Got my new boat!!!

I finally after 2 years of looking found the boat for me. Its kinda funny though cause its the first one i looked at 2 years ago, but i kept second guessing myself instead of going with my gut instinct. Its a 2009 Tracker Pro Team 170 TX with the 50hp Merc. I took it out Sat for a test drive and i love it!!! It is so smooth even with some chop from the 15mph winds. Very easy to drive and operate. Sorry i dont have any pic yet or i would post them. I will work on that soon. I have a question though. How shallow of water will this boat idle through? I got kinda scared to go any shallower than 3ft Saturday with the big motor just idling along. And when im trimming the motor up to go through more shallow water, how do i know if im trimming up too much? I dont want to be sucking air instead of water.

I'm not sure on the depth of water you could go through, but while trimming the engine, my guess would be as long as the water intake is below the water you should be fine while idling (I don't do it so I don't know for sure). I always use my trolling motor for going through real shallow water. Make sure you have something onboard to push with incase you get stuck going through the skinny water.

Like Andy said, I always use the trolling motor if I run up on some shallow water, only time I run the big motor while idling out of a cove or flat is if I know I am in at least 5+ feet of water...and even then i'm watching very carfully. Even if you are idling, you never know when there may be a stump, or a huge rock sticking up another 2ft that your prop could whack.

Bubba said:

Like Andy said, I always use the trolling motor if I run up on some shallow water, only time I run the big motor while idling out of a cove or flat is if I know I am in at least 5+ feet of water...and even then i'm watching very carfully. Even if you are idling, you never know when there may be a stump, or a huge rock sticking up another 2ft that your prop could whack.

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Thats true maybe i will stick to 5ft or deaper water with the big motor and troll through anything shallower than that. I do need to get an oar, i thought about that after having to pull a guy in that same day who ran out of gas. He was trying to paddle his way in to the ramp but in wasnt working because of the wind.

Wheres the pics?! LoL

ilinimud said:

Wheres the pics?! LoL

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Still got to get the wife to download the pics to the computer at home. I dont know how cause i have never done it before. I will try to get her to do it tonight. My wife just laughs at me cause i go into the garage at least 3 times a day to look at the boat wishing it was the weekend already so i can go out again. Cant wait till this summer cause i am an Athletic Trainer at a high school and i get 3 monts off in the summer.

I have know real comments on the issuses you are asking about.Other than (aleast in my area)stumps,rocks,shoals can be in whatever depth water.Your boat should idle around fine in 2-3 feet of water as long as there isn't any obstructions.Some newer outboards have a water pressure gauge so you can see the psi,if not as long as it's pumping water it should be fine,someone please correct me if I'm mistaking.
I just wanted to say nice boat,hope you get lots of enjoyment out of it.

You could probably go to 14 to 16 inches of water.Just need to know the underwater contour,trim up the motor,and keep it throttled down.If you want to get shallow.Mount a 9.9HP tiller steer kicker motor on a moveable jack plate.Just keep the motors water intake submerged.

Measure from your transducer down to the bottom most part of the lower unit when trimmed to where you would have it in shallow water. Add a few inches. That is your safe zone on the depthfinder. You can measure from the waterline down, but since you have no way of knowing what the distance from the waterline is from in the boat, I go with my sonar number. Although, if you see the condition of my prop, or the skinny water I run through (sometimes too skinny - which is evident by the condition of my prop) you might add a few more inches to your depthfinder reading than I.

I think alot of people get into trouble when they think they are in deep enough water and crack onto it,especially with bigger outboards.

Zum said:

I think alot of people get into trouble when they think they are in deep enough water and crack onto it,especially with bigger outboards.

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Yeah you certainly dont want to hammer down in shallow water, that makes the back end dip down deeper. So if im idling thru 4 to 5 ft water and bump a stump will it damage the prop or do you have to be going a little faster than idle? I have an aluminum prop

Congrats on the boat. I had a PT 175 and had a ball with it. The are good boats. Good luck with it and can't wait to see pictures.

CWCW said:

Zum said:

I think alot of people get into trouble when they think they are in deep enough water and crack onto it,especially with bigger outboards.

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Yeah you certainly dont want to hammer down in shallow water, that makes the back end dip down deeper. So if im idling thru 4 to 5 ft water and bump a stump will it damage the prop or do you have to be going a little faster than idle? I have an aluminum prop

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If your in any depth water and hit your aluminum prop.,theres a good chance it's going to mess it up a bit.