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TRACKER’S 30th ANNIVERSARYCOOKINGWITH GASTahoe’s value-priced Q4 SS gets families on the water for a little home-cooked fun> STORY AND PHOTOS BY RON ELDRIDGENobody wants cheap steak; they want good steak forcheap. Or so says Tracker Marine’s product developmentguru Steve Mason. And while his work may takehim all over the Tracker plant, the affable and homespunMason may well have tarried too long with the marketing folks,for there’s no better assessment of Tahoe’s new Q4 SuperSport. Selling for $16 grand, the Tahoe, asserts Mason, matchesup against anyone’s 18-footer, including the likes of Sea Ray. Atall order? Maybe not.The Q4 SS we tested on massive, twisting TableRock Lake in southern Missouri proved fun to drive,offering snappy, responsive performance from its 135 hp3.0L MerCruiser sterndrive. More to the point, it alsoboasted unexpected, upscale touches, including astainless rubrail, optional Bimini top (with high-grade,quick-release ball-and-socket fittings), and a standardtrailer with a swingaway tongue and Tracker’sGalvaShield corrosion protection. It’s basically aturnkey rig; all you have to do is pile your posseaboard and you’re cooking with gas.MEAT AND POTATOESNow celebrating its 30th anniversary, Tracker offersbedrock value in its Tahoe runabouts, fish ’n skis anddeck boats. The Tahoe Q4 SS, also available in an outboardmodel, is the smallest member of a fleet thatstretches up to 26 feet. So don’t expect it to betricked out with a head, wet bar or console locker.With a length of 18 feet, 1 inch spread across 7 feet,7 inches of beam, there just isn’t room. What wehave here is a snazzy, well-manneredbowrider that will get you on the waterwithout having to torpedo your401(k) or sink the kids’college plans. Getting back to oursteak metaphor, it’s meat andpotatoes all the way, baby.As Mason explains, Tahoe keepsprices in check by streamliningchoices — a marketing trend we’reseeing more of lately. Compared tomany boats, the Q4 SS’ options listis mercifully short.“Once you’ve decided on thesterndrive model, for example, youronly choice in engines is whether or>webInterested inhooking up withthe Q4 fish ’n ski?Cast over toTrailerBoats.com.not to add power steering to that 3.0L four-banger,”he says. Hankering for a V-6? Then you’ll have topony up for the 19-foot Q5i.By the way,52 APRIL 2008 I TRAILERBOATS.COM TRAILERBOATS.COM I APRIL 2008 53

Tahoe> q4 ssspend the $404 on power steering. It’sa no-brainer.Another must-have upgrade is the$445 drum brake system for the colorcoordinated,single-axle trailer. You’llwant a spare tire, too — but at $175for the factory spare, you’ll probablybe able to put your own spare andbracket together for less. All in all,however, Tahoe’s options prices aresuper reasonable — which is not somethingthat can be said of every boat.HAMMER TIMEOn our test runs across Table Rock,the Q4 handled the generally benignconditions with no trouble.Fortunately, the good thing about theRock is there’s no shortage of bigboats, so you can always scare upsome nasty wakes to see how a rig isput together. Featuring an 18-degree,semi-V design and fiberglass stringersthat are chemically fused to the hullfor maximumrigidity, ourboat picked■ Large multifunction gauges keep the Tahoe’s helm layout clean and simple. We commend theconsole cubby that helps square away loose items, and we really liked our boat’s optional Ritchiecompass (top middle).its way through the holes andlaunched off the lips with only minorpounding. Ride comfort in these situationsis largely proportionate tothrottle position and trim, and wefound that at midrange speeds andhigher, we had to keep the drivetucked in or the bow would float andbegin to porpoise.Bottom line is that she’s only an18-footer; as long as you slow downthrough the rough patches, you’ll be fine.When we dropped the hammer, theQ4’s 135 hp MerCruiser/Alpha packagestepped lively, and visibility whileseated remained unobstructed frominitial holeshot through top end. A21-inch-pitch, three-blade aluminumwheel spun our boat’s tach to 4800while painting 43.3 mph across ourGPS. OK... so it’s not the kind of topend that will have you bragging fromyour barstool,but just goahead andmention howlittle you paid.Whether performinglazy Sturns or carvingdoughnuts,the Tahoedeliveredsporty handling,andreminded usjust how nimbleboats with short waterlines can be.Steering via our rigs’s nonpowered,rack-and-pinion system felt neutralexcept at higher trim settings, wherewe noticed mild torque. Nothing toouncomfortable, though. The Q4’shelm seats donot have flipupbolsters,but eachswivels andadjusts fore■ Tahoe’s 18-footer topped outin the mid-40s with a 135 hp3.0L MerCruiser package, andshould manage even better inthe outboard version, which israted up to 150 hp.and aft. More importantly, they offergood lumbar support and cradle yourhips, providing comfort and security.In short, the boat feels tight in turnsand rough water, and so do you.COOL TOUCHESHelm instrumentation includes twooversize, multifunction gauges, which■ “It’s been niceknowing ya.”Tubing and otherwatersports are anatural attractionaboard the Q4 SS,which is a good fitfor families withsmall children.■ A drained locker under the stern seat can be used for wet or dry storage.The bow lockers also drain, and feature lift-off lids with stainless catches.54 APRIL 2008 I TRAILERBOATS.COMTRAILERBOATS.COM I APRIL 2008 55

Tahoe> q4 ss■ The ski locker isn’t the roomiest we’ve seenand may not accept wakeboards with high-wrapbindings, but that’s understandable — you’re onlyworking with 18 feet of boat here.we found easy to read on the fly.Our only suggestion for improvementwould be to use a somewhat lessreflective dash fascia, because weexperienced some instrument glareoff the windshield. Two things wereally liked were the handy catchallbasins on the helm and passengerconsoles (which are ideal forSpry handling and surprisingaccelerationInstrument glare off windshield isdistractingBucket seats cradle hips forsupportive, secure feelBow backrest cushions needbetter lower-back supportCorrosion-protected trailer isstandardholding sunscreen, iPods and such),and an optional Ritchie compass (asteal at $70). Positioned as one of theuppermost gauges, it’s directly withinthe driver’s line of sight — right whereit should be.The Sirius-ready Jensen AM/FM/CDstereo includes an MP3 jack, andpumps tunes through two speakerslocated near the rear seats. Besides asmall sunpad atop the engine box, thenoteworthy thing back here is the selfdrainingwet/dry locker under thecenter seat. It’s the perfect place tostash wetsuits, dripping ski lines oryappy little dogs. Tahoe’s nonskid solehouses a ski locker, and the deckdrains to the bilge via scuppers in theaft cockpit — two features you’llappreciate when watersports are theactivity du jour.Although the boat’s pod-shaped,bowrider backrests are a tad firm anddon’t offer much in the way of lowerbacksupport, we applaud the lift-offseat cushions that provide access toinsulated lockers below. Nothingunusual, you say? Perhaps... untilMason points out the unexpected:The Q4 features stainless press-in fittingsto hold the cushions securely inplace. Another cool touch is a forepeakcushion that unsnaps toreveal a boarding step. Bothare welcome additions.All told, the Tahoe Q4 SS is abasic but richly featuredbowrider at an uncommonlyattractive price. Whether you’rejust starting out in boating, gettingback into the sport after anabsence, or simply downsizingto a smaller, more manageablecraft, one taste of the Q4 andyou’ll be hungry for more. Andno worries about barbecuingalongside the Joneses, either —because with the Tahoe’s goodlookinglines and jazzy colorschemes, this dish serves upplenty of sizzle to go with thatfull-flavored steak.OPTIMUMC R UI SI N GOPTIMUMC R UI SS P E E DI N GS P E E DOPTIMUMC R UI SI N GOPTIMUMC R UI SS P E E DI N GSPECIFICATIONSTAHOE Q4 SUPER SPORTBase Price (w/ 3.0L MerCruiser, trailer) $15,995Price as Tested $16,690Length 18’ 1”Beam 7’ 7”Deadrise at Transom 16ºWeight (incl. trailer)2697 lbs.Draft (drive up) 17”Fuel Capacity20 gals.Maximum Horsepower 135NMMA CertifiedNOTABLE STANDARD EQUIPMENTColor-matched single-axle trailer; nonskiddeck; Sirius-capable AM/FM/CD stereo withMP3 jack; adjustable bucket seats; integratedswimstepNOTABLE OPTIONAL EQUIPMENTStainless-frame Bimini top; Richie compassENGINE/RPMS P E E DSPEED/MPHFUEL/GPHFUEL/MPGRANGE/MILES1000 4.9 0.9 5.4 971500 5.7 1.1 5.2 932000 7.9 2.3 3.4 612500 11.8 3.5 3.4 613000 23.2 4.4 5.3 953500 28.2 5.3 5.3 954000 33.2 6.9 4.8 864500 39.6 9.7 4.1 734800 (WOT) 43.3 11.6 3.7 661 Based on 90% fuel capacityTahoe, Dept. TBM, 2500 E. Kearney St., Springfield,MO 65803; 417/873-5900; tahoesportboats.comMerCruiser, Dept. TBM, P.O. Box 1959, Fond du Lac,WI 54936; 800/MERCURY; mercurymarine.comYesENGINE AS TESTEDMake3.0L MerCruiser/AlphaHorsepower 135Number of Cylinders I-4Displacement3.0L (181 cid)Weight635 lbs.Gear Ratio 2.0:1WOT RPM Range 4400-4800Propellers14 1 ⁄ 4x21” aluminum 3-bladeTEST RESULTSTOP SPEED (mph) 43.3SOUND MEASUREMENTS (dBa)Idle at Helm (900 rpm) 73Idle at Transom (900 rpm) 74Cruise at Helm (3500 rpm) 91WOT at Helm (4800 rpm) 1021RANGE/MILESFUEL/MPGFUEL/GPHSPEED/MPHENGINE/RPM58 APRIL 2008 I TRAILERBOATS.COM