A friend is in the market for a boat made of the new trilon/aerolite material, and has found an apparent good deal on a 16.5’ Hurricane Tracer. I don’t recall ever seeing these boats mentioned in this forum. Any opinions on them?
Hurricane Tracer
Hi:
Yes, I’ve seen them at my local dealer and they are a sharp looking boat. The new material appears to be quite durable. However, I was advised to wait until the 2005 version. Apparently there are a few “minor” issues on the 2004 with the skeg blade configuration and also stability. I think the rule of new car designs also applies to boats. Let them work out the bugs they find in the first model year, and buy the second model year.
Hope this helps.
DougieJ
Hurricane Tracer
My wife almost bought that model boat. I called and emailed all over the country to get info about it first. I talked to many dealers that were candid with me. As was stated in an earlier reply the boat is being retooled because of handling issues. Also the company is almost impossible to deal with. This is not a boat that we would encourage a friend or family member to buy at this time. Hope this helps.
I tested one
last year…it was a bit too small for me and the bow rode up out of the water…I only weigh 190 pounds. I was not overly impressed with the kayak. but that has to do withit’s size. Maybe it is suited to someoine else.
My wife had the Santee XL and loved it
I know its not the model you are looking at but the material is durable and the boat is light looks like glass or kevlar.
Santee isn’t the same
The Santee is the best boat Hurricane Aquasports makes. Lots of great reviews on this boat but the Tracer has problems. Don’t confuse the two.
Thanks to all for the input.**
nfm
OTOH… SALLY LOVES THE BOAT
Even tho’ I found it a tad small-feeling, and didn’t like it as much as a few others, Sally really liked its handling and speed. Friends of a friend of ours got a pair -his’n hers -a while back and also apparently really liked them. The material, Trylon, is a new thermoformed plastic, I think -similar to the Airelite (sp?) that Perception is using to produce an Eclipse “half-way” between the rotomolded platic version and the glass model, and it’s a handsome boat just like the Tracer is, as far as finish goes.
And one thing Sally REALLY likes -besides the ease of paddling and speed -is the light weight -the 16-1/2 foot Tracer weighs in at 46#. Now that’s not carbon fibre or Kepvlar light, but coming from RM SOTs that come in at 50-60#, for boats that are almost 2 feet shorter is very nice. And the retail numbers at $1400 new aren’t too bad, either.
Actually, she likes it enough that I’m looking for a used one to get her so she can -in a group -more easily keep up, and much more happily
Paddle On!
-Frank in Miami