Upgrading from 1977 Evinrude 2 stroke to 2014 Mercury 4 stroke

[Smith145]

Due to the lack of reliability on the water, I am intending on upgrading my 1977 70hp 2 stroke Evinrude to a 2014 60hp Mercury Bigfoot. I am assuming that the 37 year difference in age would mean exponentially more reliability among other benefits. Can anyone comment on this?

 

[ondarvr]

The motors are designed to do different things, how do you plan to use it?

 

[Smith145]

17 foot aluminum fishing boat in freshwater.

 

[ondarvr]

The Merc Bigfoot is designed to push a heavy load at a lower speed, more like a pontoon boat, or larger displacement hull, it has a larger gear case and prop. Not that it can't be used on a lighter boat, but combineb with it being a 4 stroke, 10HP less, and a high thrust model, it may not be as lively or quick as what you have right now, but if what you have now isn't reliable, it will be much better overall.

 

[Crawfish Dundee]

I had a four stroke 60hp Bigfoot on a Crestliner fish hawk, it purred at idle, hardly made a noise. It came with the boat new, but I always wished I had more speed and hp.