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This is the same problem I'm having. The 2004 Utopia I have had been running fine and suddenly started cutting out while cruising. First, the mobile boat mechanic I hired changed out the fuel filter mounted to the side of the engine and changed the plugs. Back on the water, with the mechanic it still happened. He spent the next two hours at the dock trouble shooting everything. He ultimately found that the low volume fuel pump, also attached to the side of the engine was cutting out. When it cut out it lost the ground connection. We ultimately proved the diagnosis by running the engine with the pump grounded directly to the battery. The boat then ran fine. Tracing the wiring back, we found the ground was controlled by the ECM. Since he could not analyze the ECM, I ended up at a "stealer." Though I explained all this to the dealer's service manager, he spent weeks chasing issues within the gas tank. Six weeks later he suggested replacing the ECM at a cost of $2,000, though he wasn't certain it would solve the problem. When I asked for them to send it to Mercury or somewhere it could be tested, he ultimately found a business in Alabama that for $500 claims to be able repair them.
I've now missed the best time of the summer to use the boat. It's now been out of commission for nearly eight weeks. After this repair, the boat will probably go up for sale. I bought the boat last June. According to the mechanic at that time it was in excellent condition. After the first weekend of use, I spend over $2,000 repairing the jet-drive after a tine off the intake grate sucked through the jet. Now this. I'll never buy another Mercury product and wouldn't recommend one to anyone.
Any advice would be welcomed!
