New RT188

[BigDozer66]

Congrats!

Welcome to the Dark Side as we have cookies!

[Panama]

I know you are budgeting things right now with a new boat order and I hate to throw a wrench into things.....

BUT I have to say this. You really need to upgrade the trolling motor to the Ultrex. They would probably let you swap for the MSRP difference. Even if it's a stretch, over the long term it would be a good decision. The MK you have on order will never be worth as much on a swap as right now. I promise the Ultrex is worth the difference. The more I use mine the more I like it. I think anybody using one will tell you it would be a good thing to add on the front end to something you will likely keep for years.

You seriously need to think about changing the order before the delivery in my opinion.

[oldgoat188]

I know you are budgeting things right now with a new boat order and I hate to throw a wrench into things.....

BUT I have to say this. You really need to upgrade the trolling motor to the Ultrex. They would probably let you swap for the MSRP difference. Even if it's a stretch, over the long term it would be a good decision. The MK you have on order will never be worth as much on a swap as right now. I promise the Ultrex is worth the difference. The more I use mine the more I like it. I think anybody using one will tell you it would be a good thing to add on the front end to something you will likely keep for years.

You seriously need to think about changing the order before the delivery in my opinion.

[BigDozer66]

I know you are budgeting things right now with a new boat order and I hate to throw a wrench into things.....

BUT I have to say this. You really need to upgrade the trolling motor to the Ultrex. They would probably let you swap for the MSRP difference. Even if it's a stretch, over the long term it would be a good decision. The MK you have on order will never be worth as much on a swap as right now. I promise the Ultrex is worth the difference. The more I use mine the more I like it. I think anybody using one will tell you it would be a good thing to add on the front end to something you will likely keep for years.

You seriously need to think about changing the order before the delivery in my opinion.

I would second this and since the difference is so little I would upgrade to a 115 HP outboard at the same time.

[The Liquid Therapist]

here is what I can tell you about my experience. May depend on your dealer. Ask as many questions as you can and everything anyone on here recommends. Fuel type, fuel additives, break in, check gauges during test run ( see my post on rt188 maiden voyage) anything you can think of, its busy season so they are trying to get you in and out and turnover there inventory

[GeauxTide]

I would have the dealer walk you through the motor break in procedure, how EVERYTHING functions in the boat, what each switch does, where your pumps are, and the right way to load/unload the boat in the water.

And have him install an Ultrex.

[pittsburghbass]

Thanks for all the responses - some great topics to add to my list to review with the dealer. I'm sure I'll take some flak for being content with a 90HP outboard and a MK 70lb Edge but oh well.... the 115 HP and the Ultrex were just out of the budget. I had originally planned to buy the RT178, but decided on the bigger boat and so I was spending more than I expected from the beginning. But hey, baby steps... I don't have to go from fishing in a kayak to a top of the line bass boat with the very best of every piece of equipment. I do appreciate the suggestions though - when I do go for those top of the line upgrades I know what I'll get!

[Tim Kelly]

You'll be absolutely fine in the boat as you have it. I've spent plenty of time in my friend's 188 with an older motorguide 70lb and a 90 on the back. It's a great boat and fishes perfectly. We did plenty of 16 hour days without completely killing the batteries. Enjoy it.

[n2ratfishin]

Thanks for all the responses - some great topics to add to my list to review with the dealer. I'm sure I'll take some flak for being content with a 90HP outboard and a MK 70lb Edge but oh well.... the 115 HP and the Ultrex were just out of the budget. I had originally planned to buy the RT178, but decided on the bigger boat and so I was spending more than I expected from the beginning. But hey, baby steps... I don't have to go from fishing in a kayak to a top of the line bass boat with the very best of every piece of equipment. I do appreciate the suggestions though - when I do go for those top of the line upgrades I know what I'll get!

Mine has a 115, some will never be happy no matter what size motor they have. Give them a 115 and they will long for a 150. They have a 150 and they try to eek out 2 more MPH LOL. I used to be that guy...I know that story never ends, well it ends when you are tired of spending money chasing a few MPH LOL.

As for the trolling motor. I fished out of my RT188 for two years with the MK Maxxum digital 70 that came on it. It's still laying in the garage floor. I upgraded from the Edge to the digital when it was new knowing the Edge would drive me nuts. It's likely never going to be in the right speed for you. The upgrade from the Edge to the Maxxum is almost nothing. I only upgraded to the Ultrex a few months ago. It is a FANTASTIC upgrade, and Panama is right. You'll never get more for the 70 than you will right now. I keep mine around in case the Ultrex dies. I MIGHT be able to sell it for few hundred used and it is in perfect condition. That being said it did just fine on the front of my boat. The Ultrex is a luxury item, not a must have.

The Merc Monitor is something that can save you a bunch of heartache down the road. It gives you all kinds of info that you cannot get without taking your boat into a dealer and paying to get the motor plugged into their laptop with the Merc software. I can tell you at anytime what my water temp, hours, etc...are. I know when my motor is properly warmed up. I know how many gallons of fuel I have used each trip. The gas gauge is not linear. I just reset gallons used and put another five or ten in there when I have burned that out. I SELDOM burn more than five gallons a trip. Good luck knowing when that motor goes out of break-in mode. It says two hours. That's two hours under a certain load. Idle time normally does not count. I've seen 2S motors take well over two hours on the clock to come out of break in mode. Putting ten hours on a motor can take some folks a year, especially up north where the fishing season is shorter.

You can upgrade almost everything else as you have the funds. I have a Gen1 HDS7 upfront that I gave a hundred bucks for used. I've had it on two different boats. If you don't have to run the latest and greatest there are plenty of good deals out there.

[G4bama]

Not on the new 4 stroke Mercurys. The prescribed amount of oil will bring the level to the middle of the hash marks. Don't add more.


https://www.mertenmarine.com/How-to-...Add-Engine-Oil

This is true. Something that I learned this weekend is that Mercury brand engine oil bottles are Liter, not quart, in size. 5 of these put the oil level at the mid point of the hash markings.

[PolarKraft195]

Thanks for all the responses - some great topics to add to my list to review with the dealer. I'm sure I'll take some flak for being content with a 90HP outboard and a MK 70lb Edge but oh well.... the 115 HP and the Ultrex were just out of the budget. I had originally planned to buy the RT178, but decided on the bigger boat and so I was spending more than I expected from the beginning. But hey, baby steps... I don't have to go from fishing in a kayak to a top of the line bass boat with the very best of every piece of equipment. I do appreciate the suggestions though - when I do go for those top of the line upgrades I know what I'll get!

you'll be REAL HAPPY with the boat the way it is for now for sure!!!