16' SS Motor OMC or Mercury HP and options

[59Thompson]

Have pretty much decided on Starcraft 16' SS as the way to go for me for now based on room in garage, light weight for towing and to ease handling for me and repairability of rivets vs aluminum welding. I'd appreciate thoughts from the tin men on ease/cost of maintenance of older OMC vs Mercury motors, HP needed i.e. will 50 be adequate for 3-4 people and one on a tube or skis, and lastly is power tilt/trim really important? Am trying to keep things simple and easy to repair but not end up with some pain in the rear thing that bugs me every time I use it. Regards, John

 

[Pugetsound]

Re: 16' SS Motor OMC or Mercury HP and options

Trim - Tilt ,Very necessary if your going to ski or tube. It will be much easier to level the boat out as well as raise it for launching and transport. I had a boat without T-T and it was a pain I finally installed a T-T on it.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: 16' SS Motor OMC or Mercury HP and options

In my opinion, the ideal motor would be an OMC 3 cylinder 70-75 HP. They are great motors and said to have a fantastic horsepower-to-weight ratio. I don't know how necessary power TnT is but I'll tell you it sure was a pain lifting my non-TnT equipped 85 out of the water.

I'm pretty sure Yamaha has made some nice 3 cylinder motors up to 85 or 90 HP that may also be a consideration.

 

[GeneH]

Re: 16' SS Motor OMC or Mercury HP and options

John, I have a 16'SS 1984 with a 1990 Johnson 60 which would be more like an old 70hp with the rating change. I think it's a great match for us but we ride as a couple (wife-135 me-190). I think if you get 3-4 people and a tuber or skier, 50 is going to be real marginal and an old 50 will be even worse. These light boats and small engines are very sensitive to weight. My brother and his wife are more like 280 and 160. Pulling him up on skies is like towing a telephone pole 90 degrees from the centerline of the boat. The point here is that 3-4 people don't add up to the same weight in all cases. I would like to put a 90 on ours though we certainly don't need it. I wouldn't even consider a boat with no trim/tilt. Our boat cruises nicely at 28-30 and tops out at almost 40mph. I'm retired and I've had I/O's, 140 horse outboards and several Starcrafts and have boated most of my life. Best of luck!

 

[86 century]

Re: 16' SS Motor OMC or Mercury HP and options

Maybe it's the Tim Talor in me but to big is better than to small. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. jmho