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Location: Green Bay, WI | Welds break, and rivets can loosen over time. They each have their benefits, and their faults I suppose. I have owned several aluminum boats, and all have been riveted hulls. I have no concerns whatsoever about riveted hulls--I am a licensed aircraft mechanic, and have driven literally thousands of rivets. In general, riveted hulls are easier to repair than welded hulls, especially when you can drill out a driven rivet and install a blind rivet--just like in aircraft. Dab a little touch-up paint on the rivet head, and you are finished. With a welded hull, there's going to be repainting involved, at the very least.
That being said, I have seen the Tracker boats--and they look very nice. But last year when I was in the market for a new aluminum boat, I bought a Lund Tyee. Simply put, there are thousands of aluminum aircraft out there flying around with riveted hulls; and many of these things get pressurized and de-pressurized on each flight. You simply don't hear of any major issues with the rivets themselves, for the most part. And the stresses due to flight are every bit as significant as running it on the water. Obviously I am biased towards a riveted hull, but there's a good reason for that...
In the end you'll have to ask yourself what you want out of the boat, and how long you intend to keep it. Then you'll simply have to decide what's best for you. But I can tell you that, for me, the Lund offered everything I wanted--though they do cost more than the Tracker, from my experience. But Alumacraft makes a fine hull as well, and I owned one several years ago. But the local dealer I wanted to buy through doesn't carry Alumacraft, so I moved up to a Lund and have never been sorry. But the Lund is substantially more expensive than the Alumacraft--so that might be a consideration for you.
TB
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