new to boats and would love some motor selection advise and warnings

I

islandhooker:)

New Member
hey guys. Im just getting into boats now. Just bought a 14 foot hourston with a 40 horse which runs nicely. Fixed it all up with intentions to get out there asap. But then a 16' bowrider came up no motor no controls. So now i have this one. Was wondering what size motor i should run and if its an older mercury any thoughts on which ones to avoid. Heard they are difficult repairers like impelors and such. What about a 1989 merc 2 stroke 50 horse new impellor and mechanic tuned up with quicksilver controls..400 bucks. Solid leg and runner. Should i take this. What size would be best for me at the lake pulling fast to on the ocean. Pls offer help im just learing about old boats and such. Hoping to spend around 4-800 bucks on a motor
 
I ran a 50hp Merc for a few years.
good old motors, 4 cylinder -2 stroke runs smooth but they burn a lot more
gas than a comparable 4-stroke.
The problem i had was seals in the lower unit.
check the leg oil and make sure there is no water intrusion.
$400 sounds cheap, as long as its all checked out you can't go too far wrong.
 
Check the bowrider for a plate near the transom (back of the boat) which indicates the maximum horsepower for the boat. Generally you want to get an outboard that is between 70% and 100% of the maximum capacity of the boat.

Also ensure that you know what leg length you need to buy. On that boat it will be either a 20" or 25" leg and you need to buy the right one. Take a tape measure and measure from the center of the transom down to the bottom of the hull.

Older mercs are fine, but like was mentioned they burn lots of fuel. Same with any other older 2 stroke. I have found that Johnson and Evinrude motors from 89-99 model years are very reliable. I had an 85 merc 50hp and it was a good motor. Ran smooth and was reliable but burnt loads of fuel and was a bit of a pain to work on.

With any older outboard you are going to need to do a lot of maintenance to keep it running. Parts wear out and break down, that's just the nature of the beast. I'd recommend getting a service manual to go along with whichever outboard you choose and learn to do the basic maintenance yourself to save a lot of money.
 
Great advise from trendsetter. I would put the max horsepower on its rated for. We have swift winds and currents here and even us with a 60 knows we could get into trouble if they are going one way and we want to go the other.
 
Play with what you have first....think about what you require for your fishing needs...keep in mind..boat stands for BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND....take your time and go with what your budget can handle..If your married...KEEP YOUR WIFE IN THE LOOP...or eles...lol
 
Money Well Spent said:
Play with what you have first....think about what you require for your fishing needs...keep in mind..boat stands for BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND....take your time and go with what your budget can handle..If your married...KEEP YOUR WIFE IN THE LOOP...or eles...lol
Click to expand...

Are you sure boat is spelled B.O.A.T. and not "B.O.A.T.T." .................bring out another ten thousand.............I'm beginning to think so
 
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