Repower my 16 SS

[wrmdunker]

I have a 1974 Super Sport with a 74 Evinrude 70 Hp. Original layout with open bow seats and lounge seats.

Some folks say this is the ideal motor however I dont take the kids tubing anymore. Plus its 41 years old and been costing my a few hundred each year. Coils, carbs, fuel pump, etc. Trying to smooth out the idle but it is frustrating

I want to be able to troll, have power to run 2-3 miles and have a good reliable motor. I want to keep this boat and I like the OMCs.

Any thought about year and horespower I might want to look for? I'd put 1500 to 2000 into it if I had to.

 

[artfull dodger]

What are the compression readings on the Rude's cylinders? That would be my deciding factor to finish refurbishing that engine or replacement. If the compression is good, you have tackled most everything else. If its a multi carb set up, they might not be quite sync'd right for the idle to work well, or you have a weak cylinder. I had a week cylinder on my old 80hp merc, would run find at speed but would stall if I put it in gear and tried to idle more than a few seconds. I had one cylinder all but dead with only 60 psi compression with the other 3 at 100 psi or better. I think the older outboards are built more bullet proof, just have to get thru all the issues that come with age. Once refurbished, everything I read says they are less problematic than a new one.

 

[wrmdunker]

Compression is good. 132 133 125. I had a guy sync the carbs last year but he was a one man small town shop that fixed all water craft and Im not sure he did it well. Good spark that will jump 7/16 gap. Not sure if I could get a smooth idle at a low enough speed like 1.5 mph with motor. Been thinking to go to an OMC shop and check timing.

Still think a 50 Hp 20 year old motor may meet my requirements.

 

[wheeldriver]

Hi WD
Heres some feedback on what I'm running that might be helpful. I've been fishing with a 74 Starcraft SS 16' for 3 years now with a 40hp Mercury/Force motor. On a average day I travel about 4-5 miles from my launch point, stopping at many locations in those miles to fish or troll the shoreline. The only time I've checked my speed was when me and my dad taken it out for the first time after I completed the restoration, gps at WOT was 27.5 with just us and no gear. A 74 16' SS was advertised empty at 630lbs, not a lot of weight to push around.

Heres a review of a 16' Tracer weighing 700lbs with a 40hp honda. At wide open throttle was at 28.5.

I fish the Snake River in the pacific northwest. My boat is now loaded with a 24volt 70 thrust bow mounted trolling motor, a Tohatsu 4hp kicker motor (Tohatsu short shafts are 17 inch and work fine off the transom), 2 6gal fuel cans along with standard fishing gear. It moves along fine for me. If I ever do upgrade motors it will be a 50hp tops. If its just you and maybe only one friend tagging along to go fishing a 50hp in my view should be fine.

Good advise I read once on the subject of how much hp should a person get is are you out on big water or just some small lakes. A storm can come up quick on big water and if you are underpowered going into the wind racing the weather it can be slow going. Many people here have a story to tell about that happening. Rule #1 don't get caught out. Just something to think about.

 

[laurentide]

I agree with wheeldriver's assessment of required hp. A lot of folks will give you the 80% rule, but these boats are so light that they can serve you well at 60% or so of max rated hp. I have an 18' with a 70 hp, and I cruise at 20 mph...wide open a little over 30.. That's fine for me and easy on gas...it's a trolling boat so the kicker gets the bulk of the running time. If you pull skiers or want to go fast (or get there fast) you'll need to adjust accordingly. If you're in sloppy conditions you have to slow these hulls way down anyway.

 

[Tnstratofam]

I think your asking a motor designed to run at 3/4 to full throttle most of the time smoothly to also act like a kicker motor. They aren't really designed for just trolling along at 1 or 2 miles and hour. That's why most people use a kicker motor or a good trolling motor. Our 16SS is powered by an original Chrysler 75hp and she runs about 34 with 4 adults and fishing gear. When we need to troll I use either the bow mount trolling motor or a stern mount one that I have.The Chrysler runs a little rough at slow speeds, and even at idle in gear we are just under wake speed. If I did anything more than troll the banks for bass and blue gill I might look into getting a kicker mounted. I see people on our lakes trolling for walleye and catfish, but they are using much bigger boats than me.

Just a thought.

 

[wrmdunker]

Thanks to ALL. I agree that I wont be able to make my 70 into a kicker motor. I do have a transom bracket and run my 45 pound electric here. Only good on calm days. We fish Lake Champlain. Thousands of acres but the longest run is 5 miles. I agree about dont get caught out in a storm. With a smarrtphone and radar it is easier to avoid these days.

Leads me back to thinking of a 50Hp. Not sure of the nameplate rating but guess its 85 so the 60% may be right with the 50. Yes, typically just the 2 of us in the boat so not heavily loaded. Also tried a "trolling plate" on the 70 once and wasnt happy with the steering responsiveness.

So any other opinions or experience with a 50 on this rig? Again would like a reliable year OMC.

 

[laurentide]

I'm on Champlain too...I'll keep an eye out for a motor for you.

 

[laurentide]

Wrm, just re-reading your initial post here and I think you'd be best off getting your main engine running right (I bet a link and sync per the factory service manual will do the trick...these engines are really simple), and bite the bullet on a kicker on a sturdy bracket. A 2 cylinder four stroke kicker will make your whole fishing experience about 200% more enjoyable. I'd just try to find the smallest 2 cylinder you can.

I've realized that for my purposes I'm going to run my old 2 stroke main into the ground (water?) and upgrade the kicker when my 34 year old Honda 7.5 loses compression or some other catastrophic failure.

A brand new perfect kicker is still under $2K, and it'll last the life of the boat. That's my $0.02 and I'm stickin' to it!

 

[wrmdunker]

I appreciate the comments about the 2 cylinder 4 strokes. Wont be on LC til next June. Plenty of time for options.

 

[jdupree]

I have a 1982 50 hp Johnson on my 16 SS. I put my wife and 2 kids on board and it does fine. I am guessing WOT is around 20 to 25mph. Granted, it won't jump out of the water with the 50 but it is fine. I have noticed that in any kind of choppy water the little SS will beat you to death, so I never run that fast anyway unless I get lucky and get a flat day,