Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

[PPCS]

Boaters,

Let me introduce myself briefly. I'm Peter-Paul and I live in Amsterdam(The netherlands). As you might know it's great boating around Amsterdam.

My current boat is a Quicksilver 500sf with merc 20 2-stroke. I consider buying a bigger 22ft aluminium boat(1800lbs). I'll be using the boat in the city of amsterdam for cruising @ slow speeds and I will go skiing and speeding on a nearby lake. I'm having trouble finding a suitable engine for my purpose.
Which engine 115BHP can handle the slow speed abuse and the normal high speed best. My dealer gives me the opportunity to choose between yamaha and Mercury.

So my options are:

Mercury Optimax 115
More speed, cheaper engine. A bit noisier and more vibrations.(my dealer really recommends these). Can this engine stand my slow speed days???


Mercury Four 115
Nice smooth and dead silent engine. Less power and is probably not going to cope with the slow speeds because of making oil issue because of slow speed usage.


Yamaha F115
Nice smooth and dead silent engine. Less power and is probably not going to cope with the slow speeds because of making oil issue. This is the advise of the boat salesman.

Hopefully you guys can help me out, because I'm having trouble choosing here. I want to cruise with low noise and with some wine at certain days. Other days I just want to run the boat hard and go skiing. Wich engine will serve me best.

Rgrds,

Peter-Paul

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Based on your need for a ski engine.......The Optibomb.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

the one that has sevice center a reasonable distance from home.

 

[rndn]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Welcome to the forum!!
If the service people are all around the same distance for you then I suggest the Optimax.

 

[PPCS]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

My harbour is my dealership(service), so that won't help choosing the right engine. You guys say OPTI!!! I know it is the most powerfull engine and also the cheapest. Unfortunately it is also the noisiest and the oil is expensive. 55dollar a gallon. The 4 strokes are dead silent, but are prone to make oil during slow speed cruising for a while. Do you guys know how the opti handles slow cruising speeds??? Is the opti reliable???

My dealer advises me the opti, because of the reasons mentioned. Can you explain why to take the opti, or why the 4 strokes???

Thanks!!!

PP

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Optibomb based on the superiority of 2-strokes for water skiing as they have much better hole shot. The Yamaha is more likely to have less problems over it's useful service life. The Mercury 4-stroke has no redeeming virtues.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Hee is my two cents worth. Since your requirements are at both ends of the performance spectrum, why not go for the Yamaha (or Merc) four stroke but buy two props. One for skiing and another with much lower pitch that allows the engine to rev a little faster even though you are just poking along slowly. The motors are quiet so it would still be quieter than the OPTI and less prone to making oil.

 

[PPCS]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Thanks Guys for the awesome advise. The thruth is that i'm still having considerable doubts. Without the oil problems I was definitely going for the yammie. Unfortunately they can be a pain in the *** during extended slow cruising. That's why my dealer advises me to go for the OPTIBOMB.
This engine is cheaper and can handle slow cruising better since it had no oil that can pollute. It is a bit noisy on the downside and damn ugly too.

The smalller pitch is a good idea. I was definitely planning to install a prop that will run @ 6000rpm at WOT. I don't mind to lose a bit of topspeed.
I expect to cruise for 2/3rd of the time and 1/3rd go speeding above 3500rpm.
So skiing is absolutely not my main thing with this boat. Most of the times it's just cruising and sometimes I go to a bigger lake and run the boat hard.
Skiing I will do like 10 times a season.

How worse can the yammie making oil problem be. Let;s say that I cruise a lot betweem 1000 and 2500rpm. How soon will my oil pollute with gas.
And how bad is it for the engine??? If the problems are pretty serious, i'm afraid I'm gonna have to go for the optibomb.

Damn I did'nt knew that choosing an outboard would be such a pain in the ***. Sorry guys for all the questions.

Thanks,

PP

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Fuel dilution can be a problem, but it with a little extra maintenance it should not be a big deal. Just check the level every 5 hours and change the oil every 25 hours if you are getting a lot of fuel. Also, run 10w-30 not 10w-40 and don't use synthetic. You should be fine. It sounds like your dealer is being honest with his advice so pay attention to him.

 

[PPCS]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

At least I know one thing for sure now. I won't take the merc 4 stroke.
1 down!!!

Most of you guys advise me to take the OPTI. I've heard one 2006 opti idling yesterday. I thought the sound was bearable. But a bit more revs the engine starts to make a bit of nois and cause vibrations. I haven't heard the opti during cruising, because the boat belongs to a customer. Does any of you have an 2007 or 2008 opti. Is it any different from the previous model??
And how is the engine to live with during relaxing and cruising instead of speeding??

The Yammie still is my favourite while I know that the opti is much cheaper and advised by my dealer. It feels like the 2nd best decision, but my heard says I want the yammie and my head says go for the opti.

Hopefully some of you owne one of these engines and 'll be able to pull me into the right direction.

Rgds,

PP

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

I have not done a thorough study of noise levels of various outboards but I have spent a great deal of time looking at performance tests on Yamahas web site. You can select any engine, two or four stroke, and virtually any boat they have tested. You will note that at wide open throttle the four strokes are not that much quieter than two strokes. They are at idle and very low rpm however and readings will certainly be different on various styles of boats. But one interesting thing I did notice is that in the last year or so they have stopped listing noise levels in their testing. I wonder why that is? I think objection to two stroke noise is the "nature" of the noise and not the noise itself because there appears to be little difference in "level" at high rpms.

 

[PPCS]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Thanks,

I think I've decided!!! The OPTIBOMB will be my next engine on my boat.
The price/performance ratio is much better on this engine. Only one question arises.

How good can the Opti handle slow speed cruising. Old 2-strokes tend to collect all of the 2stroke oil and burn it as the rpm's go up. Any one of you who uses his opti for trolling and stuff.

I'm really looking forward to the 44 miles topspeed and the awesome hole shot. At least i'm guessing my 1800lbs boat will do that speed.

Thanks for the great help so far!!!!

PP

 

[redfury]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

I think it would depend on how well the Opti handles the oil injection as far as dealing with the lower speeds. I run 50:1 in my 25hp Johnson and it fouls up at a slow idle due to oiling. A short burst of power and it cleans up.

What you may want to do is just have hotter plugs installed if you do more low speed cruising than WOT blasts across the way with a skier in tow.

Or, just keep a set of plugs for both operations. Keep them in a labeled container and switch when necessary. The plus side to this is you will spend a little more time keeping an eye on the engine by reading the plugs than most do, which will be a great deal of help keeping you from destroying the engine by accident because you'll have a better idea of how it is performing everytime you change plugs!

 

[PPCS]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

I think the optimax will handle slow cruising better because of the oil injection.
Any of you guys use a opti for trolling and slow cruising once in a while.

Off course not, you are running them hard as is should be!!!!

 

[HondaPower]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Have you thought about keeping your 20 horse and mounting it on a kicker bracket for cruising the canals, then for your main motor you could use which ever unit you prefer. Just a thought.

 

[PPCS]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Picture of my new boat. I'm going to paint it Mat navy blue and fit an Opti 115

I've thought about fitting a kicker, but that is not the best option in my opinion.

1st: I'm not able to controll that engine with the remote steering. In my new boat I'll not be able to reach the engine properly.

2nd: There is not a lot of room next to my main engine and I don't like the look of the small engine next to the main.

3rd: It Adds a lot of weight (110lbs) to my transom

4th: I will trade my whole boat and motor against my new engine. Off course i'll have to pay a little extra. Keeping the engine will cost me about 1500 euros.


If the opti can handle slow cruising( my dealer says it definitely will). Than the Opti will be the best choice. The fuel consumption of the opti during cruising will not differ that much from my 20 2-stroke. I was just curious how your opti's handle slow cruising.

PP

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Clean the plugs every 25 hours and replace them every 100 hours.

 

[PPCS]

Re: Having trouble choosing engine 115HP!!

Thanks for the good advise. I'm going to order my boat and opti 115 soon. Keep u guys posted!!

Rgrds,

PP