Advise boys on outboard motor

[ThomasL]

Ok i sold the 9.9 that was on my war eagle 1436 with front deck,it is rated for a 20 hp engine.I have been told that only coast guards can give tickets for overpowering not game wardens so i'm thinking of a 25 on her.Other than that i have found a honda 15 for 2599.00,20 for 2799.00 in four stroke of course.A mercury 15 hp fourstroke for 1799.00 and a yammie 15 for 2299.00,20 for 2599.00.I was told by some dealers the fourstrokes were not as strong as the two strokes and some told me the oppisite.The boat would plane with me and the wife sitting up front but if you backed off the throttle a little it would start to back down off plane.The price on the merc is for a 2004 but is new but i don't

know if i will tell a difference from the 9.9 even though the cubic inches go from 18.1 to 19.7.I don't want to go through the buy sell thing again!!!  

[NBR]

The 4 stroke will weigh more than the 2 stroke so a 2 stroke of the same horse power should push your boat a bit faster. I can't answer your question re ticketing but over powering would likely nullify your insurance.

[ThomasL]

In NC insurance is a option not manditory.

[cart7t]

The four stroke will weigh more than a 2 and thus the boat will sit slightly lower in the water creating more resistance necessary for the engine to get the boat up and on plane.  The EPA has mandated the outboard motor builders requiring them to build more fuel efficient 2 strokers which they are. Thus, the old 4 stroke gas mileage advantage is virtually nil.  4 strokers are quieter but they aren't as torquey as a 2 stroke plus they're more expensive.  I'd go with a 2 stroke.

[Way2slow]

I'm just not a four stroke advocate.  Two strokes have a much higher power to weight ratio, much cheaper and easier to maintain.  Now I will give you my very direct answer, if I was buying a new motor it would be and Evinrude E-tec.  If for some unknown reason I did decide to buy a small four stroke, it would be a Honda, I wouldn't even consider any other small four stroke.  Is that pointed enough?

[bassnleo]

I would be cautious about putting a motor on that is over the USCG rating. Here in PA, the fish commission WCO's can cite you for running a motor over the boats rating. As far as other States' I would believe that conservation officers could also cite you. Who else would enforce boating laws in landlocked States' where there is no USCG station? The other issue is how much weight the transom will hold safely under full power. A boat rated for 20 hp may only have a transom strong enough to hold the weight of a 20.

Just my .02

[Way2slow]

Before everybody gets on the over powering kick, many of your southern states could care less if your boat is over powered.  There are no laws in reference to HP and making insurance mandatory, so you can put a 200 hp motor on a boat rated for 20 hp if you want to and don't plan to insure it.   Until I put my 225 Ficht back on my Javelin, I haven't had a bass boat with the legal HP on it in 25 years.  Heck, I once had a 15' ProCraft (rated for 85 hp) with a 200 merc on the back.

[Nick_Barr]

HOW FAST YOU GO IN THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Advise, depending on your state:

Touchy, feely and have strict laws: 20 hp ETEC

Dont Care States: THE LIGHTEST 30 HP you can find, you can always beef up the transom if needed, I ahev a couple buds that have done that and there little aluminiums fly.

[tipptruck1]

Well its not a speed thing it a safety thing. Boats don't have breaks like cars. The best you can hope for is putting the boat in reverse. Plus with the hull in the air at high speeds lighter boats like to flip over backwards. So if I was you I would just keep it legal. But I don't think a little boat like your would flip with a little more power.

[RODBENDER]

one thing you would need to watch for is the length of the foot ..

The bottom fin on the motor foot should not come below the bottom of the boat ...

If it does you could have transom problems ....

Large boats with jackplates will take a wide variety of foot lengths ..

[Way2slow]

Rodbender, do you own a boat? The bottom fin you are refering to is the skeg. Not only does the skeg stick below the bottom of the boat, the whole lower unit sticks below the boat down the anticav plate. The anticav plate will usually be a little above the bottom of the boat.

Oh, and there are only two standard foot lengths (shaft lengths), 15" and 20". They do make some 25" for large saltwater and similar boats and some sail boat kicker motors with extremely long shafts but 15" and 20" are your standard lenghts. All most all bass boats run a 20" shaft and the jackplates are to dial in the motor height and a particular prop for the boat for best performance.

[ThomasL]

Thanks for the replies,having considered my options and extra money to spend

after the motor sale,i'll have to stick with the merc 15 fourstroke for 1799.,a yammie two stroke 15 for 1899.00 or the two stroke 25 for 2299.00 from edsmarinesuperstore.I will agree about weight on two strokes and maintenance

but remember the hp i'm referring to.Not many small two strokes made anymore.Also won't cubic inces make some difference?The 15 two strokes are basically around 15-16 cc's where as a fourstrokes are 18-22 cc's.I would think the extra displacement would equal out the fourstrokes dissadvantages verses the smaller displacement two strokes.As for weight the merc is 114 pounds,yammie two stroke 25 is 105,yammie 15 two stroke 79,yammie fourstroke 99 lbs,so the two stroke 15 is the lightest but at the most 30 pounds difference in the lowest to the highest.

[Way2slow]

Yes, No sub for CC's when it comes to torque for same type motors, but you gotta remember, the four stroke is only making power every other stroke, the two stroke is making power every stroke.    I would suggest you try to find someone with a motor you're considering.  As I said, I'm not a four stroke fan but I wouldn't suprised if you don't see a whole bunch of difference in performance between a 9.9 two stroke and the 15 hp four stroke Yammy.  Again, never even seen the Yammy but for the couple of small four strokes I had been in, I was not impressed, other than how quit and smooth they were.  In that area, they were amazing, after being used to old, noisy two strokes.

[Guest JoshKeller]

Personally, if I were you, I'd look into a used older 2 stroke. Much cheaper than new, and they generally last quite a long time if maintained. 2 strokes are remarkably simple in terms of engine design.

[cart7t]

I was fishing a 10hp limit lake yesterday. I heard an outboard motor running and turned to look.  It was about a 10-12ft johnboat and that thing was scooting fast!  No way that was a 9.9 on the back of that thing.  If you're worried about tickets for over-horsepowering, appropriate decals are available from the manufacturer.  

[ThomasL]

Update!,Well i went to edsmarine in va saturday and bought the merc 15 hp fourstroke,boy

is that place huge with hundreds of motors in the boxes but none on display which seemed

odd to me,even there jons didn't have motors on them.I had to take the boat to a local

marine dealer he glass filled the two johnson outboard screw holes and drilled two new

ones lower down for the mercury.Will have to water test soon,as for looks ,alot better

on that breakup pattern camo than that white motor was!Watch out duckies!!!Quack

Quack Quack!      BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!! ;D

[mudcatwilly]

Go with the max hp rated for your boat and add 15 to 20 hp, but only get a 2 stroke because it's lighter than a 4 stroke.  If you get too heavy of a motor, your boat won't run right unless you can dig the prop in more than 90 degrees.  My 16-foot boat is rated for 85 hp and I have an 85 hp 2 stroke and when its wide open, she gets 40 mph. That's all I need.  If you have a smaller boat, get a good used 2 stroke.  They're not too expensive and if it blows up, throw it in the gutter and go buy another (quoting Eazy E from NWA, circa 1988).