Captain's Report
Mission Statement
It’s always tough to fix what isn’t broken, so when Tracker Boats decided to update its Pro Team 175 TXW, the manufacturer was smart to not change too much. The pedestal-mounted seats have been re-designed for more comfort, and the hull bottom is finished in Starlight Gray Diamond Coat.
For equipment, a Lowrance Hook-4x color fishfinder and a 21-gal. (79.5 L) aft livewell now come standard, and the boat is packaged with a single-axle trailer.
Features Inspection
The Bow. For a 17’7” (5.4 m) long boat, the Pro Team 175 TXW has a big forward casting deck that measures 32 sq. ft. (9.75 sq.m). The deck is recessed a couple of inches below the gunwales, and throughout the boat, all walking areas are covered in 16-oz. (.45kg) marine grade Midnight Star carpet.
There is a receptacle for one of Tracker’s new “clamshell-styled” folding fishing seats that have contoured, injection molded bases and snap-off seat cushions.
The seat is positioned to make it comfortable to use the foot control for the Minn Kota Edge 12-volt trolling motor that has 45 pounds of thrust and a 45” (1.1 m) shaft. Additionally, to port, there’s a bungee cord to hold down rods during a run between fishing spots.
Bow Storage. Outboard on each side in the bow, twin hatches open lockers that have space for lifejackets, rain gear, tackle boxes, and other equipment. The center locker hatch opens on twin gas struts, and on the underside, there’s a guide for how fishing rods should be stored on the underside. All three lockers are carpeted and have locking latches.
The Cockpit. Stepping down into the Pro Team 175 TXW’s cockpit, the boat comes with two full height bucket seats outboard on each side and a fold-down shorter model in the center. When the backrest is folded forward, it creates a step up to the aft fishing deck. There’s storage in the base of the port and center seats and two cup holders in the deck.
The Helm. To starboard, the one-piece rotomolded helm console is topped by an acrylic windscreen, and it contains a speedometer, tachometer, volt meter, and fuel gauge. With any outboard, we would also like to see a water pressure or temperature instrument.
There’s a cell phone holder in the center of the panel, and accessory switches are split on each side. The Lowrance Hook-4x fishfinder is bracket mounted to starboard, and it has CHIRP sonar, DownScan Imaging, and a 272x480-pixel display.
Aft Casting Deck. Fold forward the backrest for the middle seat, and it’s an easy step up to the aft casting deck. It measures 4’9” (1.4 m) across by 3’2” (.97 m) deep or approximately 14.7 sq. ft. (4.5 sq. m). The area is fully carpeted, and there are tracks for the VersaTrack accessory mounting system on the gunwales.
In the center of the aft casting deck, there’s a socket for mounting one of the two movable fishing seats.
Livewells and Storage. New on the Pro Team 175 TXW, the hatch immediately abaft the cockpit seats opens a 21-gal. (79.5 L) livewell that has a removable partition, rounded corners and 500-gph (1,892 lph) aerator/fill and recirculating pumps. The recirculating pump also has a timer.
Outboard to port and starboard, there are lockers with storage for tackleboxes or other equipment. The hatch just ahead of the splashwell opens to provide access to the batteries two-bank charger and livewell plumbing.
Performance
Revolutionary Ride. The Pro Team 175 TXW rides on Tracker’s Revolution variable-deadrise hull that has 16 degrees of deadrise at the bow and 10 degrees at the transom. The Power-Trac offset transom provides for quicker holeshot and better overall performance.
The Numbers. With two people, 17 gal (64.4 L) of fuel, and test equipment on board, our test boat weighed an estimated 1,778 lbs. (806.5 kg). She was powered by a 60-hp Mercury ELPT four-stroke outboard with a 1.83:1 gear reduction turning a Spitfire 10.1” x 14” four-blade aluminum propeller.
We hit a top speed of 35.2 mph (30.6 knots) at 5900 rpm.
Best cruise came at 4000 rpm where she ran 19.3 mph (16.8 knots) and burned 2.3 gph (8.7 lph). That’s 8.4 mpg (3.57 kpm), which gives the Pro Team 175 TXW a range of 162 statute miles (261 km) with 10 percent of the boat’s 21.5-gallon (81.4-liter) fuel capacity in reserve.
In acceleration tests, the boat planed in 3.7 seconds and ran to 20 mph (17.4 knots) in 5.7 seconds and to 30 mph (26.1 knots) in 9.4 seconds.
Maneuverability. In turns, the Pro Team 175 TXW reacted to quickly to directional changes and carved tight moves in less than two boat lengths. When we widened the arc, she held her line and completed the maneuver cleanly. Running in lake chop and in our photo boat wakes, she delivered a smooth ride and the flared bow kept the deck dry.
Construction. The Pro Team 175 TXW is built with a welded one-piece 5052 marine alloy hull that is .100” (.25 cm) thick and has pressed-in strakes and chines. The all-aluminum box beam transom has corner braces welded in place to unitize and strengthen the hull. Longitudinal stringers are also welded in place for full-length support of the hull. Flotation foam is injected into all hull cavities for added stiffening and flotation.
The hull is finished with Diamond-Coat finish, a baked-on powder coat, and clear coat. The decks are formed with pressure-treated wood that has a lifetime warranty.
Trailer. The Pro Team 175 TXW travels over the road on a custom fit steel trailer that has a powder-coat finish and Galvashield coating. The 13” (33 cm) tires mount on chrome wheels with matching hub covers and they roll on Super Lube hubs. A swing-away tongue saves about 2’ (.61 m) of garage or storage bay space and there’s a tongue jack.
For easier retrieval, the trailer has upright load guides and carpeted bunks, and transom straps secure the boat once it’s in place.
Price
- •$12,375 with a Mercury 9.9 ELPT 4-stroke outboard and single-axle trailer
- •$13,195 with a Mercury 20 ELPT 4-stroke outboard and single-axle trailer
- •$14,195 with a Mercury 25 ELPT 4-stroke outboard and single-axle trailer
- •$14,795 with a Mercury 30 ELPT 4-stroke outboard and single-axle trailer
- •$15,495 with a Mercury 40 ELPT 4-stroke outboard and single-axle trailer
- •$16,195 with a Mercury 50 ELPT 4-stroke outboard and single-axle trailer
- •$16,495 with a Mercury 60 ELPT 4-stroke outboard and single-axle trailer
- •$18,095 with a Mercury 75 ELPT 4-stroke outboard and single-axle trailer
Warranty
- •Five-year Bow-to-Stern Warranty
- •Three-year Warranty on Powder Coat Finish Adhesion
- •Three-year Warranty on Factory Installed Trolling Motor and Fishfinder
- •Limited Lifetime Structural and Deck Warranty
- •Provisions for Transfer to Second Owner
- •One-stop Factory Warranty Solution
- •Full Coverage Throughout the Warranty Period-No Pro Rating
Options to Consider
Observations
The Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW has been the company’s best seller for the past few years, and the manufacturer made some smart additions with our test model.
The new fishing seats, livewell, and fishfinder enhance fish-ability, and the Starlight Gray Diamond Coat finish on the hull bottom improve longevity.
The VersaTrack system lets owners customize the boat with relatively inexpensive accessories. On her custom-matched single-axle trailer, the Pro Team 175 TXW weighs just under 2,200 lbs., which opens up trailering possibilities. For example, a 2017 Subaru Outback has a towing capacity of 2,700 lbs.
Test Result Highlights
- Top speed for the Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW (2017-) is 35.2 mph (56.6 kph), burning 5.3 gallons per hour (gph) or 20.06 liters per hour (lph).
- Best cruise for the Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW (2017-) is 13.1 mph (21.1 kph), and the boat gets 6.9 miles per gallon (mpg) or 2.93 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 133 miles (214.04 kilometers).
- Tested power is 1 x 60-hp Mercury FourStroke ELPT.
Standard and Optional Features
Marine Electronics
| Fishfinder | Standard |
|---|
Systems
| Battery Charger/Converter | Standard |
|---|---|
| Shore Power | Standard |