I am considering buying a 2004 Tracker Targa boat with a 2004 Tracker by Mercury 75HP engine. The engine has a fairly large "chip" out of the leading edge of the skeg (the very bottom of the lower unit). Can a skeg be repaired or replaced or does the whole lower unit need to be replaced in this situation? Also any comments or education on a 2004 Tracker by Mercury engine?

Thanks in advance....muskieman.

Most of the shops I know in my area have an aluminum welder guy who comes around once a week and fixes them.

The motor is a mercury, no difference, just the stickers.

the skeg CAN be fixed. It's an easy thing to do.

Isn't it true that the Force engines were by Mercury and from what I have heard the Force engines did not have the reliability or resale value as that of a regular Mercury. I am wondering if it might be something similar with the Tracker motors by Mercury?
Muskieman

force/mercury vs. tracker/mercury

are two completely different animals.

2004 will only be a merc, no forces since '99.

I think Steve may have pretty much answered it in that Force/Mercury is not the same as Tracker/Mercury but that does not tell me if a 2004 75HP Tracker by Mercury is the exact same motor in every single way as a 2004 75 HP Mercury. For the others who are tying to comment I appreciate the help but I am not sure if I am making myself clear enough.

I know that Force/Mercury is not the same as Tracker/Mercury and that the current Tracker Mercury's are not Force's. There was a big difference between a Force and a true Mercury when they were selling Force's made by Mercury. I repeat, I know the motor I am considering buying is not a Force, it is a Tracker by Mercury. But in the same way a Force was/is percieved as a lower quality Mercury, is it the same for the Tracker by Mercury and a "real" Mercury? Maybe there are less features on the Tracker by Mercury versus a Mercury. Maybe there is a shorter warranty. Maybe some of the components in a 75 HP Tracker by Mercury are different and of lower quality than a regular 75 HP made by Mercury. Maybe they are made at different plants.

Possibly a Tracker motor owner can comment for me. I think they may be the only ones that understand what I am trying to find out.

What I am asking is that because the Force by Mercury seemed to have more reliability problems than the regular Mercury's of the time, will I find that the Tracker by Mercury is less reliable than a true Mercury? Additionally if I see a used boat with a Force motor, I do not even open the electronic ad, I just move on to the next one. To me, having a Force is a deterrent to getting rid of a boat either for reliability history reasons or just because of perception.

I am wondering if anyone can tell me if there are actual differences in the Tracker/Mercury versus a "regular" Mercury like there were with the Force and a "regular" Mercury even though Force was made or should I say marketed by Mercury.

My gut and logic tell me that if the 2004 75 HP Tracker by Mercury and the 2004 75HP Mercury were the exact, and I mean exact same engine in every way, they would have just left it as a Mercury and not named it a Tracker by Mercury.

Thanks for any additional input.

Muskieman

Think about it why tracker sticker is on motor???? What sticker is on boat.......TRACKER........Its just a sticker

The skeg is only there to run into things before your prop gets to them. Sounds like this one was successful. I have seen motors run and steer just fine with no skeg at all.

NOT true my friend. that skeg is there for two reasons.

1)yes, to protect the prop.
2)it's a rudder for high speed turning!!! and stability.

On smaller engines, it may not do much, but it's VERY important!!

okay muskieman.

tracker by mercury is still a MERCURY!!!!!! look at your serial number on the engine bracket. it has a mercury number, all parts are mercury.

if it says mercury, it must be a mercury!!!!!!!!

no difference with any reliability issues at all.

I will say that IMHO, it may not be worth as much on resale value, simply because it says tracker/mercury. i'm sure mercury sells them to tracker a bunch cheaper since tracker is mercury's number 1 dealer.

Thanks Steve. Your answer is very clear and will mostly end the topic for me. But since you have been in the business for some time can you comment on the following:

It is also a fact that Force was made by Mercury (at least for the lasst few years of Force's retail run). Wouldn't you agree that there was a difference between a Force (made by Mercury) and a true Mercury of the same year and horsepower? I believe that there was a vast difference in quality, reliability, and resale value of let's say a 1997 Force 90 and 1997 Mercury 90.

If both models were properly maintained in the same exact fashion there might not have been any difference at all in reliability, but I am quite sure that there is a vast difference in resale/percepsiton value.

If you will agree with this and the fact is that they were both made by Mercury, now my original quesion should make more sense. If your experience tells you that there was no operating difference between a 1997 Force 90 and 1997 Mercury 90 in any way, then that would absolutely support the notion that there is no difference between the true Mercury and a Tracker/Mercury. But I do believe that there was a difference between the same year and HP Force and Mercury, in component quality, manufacture quality, reliability and resale.

I am hoping that you are factually correct in your opinion that a Tracker by Mercury is the same exact thing as a Mercury because I already boought the boat. It very well could be that Tracker buys so many of them from Mercury that they demanded from Mercury to have the Tracker name on the back of the engine, but couldn't it be like the Force/mercury situation. Thanks again.
Muskieman

Years back, Johnson and tracker got together and they were Tracker by Johnson. Bass Pro had contracted at one time with OMC and then later with Mercury to supply outboards for their boats, The reason is that a pre-rigged boat from the factory could be sold cheeper than having the dealer do the installations. Tracker also contracted with Motorguide to build trolling motors for them, but the first units were different as they had plastic foot peddles instead of metal, AND Hummingbird did likewise.......

I just read your Force by Mercury.....In 1988 Mercury was buying Bayliner and Force engines came with the company. At that time, Force was just a repainted Chrysler. As Mercury took over, They replaced the ignitions, t-n-t, some carbs, lower units, with Merc items, but left the blocks, rods, cranks, the same. Therefore the Force by Mercury is NOT the same as a Merc, although some parts interchange.