V shaped tab on the motor pod?

[dmoriarty51]

I have a 2013 Tracker 20 ft pontoon that I picked up last fall, it seems to be a great boat for us with one exception. On the bottom of the motor pod is this v shaped tab, its VERY good at collecting grass and sticks and such and its pretty annoying. Does it have any other actual purpose? I'm thinking about removing it but wonder about others experiences first.

 

[jbcurt00]

Is the pointed end of that V facing forward, in your pix its hard to tell. But its pointed forward? Like this
<

As seen in your pix.
Correct?

Whatever it collects, it keeps away from your lower unit and prop, doesnt it?

Bet thats what its intended to do.....

Tracker is still in business, might email/call their CustServ department or take a look at the motor pods of 2017 similar sized 'toons...

 

[Scott Danforth]

it also serves as a mount for the depth finder.

 

[dmoriarty51]

Yeah its pointed forward spread at the rear. It does an outstanding job catching things but I have still had it catch enough that the motor stops pumping water and have had cavitation issues because I'm dragging so much grass and twigs with it. I do have an email out to a nearby tracker dealer on it. Just looking for real world experiences with it as opposed to what the designer/engineerthought it should do.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Yeah its pointed forward spread at the rear. It does an outstanding job catching things but I have still had it catch enough that the motor stops pumping water and have had cavitation issues because I'm dragging so much grass and twigs with it. I do have an email out to a nearby tracker dealer on it. Just looking for real world experiences with it as opposed to what the designer/engineerthought it should do.

Maybe you should be in a bit deeper water

 

[BigDfromTN]

I have read about others cutting it off. They were having ventilation problems and cutting it off helped. What I read was that it was put there to stop water from hitting the motor and walking up it then getting under the cowl. I read one report that he cut it off and never got water under the cowling of the engine. I would say its safe to cut it off because of... 1. What I have read before. and 2. Other brands do not do that.

 

[lmuss53]

Cut it so you can get it off in one piece and if you get issues with water coming straight up off the motor and getting in the motor or fuel tanks, have someone weld it back on.

I have heard of issues on newer Trackers where they have had water coming up off the engine and causing issues getting under engine cowling and or getting in fuel tanks. so if you cut it off, watch for those things. There was a poster here with a new boat that had to have a head put on because of water that infiltrated the engine somehow. That was a 2015 or 2016 Tracker with virtually no hours. Tracker is now trying to say the water infiltration is his fault.

Have you considered maybe cutting it at an angle from the front down to take the stuff catching hook off it but leave some water diverting angle. I'm saying cut it in a straight line on both sides from the lower rear corner to the point.

 

[dmoriarty51]

Maybe you should be in a bit deeper water

This is open channel in the upper Mississippi River 20+ ft of water, sometimes we get alot of floating grass particularly after high water. When we do they lift the rollers on the dam and send it on through to the next pool. I prefer to avoid the grass but sometimes to get home you have no choice. Its a lousy fact of life here sometimes.

Looking more and more like I will be removing it I think. Not sure how water hitting the leg would send it straight up to the cowl, I believe there is a plate on the back of the leg that should deflect it before it gets that high. Still waiting to see if the folks from Tracker have an input, no hurry though the weather up here is still pretty lousy.

 

[Merc40hp]

I have the same brand / make pontoon and it was very annoying having to stop and clean this little"Skeg" every so often, so I cut it as shown below and I have not had any problem since.

 

[lmuss53]

That is what I was trying to describe. I think that could be a good compromise.

 

[dmoriarty51]

I think that may be the first step.

Local dealer response was that Tracker does not recommend removal. He suggested I lower the motor down.... I see where he is coming from if someone had raised it way up and its legitimately out of the water at speed. I think he missed what I was trying to explain. The motor is nearly bottomed on the bracket as it sits and that is the ONLY spot a motor has been mounted on this thing, it is a factory package from Bass Pro. I am 2nd owner, PO was on a small no wake lake with it so I'm guessing they never had this issue.

 

[dmoriarty51]

Dealer gave me the phone number for Tracker, as he was not able to tell me to do something that may violate my warranty. So I gave them a call directly and was told it should not be removed completely but can be cut at an angle as described above. More stuff to do Saturday... New impeller, depth finder, water pressure gauge, find the short in the trailer lights, and now cut and file some aluminum... eace: