need advice on repowering boat

[txbandit44]

Long story short I got a boat from my boss and the 72 johnson 65esl has a bad lower unit but the power head runs fine. After looking and talking to a few people i am looking at 1500 to fix this problem. I have discovered that getting parts for this year is just going to get harder and harder. Just about everyone has told me to repower. I have to agree since I need this boat to last me at least the next 5 yrs or so.

So what make and years would yall say i should look for. yamaha, merc, mariner, suzuki, nissan. I have been told that BRP has stopped supporting johnson/evanrudes older than 78. So I am thinking i should just steer clear. I am needing atleast 40hp. I would love a 4 stroke just cause I hate mixing gas but I think that would be putting a $10 saddle on a $2 horse.

 

[brandonsb22]

Re: need advice on repowering boat

i really like the older motors. if you get to know it and give it tlc in will last forever. I would look online on craigslist and ebay and others for the lower unit or look into aftermarket parts made by other companies. if you are set on repowering I would go start by contacting the boat manufacture and see what it is rated for, then go with one that you have a service center near you unless you have a good boat motor mechanic you trust. yamaha, evinrude, honda are top on my list. mixing the oil is not that big of a deal, better to do this than your oil system break and you burn up the motor. if want to quite mixing go four stroke. what is the make and model of the floater?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: need advice on repowering boat

the model prior to 78 are still supported. but i would look for 78 and newer, that all have mechanical shift lower units. 4 strokes are also very heavy. this make oil mixing easy,
http://www.iboats.com/Oil_Mixing_Bo...e.match--**********.582100194--view_id.246639

 

[txbandit44]

Re: need advice on repowering boat

the boat is a 16ft 1972 doggett. its rated for 85hp. What about mercury or mariner. any good or bad things to say about them? Things to look out for that would be specific to Mercury and Mariner.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: need advice on repowering boat

There are a great number of 75 HP Mercs (1990's vintage) on the used market and these are good engines. Large displacement three cylinder motors that are easy to work on, parts readily available. The same can be said for 70 HP Yamahas although they tend to be a little more expensive. Both of these motors have oil injection so no oil mixing is required.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: need advice on repowering boat

there is also a lot to be said for the 70hp Johnson/Evinrudes. the commercial fishermen love them, because the are light, and extremely powerful.

 

[txbandit44]

Re: need advice on repowering boat

So even with what i have been told at various shops here in dfw the johnson evanrudes are an ok choice for reliability and parts as long as I get an early 80's and newer. Are there any particular outboards i should avoid. I always seem to get equipment that has hard to find parts or or noone knows how to fixit. I am trying to make sure that doesnt happen this time.

I figure i am dead set on 80's or newer with the info I have found. is there a place to look for these on the web like a clasified ads or another forum? I have checked craigslist and most of what I have found is to much motor for the boat. And wow are peole proud of what they have.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: need advice on repowering boat

watch ebay, outboard motors.

 

[txbandit44]

Re: need advice on repowering boat

does anyone know if the 65esl power head will fit any of the later model johnsons with the rod shift lower end. Just incase i find something that has a blown motor