Posted by JRP on 02/10/18 - 2:58 PM
#3
virgilb wrote:
I have a 1983 Outrage 18 with a 1983 Mercury Black Max 150. I know that people have re-powered with modern 4 stroke 150's, 135's, 115's, and twin 90's and been happy. My question is does anybody know the actual maximum weight the transom was designed for?
I have a family of 5 and I want to use the whaler to go boat-camping, so we will have all of our gear with us running in the Puget Sound. Does the extra 100+ pounds on back negatively affect how the boat handles in rough water? As far as I know, the only engine that might work that is close to the same weight as my old two-stroke is the new Mercury 115 command thrust. I imagine that a 150 is a better choice when traveling with 5 people and gear, but does the extra weight of the 150 change how the boat rides fully loaded when the weather gets bad?
I know repowering Outrages has been discussed ad nauseam, and my concerns may be totally unwarranted, but I don't feel I'm finding information that helps me feel comfortable adding so much weight to the transom. I don't care much about top speed or the holeshot, but I do want to take my family safely through the Puget Sound with an engine weight that fits with what Bob Dougherty intended in his design. I am also feeling nervous about buying a new engine because I can only do this once. This will probably be the only time that I can afford to buy such an expensive item and I want to do it right.
I own a 19 Outrage II (1992), which is built on the same hull as your Outrage 18. However, it has a different interior and the transom is notched for a single instead of twins like yours. According to published specs, it also weighs about 600 lbs more than the Outrage 18. Mine has the orginal engine, a 2-stroke Yamaha 150 that weighs 430 lbs (without the oil & tank).
I have heard different numbers for max engine weight. I called BW and was told that the max engine weight rating for my boat is 400 lbs. But as others have pointed out, many Outrage 18s came equipped originally with twin 75 HP engines. Those would be over 200 lbs each.
Maybe the 400 lbs number I was told was incorrect. Maybe it's correct for my boat, but the earlier Outrage 18 had a higher transom weight rating? This seems unlikely to me, snce engines were already getting heavier by the earlier '90s. Why would BW give the 19 Outrage II a lower engine weight rating than the earlier Outrage 18?
If I owned an Outrage 18 in need of repower, my first choice would be the Merc 115 Fourstroke with Command Thrust gearcase (or the 115 ProXS version of that same engine.) In my opinion, keeping the stern of these boats as light as reasonably possible is advantageous. I wish I could use that engine on the 19 Outrage II, but the extra weight of my boat needs the 150.
The other option available to you (if you don't mind another 2-stroke) is a G1 ETEC 150. These are still available in the 25" version and weigh 433 lbs (without oil & tank.) However, You would only save about 30 lbs on the transom over the Merc 150 Fourstroke. And it would weigh about 100 lbs more than the Merc 115.
You might want to hold tight and see what happens next week at the Miami Boatshow. There are rumours that Merc wil be unveiling something(s) new in the 115-200 HP range. We'll see soon enough if that pans out.