Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

[Expidia]

Don't get me wrong . . . I'm not trying to sell this motor on the boards (I don't think I want to sell it at all now) I actually listed it on Craigslist and have a buyer but before I respond back to his email . . . I'm thinking I don't think I want to part with it now.

My quandary is that I only used it 4 times on a new 2006 14 foot Sylvan and then bought another new but bigger boat with a 40 hp in 2007. But since the Lund is only 15 feet, I couldn't use the 9.9 and the 40 hp together due to pushing the boats capacity limits.

So I figured I'd just hold on to the 9.9 and use it on a bigger boat some day.

Well that someday is here . I'm going to move up again, but this time to a 22 foot Starcraft Islander.

Here is a link to pics of the Starcraft for opinions on if I should keep the 9.9 for now to use on this 22 foot model:
http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa2/expidia/Stacraft Islander/

So I'm betwixed and between on if I want to part with the 9.9 now

The 9.9's pristine and a 4 stroke which I only used 4 times at the end of the 06 season so I'd hate to sell it. But if the bigger boat was years off I didn't want to just leave it sitting around unused.

This new Starcraft will have this bracket that hangs both motors way back freeing up the deck space so I'm thinking I'd sell this 9.9 because I might be better off with an electric start model and maybe more hp's.

When I do fish it's usually for lake trout which is about a trolling speed of 1 mph, Salmon about 2-3 mph.

Do you think this 9.9 is enough to push a 22 foot aluminum boat with a 550 lb 150 4 stroke Merc?

If I keep the 9.9 and also use it as an auxiliary motor will it be enough to get me back to the marina if need be. I've been told by a few dealers that I need a 15-20 hp for that size boat. Others have said the 9.9 would be fine.

So I'm sitting here looking at the Starcraft pic (see attached) on my desktop and thinking how sweet my black 9.9 is gonna look next to that black 150 Merc. This 9.9 would look real nice hanging off that transom bracket.

Do I Sell it or use it on the new boat for a few seasons and then decide to go with an electric start and maybe a 15-20 hp Merc

So waddya think what's your verdict . . . Do I sell the 9.9 now . . . Deal or no Deal?

 

[DJ]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

9.9 will push the boat but I would not want to depend on it to get back home, especially in a headwind.

You have a lot of room back there for a kicker. A minimum of 15 (10% rule. 10% of boats rated HP), would be my choice. Since it sits back so far, electric starting would be a real plus. If you want get real fancy, you can go with power tilt and electric steering.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

Thanks DJ for your quick response. Ya, you're right. I forgot all about power tilt which is a must have for me when I see the bottom coming up real fast. I forgot all about that missing feature and I really don't want to have to leave the captains chair to start it or pull it up quickly.

I figured the 10 would not really be enough for an aluminum boat with high free board and a high cabin as past comments (I think they were yours) have indicated that this model tends to get blown around easily.

I was thinking more of limp home mode but you're right, what's the point of lugging around 87 lbs if it won't get you back fast enough. A few more lbs for a 15-20 might be the ticket and ELPT too.

 

[DJ]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

You have to post pic's when you get it.

 

[Don S]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

A 9.9 4stroke will push that 22 ft. aluminum boat around fine. You won't water ski behind it, but it will push you into the wind (except hurricanes) with no problem.
Your 9.9 is paid for and has been used on 24 to 26 foot fiberglass cruisers for many years. When in fwd. gear, the one you have will kick up if you hit the bottom.
But if you have lots of expendable cash, by all means go for a 20 or 25 with electric trim. They weigh a ton and cost a bundle.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

if it were me, i'd just use what ya got. at least go try it out and see how it is. why not, it's free, unless yer made out of money. then, by all mean get what ya want. that starcrat islander is a pretty darn good lookin boat, good choice, and i don't say that about many new boats... i like it..... love that pic of it flyin......fun......

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

Like Don S said, it will work fine. This is the land of kickers, almost every boat here has one and 9.9 is common for a boat of that size. Yes larger could be better, if you've got the cash go for a high thrust model, but you can get a high thrust prop for yours and it will work better than the stock one.

 

[HONKER1]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

This is going to be your third boat in 3 years. You change boats more then I change my underwear. My vote is to take a breather, try out the 9.9 for a year, and then make a decision to upgrade.
I am pushing a 18' Starcraft with a 8hp Mercury for trolling in strong wind and chop, with no problems at all. Sometimes I am just lazy and won't use the larger motor to go back to the dock and at WOT the 8hp will get me back to the dock 3 miles away in respectable time.
It all goes down to were you plan on using it. Out going tides on a large river I may think twice, but on a average lake it will do fine.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

A 9.9 4stroke will push that 22 ft. aluminum boat around fine. You won't water ski behind it, but it will push you into the wind (except hurricanes) with no problem.
Your 9.9 is paid for and has been used on 24 to 26 foot fiberglass cruisers for many years. When in fwd. gear, the one you have will kick up if you hit the bottom.
But if you have lots of expendable cash, by all means go for a 20 or 25 with electric trim. They weigh a ton and cost a bundle.

What a great forum . . . I didn't want to keep the buyer in limbo for an answer and I get 5 responses back quickly from all over the country by experienced boaters . . . I luv this place

Funny, I asked a question about a Sirius radio installation on a 30k member Sirius forum several days ago with "0" responses! iboat's forum is such a great resource for boaters. Ya, I finally threw in the towel for the Sirius. I'll move it from boat to car, so the 12.95 a month will be worth it to me (I hate commercials) Starmate radio was only $32 after rebate in a Pep Boys Sunday flyer so I couldn't help myself from buying it Howard Stern is just as gross as ever (Have not heard him since he left FM but didn't miss him either, but still have to listen in occasionally).

DonS: 9.9 will push it . . . that's great and makes sense because I see mostly 9.9's on big fiberglass sailboats.
ELTP will cost a bundle: this is true too and I'm not thrilled by the thought of hanging extra weight of the transom until I see how the 150 Merc which is what I'm looking, handles before I spend 3k on a 15 ELPT (does not make a 20).
My 9.9 is paid for: also a very good point. I just added up my accessory list (that I keep for insurance purposes) and it came to $6200 not counting the $1800 I spent on the 9.9 in 06 which I only used 4 times). That's $8000 already but at least everything can be transferred to the new rig!

I figure it's going to cost me from $6000-26,000 to upgrade after the sale of my 07 Lund setup, depending if I find a used one or have to go for 08.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

if it were me, i'd just use what ya got. at least go try it out and see how it is. why not, it's free, unless yer made out of money. then, by all mean get what ya want. that starcrat islander is a pretty darn good lookin boat, good choice, and i don't say that about many new boats... i like it..... love that pic of it flyin......fun......

Thx Ziggy: Good advice to at least try it out first! It's free, I'm not made of money but I am in the market for a Women who is (I'll just tell me Wife she's a fishing buddy )

After using the Lund over last season, I love the way it handles big water for a 15 foot boat but I really want an aluminum cuddy for weekend overnights ( I love to trailer to different places).

Funny how I used to pass 20 year old Islanders and say to myself "what a nice hull design with that cuddy and large deck area for fishing". I didn't think they still made them!

 

[Expidia]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

Like Don S said, it will work fine. This is the land of kickers, almost every boat here has one and 9.9 is common for a boat of that size. Yes larger could be better, if you've got the cash go for a high thrust model, but you can get a high thrust prop for yours and it will work better than the stock one.

Ondarvr: that was my observation. The 9.9 seems to be the kicker of choice from what I've seen on fresh water lakes.

High thrust prop: never thought of that. Was going to buy a spare prop for the 9.9 when I was using it, but sold the boat too fast. If I get the high thrust prop, I'll have the OEM for a spare. With out PT I'll probably need the extra anyway. Hudson River fishing or trolling drawback is that after a hard rain, water logged logs slide into the river off the banks and float a few inches below the waves .

 

[Expidia]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

This is going to be your third boat in 3 years. You change boats more then I change my underwear. My vote is to take a breather, try out the 9.9 for a year, and then make a decision to upgrade.
I am pushing a 18' Starcraft with a 8hp Mercury for trolling in strong wind and chop, with no problems at all. Sometimes I am just lazy and won't use the larger motor to go back to the dock and at WOT the 8hp will get me back to the dock 3 miles away in respectable time.
It all goes down to were you plan on using it. Out going tides on a large river I may think twice, but on a average lake it will do fine.

Honker: Underwear? who wears that anymore, that's so old school . . . gotta let the boys go free How come those Guy's in the porn movies don't wear underwear

Actually, when I think of how many years I wasted when I didn't own a boat . . . When my Kids were growing up, I always had a boat. They loved it and I think boating was a good part of why they both turned out so well (and they both are avid fisherman and each have their own boats now).

But when they became teenagers and I was keeping a 16 foot Silverline trihull in a marina . . . no one was ever around to use it anymore. Teenagers don't want to be seen with their parents in those years unless you have a really big boat that all their Friends can go on too! So I said screw it and sold the Silverline. Went another 10 years without a boat.

So now it's "MY TIME" again and now that boatings back in my blood I'll do what ever it takes to keep upgrading until I'm in the model that suits my needs (My Wife's getting used to the taste of catfood).

I went from a blow up Walmart rubber raft (you know that yellow one, with the picture of the 4 adults frolicking in the raft, then you blow it up and it fits 1.5 people, you and a midget) . . . we used to go camping and blow up that raft and pull up to a restaurant in it and the guy thought we came off a big sailboat hahahah.

Next was an Old Town 15 foot Discovery sport boat (a wide, stable square back canoe) with a 5 hp 4 stroke Honda (kept it for 5 years). That Honda was a disapointment for trolling. 1 cylinders su*k for trolling, idled awful no joy starting it either.

Next was a 14 foot 20 year old aluminum Starcraft rowboat that I used with the 5 Honda. More suited for using as a tender to get out to a bigger boat due to it's low freeboard. Transom rode a few inches off the water line. Scary times when a jerk goes flying by behind you when you are just sitting there fishing. Sold it next year for the $500 I paid for it.

Next was the 2006 13-14 foot Sylvan Alaskan Deluxe only used it for 2 months near end of season. The 9.9 was too small for this rig if I had more than two people in it. Would only do about 5 mph with 3 poeple. Max hp rating was a 25 but adding up the weight of a 25 hp, gear and 3 people I'd be over the boats max capacity rating, and I hate tillers, wanted a side console badly, so the next season I bought the Lund.

Ahhh . . . the 2007 Lund, finally reached "boating bliss" . . . really love this boat. Amazing build quality and handling performance. Does everything I ask of it. Goes up on plane in 10 secs. Due to Lund's special hull design rides and feels like a much bigger boat. But I can cruise around all day on $20 of gas. Trailers off my Saab 9-5 great too.

But alas, (and I'm tempted to keep the Lund as a second boat) for my needs it's a single console and my Wife takes the brunt of the wind (so I had the enclosure custom made and now it's REALLY GREAT).

But one does not go from a rubber raft to a $38000 boat until they have experienced first what they really want in a boat, in my opinion. So I've had a lot of fun learning on the way up.

Now I know what I want that the Lund does not have: a cuddy, duel windshield, built in gas tank and a porta potty that can be used in privacy.

I was putting off upgrading because I didn't want to have to have to spring for a few year old third vehicle to tow it with and to have to rent a garage or find a barn somewhere that will store a 26 foot rig on a trailer.

But if I wind up getting an 08 . . . by the summer and I'm sure I'll be changing my underwear the first time I turn the key from the Captain's chair and I here this start up behind me:

http://northamerica.mercurymarine.com/engines/outboards/verado/sixcylinder_specs.php?ID=43

Too bad this Starcraft model is only rated for 200 hp because If I have to buy new I would have maybe gone for Mercury's new 225 6 cylinder Verado. . . this outboard is AWESOME!

I would love to being turning the key on that baby

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

no deal keep it. as ziggy said.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Need some help deciding to keep a 9.9 Merc?

no deal keep it. as ziggy said.

Done . . . I just finished emailing the buyer that the forums consensus was to keep it.

After reading everyone's response . . . I figure some of the savings I can pocket from upgrading to the Merc 20 ELPT right now can be better spent on a small radar unit for those times when I'm running offshore on vacations. radar units have really become affordable for small boats now.

Thx for your opinion Tash!

The only opposite opinion was DJ's and he was just pointing out that I'll never be happy after spending all these dollars on a new rig and not have ELPT and that a 15 to 20 hp would be better for this model. All true, if I didn't already own this 9.9 already. I'm sure I'll be upgrading to a 15 ELPT over the next few years anyway.

But for now, it's going to look great sitting there next to it's big Brother