To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

[offthehook67]

Hey all,

I recently purchased an older 1965 Star Craft 14' aluminum boat. 15" transom and a 52" beam V-hull.....I threw a 5 hp on it for the time being just so I could get out on the lake and catch some Crappies. However, I have been searching for a late model 4 stroke that I can get at a reasonable cost and hang on to for years to come. I have come across two so far. The first:

2005 Merc 9.9 SS 4 stroke with the claim that it has less than 25 hrs on it.

The Second:

2011 Yamaha 15 hp 4 stroke with elec start SS with the claim he used it for 5 hrs and no more.

Both are very adamant about the low hours on their machines.

So I pose a two part question to all and any with opinions on which to get.

Which would you go with and why?

Thanks and I am looking forward to all of your opinions )

Richard

 

[JimS123]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

If those are the only 2 choices, I would stick with the 5 HP. IMHO, a 4-stroke is too heavy for a 14 footer with a 15" transom. I own 2 small tinnies so I speak with some experience.

If it were me I'd look for a late model 2-stroke in the 18-25 HP range. A reasonable weight and plenty of power. I've run several 9.9 and 15 HP 2-strokes and although they performed well I was always wanting a little more speed.

If your closed mind on the subject, look up the specs and go with the lighter one. Both are good motors.

 

[erwinner]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

My 15hp 4 stroke is a little heavy on the back of my Grumman, but it still works fine. And I can hit about 30mph with it. But OP is talking about a boat with a 52" beam, so it's a lot more boat than my little 14'. Is it a Jet? I don't think we're talking about the really small rowboat type of Starcraft.
Is the USCG tag still intact?

 

[offthehook67]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Thanks,

I think.......

Here are the exact dimensions of my boat and a pic...

Length = 14'
Width (at widest point) 52"
Depth at deepest spot 22 1/2"
Transom width 44"
Transom depth 15"

PS the 5 hp I have on it now is a long shaft and is NOT going to work long term....besides I fish some pretty big water on a very deep lake so I need some power.



also I looked up the dry weight of each motor.

Yamaha 117lbs

Merc 86lbs

Thanks and pls keep the opinions coming )

 

[erwinner]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Ah, it is a really small one, like mine. I'd go for a 2 stroke to save weight. I'm pretty small but if I lean too far left or right on the back bench I can dip the corner under with my heavy motor. Personally, I wouldn't want to be on very big water on mine in the first place.

 

[JimS123]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Yeah that's a small water boat for sure. My little tinny is 10" wider and about a foot deeper. I experimented for years and ended up putting the 9.5 back on, which weighs about 65 lbs. An 18 was the biggest I felt comfortable with. A 112# 25 HP 2-stroke was too much for her (even though that still met the USCG requirements).

For yours I would recommend a late model 9.9 2-stroke.

 

[offthehook67]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Good Morning,

After listening to all of your opinions and past experiences I decided that purchasing a 4 stroke is NOT the way to go. Adding that kind of weight without the RPM's of a 2 stroke would defeat my purpose. I am trying to create the most speed I can and at the same time have low end power when needed (larger waves and wind such as 1 footers) I fish a lot on a very large lake however, it is VERY deep so if a big storm or wind comes up the waves rarely get large and mostly just choppy. I would like the speed so it does not take me an hour to go 4 miles across the lake and back. This all being said I started looking for a late model (preferable 2000 and up) 15 hp 2 stroke. I found a couple but have also noticed they are hard to find win that model year range I am looking as many manufacturers have gone to 4 strokes.

Thanks for all your help and happy boating/fishing

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

I agree with everyone else. A 2-stroke is the way to go on that thing. I used to have a 14' tin Alumacraft with a 5hp motor. My cousin put a 15hp on it and it FLEW. I didn't like having that much power on a small boat. I now run a 12' Starcraft with that same old 5hp motor. I love it but am only using that in the bays around my cabin, not on the big water. The big boat is for that.

My only question would be why you are still focusing on the late model two strokes? You can get a lot of great old motors in that horsepower range. They can run just as well as a new motor but just may require a little heavier oil mix. You mentioned keeping the cost reasonable so I would suspect that a good 70s or 80s Johnson/Evinrude would fit the bill, maybe even an early 90s motor of any make.

 

[halfmoa]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

I'd go with the 9.9. There's a ton of "less than 10hp" lakes (here anyway) and I can't see buying a motor with only 5 more hp that narrows my lake choice signifigantly.

 

[offthehook67]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

I live in the land of 10,000 lakes and after the state of Minnesota did an actual count its just over 12,000 and we have very few with motor restrictions here. I found a 15 hp ss late model and bought it yesterday. Looking forwarrd to seeing how she performs next week.

Thanks everyone for all your help!

Happy boating/fishing

 

[erwinner]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Congrats on the 15! Mine really screams at WOT and I wouldn't really want to go any faster! I've clocked 29 on GPS and it feels like 50 that close to the water.
I live in the land of no lakes. Well, one. And a bunch of dammed rivers. But I'm out where those are few and far between.

 

[offthehook67]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

@ Erwinner,

I had another thread on here talking about these smaller boats and motors. Here is what I posted earlier this morning. Should give you a chuckle

copy/paste below

Actually I was fiercely searching all over the net and as you said talking with dealers the past two days. I was determined to find a shorty in great shape. Like you mentioned they proved you correct. They are rare bird. And also, I did come across that site smalloutboards.com and yes, thought the same as you that they are VERY proud of their engines! I also came across a 1997 Johnson (keep in mind I was looking for 15 hp ss only) and that guy (which I spoke to) wanted $1500...(I wanted some of what he was smoking) and after talking to him he had already passed on a $1300 offer WTH?????? I told him to run with the $1300. I came across a 1993 for $900 private party and this guy never called me back. Of course I did come across a handful of early to mid 80's Johnson's and Merc's but I was really after something a bit newer. So, at that point I started going through all the small boats with motors for sale. I figured if the motors for sale by themselves people thought of as gold then what the heck let me see whats out there as a combo package and low and behold I was a few days deep into Craigs List and I found a 1974 true 14' Starcraft/trailor and motor for $1500 OBO. Called the guy and the more I spoke to him the more excited I got. Ran ove there which happend to me a mile from me (bonus), listened and saw the motor run, made him an offer of $1350. He didn't want to take the offer at first until I asked him if he was going to warranty the motor. Of course at that point he said $1350 works. I pulled out the cash, hooked it up to my truck and we went to DMV and transferred everything. Ok so your asking what the heck is the motor? Get this I found a 1995 Merc SS 15 HP and it runs like a top!!! Looks brand new dam near. The boat itself had a 60" beam and is deeper than my 65 Starcraft. The trailer needs a little TLC but that's fine gives me something to do and I already have a trailer light kit on the shelf in the garage collecting dust. All in all I am very pleased with this transaction. Too bad I cannot take it out and give it a run till next week as I have to work today - Sunday

Now the funniest part....My GF gets home from work yesterday and comes in the house and she is like whose boat is that? I say it's mine. She says two boats? I said yup.....after explaining my entire plan to her she was like oh, that is smart

When all is said and done and I sell the first boat with my 5 hp Nissan I will be into this project for roughly $800....

Happy boating/fishing

 

[kgronseth]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

I live in the land of 10,000 lakes and after the state of Minnesota did an actual count its just over 12,000 and we have very few with motor restrictions here. I found a 15 hp ss late model and bought it yesterday. Looking forwarrd to seeing how she performs next week.

Thanks everyone for all your help!

Happy boating/fishing

We must have been scouring the same ads recently. I am in the south metro. I have a 14' 1968 Lund and was looking for a different motor. I was looking for newer or older 15hp 2 or 4 strokes and I just bought a 1975 15hp short shaft electric start Evinrude yesterday. I think I was also looking at the 2011 Yamaha you mentioned earlier, but I think the guy must of had some mental issues and blew me off twice with times setup to buy it, even after having talked on the phone when he said he was leaving right then to meet me. His story changed everytime we talked. Good luck with your new motor!

 

[jasoutside]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Great move man! Yah, often times the best deals on an engine is when they are hooked to a boat

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Congrats offthehook. Maybe we'll run into each other out on the lakes....and remember that Minnesota has 12,000 natural lakes over 10 acres. Most other states include every man-made reservoir and golf pond they can spot by plane!

 

[erwinner]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Congrats offthehook. Maybe we'll run into each other out on the lakes....and remember that Minnesota has 12,000 natural lakes over 10 acres. Most other states include every man-made reservoir and golf pond they can spot by plane!

Yep, all of our lakes, except one, are man made reservoirs. The 2nd largest state by land and only one lake.
Not fair...
But at least we have the Gulf!

@ Erwinner,

...Now the funniest part....My GF gets home from work yesterday and comes in the house and she is like whose boat is that? I say it's mine. She says two boats? I said yup.....after explaining my entire plan to her she was like oh, that is smart

When all is said and done and I sell the first boat with my 5 hp Nissan I will be into this project for roughly $800....

Happy boating/fishing

I get what you're saying more than you know! I had to drive 12 hours roundtrip to pick up my big Starcraft so I let my GF in at the planning stages and she was quite uncertain (read unhappy!) about the prospect.
But she was expecting a ski boat with a little cramped cuddy and I brought back a boat with a big cabin! She loves it and I can't wait until I'm fit enough to get her ready to be out on the water.
Got any pics of the new boat?

 

[Pony]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Congrats offthehook. Maybe we'll run into each other out on the lakes....and remember that Minnesota has 12,000 natural lakes over 10 acres. Most other states include every man-made reservoir and golf pond they can spot by plane!

Maybe we should talk surface area than? 7.5mil acres vs 2.5mil (or should we not be counting the Great Lakes? ) I'm just glad that those of us in the upper midwest have the opportunity to enjoy so many natrual resources. Everyone should be so lucky.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Minnesota/Wisconsin....we're kissing cousins. Actually I grew up in Milwaukee so I'm quite familiar with the beauty of Wisconsin as well. Lot's of resources and I hope that the younger generations are brought up to appreciate the woods instead of appreciating the development value of them!

 

[Pony]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

Minnesota/Wisconsin....we're kissing cousins. Actually I grew up in Milwaukee so I'm quite familiar with the beauty of Wisconsin as well. Lot's of resources and I hope that the younger generations are brought up to appreciate the woods instead of appreciating the development value of them!

Agreed!

 

[BonairII]

Re: To all the Tinny owners.......Need your opinions please???

often times the best deals on an engine is when they are hooked to a boat

I def agree with that.