Which motor for a 13' alum?

[Stikbo]

I'm going to look at a 13' deep V aluminum boat this weekend for fishing. 66" beam and 15" transom. The guy has 2 motors for it. A late 80's 20 hp Merc (been in the salt) or a 9.5 hp Johnson (freshwater only) from the 70's. The Merc runs good, but won't troll. The Johnson runs and trolls great. <br /><br />Which would be your preference? The bigger newer motor and then have to use an electric trolling motor? Or the smaller older one and just have reduced speed? <br /><br />Sorry if this

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

why the he11 wont the 20 troll!?!?!?!!!!! it should!!!!!! that 9.5 should be ok, but the 20 is faster<br /><br />id get the bigger 20 merc and then have it fixed so it will work properly, although you have no idea what is wrong with it, probably needs a carb cleening..<br /><br />before you buy any motor, here it run, in water if possible and bring a compression guage, without a compression guage you have NO CLUE what is inside that motor or what shape its in<br /><br />best 20 bucks i ever spent

 

[JB]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

Get the JohnnyRude. If trolling is your thing that is the engine.

 

[Stikbo]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

Thanks guys. He's going to run them both for me. Said he had the 20 hp checked at his local marine shop that doesn't work on mercs?, and the compression was good, but they couldn't get it right. Trolling would be my gig.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

If you do a lot of trolling the 9.5 is far smoother and a slower troller. (I have a 15 Evinrude...the best of both worlds. Same size as the 9.9 for smooth trolling and closer in power to the 20.)<br /><br />My uncle had a brand new, at the time, 20 Merc from those years on a 14 foot Starcraft. It was a beauty of a motor capable of very nice speeds, but was no troller by any stretch of the imagination. It just didn't troll slow enough. Oddly, I had a 1992 30 Johnson and I always felt it trolled better than the Merc did at the time.<br /><br />I would also go for the 9.5 because it was used in fresh water and it works. The "salty" 20 may never run well even after all the fixings.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

If you do a lot of trolling the 9.5 is far smoother and a slower troller. (I have a 15 Evinrude...the best of both worlds. Same size as the 9.9 for smooth trolling and closer in power to the 20.)<br /><br />My uncle had a brand new, at the time, 20 Merc from those years on a 14 foot Starcraft. It was a beauty of a motor capable of very nice speeds, but was no troller by any stretch of the imagination. It just didn't troll slow enough. Oddly, I had a 1992 30 Johnson and I always felt it trolled better than the Merc did at the time.<br /><br />I would also go for the 9.5 because it was used in fresh water and it works. The "salty" 20 may never run well even after all the fixings.

 

[SeaHorse]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

My 13 footer has a 70 and a 2.5.

 

[Old Jarhead]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

If it were me I think I'd get the seller to throw in both engines. End of problem.

 

[Old Jarhead]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

double post. Sorry

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Which motor for a 13' alum?

I would take a fresh water johnson over a salty merc anyday!!!!Charlie