Which may be the better outobard?

[dolphinhunter]

Hey guys i've been looking in at this forum for a while and now i have a good question to post. So here's my dilemma. I have a manatee 207 vc and it had an 87 125 force on it. I say had cause i just removed it (dropped #3) Now i am looking into some possible replacements and i'm wondering which may be the better buy. Obviously checking compression, overheating, ext.. I'm looking at an 93 mariner 115, a Johnyrude 115 which i think is a 91, and an 80 150 mariner. the force got the boat to around 32mph when it ran at its best and cruised happily around 25-7. can i expect this out of the 115's or should i hope for better knowing that my motor was crap to begin with. Also the 125 i think did well on gas so how horrible with the 150 be. i'm searching for cheap motors cause i don't have 5k to blow on a newer one and all i want is to be able to go out and fish and make it home with out having to call the tow guy.
thanks for the imput.

 

[dreadinger]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

Can't go wrong with a good johnnyrude, I love mine!

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

With that choice group, I'm with dreadinger on this one....go with the Johnnyrude 115.
However, whichever one you choose, check it out first...good compression, good runner, good lower unit. Get a feel from the seller if he seems like a guy who took care of the motor.
BP

 

[steelespike]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

I would stick with the JRude I feel the parts are more universally available.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

I'd go johnnyrude too, better history, easier parts accessibility. Mariner's and Force outboards both have pretty bad reps down here.

 

[Senderofan]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

My 2001 "Classic" XR6 150 Merc....carb'd got @ 1.5 to 1.8 nmpg while cruising @ 3400-3600 RPM....about 30 mph per GPS. I've since moved on to another motor in hopes of increasing the fuel economy. As the others have stated...go for the Johny. As an unequal comparison...my father had a 1 foot shorter boat with an F115 on it....he got more than double the fuel economy than I did...we cruised the same routes at nearly the same speed and I compared how much fuel we each burned. We were in canada...I burned 210 liters of fuel and he burned 90.

Wayne

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

the 115 Johnson will have more power than the 125 force. great hole shot torque, top end will be great. should be as efficent as a the force.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

I have the same hull Manatee VC207 1988. I removed the '88 Force 125 which got 32 MPH and replaced it with my favorite 1979 Chrysler 140. It now tops out at 38 (me alone) GPS.

No offence to the Rude, but you just won't be happy with the speed or power and neither will your boat. My buddy has a Manatee 18 cuddy (same exact hull only 2 feet shorter.) and with three people in the boat his 115 rude will not pull out a waterskier well. Oh, it will do it ---eventually. The engine is sweet and runs admirably well, but 115 is only 115, is only 115. Yeah, I know you just want to go out and fish, but you would be surprised at how quickly an underpowered boat will dissatisfy you. It's nice to have the power, even if you don't use it. That one time weather blows in without warning makes it well worthwhile.

Your 207 is rated for up to 170. If I could find a 200 Chrysler, it would be on the back of mine instead of the 140. (as you may have noticed, I am a Chrysler fan--that's my 140 in the avatar)

Don't count out your Force yet. It is relatively cheap, quick, and easy to repair (DIY) and there are a couple of tricks to get a bit more poop out of it. If interested, go over to the Force forum.

Oh, yeah! the 125 Force now gets 60 MPH GPS on a 14 foot flat bottom go-fast hull.

BTW: Where are you located. edit OK--so I cant read! You are in Fla.

 

[dolphinhunter]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

hey thanks for the replies guys but i ended up with the mariner 115. the compression was spec. it was the cleanest motor i had seen and it came with a stainless prop which i think may even be a good size for my hull. but i couldn't pass it up for the price and everything worked as advertised. i cleaned the carbs and put new plugs in it today and it purrs like a kitten. now all i have to do is get the thing on the back of the boat.

 

[mxzer29]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

hey thanks for the replies guys but i ended up with the mariner 115. the compression was spec. it was the cleanest motor i had seen and it came with a stainless prop which i think may even be a good size for my hull. but i couldn't pass it up for the price and everything worked as advertised. i cleaned the carbs and put new plugs in it today and it purrs like a kitten. now all i have to do is get the thing on the back of the boat.

YOu won't go wrong with the MARINER! Great motors!!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

Let us all know how it works out for you.

 

[dolphinhunter]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

So far so average. I have to order the right control cables first. lol. hopefully within the next day or so i may be able to get this thing out on the water. that is if the damn wind dies down around here.

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

Hmmm

I would have also favored a bigger 'Rude, (due to the salt water use), and I totally agree with the Chrysler fan about more power, (which you may learn to appreciate now that you have a less powerful engine).


No way will a 115 Mariner or a 115 'Rude kick that hull like the 125 Force did, (when it was healthy), I don't care what yer smokin'.

I hope that 115 Mariner you bought is not the one that cuts out cylinders at low RPMs.

If I would have seen this thread I would have pushed ya to the Mariner 150 v6 and I would have preferred a larger search ta find a used Yammadinger or Johnnyrude 150 v6 fer the intended salt use.

OH well, ya did what ya did.

Good luck with yer new engine. JR

 

[Benny1963]

Re: Which may be the better outobard?

ive seen some properly setup 115 rudes run good numbers ,being heavy boat i would have went with v6 merc but the trick was to buy the best maintained comps and soforth the mariner 115 is a good motor ,ill trade a fresh v6 evin for a good looper 140 1089 up