What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

tincanman

tincanman

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Havn't even found a boat yet, so I'm just planning(Dreaming). The boat will mainly be a fishing boat with the ocasional tube being pulled for the kids.

Been looking the new merc 4 strokes. It appears that the 60 is the ideal ob weighting in at 247lbs. Steping up to a 75, weight increases to 400lbs. Not to mention that the 75 is the same weight as the 90 and only costs about $400 less than the 90. Going with the 90 would put me over the hp rating, and I would try to avoid that if I could. Pricing for the 60 is around $5600, while the 75 at $7200 and the 90 at $7800.

So, what would you guys do? Will the 60 disapoint me? Closest thing I could find to a 16 SS on mercury performance reports is on a smokercraft 162. It weghs more, with a little more beam. It toped out at around 33mph.

Engine Test | Mercury Marine
 
tincanman

tincanman

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

normally, I would agree with you. My main problem is that I have a local mercury dealer. Next closest service center in order is suzuki, yamaha, then e-tec. Yamaha being an hour away and e-tec being well over an hours. E-tec with the no break in and self foging would be the leader... if they were just a little closer. this is more of a hp question than anything.
 
64osby

64osby

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

So if I understand this your looking at sub $1k SS16'ers and you're going to put a $5K to $8K motor on it. :suspicious:
 
tincanman

tincanman

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

64osby said:
So if I understand this your looking at sub $1k SS16'ers and you're going to put a $5K to $8K motor on it. :suspicious:
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That is correct. I just am not likeing what I see when I look at newer boats in my price range. 8k gets you a 8+ y.o. boat made of plastic, pour in foam, and dirty carpet. With an outboard you have no or very little history of That could have never had any service up until the week before they sell it.

So, tell me this. Why not a brand new ob with a 5 year waranty. Slap that on a bottom feeder hull, one that can be restored all at once or a little at a time. At the end of it, you will have a restored boat with newer power, at less than half the price of the new junk.

If I can do half as nice of a restore as some of the boats on here, it will be well deserving of the new outboard, and way more apealing to me than the newer tin out there.
 
dozerII

dozerII

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

tincanman said:
That is correct. I just am not likeing what I see when I look at newer boats in my price range. 8k gets you a 8+ y.o. boat made of plastic, pour in foam, and dirty carpet. With an outboard you have no or very little history of That could have never had any service up until the week before they sell it.

So, tell me this. Why not a brand new ob with a 5 year waranty. Slap that on a bottom feeder hull, one that can be restored all at once or a little at a time. At the end of it, you will have a restored boat with newer power, at less than half the price of the new junk.

If I can do half as nice of a restore as some of the boats on here, it will be well deserving of the new outboard, and way more apealing to me than the newer tin out there.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with your line of thinking right there.
 
64osby

64osby

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

Just checking. Sounds like a great plan. Just looked suspicious :suspicious:
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

If Yamaha still makes that 3 cylinder 90, that would be, in my opinion, the ideal motor for a 16' SC.
 
tincanman

tincanman

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

ezmobee said:
If Yamaha still makes that 3 cylinder 90, that would be, in my opinion, the ideal motor for a 16' SC.
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They do not. Closest thing you have to the old yamaha's is a 3 cyl e-tec 90 at 320lbs with a price tag close to $8700.
 
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djpeters

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

tincanman said:
That is correct. I just am not likeing what I see when I look at newer boats in my price range. 8k gets you a 8+ y.o. boat made of plastic, pour in foam, and dirty carpet. With an outboard you have no or very little history of That could have never had any service up until the week before they sell it.

So, tell me this. Why not a brand new ob with a 5 year waranty. Slap that on a bottom feeder hull, one that can be restored all at once or a little at a time. At the end of it, you will have a restored boat with newer power, at less than half the price of the new junk.

If I can do half as nice of a restore as some of the boats on here, it will be well deserving of the new outboard, and way more apealing to me than the newer tin out there.
Click to expand...

Yep. I also have dreams of a bigger, newer OB on my 34 year old boat as well. Going to run what I have at first and see just how much we use it.
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

djpeters said:
Yep. I also have dreams of a bigger, newer OB on my 34 year old boat as well. Going to run what I have at first and see just how much we use it.
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Get out here Mr. AlreadyHasThePerfectStarcraft man. :p
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

I wouldn't mind a new outboard either and I can kinda see the justification of the expense (A 130 H.O. Etec would be the bee's knees on my boat). However, if you don't mind a carburated 2-stroke, then I am of the opinion that even an older model, as long as it has good compression, if gone over thoroughly by a good mechanic should be pretty darn reliable. Sure you could possibly blow a starter, power pack, coil or something like that but overall there just isn't that much to break. I've been running 30+ year motors for like 8 seasons now with little issue. Now if you really had your heart set on a 4 stroke or something with fuel injection, then by all means, go new.
 
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djpeters

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

ezmobee said:
I wouldn't mind a new outboard either and I can kinda see the justification of the expense (A 130 H.O. Etec would be the bee's knees on my boat). However, if you don't mind a carburated 2-stroke, then I am of the opinion that even an older model, as long as it has good compression, if gone over thoroughly by a good mechanic should be pretty darn reliable. Sure you could possibly blow a starter, power pack, coil or something like that but overall there just isn't that much to break. I've been running 30+ year motors for like 8 seasons now with little issue. Now if you really had your heart set on a 4 stroke or something with fuel injection, then by all means, go new.
Click to expand...

^^Also very good points.....
 
roscoe

roscoe

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

Anything wrong with the Merc optimal 75?

Or if you find a slightly newer 16SS, it will be rated for 90 hp instead of 85, then the Merc Optimax 90 would be the ticket.

The 90 would push the boat well into the 40's. 1981 or 1982 and newer are rated at 90 hp.
 
tincanman

tincanman

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

roscoe said:
Anything wrong with the Merc optimal 75?

Or if you find a slightly newer 16SS, it will be rated for 90 hp instead of 85, then the Merc Optimax 90 would be the ticket.

The 90 would push the boat well into the 40's. 1981 or 1982 and newer are rated at 90 hp.
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The 75 and 90 opti weigh in at 375lbs, so I would prob go with the 4 stroke and the extra 15 lbs if it came down to it.
 
ezmobee

ezmobee

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

Check out the weight on a Yamaha F70.
 
tincanman

tincanman

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

ezmobee said:
Check out the weight on a Yamaha F70.
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Yup, have been keeping an eye on the new 70's. Talked to one of the salesmen at Lakeside in harrisburg. He wasn't able to give me a price on them yet. If they are priced right, it may move to the top of the list.
 
tincanman

tincanman

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

lakeside salemen just called me back. Gave me a price on the f70 at $7600. its something to think about. I think for the price point, I would probably go with the e-tec. The 75 is the same price as the f70, and the 90 is $400 more. The e-tec just seems more user friendly, especially for our short boating season.

Didn't think this would be this complicated. Would the merc 60 really be that underpowered? Damn living in an area that has very little boat action.
 
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djpeters

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Re: What's the best new outboard for a 16' SS

tincanman said:
Would the merc 60 really be that underpowered?
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In my opinion, no, you would be fine. I know someone who has a 17' BlueFin with a 50hp Etec and is very happy with it. They go out on Lake Michigan fishing with it all the time.
 
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