Advice needed buying a new boat

All the low HP 4 stroke Mercs are Tohatsu.
Don't know how far up on the HP. I have a 60 Merc 4 stroke it's made by Tohatsu.
 
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Bernie Rienties said:
My opinion.avoid force or suziki engines they suck big time.if your buying an older boat pay to have the engine checked first.
You can also get the transom etc checked by a marine survey.they vould look solid but are rotted.(fiberglass)avoid repainted alum boats.also make sure vin number and boat numbers match the vessel papers.do not negogiate untill you see vessel papers.[/QUOTE






Bernie you should do you homework,Suzuki outboards are rated #1 and have been very popular for years in other places around the globe. Ask anyone who has owned one and has one like me,6 years and runs like the day I bought it. I am talking 4 strokes not sure about their old 2 strokes. Only oil changes and spark plugs in 6 years. Force on the other hand is junk.
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I can certainly reccomend the little 2.5 hp suzuki..its a 4 stroker & weighs only 29 lbs...It has been very reliable & performs well..I use it up in our remote north country fishin & huntin..

happy with my 115 merc and a 15 honda for a kicker...

yamaha are high perfomance...they are very popular outboards on the west coast..i have a yamaha griz 700 and its got power...i can pop wheelies like no tommorrow..so much fun...but it loves fuel...
 
@bow slayer... Suzuki #1? I'm sure they are good but almost every pro marine test reviews by major players like Boating Magazine, Consumer Affairs, Popular Mechanics and J.D. Power & Associates etc. rate Honda #1 in 4-stroke outboards with Yamaha a close second while rating Evinrude E-TECH #1 in 2-stroke outboards. Honda was the first 4-stroke outboard and ever since for over 40 years Honda Marine has been the industry innovator in 4-stroke technology. Yamaha has been building 4-strokes for 30 years while Suzuki just for the past 23 years (1994). J.D. Powers also rates Honda #1 in reliability which I can attest to as my Honda 90 is 17 years old and other than normal maintenance I have yet to spend a nickel on in repairs. It uses the time proven reliability of their 4 cylinder engine used in the Honda Civic.

You will get a host of personal opinions on which outboard is the best. But this is based on unopinionated factual testing done by the pros who test them day in and day out under every condition imaginable. Everybody has a favorite based upon their own experience with certain brands while others will tell you the BEST outboard is a good pair of oars. :D
 
I have been running hondas for kickers for years...I went from an 8hp to a 15 hp and they have never missed a stroke...

just wondered wave runner how your large honda 90hp is for top end...could you handle a bit more or is it just right...

I know my boat was reccomended the 90hp and I got the 115 hp...same weight just larger cylinders...sure more fuel...but more power and no complaints

every combination is different...I normally don't run mine full throttle, depending on conditions i like to keep it around 30 mph amd trimmed nicely to get best performance for fuel economy...

oh ya back in my days of fun..suzuki's RM 125cc and the 250 were the hottest dirt bikes going...today honda & yamaha are tops...
 
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mick said:
just wondered wave runner how your large honda 90hp is for top end...could you handle a bit more or is it just right...
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The max rating for my Sylvan Adventurer SC is 90 hp.
The Honda 90 is fast enough for me does a great job pushing me 40+ mph if I want to, which on Erie most of the time I don't. LOL! But on the flip side of the coin it will also troll at 600 rpm all day long without so much as a hiccup. It will troll as slow as 1.8 mph but I always troll 2.5-3 mph on the GPS most of the time for everything except musky then it's 3.5-4.2 mph. It's barely audible noise wise and only sips gas. Because we have only been fishing out to 62 fow this year I'm getting 3 trips out of my 60 liter tank with still almost a 1/4 tank showing on the gauge. That's running and trolling combined however there's not a lot of trolling time the way the walleye have been jumping in the boat for all of us this year. :D

I have had Evinrude, Mercury, Suzuki, Yamaha and now Honda over the 50+ years of fishing. Just estimating but by the amount of hours I fish per year I believe I must have in the range of 3,000 hours on my Honda. Unlike the other motors I've had it has never failed to start on first turn of the key nor has it ever once let me down in over 17+ years I've had it. I always maintain my equipment well and that's probably half the battle for reliability or longevity of any outboard.

Hey Tues. is looking good for wind, let's get back to fishing. :)
 
Oh thanks for all that waverunner...dual purpose.. trolling too..thats very impressive fuel consumption and performance...I know the big honda outboards are extremely quiet in low and pushing you over 40 mph..thats far from sluggish...lol...mine goes 45 mph but don't run it like that...

I don't know about going out fishin tommorrow...the wind & lake is rockin & rolllin out there right now and to continue into early evening..will see how she goes..or blowz..
 
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mick said:
I don't know about going out fishin tommorrow...the wind & lake is rockin & rolllin out there right now and to continue into early evening..will see how she goes..or blowz..
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It's actually supposed to keep blowing strong until 3 am tomorrow morning so either afternoon or Wed. may be better.
I think I'll wait until Wed. morning to be sure, water should be cleaner also.
 
hvyhaul said:
I tell you, this working for a living is really starting to interfere with all of my hobbies and personal pleasures.
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I'm retired and can go anytime but I don't forget my weekend warrior days.
I know it's not fun when weather keeps getting in the way of what you love to do. :)
 
ya waverunner.. wednesday ..tommorrow am is looking good..light offshore..hopefully the fish think so too..

if I wasn't retired and still working and weekends are a blow out...I take a vacation day...or go after work ..or even a sick day..my boss new all about my serious fishing disease I suffered from every summer...:rolleyes:

as far as advice buying a new boat...you should be able to find good value on a boat purchase
end of season can be a buyers market...
 
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Ive had many ski boats many motors.guys with larger suzikis had nothing but oroblems and were a dog of an engine.
Force is bottom of barrel.
 
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