Mercury SmartCraft Gauges

[fishhuntwork]

I have a 2008 Mercury 115 Four stroke and wondering if I can update the gauges to SmartCraft Gauges? I'm more specifically looking at the one where you can adjust the RPM's for trolling. Anyone have any experience with these? Worth the money?

[sheephead2]

I don't know if the smartcraft would fit your 2008.

But I have a 2012 Mercury and bought a Troll down switch instead of the smartcraft gauges. Troll down switch was $150 and plugs right in with splitter wire harness. You then can get the rpms down to 650

[fishhuntwork]

I guess my motor can be upgraded to the smartcraft gauges at a price tag starting at $1500+! If I could just plug and play and install the switch for $150, thats a little lighter on the pocket book. Do you know who makes the switch? I couldn't find one on the web.

[sheephead2]

Mercury

Your dealer will have to look it up in his catalog.

[BoxMN]

Sheephead do you know what motors that will fit? I guess I can call my dealer too but this is just so easy, haha! Would be cool to have even on my pontoon with 60 if it would fit. I troll a lot.

[sheephead2]

Ya I don't know but I if your motor can use smartcraft gauges I would guess that would work for a troll down switch

It takes a bit to get use to

You have to be running at least 900 Rpms then you can start lowering your Rpms down 50 Rpms at a time all the way down to 650

My boat idles at 800 so at that I am about 2.7 mph at 650 I get down to 2.2 mph

So is it worth maybe but it's cheaper than smartcraft gauges

[AWJDad]

I added a smartcraft tach to a 2007 merc 90hp, basically same motor you have. Very nice upgrade, digital read out on temp, oil pressure, rpm, hours, fuel economy etc. The trollcontrol feature is really nice and allows you not only to lower your rpms a little but you can make very small adjustments to you speed much smoother than the throttle linkage allows. You just need the gauge and the cable the plugs into your motor, very easy to install.

[slammer]

When I bought my boat last summer, salesman said the gauges would not make a lot of difference in trolling speed. Boat is Lund 1800 Tyee/150 Merc 4/stk. He said one of those speed controllers on the kicker would be better and cheaper. I like that cable. Good bang for the buck!

[AWJDad]

When I bought my boat last summer, salesman said the gauges would not make a lot of difference in trolling speed. Boat is Lund 1800 Tyee/150 Merc 4/stk. He said one of those speed controllers on the kicker would be better and cheaper. I like that cable. Good bang for the buck!

I dont think your salesman knew what he was talking about. The smartcraft tach will do the exact same think but will also give you a digital read out so you know what rpm you are at. Like 710 rpm vs 740 rpm, something you would not be able to tell with you regular gauges. I did a ton of research on these things last winter when I installed mine. I went to 3 local dealers and got very little help from 2 of them, seems most dont know to much about the upgraded gauges or there installation. The simple cable is cheaper, but I would hate to have to dial in my speed each time I caught a fish or put it in neutral. If just using for a kicker it might be a good way to go.

[Loon]

I have the Smartcraft tachometer and speedometer. I did a lot of research on this subject and did my own install so I feel like I know quite a bit about them.

I had the simplest setup on my old boat with a 2007 Mercury so your 2008 115 is most certainly compatible.

I also have the Troll Control feature on my Big Tiller handle and I guess that would be the most economical way to accomplish your goal.

I believe the better way to do it would be to get the blue CAN BUS trunk with terminating resistors on both end and get the tachometer. The digital information you get is worth the extra money to me. The trunk can be had for $75 and the tach for $250 or so.

The system can get as simple as that or as elaborate as mine with junction boxes and fuel/paddle/oil sensors...speed paddle wheels to control your trolling via MPH vs. RPM...tie it into your GPS via NMEA0183 to get range and MPG information instead of just real-time GPH fuel usage.

When I sell this boat I plan on taking the whole system with me to put in my next boat because there is no way a buyer will appreciate or value it and (more importantly) pay a premium for it.

It was a very expensive upgrade but there is no way I would run a Mercury without them now that I have had it.

To those reading this and wondering about adding it to your 40/50/60 class motors you can't bump the RPMs below the factory set 750...you can only bump up.

In the 75/90/115 class you can drop down to 550 in increments of 10 RPMs.