Outboard thoughts?

Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

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My trusty old Yamaha 15 HP may need replacing. I have fingers crossed hoping my mechanic tells me it's repairable, but in the event that it's not, I may be shopping for a replacement.

Given all the water in the fuel trouble my friends have with 4 strokes and E-tecs in cold weather and after they have sat for a while, and all the stories of burned out impellers that automatically shut down their motors every time they run in shallow water and suck a little sand into the system, I'm really hoping it doesn't come to that.

So, give me your thoughts on a replacement motor. My boat is 14' Lowe aluminum that goes as fast as I need to with my current 15. Options would be anything 9.9 to 20 HP. A little worried that a 9.9 won't be enough to get me on plane with a load. Very concerned about the extra weight.

What should I be checking out?
 
I would go for an older OMC 15. Bulletproof and easy to repair when they do have trouble. I know they don't have all the whistles and bells of the new ones BUT SO What? Fuel economy, noise and pollution. I would rather set points than have to order a CDI box. In my boat box I have a flywheel puller, points, water pump impeller and a temp gun. The flywheel puller can also be used as a wad knocker(right Paul?). Good luck, too bad you don't live closer, I have several that are going together one at a time and out the door, none right now though
 
I have a 14 ft duranautic with a 9.8 Nissan 2 stroke--it's little slow with 2 hunters and a dog. I'd like to replace the motor with a Yamaha or Mercury 20--25 hp 2 stroke,for pushing more wt--another hunter or dog or more decoys. Plus in the summer we use it la carry more passengers to the beach. I'd ck the weight of the motor; might have to move gas tank and/or battery forward. I'm hoping the end of summer will turn up a good deal! For hunting larger water I use a Lund Alaskan with a 60 he Mercury.

Sandy Allen
 
I'm happy with my 2008 Suzuki V-Twin 4 stroke 25hp that I found used two seasons ago. Yes, kind of finicky at first start in the morning after it's sat. But fine after that. Go with 15-25hp. After running the 15 you just won't be happy with a 9.9hp. And get ELECTRIC START. You can certainly try, but 15-25hp motors are tough to come across on Craigslist, unless it's part of a 14ft boat sale. I got lucky. Mine came off of a pontoon that couldn't get out of it's own way so the guy bought a bigger motor. I hung it on my TDB and it wouldn't get out of it's own way, SO I BOUGHT A NEW PROP DROPPING THE PITCH, and I do over 20mph with 2 guys and gear.
 
Find another older 15 hp Yamaha or Johnson/Evinrude 2 stroke would be my recommendation.
Or a Nissan 18 hp 2 stroke like I had for years, that was a great motor, only weighed a few more pounds than the 9.9/15s and had electric start.
 
Just heard from the mechanic--nothing more wrong with my motor than a bad lower unit seal, now fixed, and installation of a new prop, which was long overdue. I think my motor was still running on the original 1991 prop. I'm the third owner, and I know the second owner well, and neither of us has been shy about taking it into shallow water on the rocky Maine coast and rivers after ducks, stripers and brook trout. It looked like an old punch-drunk fighter's nose.

This has been a "starts within 3 pulls even at 10 below after sitting for a month" motor, so I was not happy about taking a chance on something different.
 
Tuning up the GPS for a speed run on Saturday.

Running with the tide back up to the launch after things went bad last weekend the GPS app on my phone had me averaging 4.5 mph and my handheld GPS had me at 4.7. Not sure why the difference, but either way it was a LONG 10 miles. Very glad the tide was with me, as there are places on that river it peaks out at 2-3 knots on big tides.

With the beater prop I topped out around 19 mph on glass calm stillwater, so I'm hoping for low-mid 20's. Not as fast as a Roy boat, of course. lol!
 
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Glad to hear you are up an running. My 15 is still down (1975 Evinrude). I am trying a new mechanic.
Yamaha's of that vintage are awesome. My 3 hp Yamaha from the late 80's runs every time with no muss no fuss.
 
Just in from the test run on the local lake. Topped out at 21.3 mph--an increase of about 1.5 mph.

That will make all the difference when racing to my favorite duck blind next year, but it's no Roy Boat.

The more important change is that it runs a lot smoother and quieter at lower speeds, and that it runs at all!
 
Just in from the test run on the local lake. Topped out at 21.3 mph--an increase of about 1.5 mph.

That will make all the difference when racing to my favorite duck blind next year, but it's no Roy Boat.

The more important change is that it runs a lot smoother and quieter at lower speeds, and that it runs at all!
Click to expand...

Take out the floatation and you may bet another mph!
 
I've been running small engines since I was 8 years old. i thought I was a big shot running my 3hp Johnson all over our northern Michigan lake as a kid. And it sure beat rowing the pram! Now at 65, I have 4 of them. They've served as trolling motors and the last 2 OMC 15's have gotten me to, through and back from the Michigan marshes for MANY years.

Try and find a good outboard mechanic!!! Mine has kept my old 2 strokes going for years! I finally broke down and bought a used starter for my 15. Makes those cold, early morning start-ups easier on my shoulder, and adds peace of mind late in the day for the return trip. Should have done the electric start sooner in life.
And the tilt position is my "mud" motor...

Took a big leap this winter from my 14' Starcraft to a 19' Bankes.
Still running a 2 stroke but the 115hp is "faster" than my 15! (ha)
My non-hunting, "loving" wife is glad I am safer and able to take the next generation of waterfowlers out safely too. Wife did ask if I was going to sell my 14' - 15hp rig...."NEVER", I said..."I may need it"

All to say, it's hard to beat those old 2 strokes! Older can be better sometimes...at least us Ol' Timers like to say that.
 
Another vote for electric start, I added it to my 25 and ignored the smart a---ed remarks about getting too old to pull start a motor. Now at o dark thirty I just push the button and motor off without sweating up.
 
Another vote for electric start, I added it to my 25 and ignored the smart a---ed remarks about getting too old to pull start a motor. Now at o dark thirty I just push the button and motor off without sweating up.
Click to expand...
When I get to where it takes more than a pull or two to get started, I may head in that direction. In the meantime, it's really nice not to have to worry about a battery and wiring. LED bow and tail lights and lithium batteries have made the portable lights a lot more reliable.
 
Jeff,
Like you, I use portable battery operated bow and stern lights as well. I used a dedicated 12volt, deep cycle marine battery last season and it made it through my whole season without charging.

Probably quite a few motors stored in people's sheds that haven't been run in years, or only for their 1-2 weeks of vacation at the cabin. Keep one's eyes and ears open for those people who want to "downsize". That was the case for both of my last two 15's.
 
This is a very timely thread for me. Had an issue with my pull starter last weekend. Now plan to extend my battery cable to reach my main battery in the bow. Hope the extended cable doesn't harm starter performance...
 
2-3 pulls and it starts is what I like and has served me well. Kinda like a kick start, or a electric start of a motorcycle, for those of us that recall them.
 
My pull starter jumped off the flywheel and I didn't have a way to fix it...hope to have the pull starter as the backup option in the future.
 
For years I ran a 25hp Merc 2 stroke on my 14' Lund. Several years ago, after shoulder surgery, I decided pull start was a thing of the past for me. Bought a 15 merc 4 stroke with electric start...really love not wearing and tearing on my shoulder anymore. Same reason I switched to 2-handed rods for atlantic salmon fishing!
Gary
 
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