Bought a boat, not enough motor!!!

[Beagleville]

Greetings, new member here. Just bought a 2003 Starcraft Patriot 140 which popped up on craigslist. The boat is in pristine condition, as is the motor, a 2004 Johnson 25. I was, however, afraid that it wouldn't have quite enough motor, but the price was right, so I took the plunge. Sure enough, the Johnson won't get the boat on the step with my wife and I aboard. It will do it with just me aboard if I move forward from the steering station to give it some help, then I can sit down and it'll do about 20 on GPS. Not the best arrangement. I've considered one of those foils, or perhaps trim tabs (don't really want to drill holes in the hull). We've talked it over, and like the boat well enough--and it's in good enough condition--to warrant a power upgrade. Unless of course you good folks think otherwise. It's rated for 40hp max which I think would work well for it. Don't really want to spend $8k for a new one...would like to find a very nice 2 stroke. Opinions?? Thanks...

 

[flyingscott]

If this is a 2 strk 2 cylinder motor we need a model #. You could look into converting your existing motor into a 35 hp which would be more reasonable than replacing it.

 

[Beagleville]

If this is a 2 strk 2 cylinder motor we need a model #. You could look into converting your existing motor into a 35 hp which would be more reasonable than replacing it.

​Really? It's a 25ELST, year 2004, twin cylinder two stroke.

 

[flyingscott]

Yes OMC used the same block for the 25/28/30 and 35 hp motors. Find a parts list for the 2 motors and the differences usually it's a carb, intake and timing change sometimes not even be that much. Your motor is a 2003 model it may be more difficult because there is no 35 hp in 2003 the last year they made a 35 hp was 2001. But i would bet the parts will work will just require some research on your part

 

[DeepCMark58A]

No foil can make up for HP.

 

[Sprig]

From what I read your boat dry weighs 380lbs. Actually I saw one model that weighs around 600 lbs but even so A 25 hp should be able to get that boat planing with 2 adults and some equipment in it and I'm guessing 6 gal of fuel. I had a 15' Klamath with a 30hp merc (yes I know that is 5hp more than yours) and I could get that boat on plane with 4 adults and a 75lb dog. So your motor should be able to get you planing with just you and your spouse unless maybe you two are very large people.
First thing is make sure that the motor is all the way down either trimmed down if you have power trim or the stop is in the bottom hole. If it's up just a little it can make it impossible to plane. Next check out the prop. It may be completely wrong proped. Put some weight up front. For example put your ice cooler up front or any other weighty objects up there.
It may also be that your engine is under performing or poorly performing. May want to have a mechanic check it out. I would look at these things first before I considered trying to get an extra 5 or so HP out of it.

 

[flyingscott]

That boat weighs 625#s and the motor weighs at least 120#s and 75" wide that is a lot for a 25 hp. By the time you load up gear and people and everything else you will be over 1000#s. You can try moving the tilt pin to help with holeshot and move more weight to the front. I would also install a tach to see what your rpms are. That is not an uncommon package it was sold with 25s on them to make it a budget boat.

 

[NYBo]

If you do end up looking for a 40, check with local marinas. The one I bought my 'toon from wanted $1650 for a 40 HP Merc, including installation and controls. The motor is older than yours, but I didn't have a working motor for trade-in. It would have been cheaper if I had a Merc originally and could have re-used the controls.

 

[Beagleville]

I weigh 275, wife about 200. Tiltpin is on the lowest trim setting. No tach, but it sure revs up well with me in it alone (plus it gets up on the step), just won't quite do it with both of us, even if she moves forward. I am very fortunate to have a skilled outboard shop which specializes in older OMC 2 strokes in the area. I may be talking to him. Thanks for your input.

 

[flyingscott]

If you modify your motor you may have to do it yourself. In the states it is illegal to modify a motor made after 1996 I believe ask your dealer. But a 40 hp evinrude or any other manufacturer will provide a significant power increase over a converted 25 hp.

 

[Texasmark]

When I was around 16-17 I used to water ski behind a 14' wooden boat with an 18 Evinrude....mine. A 25 Johnson was common and people skied behind them regularly, mostly 14', sometimes 15' plywood boats. When the first fiberglass boats came out, Evinrude has pictures in their brochures for 1958 with 2 or 3 folks in a 14' towing a gal on skis. On that boat the driver was in the front seat and the boat had a deck with the other boat occupants about midship.

Problem usually is with tiller steering and your weight being back at the engine. To find out, just move forward for your hole shot with the throttle wide open. If shifting your weight solves your problem........shift your weight........... Finding/making a side mount steering (if nothing else) console will move you up a couple of feet farther than you are from the transom and that will make a difference. If you don't want to buy remote throttle and shifter, just turn around and "diddle" the tiller controls that you already have. Some in the group with whom I boated did that and I did on at least one boat.

 

[Beagleville]

Update: Sold the Johnson. Replaced with a 1983 (!!??) Mercury 40. First Merc I've ever owned. Very very low time engine, very nice condition. As would be expected, the boat performs much better, gets on the step, and has nice top speed, although I haven't had a chance to gps it yet. One disadvantage to the older Merc, though: this thing is LOUD. Classic old Merc sound, and with the side console you're right there to hear it. I guess that metal engine surround doesn't do much to deaden the sound, lol.

 

[Texasmark]

Update: Sold the Johnson. Replaced with a 1983 (!!??) Mercury 40. First Merc I've ever owned. Very very low time engine, very nice condition. As would be expected, the boat performs much better, gets on the step, and has nice top speed, although I haven't had a chance to gps it yet. One disadvantage to the older Merc, though: this thing is LOUD. Classic old Merc sound, and with the side console you're right there to hear it. I guess that metal engine surround doesn't do much to deaden the sound, lol.

Back toward the end of the wrap around cowling, Merc made a blanket that lined the inside of the "band". Did help. True on the noise with the old Mercs and OMC made a fortune touting their "Quiet" and they were, outboards.

A little creativity, like some HD gallon, Freezer bags, insulating material like is in the walls of your house, and some RTV to glue it to the inside of the cowl would surely help.

Talk about noisy, I had a white McCullough 9.9 low profile, way back there and the exhaust snout didn't go below the AV plate like everybody elses did, it went straight out to the rear ABOVE the AV plate. Fabulous engine in all respects except for one killer and it killed the engine with me: As soon as the boat was going fast enough for the water to move back away from the engine, like it does on the transom as you are getting on plane, the exhaust tube was no longer covered by water and you had raw exhaust blasting out into the air. Deafening.

 

[flyingscott]

Paint the shroud with bedliner.

 

[fishin98]

The Starcraft is a sweet little boat for two people especially with the 25hp. That being said I can understand wanting a bigger motor. What puzzles me is that you put a 21 year OLDER motor on it. You are going to get 2ft itis sooner or later, that OLD Merc will actually detract from the overall value when trying to sell it or trade in. I owned 2 Merc's from that era a 40 and 50, neither were nothing to write home about. Both were noisy,cantankerous, fuel hogs with weak electrical systems. I did own a 2000 Merc 40 4cyl with the oil injection system under the hood, with the updated electronics....one of the best motors I ever owned. There are some really sweet modern new and used 40's out there that are priced right.

 

[jimmbo]

Update: Sold the Johnson. Replaced with a 1983 (!!??) Mercury 40. First Merc I've ever owned. Very very low time engine, very nice condition. As would be expected, the boat performs much better, gets on the step, and has nice top speed, although I haven't had a chance to gps it yet. One disadvantage to the older Merc, though: this thing is LOUD. Classic old Merc sound, and with the side console you're right there to hear it. I guess that metal engine surround doesn't do much to deaden the sound, lol.

Ironically the two engines are almost the same displacement(merc 33 cu in, Johnson 32 cu in).
Mercury used to put a fiberglass sound blanket on the cowl wrap, but I think it restricted air flow over the switchbox and hastened their demise. But that Merc sound did put fear into the hearts of Evinrude and Johnson Owners

In the early 80s we had Evinrude 25 and 35s on the same model boats, there wasn't a big difference speed about 2 mph, the 25 had better hole shot, and better reverse thrust. Above 25 mph the 35 was pulling harder

 

[Beagleville]

The Starcraft is a sweet little boat for two people especially with the 25hp. That being said I can understand wanting a bigger motor. What puzzles me is that you put a 21 year OLDER motor on it..

​I know what you mean, but the Merc is a real puff. I like older motors anyway--would have been happy with a mid 60's Evinrude/Johnson which I believe were some of the best motors ever made, but this Merc showed up and I decided to chance it. Who knows, it may not work out, but I didn't pay a lot for it. The 25 just wouldn't plane the boat with both of us in it which I chalk up to it being a moderate V hull, which of course takes more power to plane than a flat bottom.

 

[roffey]

I have always liked Merc motors, not sure why. I guess it just shows what advertising can do.