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Author Topic:   Mercury Tracker 25HP

diad posted 09-14-2012 03:12 PM ET (US)
http://baltimore.craigslist.org/boa/3259006371.html
Does anyone have opinions of a Mercury Tracker 25 on a 13' Whaler? I am not familiar with this engine. Attached is the Craigslist ad.
Thanks in advance!
Tom W Clark posted 09-14-2012 03:44 PM ET (US)
That is just a two cylinder, stroke stroke, Mercury outboard branded as a "Tracker".
It is a very good, lightweight outboard and very suitable for the 13 footer.
jimh posted 09-14-2012 08:21 PM ET (US)
Mercury probably changed the branding of their outboard engines to TRACKER in order to sell the outboard engines at a lower price point than the MERCURY brand outboard engines were selling, and, in this way, they could lay off some of their excess manufacturing capacity which they could not sell through their normal channels onto the TRACKER boat and motor combinations, while, at the same time, having some sort of plausible deniability with their MERCURY dealers to claim they were not under-selling their own dealers with a lower-priced MERCURY-branded outboard engines.
When a manufacturer has excess production capacity and cannot increase sales in their regular direct markets, they often turn to private-label production and offer to supply other brand names with their product, even if at lower prices and lower margins, just to soak up their excess production capacity that would otherwise not be utilized due to poor sales.
Tom W Clark posted 09-15-2012 10:40 AM ET (US)
Jim -- Please tell us how that affects the performance of this motor and its suitability for a 13' Whaler.
sosmerc posted 09-15-2012 12:14 PM ET (US)
I have worked on a number of "Tracker" 25hp engines in the past and they are EXACTLY the same engine as the 25hp Mercury.
The only difference being the color and the Tracker Decal.
This particular 2 stroke 25hp design has been around for a very long time and they have proven to be very durable and powerful. One of my customers has been using his 25hp Merc to push and tow dock floats around as he is the number one provider of dock construction in Mason County, Washington.
He puts many many hours of abuse on his engines. It's too bad that Mercury no longer offers this model, but emission regs have doomed the standard 2 strokes.
boatdryver posted 09-15-2012 01:00 PM ET (US)
I had this engine on the 13 ft Rib dinghy of a recent B. C. power bareboat charter.
Used it every day a lot for two weeks. No complaints whatsoever.
JimL
Lil Whaler Lover posted 09-15-2012 02:40 PM ET (US)
Tracker outboard motors are rebranded engines from Mercury (most years) and OMC in certain years. Tracker is the name used by Bass Pro Shops on their aluminum boats and the powerplants sold with them. The Tracker branded motors originally were only sold in package deals and were not available for motor only sales.
Same deal today with Tohatsu/Nissan building small engines for Mercury and Evinrude. Johnson bought alot of rebranded Suzuki 4-strokes.
jimh, do not hang this on Mercury, they simply won a competitive bid Tracker far more often that OMC.
poker13 posted 09-15-2012 05:46 PM ET (US)
I believe they were branded "Tracker" as a marketing gimmick when they sold them as a package with Tracker aluminum fishing boats.
A2J15Sport posted 09-16-2012 12:21 AM ET (US)
100% mechanically identical to their regular market counterparts.
Tracker Boats has used: Force, Mercury and OMC products. all were branded as Tracker.
I think the branding had more to do with Johnny Morris' (Owner of Bass Pro Shops) ego more than Mercury, or the rest, dumping enines.
Tracker boats now feature Mercury products exclusively. However, they are badged as Mercury and MerCruiser.
jimh posted 09-16-2012 08:52 AM ET (US)
Tom aks me:

quote:
Jim -- Please tell us how that affects the performance of this motor and its suitability for a 13' Whaler.
Tom--This discussion is in THE GAM. It is not in PERFORMANCE. The inquirer was not "familiar with" TRACKER engines. I gave him the background on TRACKER engines and explained the topic of private label branding that you introduced.
jimh posted 09-16-2012 08:58 AM ET (US)
Many thank to Lil Whaler Lover for the information that in some years the engines branded as TRACKER were actually originally manufactured by OMC.
As a general rule, I would suggest that a TRACKER engine, or any other private label branded engine, is probably considered as something a bit odd, something of a red-headed stepchild, and not as desirable as the OEM brand such as Mercury. I don't know if the engines are truly identical, but probably most of the major components are the same. To replace a new water pump or some part like that, you can bolt on a Mercury part. Replacement TRACKER decal for the engine cowling might be hard to find.
sosmerc posted 09-16-2012 11:36 AM ET (US)
It would only be difficult to replace the Tracker decals because they are now NLA.....no longer available.
diad posted 09-16-2012 01:10 PM ET (US)
Do you think the Tracker 25 on a 93 13' Sport pull a skier?
Tom W Clark posted 09-16-2012 01:20 PM ET (US)
Yes, but not a very big one.
Binkster posted 09-16-2012 01:29 PM ET (US)
Tracker is just a brand association deal between Tracker boats and Mercury. There are no differences. It might be good to find a used Merc/Tracker as Tracker boats are for the most part used in fresh water.
brisboats posted 09-17-2012 09:05 AM ET (US)
Hmmm...lots of OMC engines were branded as "tracker" too. The 25hp mercury 2 cylinder is a goodmotor. Check to see if switchbox has been replaced.
B
diad posted 09-19-2012 06:55 PM ET (US)
I went with the Whaler with the Tracker 25HP. Just brought it home. Can't wait to try it on the water. The control box was just replaced. I assume that's what you mean by switch box. Thanks for all of the answers to my questions!
diad posted 09-19-2012 07:32 PM ET (US)
Guys,
What should my fuel/oil mix ratio be on a 1993 Tracker 25HP?
Thanks,
Lil Whaler Lover posted 09-19-2012 08:57 PM ET (US)
50 to 1, or a pint to 6 gallons.

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Author	Topic: Mercury Tracker 25HP
diad	posted 09-14-2012 03:12 PM ET (US) http://baltimore.craigslist.org/boa/3259006371.html Does anyone have opinions of a Mercury Tracker 25 on a 13' Whaler? I am not familiar with this engine. Attached is the Craigslist ad. Thanks in advance!
Tom W Clark	posted 09-14-2012 03:44 PM ET (US) That is just a two cylinder, stroke stroke, Mercury outboard branded as a "Tracker". It is a very good, lightweight outboard and very suitable for the 13 footer.
jimh	posted 09-14-2012 08:21 PM ET (US) Mercury probably changed the branding of their outboard engines to TRACKER in order to sell the outboard engines at a lower price point than the MERCURY brand outboard engines were selling, and, in this way, they could lay off some of their excess manufacturing capacity which they could not sell through their normal channels onto the TRACKER boat and motor combinations, while, at the same time, having some sort of plausible deniability with their MERCURY dealers to claim they were not under-selling their own dealers with a lower-priced MERCURY-branded outboard engines. When a manufacturer has excess production capacity and cannot increase sales in their regular direct markets, they often turn to private-label production and offer to supply other brand names with their product, even if at lower prices and lower margins, just to soak up their excess production capacity that would otherwise not be utilized due to poor sales.
Tom W Clark	posted 09-15-2012 10:40 AM ET (US) Jim -- Please tell us how that affects the performance of this motor and its suitability for a 13' Whaler.
sosmerc	posted 09-15-2012 12:14 PM ET (US) I have worked on a number of "Tracker" 25hp engines in the past and they are EXACTLY the same engine as the 25hp Mercury. The only difference being the color and the Tracker Decal. This particular 2 stroke 25hp design has been around for a very long time and they have proven to be very durable and powerful. One of my customers has been using his 25hp Merc to push and tow dock floats around as he is the number one provider of dock construction in Mason County, Washington. He puts many many hours of abuse on his engines. It's too bad that Mercury no longer offers this model, but emission regs have doomed the standard 2 strokes.
boatdryver	posted 09-15-2012 01:00 PM ET (US) I had this engine on the 13 ft Rib dinghy of a recent B. C. power bareboat charter. Used it every day a lot for two weeks. No complaints whatsoever. JimL
Lil Whaler Lover	posted 09-15-2012 02:40 PM ET (US) Tracker outboard motors are rebranded engines from Mercury (most years) and OMC in certain years. Tracker is the name used by Bass Pro Shops on their aluminum boats and the powerplants sold with them. The Tracker branded motors originally were only sold in package deals and were not available for motor only sales. Same deal today with Tohatsu/Nissan building small engines for Mercury and Evinrude. Johnson bought alot of rebranded Suzuki 4-strokes. jimh, do not hang this on Mercury, they simply won a competitive bid Tracker far more often that OMC.
poker13	posted 09-15-2012 05:46 PM ET (US) I believe they were branded "Tracker" as a marketing gimmick when they sold them as a package with Tracker aluminum fishing boats.
A2J15Sport	posted 09-16-2012 12:21 AM ET (US) 100% mechanically identical to their regular market counterparts. Tracker Boats has used: Force, Mercury and OMC products. all were branded as Tracker. I think the branding had more to do with Johnny Morris' (Owner of Bass Pro Shops) ego more than Mercury, or the rest, dumping enines. Tracker boats now feature Mercury products exclusively. However, they are badged as Mercury and MerCruiser.
jimh	posted 09-16-2012 08:52 AM ET (US) Tom aks me: quote: Jim -- Please tell us how that affects the performance of this motor and its suitability for a 13' Whaler. Tom--This discussion is in THE GAM. It is not in PERFORMANCE. The inquirer was not "familiar with" TRACKER engines. I gave him the background on TRACKER engines and explained the topic of private label branding that you introduced.
jimh	posted 09-16-2012 08:58 AM ET (US) Many thank to Lil Whaler Lover for the information that in some years the engines branded as TRACKER were actually originally manufactured by OMC. As a general rule, I would suggest that a TRACKER engine, or any other private label branded engine, is probably considered as something a bit odd, something of a red-headed stepchild, and not as desirable as the OEM brand such as Mercury. I don't know if the engines are truly identical, but probably most of the major components are the same. To replace a new water pump or some part like that, you can bolt on a Mercury part. Replacement TRACKER decal for the engine cowling might be hard to find.
sosmerc	posted 09-16-2012 11:36 AM ET (US) It would only be difficult to replace the Tracker decals because they are now NLA.....no longer available.
diad	posted 09-16-2012 01:10 PM ET (US) Do you think the Tracker 25 on a 93 13' Sport pull a skier?
Tom W Clark	posted 09-16-2012 01:20 PM ET (US) Yes, but not a very big one.
Binkster	posted 09-16-2012 01:29 PM ET (US) Tracker is just a brand association deal between Tracker boats and Mercury. There are no differences. It might be good to find a used Merc/Tracker as Tracker boats are for the most part used in fresh water.
brisboats	posted 09-17-2012 09:05 AM ET (US) Hmmm...lots of OMC engines were branded as "tracker" too. The 25hp mercury 2 cylinder is a goodmotor. Check to see if switchbox has been replaced. B
diad	posted 09-19-2012 06:55 PM ET (US) I went with the Whaler with the Tracker 25HP. Just brought it home. Can't wait to try it on the water. The control box was just replaced. I assume that's what you mean by switch box. Thanks for all of the answers to my questions!
diad	posted 09-19-2012 07:32 PM ET (US) Guys, What should my fuel/oil mix ratio be on a 1993 Tracker 25HP? Thanks,
Lil Whaler Lover	posted 09-19-2012 08:57 PM ET (US) 50 to 1, or a pint to 6 gallons.