Tracker 15 Jon Boats For Sale

The Tracker 15, sold as the Topper 1542 and now part of the welded Grizzly line, is a flat-bottom aluminum jon boat measuring 15 feet long with a 42-inch floor. It carries a dry weight of just 190 pounds, light enough to launch and rig easily, and the 42-inch beam at the floor gives noticeably more stability than the narrower 36-inch models while staying a step below the steadier 48-inch hulls. The current generation is welded rather than riveted, set up much like the older riveted toppers, and offered in a camo paint pattern for roughly $500 over the standard finish. It fishes two adults well without feeling cramped once you keep your weight toward the centerline.

Power comes from a 20-horsepower outboard, and the numbers back up the boat's reputation for being quick for its size. A 20-horsepower Suzuki runs 20 to 23 mph with two adults aboard and gets the hull on plane reliably, firing on the first pull. A 20-horsepower Mercury on a similarly rigged boat reaches the high 20s, close to 30 mph. Because the hull is so light and the motor weighs nearly as much as the boat itself, weight distribution matters: moving the battery forward, or adding a bow-mounted trolling motor, helps balance the rig and settle the ride.

The deck layout centers on the Versatrack mounting system, a track that runs the gunnels so nav lights, cup holders, rod holders, a fish finder and even a bimini top can be attached, removed or relocated. The bow has bench seating with hatches for tackle, life jackets, anchors and tools, plus a pedestal seat post for a 360-degree fishing seat. The rear bench is shaped rather than straight, opening up extra back-deck space for two people to sit, and it leaves room to drop in a hatch and finish off the rear deck. Owners commonly add starboard or PVC flooring over the ribs and reinforce stock fittings.

The 1542 comes stock with a small gravity-fed live well box built into the front bench, with a through-hull fitting in the bottom. The box is compact enough that many owners weld the hole shut and reclaim the space, or fit an access plate to repurpose it for an electrical panel. Foam flotation in the bow and wraparound compartments stops about six inches short of the bottom, which keeps water from soaking into the foam. The welded floor ribs sit only about half an inch tall, low enough to build over from bench to back deck.

Build quality is the main thing to weigh before buying. The aluminum is thin, and cracked welds have been reported on these hulls, though most of those complaints have centered on the smaller 1236 rather than the 14- and 15-foot 42-inch boats. The welds on the 1542 generally look clean, helped along by the camo finish hiding minor imperfections. Tracker has reinforced the bow eyelet behind the bracket and improved the side handles, though quality control can vary, so inspect fittings and welds around the front bench when shopping. The square-nose shape is utilitarian, and the wide-open front area is easy to deck out into a small bass-style layout with storage and a recessed foot-pedal tray.

The broader Grizzly line shares construction features worth knowing: all-welded structure with a full-length longitudinal stringer system, a corner-braced aluminum transom, welded-in foam-filled sidewalls for flotation and sound control, and Tracker's powder-coat paint in standard forest green with grassland or Woodland camo as paid options. For a rugged, lightweight fishing and hunting platform, the Tracker 15 1542 delivers a stable, capable two-person boat that's straightforward to customize.