outboard suggestions

[brettmc]

I have an old mirrocraft 12 footer (no leaks, woohoo!) v-hull that I want to power up. The maximum hp on the boat info sticker says 40 hp max.

Herein lies the question. I am looking for a 15-25 hp motor but undecided on make & year range. Are any of the brands/year ranges more reliable? Do any of the brands/year ranges have cheaper parts? Do any of the brands/year ranges have more readily available parts?

I am handy with tools as I do my own maintenance of my daily driver and hot rod. I don't know much about outboards but I can learn what I need to know so regular maintenance should not be a problem.

This boat will serve time on local rivers (meramec, missouri) as well as smaller local lakes and larger regional lakes. Activities will mainly be fishing, joy-riding and maybe some camping.

Thanks a bunch!

Brett

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: outboard suggestions

Are you looking for a rope start or electric. And Yamaha is a very reliable with parts not too expensive.

 

[brettmc]

Re: outboard suggestions

Are you looking for a rope start or electric. And Yamaha is a very reliable with parts not too expensive.

Pull start is good since I won't have to lug around a battery, won't have to keep it charged and won't have to maintain a starter motor.

On the other hand, I could also lug my trolling motor, along with the starting battery, in case the outboard ever decided to take a crap on me while on the water.


With that decided, LOL, I guess it doesn't matter. Which way is best?

 

[jasper60103]

Re: outboard suggestions

Electric start is a very nice convenience, but I have rope start motors too. And a trolling motor for backup is always a good idea. Just my 2 cents.

 

[brettmc]

Re: outboard suggestions

Thanks for your 2 cents, Jasper. It's unanimous, starting method will not matter as long as it's a solid motor.

Any particular year range of Yamaha's better than others, Jeremy?

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: outboard suggestions

If that boat is rated for max 40 HP a 30 will perform nicely less loaded, if thinking in terms of portability a 25 is much heavier than a 15 HP, power and weight will depend entirely in the type of boating you intend to do and number of passengers to transport. If possible look for a Tohatsu 2 strokes 18 HP, outperforms any other 2 stroke 15 HP engine from any other brand and weights nearly same.

Happy Boating

 

[brettmc]

Re: outboard suggestions

If that boat is rated for max 40 HP a 30 will perform nicely less loaded, if thinking in terms of portability a 25 is much heavier than a 15 HP, power and weight will depend entirely in the type of boating you intend to do and number of passengers to transport. If possible look for a Tohatsu 2 strokes 18 HP, outperforms any other 2 stroke 15 HP engine from any other brand and weights nearly same.

Happy Boating

any particular year range? how about parts availability for Tohatsu?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: outboard suggestions

let's back up a second. You have a 12' boat that's rated for a 40? Are you sure it's not a 4? What's your weigth limit?

A 40 will sink most 12' boats, and will be unsafe to operate if it doesn't. It also requires a 6 gallon can and a battery. glug glug. A 9.9 will fly, weigh less, get you legally on more lakes, doesn't need a battery and only a 3 gallon can usually. A 12' boat does not need a back-up motor (use paddles or oars) and except for noise reasons, a small OB will troll just fine. V hulls are very tippy, too, and are really a one maybe two man boat.

Unless this boat is a racing boat design, check that again. Got pics?

 

[brettmc]

Re: outboard suggestions

i can post a pic later this evening. It's a 50s mirrocraft v-hull, 16.5" transom.

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: outboard suggestions

I would say its always good to double check that. But It sounds about right to me for a 12 ft V hull. I would personally get something like above a 9.9. it would be muchhhhh lighter. It all just depends on what your doing with this boat. Check that rating and get back with us.

 

[brettmc]

Re: outboard suggestions

Speaking of 9.9s, I've seen a couple advertised locally with "15 hp carbs installed". I guess the implication is it's now a 15 hp motor that can sneak in on a 10 hp limit lake. Does swapping the carb really add half again as much power? Sounds like some hokum to me....

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: outboard suggestions

Speaking of 9.9s, I've seen a couple advertised locally with "15 hp carbs installed". I guess the implication is it's now a 15 hp motor that can sneak in on a 10 hp limit lake. Does swapping the carb really add half again as much power? Sounds like some hokum to me....

lol, well, it makes for some good power. The carb and the manifold would be a full 15hp but just swapping the carbs would make for a pretty big increase from 9.9.

but........ You are increasing rpm on engine also. So, I wouldn't suggest it. But this subject can go on and on the more i think about different types of ob's. All that said. A 9.9 is a great hp engine and they last forever.

 

[brettmc]

Re: outboard suggestions

lol, well, it makes for some good power. The carb and the manifold would be a full 15hp but just swapping the carbs would make for a pretty big increase from 9.9.

but........ You are increasing rpm on engine also. So, I wouldn't suggest it. But this subject can go on and on the more i think about different types of ob's. All that said. A 9.9 is a great hp engine and they last forever.

That's probably what I'll end up with. There's a fairly good number of them around for sale and in a good price range also.

When i was a kid my family had a boat with a 65 hp merc on it. we skiied and camped out of that thing for a number of years. when i was old enough, i got to take it out with my friends for skiing trips. We never did anything to that motor and it soldiered right along. Granted my pop bought it new but for not being winterized in any way nor any preventive maintenance done, it was a great piece of machinery.

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: outboard suggestions

Yeah, I would say that would do you well for that size. What are you planning on doing with the boat? some fishing and just cruizin the lake/river?

 

[brettmc]

Re: outboard suggestions

yep, fishing and cruising around. Maybe some overnight camping.

I might have misspoke..i think it's a 14 footer.



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[Frank Acampora]

Re: outboard suggestions

This subject comes up time and time again: many people think that just because the engine block looks the same and has the same displacement that a simple carb change will increase horsepower.

Especially with the smaller engines, putting a 15 horse carb on a 9.9 will increase horsepower to-----9.9!

The primary way the manufacturer increases horspower is by port timing and unless you want to tear apart the engine and grind the ports THEN put on a 15 carb, almost anything you do will not increase horsepower noticeably

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: outboard suggestions

9.9 might be a lil small for that size. But if you wanna scoot across the lake a little faster get yourself something bigger. I would personally get a 40 with it being a 14 ft boat. That way you can have some weight on it with a couple buddies and still be good.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: outboard suggestions

This subject comes up time and time again: many people think that just because the engine block looks the same and has the same displacement that a simple carb change will increase horsepower.

A true portable engine conversion will depend on many factors as you will need to change : reed assy, carb, carb gasket, throttle cam, adjust timming advance. A matter to check parts manuals to watch for differences between close models and read factory tech literature if available. Would be very expensive to make many next size HP models with different CC, generally manufacturers uses same CC block and restricts them using the above mentioned restrictions. Anyway after converting a 9.9 to 15 will experiment a slight better top speed increase, move more weight and better hole shot, and that's all folks...

Happy Boating

 

[brettmc]

Re: outboard suggestions

Anyone want to suggest a make/model year range?

Also, will I need a short shaft outboard for the 16.5 inch transom?

 

[ncnjeremy]

Re: outboard suggestions

Short shaft for sure. And year just depends. How much u tryn to spend on it? Not a new one i suspect so it all depends on you. Did you decide what hp they YOU want?