outboard motors

[Jenkins]

I'm looking at a 20ft toon and trying to decide between an evinrude E-tec 50 or a mercury bigfoot 60. What are the pro's and con's of each.
Thanks for any help, Jenkins

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: outboard motors

imho etec. is 50 big enough?

 

[5150abf]

Re: outboard motors

What do plan to use the boat for Jenkins?
The answer to that will determine if that is enough power.
If you just want to tool around the lake all day that should be plenty.
If you are wanting to pull skiers or a tube not so much.
Between the 2 motors I would go with the E-TEC, don't care for Mercury.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: outboard motors

E-Tec for sure but do not be disappointed with the power. Make certain that the power you choose is going to satisfy your needs. If you get more power you do not necessarily have to use it all the time.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: outboard motors

I think you should go with the Mercury as parts and service availability is so limited with Evinrude.

 

[steelespike]

Re: outboard motors

If you have a Evinrude dealer close by go etec.As I understand there is no scheduled maintenance for 3 years or 300 hours.Simple home winterizing procedures.If you can afford it go with the 60.The same motor as the 50 and a slightly more efficient gph(gallons per hour) per hp rating.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: outboard motors

Even if you have an Evinrude dealer close by an etec would be risky because the dealer network is very small by comparison to Mercury. What if you were on the road? You might find youself with a broken down etec and no dealer for miles and miles and miles and miles. Or what if that dealer went out of business? What would you do for parts and service?

 

[jevery]

Re: outboard motors

I?d go with the Mercury. 4 cylinder 4-stroke compared to a 2 cylinder 2-stroke. Power delivery and idle will be smoother and it?ll be quieter. Likely do better on gas also. Seems to push a heavier pontoon than both the E-TEC 50 and the 60 at the same speed. In this report the Bigfoot pushes a pontoon that?s 850 lbs heavier than the one with an E-TEC 60 at the same speed.


http://www.mercurymarine.com/look_deeper/boat_house_bulletin.php?ID=247&Filter=11

http://www.evinrude.com/NR/rdonlyres/1703ABE8-3C58-4AE8-B733-62CC02040301/0/PE284.pdf

http://www.evinrude.com/NR/rdonlyres/4DF4AC85-6796-4E7E-8E11-1974AA1A6C3C/0/PE462.pdf

 

[JB]

Re: outboard motors

Did he say the Merc he is considering is an EFI 4 stroke? I didn't see it. All I saw was Merc Bigfoot 60.

Bigfoot is a good engine for a 'toon. That's what they are made for. The big prop gets better bite to push big loads, and EFI 4 strokes are very user friendly.

On the other hand, ETECs have some very attractive features, too. I like the long warranty and low maintenance.

The problem with the above advice is that it is biased by brand loyalty that has little to do with value or quality. The availability of parts and service, locally, is an important concern, but I don't buy the claim that ETECs have a weak service network or that parts are hard to get. That may be true in TG's neighborhood, but it is certainly not true everywhere. In my neighborhood it is a lot easier to find a 'Rude dealer than a Merc dealer.

For the kind of use I would give a 20' 'toon I think I would go with the Merc, but it would be a close call.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: outboard motors

But, local neighborhoods don't matter. Time and time again it has been pointed out on iboats that the dealer network of brand M is larger than the dealer network for brand T and that, based on that parts and service availability, brand M is the one to buy. Mercury has, literally, 5 times the number of dealers that Evinrude has, therefore Mercury is the obvious choice....While I have always thought in the past that the number of dealers that a manufacturer has is irrelevant, I have now seen the light....Or maybe I haven't. Maybe I'm just pointing out the inconsistencies in the arguments of others. Frankly I wouldn't own a 4-stroke, much less one built by Mercury. The etec is superior in my own eyes from a technological and quality of construction standpoint.

All I'm asking for is consistency in the rational for recommending that someone buy one brand over another. It's just not logical to apply different standards to different brands. There are enough real differences in models types to negate the phony "dealer network/parts/service" argument to push one brand over another.