what's the biggest outboard?

[DJ]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

newtoboatsman,<br /><br />You are overanalyzing all of this information.<br /><br />Make a choice. Find a boat you like and a dealer with a good reputation (most important of all). Buy it and enjoy it.

 

[chris in va]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

If I were you, I'd get a motor that is universally repaired anywhere. Not everyone services/carries parts for Suzuki, for instance.<br /><br />I have enough trouble finding parts for my Volvo...

 

[josip_voyager]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

I can see a lot of misinformation in this discussion.<br />1) Yamaha 300 HPDI is the strongest outboard in serial production.<br />2) As you can see from this website, Yamaha and especially Honda have the very small number of engine problems (I can also say that for Tohatsu and Suzuki too), unlike Mercury/Mariner and Johnson/Evinrude which have a lot of problems with their engines.<br />3) Bomabardier (who bought Johnson/Evinrude brands from OMC group) is the owner of Johnson/Evinrude, but in spring 2003 they sold 65% of his share. Johnson buys 4 stroke engines from Suzuki, and Mercury from Yamaha.<br />Mercury Optimax is two stroke technology, not better than Yamaha HPDI or Tohatsu TLDI or Evinrude FICHT-RAM (in this moment Evinrude E-tech 2 strokes direct injection outboards are not available). I can only tell that with Yamaha HPDI or Tohatsu TLDI outboards, the owner will have a less problem than with Mercury Optimax and Evinrude FICHT-RAM (in fall 1999 OMC group went bankrupt due to a problems with Evinrude FICHT two stroke direct injection outboards).<br />4) Suzuki is the only manufacturer who has 250 four strokes outboard. Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki have 225 and 200 outboards, and only Honda has 175.<br /><br />That's all for now.

 

[squale]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

thanks for the info. IT's funny how you say that Mercury outboards have problems and Yamahas really don't, when Mercury engines ARE Yamahas...<br /><br />Also, what do you think about the I/O field compared to Outboards... who makes the best engines here?<br /><br />how do you like the Mercruiser 5.0 MPI 260hp and the 5.7 MPI 300hp I/O's?

 

[josip_voyager]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

It is logic to assume that I meant outboards that are DEVELOPED and MANUFACTURED by Mercury (the same thing is with Johnson who takes FOUR STROKE outboards from Suzuki) and not the engines from Yamaha or Suzuki. Mercury/Mariner have only traditional two strokes and direct injection two strokes (Optimax). Johnson/Evinrude have also traditional and direct injected two strokes (FICHT-RAM and now E-tech).<br /><br />I have also found on Internet comparison between Volvo Penta inboard and Yamaha 250 HPDI. In that article author thinks that the difference is very small.

 

[kenneths]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Remember, The great and admired JB once said; "Now that FORCE is gone, there really isn't a BAD decission!"<br /> He is 100% correct! It's survival of the fittest...They all have there best and betters.

 

[JB]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

"As you can see from this board, Johnson/Evinrude and Mercury have a lot of problems."<br /><br />Nonsense.<br /><br />What you can tell from this board is that there are many many more JohnnyRudes and Mercs in service whose owners want to do their own maintenance. If you are "counting posts", you need to note how many JohnnyRudes and Mercs are still in regular service after 40 or 50 years. How many 40 year old Yamahas, etc. are there out there?<br /><br />The Ficht V6 engines made by OMC were bad. The early Optimax had their problems. Both are history<br /><br />The Japanese engines are good, reliable engines, but not perfect. Note the recent recall on the Yamaha V6 4 strokes.

 

[ISkiH2O]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

JB, go easy on Josip, he got one thing right<br /><br />"I can see a lot of misinformation in this discussion."

 

[ISkiH2O]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Oops, I just read it again and it looks like the misinformation showed up after that statement.<br /><br />My mistake Sorry JB

 

[josip_voyager]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

To JB<br /><br />I can agree that there are no bad engines in this time. But statistically, Mercs and Johnson/Evinrude engines still have far more problems (little bugs) than for example Yamaha or Nissan/Tohatsu. And where have you red it that there are more Mercury and Johnson/Evinrude owners who repair their engines by their own? That's nonsense. In Europe the Japanese holds over 60 maybe 70% of the market, and there are a lot of owners who do their own maintenance. But still there are no such a lot of complaints like with Mercury and Johnson/Evinrude outboards.

 

[Lark40]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Josip Voyager,<br /><br />You asked where JB has read such and such...<br /><br />Perhaps if you had read (and responded to) over 8,000 such postings, you might have a clue.<br /><br />Right now, with 18 posts, you have far more opinion than you have credibility.

 

[josip_voyager]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

OK, I admit that I am new in this forum, but I am sure not new in boating. I have 25 years of experience with boating. My grandfather was fisherman, and has owned in every moment minimal three boats, my uncle is fisherman, and I am spending every free moment on the sea. I have a lot of experiences with outboards <br />I am tracking a lot of magazines since I am fluent in German, French and of course Croatian my native language (for example Boote, Skipper, Nautica, Pneumatique Magazine, British Motor Boat and Yachting and American Boating and Powerboating magazines) and a lot of excellent marine sites on the Internet (I can send some links if anybody is interested). I'm also member of some other mostly European forums. I have owned outboards that most of Americans have never heard about it (for example Slovenian Tomos, British Seagull, Italian Selva). Of course that I had also experience with Yamaha, Johnson and Mercury outboards and now I have Honda. Conclusion: if someone is new in this forum, it doesn't necessarily means it is new in boating.<br /><br />I think that quantity of posts means nothing, while the quality is form me of more importance. I am not telling that posts of JB are not excellent, and that I don't respect his opinion, but there are also other opinions, and quantity of posts is not an argument.

 

[BRIAN03]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Yamaha 300 hpdi They also make a pro 300 hpdi engine for the bass guys on the Yamaha pro teams. Biggest or best Omc Made a v8 and Mercury makes race outboards Nothing sounds better than a pair of bridgeports screaming there guts out.Rpms to the moon. Land and sea used to make turbos and Mad EFI put a 8-71 blower on an omc v-8 outboard.

 

[BRIAN03]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Agree with you 1000% Josip

 

[Lark40]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Josip,<br /><br />Thank you for the background. You are certainly qualified to express your views. But, with 45 years of boating experience, and a former dealer (British Seagull sales and repair, among others), I will value your views with the same respect that you accord to the other contributors.

 

[Hooty]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

I'd point out that some of the OMC V8's BRIAN03 mentioned are producing over 800hp. Got any Tomos doin' that?<br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[myotherjob2]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

I own stock in Mercury and per their portfolio:The new VERADO is their biggest at 250hp and is a quiet 4 stroke.

 

[Mettaree]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Question: Doesn't Merc make a Verado at 275hp ?<br />The latest in Tower of Power. Inline 6 - Blown<br /><br />

 

[james roach]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Merc is the biggest, 100 pounds more than the nearest competetor. Here in the good ole USA there are many many old Mercs and Johnnyrudes still in service. Parts are still easy to get and until recently you did not need a computer to work on them. As far as what is predominant in Europe, I could care less.

 

[RJS]

Re: what's the biggest outboard?

Merc has this one. The two engines that come to mind are the Pro Max 300X (300 HP/2 stroke) and the 2.5 l EFI from Mercury Racing (280 hp)