Evinrude Repower?

[Piddle and Futz]

Hey folks, apologies I haven't been around in quite a while. Part of that was personal, part of it was also that the reliability of our 2005 Evinrude E-TEC 50 has made it a risky proposition to take our 26M out.

We bought our boat from a first owner who pretty much just let it sit unused for perhaps 15 years. Outside of the boat and motor was weather-damaged and mossy. Inside of both was practically brand new (=very low motor hours). Was able to revive the motor and it has run pretty good, but starting it has always been problematic and it has quit running once or twice while idling. Because it is no longer made and so old, it is very difficult and expensive to find parts (e.g., $1400 to replace brittle plastic covers) and 90% of outboard mechanics won't even work on it.

At this point, the admiral and I have low trust in the outboard and are looking at repowering so that we can have something we would trust.

New in the 30-50 HP range looks like $8000-$12000, which is roughly double what I paid for the boat originally. Used looks like perhaps $4k cheaper, but it likely to result in a less reliable motor and lower end value.

Had some other crazy ideas, such as adding a low HP backup/trolling motor or buying a better-sailing trailerable (with way too little cabin space).

Someone please talk some sense into me.

[OverEasy]

Hi Piddle and Futz!

Join the crowd!
We started out with our Over Easy in the fall of 2020 with what had been the original 2001 purchase 2-stroke Tohatsu 50 HP engine which ran (but required a high idle speed to stay that way) which made maneuvering an all or nothing affair in close quarters. It also had some random cut offs when in use, getting servicing was problematic, and fuel consumption was high.

We bit the bullet and bought a new 4-stroke Suzuki DF60AV (60 HP) motor after much evaluation of the new/used options and various manufacturers. Yes it was an investment that has so far been a wise move on our part. The Suzuki has been a great engine and we have almost 500 hours on it since we purchased it 4 years ago with zero issues. With a near WOT we estimate we can run for well over 12 plus hours on 24 gallons at 12-to-14 mph. At 50% power or 3000 rpm we get about 8 mph and estimate we can run for well over 24 plus hours on 24 gallons of fuel.

That is considerably better than the Tohatsu which was lucky to get 6 hours WOT at 12-to14 mph run time on the same amount of fuel.
At roughly below 50% power and about 8 mph we were lucky to get maybe 10 hours of run time.
It also eliminated the need for repeated refilling the 2-stroke oil injection tank on the engine.

We have no complaints about our choice of getting a new Suzuki DF60AV engine.
We like that we know that from day one we have been taking regular proper care and service of it.
The reliability allows us to enjoy being out and about on the water without the concern of whether the engine will act up.
It starts and runs great.
Best part: The Suzuki is also SOOOO MUCH quieter than the old Tohatsu.

Yes, it wasn’t the cheapest option, but even on our limited budget, it was a great investment to make for us.

There is no one right answer for everyone.
There are other engine manufactures that also have good products like Honda, Yamaha, and others.
There are also some good used engines out there as well but it’s gonna be a hit/miss proposition finding them.
I’d prefer to actually see the engine in operation on the water pushing a boat before buying but that’s no guarantee either as older engines can still have issues that have been masked over during a short evaluation run.
(It’s happened to me even with an on water demo and through inspection fribble)
It’s not malice or anything it’s just the nature of older used (abused?) engines that pass through multiple owners with long periods of inactivity followed by limited aggressive seasonal usage in most cases.

As with the purchase of anything the ancient Romans were right with “buyer beware”.
That applies to new and used items….
Hope this helps somehow.

Best Regards,
Over Easy

[Be Free]

Points to consider:

The value of a boat without a reliable engine starts at zero and goes down from there. It is taking up space wherever it is sitting, registration costs continue, insurance (if you have it) costs continue, time erodes the remaining value of boat and trailer.

Whatever value you expected to receive from the original purchase of the boat diminishes if you are not using it. While it is impossible to put a monetary value on the enjoyment you have experienced since your purchase I expect you felt at the time that it was worth what you had invested or you would have sold the boat already. I also think it would be safe to assume that you currently get no joy out of watching the boat slowly deteriorate in the driveway.

Periodic replacement of major components, such as the engine, are an expected part of maintaining any boat. The cost of maintenance is not related to the original purchase price; that cost is sunk. Neither is it directly related to future resale value. Unfortunately, lack of maintenance will always decrease resale value while proper maintenance will only slow down the decrease in resale value. Whether or not you choose to maintain the boat or sell it should be based on the future value you expect to receive from using the boat compared to the value of any other use of the money.

A used, well-maintained engine is not inherently less reliable in the near-term than a new engine. If the engine has been properly maintained (receipts are a major plus) and if it does not show any signs of immanent problems there is no reason to expect it to fail any time soon. All of us are depending on a used engine every time we leave the dock and few of us experience unexpected engine problems because we have maintained our engines and have not seen any warning signs.

If you go for a used engine Honda, and I suspect other manufacturers, consider 100 hours to be a normal year's use. Look at the hours not the calendar age. You may find an engine that has been on the boat 5 years but only has 200 hours of run time on it or you may find one that has 500 hours on a 2 year-old engine.

Assuming you have multiple brands that meet your needs, go with one that has good support in your area. The only thing worse that having to take your outboard into the shop is having to drive a long way to do so.

Adding a back-up outboard to a boat with a dependable main engine can be reasonable if you are going on a long trip and want the redundancy. Adding one to an undependable outboard is throwing good money after bad. You are patching something that should be replaced.

Whether you buy new or used, you need to decide how you plan to use the engine. Are you looking for high top speed, low speed maneuverability, or towing. What is most important to you? You can't have all three in the same engine/propeller combination. Decide ahead of time what you want to do best and then look for an engine that will accomplish it without compromising too much (your call) on the other functions.

The same applies to whether or not you switch to another trailerable sail boat. You already know that you will have to give up interior volume for sailing performance. Honestly look at how you will actually use a hypothetical sailboat. Decide which features are most important to you in the actual, foreseeable future. That will help you decide if you need a different boat. I can't tell you what the answer will be, but I would encourage you to be brutally honest with yourself.

When I went through that exercise I had a budget that was enough to buy multiple new, loaded 26Ms. After taking a long, hard look at how I would actually be using the boat and where it would likely be used there was only one choice that hit all of my priorities - a used 26X. I was surprised, but going on 15 years later, I've never been disappointed.

[NiceAft]

I am the original owner of a 2005M. Its 50HP 4 stroke is the original on the boat, I maintain it well, but, as my nephews bib once stated,”SPIT HAPPENS”. What Be Free stated is true.

“Assuming you have multiple brands that meet your needs, go with one that has good support in your area. The only thing worse that having to take your outboard into the shop is having to drive a long way to do so.”

When it happened to me 300 miles from home, at a large lake in a huge boating community, I could not find a mechanic that worked on Hondas. I called TowBoatUS to get me back to a launch ramp, and proceeded to put NiceAft on its trailer.

The amount of disposable income is the deciding factor. My feeling is if the money is there, go for the new motor; if not, go with a well documented used. Personally, I am a believer in four strokes.

Adding a back up motor to an is not easy. You have to make a plate that matches the curve of the hull because of the small space on the stern to attach it.

Be Free said:
“Adding a back-up outboard to a boat with a dependable main engine can be reasonable if you are going on a long trip and want the redundancy. Adding one to an undependable outboard is throwing good money after bad. You are patching something that should be replaced.”