Quick Answer Mercury SmartCraft Connect Mobile, the product that replaced VesselView Mobile in Mercury's 2024 rebrand, is a small under-cowl module that streams engine data to the Mercury Marine app on your phone. It is not included with a new motor, it is sold separately....
Quick Answer
Mercury SmartCraft Connect Mobile, the product that replaced VesselView Mobile in Mercury's 2024 rebrand, is a small under-cowl module that streams engine data to the Mercury Marine app on your phone. It is not included with a new motor, it is sold separately. Compatible with Mercury 4-strokes from model year 2004 and up, 40 HP and up. The 25 HP and 30 HP class is only compatible from model year 2022 onward. Sub-25 HP motors are not compatible. Module part numbers: 8M0173128 (single-engine) and 8M0173129 (multi-engine). The Mercury Marine app is free on iOS and Android. No subscription.
SmartCraft Connect Mobile is the current name for what Mercury used to call VesselView Mobile (rebranded in 2024). If you are shopping for the old name, this is the same product line.
Full Article
A lot of the best engine data Mercury builds into its motors never makes it to the helm. Fault codes happen. Fuel economy data is collected. Engine hours accumulate. Without a way to read them, all of that stays invisible until something goes wrong.
SmartCraft Connect Mobile fixes that for a relatively small investment, and without adding a dedicated display to the dashboard.
What SmartCraft Connect Mobile Actually Is
A small module, roughly the size of a deck of cards, that plugs into the SmartCraft network built into compatible Mercury motors. It pairs with a phone over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and streams real-time engine data to the Mercury Marine app.
What you see on the phone:
- Engine RPM
- Fuel rate (gallons per hour) and total fuel used per session
- Engine temperature and coolant pressure
- Battery voltage
- Engine hours, lifetime and per trip
- Fault codes when they occur, with plain-English descriptions
- Boost upgrade eligibility on compatible models
- Maintenance reminders
What it is not: A chartplotter replacement. A SmartCraft gauge. A Boost upgrade itself. A VesselView dash display.
The module lives under the cowl on a single-engine boat, or under the helm on a multi-engine setup. You never see it. You see its output in the app on your phone.
Compatibility (quick check)
Most Mercury motors from 2004 onward are SmartCraft-compatible. Mercury 9.9, 15, 20 HP portables, pre-2004 4-strokes, 2-strokes, and Optimax engines are NOT compatible. Mercury 25 and 30 HP motors only support SmartCraft from 2022 onward. Mercury Avator electric uses a different gateway module.
For a full eligibility table with every motor class, every year cutoff, and what to do if your motor isn't compatible, see our dedicated eligibility post: Is Your Mercury Outboard Eligible for SmartCraft Connect? (2026).
To confirm your specific motor, email your serial number to info@harrisboatworks.ca and we'll reply same-day.
Module Part Numbers
| Part Number |
Description |
For |
| 8M0173128 |
Under-cowl single-engine module |
One Mercury outboard |
| 8M0173129 |
Under-helm 1-to-4 engine module |
Twins, triples, quads |
The module is purchased separately from the motor. Pricing is set by Mercury Canada and updates annually. See the current price at mercuryrepower.ca or call 905-342-2153.
SmartCraft tier decision
How seriously do you actually use the boat?
SmartCraft Connect is not free. The phone app and module add real cost. The payback depends on how much time you spend on the water and whether you share the boat.
Basic SmartCraft Link is enough
- ✓You boat a handful of times per season
- ✓You already have working analog gauges
- ✓You don't track maintenance digitally
- ✓Single user, simple use case
Stock gauges, no upgrade
SmartCraft Connect pays back season one
- ✓30+ hours per season on the water
- ✓You share the boat with family or partners
- ✓You want service intervals tracked automatically
- ✓You'd benefit from fuel-burn and route history
SmartCraft Connect + Mercury app
When in doubt:If you've ever forgotten when the last lower-unit service was, Connect tracks it for you. That alone is usually worth the upgrade.
How It Compares to VesselView Mobile and SmartCraft Gauges
SmartCraft Connect Mobile is the current Mercury phone-app product. The phone is the display. This is what new installs in 2026 should use.
VesselView Mobile was the original name. Mercury rebranded the product to SmartCraft Connect Mobile in 2024, with refreshed module part numbers (8M0173128 single-engine and 8M0173129 multi-engine). If you have a working VesselView Mobile install, the hardware still works and is still supported. Just do not buy a new VesselView-branded module in 2026. Order the SmartCraft Connect part numbers instead.
SmartCraft Gauges / VesselView dash displays are hardwired in-dash digital gauges, the same data plus more, in a permanent dashboard display. They pair well with SmartCraft Connect for a backup-data setup.
Short version: SmartCraft Connect = phone display. VesselView dash = built-in display. They are not either-or.
Chartplotter Integration (Garmin, Humminbird)
Most modern chartplotters from Garmin and Humminbird can read Mercury engine data over an NMEA 2000 network. SmartCraft Connect Mobile is an addition to that, not a replacement.
Path A, via NMEA 2000: Requires an NMEA 2000 backbone and a Mercury SmartCraft-to-NMEA gateway. The chartplotter shows engine data. SmartCraft Connect adds the phone-app layer, guest access, trip tracking, and fault diagnostics off the water.
Path B, SmartCraft Connect alone: No chartplotter, no NMEA 2000. Phone is the display. The cleanest setup for small fishing boats, kicker-rigged hulls, and budget-conscious customers who do not need a Garmin yet.
For most Ontario freshwater boaters with a Mercury 60-115 HP and a basic fishfinder, Path A is overkill. SmartCraft Connect alone is the right answer.
Install: DIY vs. HBW
The module installs in roughly 30 minutes on a single-engine boat. It plugs into the SmartCraft network harness on the motor and gets a 12V power tap. Mercury markets it as customer-installable.
You can build a live CAD quote for your repower online at Mercury Repower Centre.
DIY works if: You have done basic electrical work on your boat, you are comfortable removing the cowl, and you know which connector on the motor's harness is the SmartCraft service port.
Bring it to HBW if: You have never opened the cowl, you want the module integrated cleanly with no loose wiring, you want app pairing tested and confirmed before you leave, and you want it on the service log for the rest of the motor's life. HBW installs the module and verifies it pairs correctly, usually about a 30-minute add-on to a service visit.
Since it's a fast 30-minute install, this is the perfect upgrade to add onto your spring prep or winterization service. Call 905-342-2153 to book your install slot.
The most common DIY mistake: missing the SmartCraft service connector and splicing into the analog tach signal instead. This does not work and creates a confusing failure mode. HBW has done dozens of these installs. The fee is set up-front and includes the module, the install, app pairing, and a brief walkthrough.
What the Mercury Marine App Looks Like in Practice
Three main views:
Live engine view: RPM, speed, fuel rate, battery, temperature, hours, updating every second.
Trip log: Start/stop a trip. Distance, fuel used, average speed. Useful for season-end fuel cost reckoning.
Health and faults: Current fault codes, maintenance schedule, hour-based reminders. When the motor crosses 100 hours since the last logged service, the app nudges you to book.
Why Rice Lake and Kawarthas Boaters Find It Useful
A lot of HBW customers run multiple boats, a summer aluminum on Rice Lake, a kicker-rigged setup on Stoney or Pigeon. The same phone and the same Mercury app pairs with whichever motor is being used that day.
For boaters who lock through the Trent-Severn, the trip-log feature shows fuel used and hours on the water, a real record of the trip.
For Rice Lake walleye trolling, engine-hour tracking on the kicker is the practical payoff. Trolling hours are easy to underestimate. The app says exactly what happened.
FAQs
Does my new Mercury come with SmartCraft Connect Mobile?
No. New Mercury motors are SmartCraft-network-equipped (on compatible models), but the module is sold separately.
My Mercury is 9.9 HP. Can I add SmartCraft Connect?
No. Mercury outboards under 25 HP are not SmartCraft-equipped. There is no internal network for the module to connect to.
My Mercury is a 30 HP from 2018. Is it compatible?
No. The 25 HP and 30 HP class only became SmartCraft-compatible from model year 2022. A 2018 30 HP does not have the network.
Does the Mercury Marine app cost anything?
The app is free on iOS and Android. The module is the paid component. No subscription.
Will it work with my Garmin chartplotter?
The module talks to your phone over Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, not directly to a chartplotter. For chartplotter integration, a separate NMEA 2000 gateway is needed.
How do I check Boost eligibility?
The app shows eligibility once SmartCraft Connect is paired. HBW can also check with diagnostic tools using your serial number.
Two Paths Forward
If you are repowering: Add the module to your quote at mercuryrepower.ca. HBW installs it during rigging and you leave with the app already paired.
If you already have a compatible motor: Call HBW at 905-342-2153 with your serial number. HBW confirms compatibility, quotes the module, and books an install slot, about 30 minutes of shop time.
Internal Links
- Mercury Controls & Rigging Guide Ontario
- Mercury Boost Software Upgrade Eligibility 2026
- Mercury 9.9 EFI Review Ontario
- Mercury Outboard Motor Families Guide
About the author
Jay Harris helps run Harris Boat Works, a third-generation family marina in Gores Landing on Rice Lake, established in 1947. HBW is a Mercury Marine Platinum Dealer and Legend Boats dealer serving Rice Lake, the Kawarthas, and Ontario boaters who want straight answers before spending real money. Read Jay's full bio.
CTA
Add SmartCraft Connect to your repower quote.
mercuryrepower.ca, or call 905-342-2153 with your motor's serial number.
Harris Boat Works, 5369 Harris Boat Works Rd, Gores Landing, ON K0K 2E0.
Mercury Platinum dealer. Est. 1947.
Ready to price it out? Build a live CAD quote for your repower online at the Mercury Repower Centre.
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