AJ B

Hi I just wanted to complete this thread and thank you for your advice and helping me out. I had the boat out twice, once to fish, and it is solid. Motor runs great, oil smells mostly new but I think it's break-in oil so I'll change that soon. I got a new prop (same one) and put it on so now I have a spare in the boat (the original one had a very slight ding, no dent or bend on two blades but I wanted a spare anyway). Got a spare tire and rack mounted. Inspected the hub bearings and greased. Ordered the motor manual from Mercury (original seller couldn't find any of the manuals but she ordered me the tracker one which is about useless from a technical standpoint). The on board charger didn't light up last night but cleaning and reconnecting the terminals fixed that. I'm headed to autozone to get a fuse kit to put in my on board tool kit (deep sockets for hubs, spare and prop, soft case, and extendable ratchet, etc, all about $50; thank you Harbor Freight). Second trip out (first time fishing), for the first time in my life, I forgot to put in the you know what... In the old days I used to put the plug in before I left the house, but I found out here in Nevada you can't be on the road with the plug in because of stowaway creatures, so there went my habit pattern. Sure enough, after I unloaded the boat in the lake, docked it, and parked the trailer, I got back to the dock to hear my son say "what's all this?" Water was just seeping onto the mid deck. I got the bilge on and was able to reach my arm into the water to insert the plug. D@$&it ! Thank goodness the parking area was right there at the ramp. I thought you would get a kick out of that story. I know my son did. Finally, the boat catches fish. Nice Smallmouth on Lake Mohave. Hopefully the pictures make it here. Thanks again.

Thanks that's certainly something to think about that I hadn't.

Thanks OSOK. That is good info. Yep everything is in there that should be. The deck is solid. I used the muffs in her driveway--the hose attachment on the motor just doesn't give me enough feedback. I got the up and down lube and grease for the hubs, and a spare trailer tire/wheel. I'm going to do a full service on it--I doubt it was done due to the circumstances. There was a good old-timer working at BPS that spent a lot of time with me going over the maintenance on these boats/engines (my last boat was old) and some other tips. He was very helpful, I'm glad I can do the service myself. He told me where to go to get some things cheaper. I ordered a spare prop and wrench online. I'll find out about the warranty when I finally get in touch with the Tracker folks to transfer the warranties. BPS gave me the name and number to call but I haven't heard back. I was hoping the FF power would be there in front--thanks. It's a nice boat for sure and certainly the best I ever had (started with a Jon 15hp). Could use a cup holder at the helm tho :-) I'm very glad my front drive Sorento has no problem with it on the roads and ramps. I'm still considering installing trailer brakes just for safety, the axel is equipped for them. I put it on windy lake Meade today for a few hours all speeds, smooth and rough water. Rides way better than my early 90s tracker, and dry too. No leaks and that engine is quiet, and fast enough for me for sure. I'm going to fish out of it as-is for a little while. The trolling motor does the job, but I had one of the first minn Kota autopilots when they came out a long time ago so now I'm spoiled. I'm thinking a terrova 24v would serve me well but that can wait until I have some fishing time in it. Thanks again.

That certainly brings a new aspect to fishing. The side sonar seems to be a big hit. I remember when it first became available. Sure seems like a nice setup and that would probably be helpful here in lake Meade, lake Mohave and the Colorado river. I've never fished these waters. My experience is in Texas and South Carolina. Unfortunately the striped bass that was introduced in lake Meade years ago have decimated the Largemouth and trout populations here from what I've heard. I intend to get something along the lines of an Elite. This boat just has the 4x on it which I was going to mount on the bow. First I'll go fishing with it on the helm before upgrading just to see what I don't see. Looks like the elite requires the 300$ transducer for all its capability.

That looks great. Yes I've been looking at the lowrance website and I'm familiar. I'm a gadget guy so it's just a matter of time. Im not a huge fan of the seat posts though. Unlike my previous tracker from years ago this one has those 2 3/8 inch click posts instead of the regular peg. Minor thing tho. Can't wait to go fishing again.

Thanks for all the help fellas. I wasn't able to put it in the water due to wind and rain at lake Meade here in Vegas. But I put it thru the ringer in her driveway. Started up in 2 seconds with good water stream out the back. Lower unit oil was pure. I added 12 gallons of fuel and the Star Tron. Got a spare tire for the trailer and all the fluids to change from bass pro plus hub grease (Checked the hub temps after a 14 mile tow (84 degrees). My Kia Sorento does just fine with it. Works harder on the hill tho. It was towed all the way from Texas but the tires look pretty new (radials on trackers now thank goodness). There's not a scratch or stain on it anywhere. Even the carpet smells new. Paperwork shows it was bought 6 months ago for 19k with tax and the poor guy died 4 months ago--so sad. I paid 13 for it including the custom cover she got for the towing from Texas. She didn't have any serious buyers. Now I just have to deal with the warranty transfer and the DMV etc but I'm very happy and glad the angst is over (as long as she floats of course).

Thanks A-Jay. I did that. No service records or warranty claims. That is good advice. As far as the motor--it's way more than the last one I had (40 2s) on a similar size boat so I'm sure I won't be surprised or disappointed. I'll find out on Friday I hope.

Ok thanks I'll pick up a bottle of that. I'll also call my insurance company to make sure the towing is covered. I'm going to float it on Friday and update. Hope my little Kia Sorento is up to the task. I'm assuming it uses a 2 inch ball? Thanks again.

Thank you that is a good idea to do the precheck in the driveway. She doesn't have the owners manual. It's been 15 years since I owned a boat like that so that should help get the rust off before going to the lake. I'll pick up some earmuffs. I should probably drain an ounce or so from the lower unit before the start to make sure no contamination. I can't imagine anything would be wrong under its current warranty but who knows. The gas may be 3-4 months old. I'll top off the tank to get some fresh sruff in there. I better refresh my memory on boat launching...

Hello everyone. I need a little help. I found a 2017 175 TF locally. It was purchased in August 2016 and is now for sale. I think the price is decent (about 13k). All original with cover and 60 Merc. Checked it out and I don't see a mark on it. Before I lay down the dough I asked the current owner if we could put it in the water to make sure everything is operational (and it doesn't sink). She doesn't know anything about boats (it was her late husband's boat), nor does she know how to operate one. Anyway, other than starting the motor and checking the bilge/pumps, what else do you recommend I look at closely? It has sat for a bit, and I haven't owned a boat for about 15 years, so as they say, 'you don't know the things that you don't know.' I have read other posts here on the topic of things to check, but I was specifically wondering if there is anything specific to the Tracker I should be concerned about, and to freshen the topic. Thanks in advance! On a side note, the warranty is transferable. I inquired with Tracker and I would be required to submit the boat to a dealer for inspection (1-200$) and then apply for the warranty transfer with Tracker (another 100$). The local dealer (Bass Pro Shops) has a 3 week waiting period/backlog. No appointments, drop off the boat and wait 3 weeks. Plus, the transfer has to take place within 30 days of my purchase. Ugh. It would be nice if I could just get them to inspect the boat before I purchase it, but no dice. I only mention this in case anyone is wondering about the process. There wasn't much info on the 'net about it.