TRACKER TARGA V-18 WT Review - What the F*CK Were They Thinking?! 

2023 Targa v19 200hp owner here. While I don't disagree there are a few things I'd like to do differently if I was designing the Targa, luckily, they are all little things that I can do. Cutting a little window screening in a circle and then buying some stainless steel round vents the proper size to cover your chipmunk holes is a solution I will use to also keep mud-dobbers and wasps out of it as well. It's something I had to do on RV's I've owned as well. Cheap solution. Your spare bucket is to put the other bucket inside when you go buy live bait somewhere. Come to the boat and take the bait bucket with vent holes out, the water stays in the white bucket (no cross contamination) and you put the bait bucket in the live well. Throw the water out and store the white bucket. Your "flooding" Compartment in your center rod storage, buy a dry bag that fits it and put your first aid kit, a couple beach towels or whatever you want in it that you won't be using very often. Same for your flooding glove boxes. Newer design on my 2023 and don't have that issue but I do have a couple waterproof boxes that I keep my registration papers, insurance papers, fishing licenses, electronics cords for charging, etc. in and store in the glove box. As far as the fishfinders space, a ram 12" arm mount would let you mount a larger fishfinder right behind the 7 inch one. I know because I have a 106sv garmin and a 93sv garmin on my dash exactly like I'm talking about, one above the other and I can still see over the top out the windshield. Mounting the ram arm on the backside of the instrument panel is also an option. With the long 12" arm it gives you alot of flexibility of placement and angles to the drivers seat. They've upgrade the magnets in the doors on the bow storage compartments and they are very strong now. maybe you could get some of the new ones and install. Hope you are still enjoying your boat as much as I am enjoying mine. For the money, I'm thrilled with mine. A few DYI upgrades, a few things I needed to redesign and fix, a few screws tightened and I've got my dream/retirement boat that I get to use now when I can and will use most days in a few years when I retire. Hope some of my suggestions help on any of the problems you're still facing.

Being a boat owner, we need more people posting videos of their boat, showing what they like and don't like. I bought a Lowe FS 1700 and while I love the boat there are a couple things I don't like which is causing me to start considering my next boat. Tracker wasn't even on my radar until I saw this video. Thank you for your posting.

This is a great review. I bought my 2023 Targa V 18 about 18 months ago. The boat itself is super solid and love the layout. I bought every package they offered. Bimini top, tow package for a tuber, and a 9.9 kicker mother installed. With that being said my boat has been in the shop 7 different times for issues (currently has been in the shop for 3 weeks and probably 3 more). Multiple charging issues, they replaced the batteries a couple of times for bad cells and then finally all batteries were dead except deep cycle. Took it to the shop again and they had to pull all decking out and found that they had never hooked up the actual wires to either of the back batteries. They rubber trim around the outer edge of boat shrunk 10 inches, woven mat/carpet in the front is being replaced now. Love the boat but not impressed with all the issues I have had for buying a brand new boat.

The absolute best review ever. Honest, to the point, and comical.

Looking at getting a 2023/24 Targa

Great walk through. Just bought one and this was very helpful.

Very good info. Had noticed the same thing about water getting in everywhere when I looked at a v-18 at the dealer in their parking lot. Was wet in a bunch of the compartments that I thought would be dry. Did like the overall size though, seemed like a relatively solid boat minus the quirks.

I have a 2018 targa 18. Love the boat. My glove box is a different design and never has water been an issue in the glove box. One thing I do like in your boat compared to mine is the rear storage. Mine has a 48 gallon rear live well. It's the entire width of the back of the boat. I would much prefer a smaller live well with more dry storage. Thanks for the review, cheers

Great review man! I have a tracker 2072 and am very happy with it.

I have the same boat with same motor but 2022 model year and I bought it 9 months before you posted the video). Mine is red, and I got the combo version (since I am a family man ha ha). They fixed some of the issues you are talking about. Others not so much. They put the battery charging outlet on the outside. Which I love! They also changed up the glove box a little bit. There are now two glove compartments, one above and one below it. I want to upgrade my trolling motor as well. But I think instead of changing the motor you can buy the iPilot Bluetooth upgrade kit so you can get the spot lock. I'll eventually upgrade the fish finder at the helm or I will just put one at the bow. I'm not a serious enough fisherman that I need the best electronics that money can buy. I take pride in the ability to find fish just by looking at the environment and learning a new body of water over time since I'm not tournament fishing and hitting new bodies of water all the time. Worst case I have no shame and I'm willing to ask locals the best places to fish on new lakes and ask them to give me some GPS coordinates to try out. Great video my friend.

Nice review. I also had a lot of WTF moments when I took delivery of my 2021 V-19.

I prefer the dash layout of my 2017 V18 WT. I don't like the full width rear livewell so I capped off the water intake pipe to prevent water getting into the livewell giving me a huge dry storage box for tackle trays, bump board, tools etc. i also swapped out the 2 bank charger for a 30A-3 bank charger, upgraded to a Motorguide Xi5 and put in two Lowrance HDS Carbon 9's fully networked and an Elite 9Ti standalone at the rear for the person on the Scotty Electric downriggers. I also put a full remote 9.9 Merc Pro Kicker.

Buying one this summer. Good info, on some areas I haven't thkught about.

Looks like a great boat. Love the OBS Truck 👍🏾

I wonder if seals could be added to the compartments to make them waterproof? Ram mounts can help with the screen size issue some.

I have a 20 targa 19, I would say I learned to cover it at all times when not using it. Water gets into places you don't want. I have mine completely outfitted for salmon fishing just no kicker and it's been trusty trolling with the 200hp and ultrex for past two years.

Wicked boat! Great walk through

Love that you call everything for what it is.

Great video, comic relief too, great job

The spare bucket is used with the minnow basket when purchasing bait

Hows this boat held up? Looking at maybe getting the same one. And how do those Compartments all get so much water in them?

I have a 2011 Targa WT 18, have over 1000 hours on the motor and it has been a fantastic boat. Did have to upgrade the trolling motor to A Terova 80lbs thrust, and upgraded teh fish finders. The trailer only came with a single axle in 2011, that is the only issue I have. As heavy as the boat is it should have had a double axle trailer.

Great honest review. Like the Hamm’s sweatshirt.

Nice review. Would have liked to see how the front is with the seat up there for bass fishing. Looks a little cramped.

I’m going to order one of these with the 200 hp. If you ordered yours again would you get the 9.9 kicker mtr?

Commenting as i watch your video. Again think things through, the large storage container for tackle does not lock, unfortunate, but its because the standard locking mechanism has a swing arm to lock it, if you place the standard plano boxes on end in that storage area and they shift at all during transport or on the water the plano boxes will block the latch from opening. Beore you complain, think about why

So with you on the WTF Tracker. The fit and finish on the tracker sucks. I chased them for 18 months with gauge failures, trailer issues and miscellaneous annoying issues. But the hull and handling and motor are awesome. I have the V20 which is an awesome big water boat.

Who the heck told you that other u bolt is to secure a kicker!!! When you put a kicker on it covers the vertical eye that you referred to as the boat tie down, the one you referred to as a secure point for the kicker is now the boat tie down, older targas need to install this if they put on a kicker as there is no tie down point after the kicker is installed. Please explain how you would secure a kicker with that eyelet

I wish the boat would have overboard drainage, looks like it all goes to the bilge. I do wish also a lot of those compartments would have gaskets on them to help keep water out.

the storage tray under the middle rod locker, I drilled a couple of drain holes in mine. What the F Tracker lol.

Nice boat I have the older model WT 18. The boat is rock solid

So the horizontal tie down is there incase you have the kicker motor but not to secure it. The kicker mounting bracket will cover the vertical tie down.

OMG! Best review EVER!

I had owned a 2019 Targa 18 WT. Tracker has a long way to go for making Tracker boats worth the purchase. Mine spent more time in the shop than having it available for fishing. If anybody doesn't want problems,might be better off buying the aluminum Ranger,which is a better built boat from the same company. Tracker/Ranger same company. Buy the Ranger.

3 things i noticed the fuel fill is on the right side all truck fill on the left side also fiquring out cover is hard...also no spare tire

Great video!

As soon as you said cold weather you lost me . I'm in Florida. Lol. Nice rig.

The compartment in the rod locker, drill a hole in it!!!

What is the break system of the trailer?

Awsome boat. Only thing that could make it better is if the motor was an Evenrude. Mercury would be my second choice. I own a mercury. I cant offord the Evenrude 🤣🤣

Thanks for the review. Now I know not to ever get one. A 6'3" 'rod locker' is inexcusable. So are storage compartment that fill up with water. Jesus, if they're not going to have them seal good, at least put drains in them, FFS!!

I just got a 2023 v19. And they have my kicker on the other one. 🤷🏼‍♂️

I m have v19 TM. With 200pro xs. Good boats. For the money I’m happy. My friend get lund impac with 150 hp single axle trailer for much more money.

BEAUTIFUL ❤

I own a 19 I drilled two drains in the glovebox fixed that

i bought a new pro v 16😂😂 they advertise their innovative flotation in the hull😂😂😂😂 when i had to lift the deck to fix a electrical short in trolling motor i was blown away😂😂😂 the innovative flotation in the hull they boast about was broken up pieces of stryafoam sheeting😂😂😂😂😂 cramed into spaces in the hull😂😂😂😂😂😂 pretty innovative tracker😆😆😆😆

Entertaining and informative. 😂😂😂😂

That ladder would be harder to reach up and unlatch than just grabbing the side of the boat.

How shallow will it run

Sure hope Tracker has changed the way they build boats and treat customers, had a 18ft WT purchased brand new, biggest pile of garbage ive ever owned, dealer and Tracker fixed nothing, typically it came back with more issues after it would go in for warranty work, hope they have changed the business model.

What the top speed?

The consensus here in Michigan is Tracker is a terrible manufacturer of aluminum boats.

Those pushlights suck. If you bump them in the daylight you'll end up draining your battery and ruin your next fishing trip. Don't ask me how i know about that.

👍👍👍👍👍👍

My review of your review, brutal at best, awfully glad you are so impressed with the cup holders! Yes the cubby in the rod locker holds water but ya know, drill a hole!!! Yes the upper glove box gets water in it when it rains or you leave it outside with the the rodents. The fish finder is entry level junk as is that crap underpowered trolling motor that isn't strong enough in anything past a 20 mph wind and it has no spot lock or gps and the prop comes out of the water in anything more than 2 foot waves. Now real stuff thats a problem, the factory crank jack needs ti be replaced immediately as its far under strenghted for that boat, the winch stand needs a brace as they tend ti break off when hit by the boat. However, i am sure that all the other office type people buying their first boat may have gotten something of value from your review, for example the cup holders

First off if youre happy with the hook fish finder you sir are not much of a fisherman, one of the main things to complain about is the fish finder as it's junk, get a ram mount, you can easily fit a 13” screen there

holy crap the motor looks bigger than the boat!!!!

You need to trademark "What the FU"!!! Killed me every time! lol! The worst thing about that boat: 6'3" bow rod storage? UGH!!! Useless unless all you do is vertical jig.

Who the hell uses rods that short. 6’3” WTF

The real question is what was Tim Hortons thinking

Thank you bro!!! But my problem is, firs i buy then i look for reviews!)

Awesome video - Comical too .. You drink Hamms Beer - WTF !

Very nice boat 🚤

Have you ever thought about washing your boat ?

Not enough drink holders, designer must not know I'm an alcoholic. Too many drink holders designer must be an alcoholic.

L should of had 250

Nice review, from mn here as well

Their are some engineers that need to be fired.

The designer is an "alcoholic"? lol

You could have washed it first !

Carp Tracker 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Guess I’m never buying that thing! Tracker what the fu?

WTF🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Too much carpet for my taste.

iv experisnced 3 new tracker crap made boats😂😂😂

I’m just saying. For a new boat. It seems u don’t take very good care of it. Filthy

All these boats just like ranger boats they dont give room for.these monster fishfinders, ram mounts is what everyone uses

Put a 40,k boat in your back yard😂

those locks will keep 3 year olds out. don't leave your wallet in those.

Kicker motor😂

The targa and all tracker boats seem like clown boats to me. The layout just doesnt make sense and the fit and finish is atrocious. And then they have their packages that you can't change. Like who the hell wants a non-spotlock trolling motor these days? Tracker boats are for families that take their boat out twice a year and fish for maybe 1 hour on that trip with bobbers and worms.

I think that tracker pulls the wool over buyers eyes because there warrenty coverage is wishy washy at best u spend this money on ur dream boat and they like other boat manufacturers jack us around im ashamed of the problems i see and hear about

Great video!!