

[DrNip]

Very clean so far. Nice aluminum work.

 

[LouEZ22]

Awesome job so far!

 

[SpecFisher]

Greatt job on both =D> Im still debating if to use carpet on mine or not.

 

[overboard]

Looking GOOD!

 

[bigredxlt]

Looks great. Where have you been buying your aluminum? That front deck looks like it will be rock solid.

 

[coreyprashaw]

Looking forward to this, I am buying one in a few weeks!

 

[DrNip]

FYI, you can buy aluminum cheap at DiscountSteel.com. Shipping is reasonable too. Way better than paying the price hike at Home Depot or somewhere. I just purchase my aluminum from there but picked it up from their Fort Worth facility at no charge.

 

[RLC61]

Thanks everyone.

I buy the aluminum at a Metal Masters here in Lake City, FL. I checked a place online and a couple places in Jacksonville FL, and they were all more expensive than Metal Masters. Lowes and Home Depot have crazy high prices for their aluminum.

The deck is pretty solid now, and will be more solid when the wood decking is on, but I am going to do a little more bracing first.

The carpet in the Landau jon was bought at Lowes. It is the cheap rubber backed outdoor carpet, and glued on with spray can adhesive from Lowes. It held pretty good. We rarely got caught in the rain, but it did ok. I wouldn't use it again. It was great for the two main purposes we installed it for. Noise reducton and heat radiation off the aluminum.

Going to go to Bass Pro tomorrow to pick up a Minn Kota Edge Bow Mount Trolling Motor, so I can make the bracket to hold it to the deck. Then on to the decking in the aft of the boat.

 

[Scott1298]

=D>

 

[RLC61]

Well, I got a little more done today. Cranking Battery Box. Aluminum tube floor riveted in place. Added the blue foam. Made the battery box, the aluminum angle lip, and started the rear decking.

 

[RLC61]

Here is something I did on a program called Home Plan Pro. You can use that program to design just about anything. I took all the measurements of the new boat and drew it in that program, then started designing what I wanted to do.

 

[RLC61]

I finished most of the framing now. Still have to do the top of the seat area in front of the rear bench, and a few little odds and ends.

 

[DrNip]

Very nice. What's your plan for power?

 

[RStewart]

Awesome work. That thing will be sweet when you get it done. Look forward to seeing it finished.

 

[RLC61]

Thanks guys, I love building this thing. I'm gonna miss all the work, when I am out fishing in it, haha.

The boat is rated for 25 hp, so I was planning on a new 25 Merc with T&T and Elec. Start, sometime in the near future. I already have a side console, steering box and cable, to mount in there with the switch panel for bow and stern lights, storage and battery compartment lights, bilge pump, 12V sockets, etc. I have new 45 lb Bow Mount and 45 lb transom mount TM's, so I will still be out on the smaller lakes before I get the outboard.