What is the best outboard, Honda, Yamaha, Mercury?

[ocuyler]

I have an Evinrude 85 HP on my 1970 20CC. WOT is 34 lightly loaded and 28 heavily loaded. Other than go really fast, it does everything you would ever want.

I am looking at an Evinrude 115 eTec for repower.

[Trey1096]

From my experience, a lot of weight should be placed on dealer support availability in the area where you’ll be keeping/using the boat.

Where I live, Suzuki and Yamaha dealers are not nearly as plentiful as BRP and (especially) Merc dealers.

The internet makes things easier if you have an outboard you can work on and you can wait a couple of days on getting parts, but it’s still easier if you can make a 10min run to the dealership to get that part that broke on Saturday morning that’ll keep you from loosing the whole day, or weekend.

Trey

[Outclaws]

I hear that Evinrude 115 eTec is a great engine. Especially with the alcohol added into the fuel today. How does everyone feel about carb. engines? Thanks ????

[bdolnik]

Check out the E-Tec challenge videos here, pretty impressive!

http://www.evinrude.com/en-US/

[Outclaws]

Yeah. I have looked at that a few times. Looks like Evinrude's E-tec is the best out there. I like that fuel injected 2 stroke 115 hp. NICE

[red20]

MY 83 MAX HP PLATE SAID 200 HP (I THINK), i HAD A '96 200 HP MARINER ON THAT ONE AND ON MY 1984 I HAD A '02 225 YAMMI

[Bushwacker]

I used to be partial to carbed engines - no chance of clogged injectors, etc. although you still need to use Stabil or equivalent to avoid fuel breakdown. Now that I have a DFI motor however, I realize that it's sealed fuel system (except for fuel tank) prevents a lot of fuel oxidation, etc. Also had a clogged jet on my old '75 115, which can be fatal on a premix 2S due to oil starvation. Fortunately I caught it during a WOT sea trial I did while preparing for a Bahamas trip, but it was subtle - just minor surging after about 20 sec @ WOT. I might not have caught it had I been running a bigger motor!

I also like the 115 E-TEC and might have bought one instead of the 150 if they had been in production at the time. Ethanol is a whole 'nother issue - BRP says the E-TEC's can run 10% ethanol, but I think the danger is that if you get much H2O in fuel tank, the ethanol will combine with the water and separate out of the gas, so you'll lose a bunch of octane and risk destruction from detonation. As for motor SIZE, if you consider that the 20' hull was designed in mid 60's for the "big" 275-300 lb outboards available at the time, then you realize that using of a much heavier motor will tend to screw up the balance and self-bailing ability of the boat.

[Outclaws]

Sounds like you know what you are talking about. Good advise. Thank you.

[eggsuckindog]

Gotta stay at least 150 to be happy, I do think the Johnson carbed motors are still availible and a good deal cheaper. That being said depending on your travel distance the $$ saved may buy alot of gas.

Glassman please create a thread after you test that prop as I'm interested in one as well.

[peterb]

Ken,

Maybe I am not following you here, but how can you run the engine with the cavitation plate so high? Under usual circumstances isn't it usually close to level with the bottom of the keel?

Are you able to do this because of your prop from outer space?

Peter