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I have a 1986 22' outrage. I am still going back and forth between what motor to buy. Has anyone repowered with a Yamaha F200XB? The is the inline 4 model.
I own this motor but not on a Whaler - we bought a new Starcraft deckboat two years ago and upgraded to this motor. The motor has been flawless but its holeshot power has been probably the one downside. If you do get one make sure you get the sds prop - otherwise the low rpm vibration will drive you crazy.
I have a 1984 Outrage 22. It is repowered with twin Yamaha F115 (older model). I love the motor over the old 2 stroke Johnson that I had on my other Whaler.
I don't have first hand experience with the F200XB but I can share what I've consistently heard and read.
1. It's a smooth, efficient, and apparently reliable motor.
2. The lighter weight is nice.
3. It does not generate an honest 200hp at WOT.
4. If you are used to a 2-stroke or even 4-stroke V6, you'll be disappointed in the acceleration.
5. It's louder than V6 4-strokes at higher operating speeds, but still quiet in the grand scheme of things.
6. 89 octane is required. Not a big deal if you are using 90 octane non-ethanol fuel anyway.
Overall, it seems to be a nice motor but it is a compromise, as it was designed to be. It was designed to offer an engine labeled as 200hp at a lower cost, lower weight, and with lower fuel consumption at cruising speeds. I personally think I would be happier stepping up to a V6 (225hp or 250hp) if that was an option but if the boat maxed out a 200hp (or 400hp for twins) I would not hesitate to buy one, especially in light of the cost savings vs the V6 models.
If you are committed to a 4-stroke, you might want to take a look at the Suzuki 200. It is also an inline 4 cylinder. If you have a dealer that can service Suzuki near you, this might be a good option. Nothing against Yamaha at all but I'm hearing great things about Suzuki these days, most notably that they are priced very well for repower installations. Unlike Yamaha, they have a timing chain instead of a timing belt. They are very quiet and fuel efficient.
I have no firsthand knowledge, but I'm also guessing the new F200 is a "push" at 200 true HP at the prop, as mentioned above. Yamaha often does this. In this case, they needed a lighter weight 200 Hp 4-stroke to compete with the Mercury 200 Verado, their most serious competitor, and widely advertized as the lightest 200Hp 4-stroke on the market. This new 200 helps them counter Mercury's weight claim, but I'd bet any amount the 200 Verado is more powerful engine, and accelerates MUCH faster because of the supercharging.
The new Merc 150 EFI 4-stroke has 3.0 liter displacement (and often estimated at about 175HP), yet this new F-200 has less displacement. Something doesn't add up here.
Just last weekend I came across a beautiful 22 Outrage repowered with a Mercury ProXS 175 Optimax (close to 200 HP). The boat seemed very fast with plenty of power. A small bore 200 E-tec could also be a good performer on a 22.
But if you want a 4-stroke, and a real 200 HP, look at the DTS 200 Verado. But if it were me, I'd seriously consider the 175 ProXS Optimax. Probably the best "bang for the buck" at around $11,425. advertized price.
A 200 Verado is more like $13,500. I don't know what a 200 E-tec costs.
For whatever it is worth, & depending on how you use your Whaler, I repowered my 1989 22' Outrage notched transom with a 2005 Yamaha F150 in the same year and have been extremely pleased with the performance. I have it mounted as high as possibly & run a Yamaha 13 3/4 X 17 painted stainless steel prop. Prior to making the decision, I went to Yamaha's site & compared performance bullentin's for Edgewater boats as a source for making my decision; @ http://yamahaoutboards.com/owner-resources/performance-bulletins. Compared to the prior 15 year old 1989 Johnson 200, the overall performance & fuel economy of the F150 has been awesome. Lots of luck on your repower.
Edited by jlh49 on 08/14/15 - 5:36 AM
Jack Harley
1989 Outrage 22' 2005 Yamaha F150
There is a lot of evidence, including fuel consumption at WOT, suggesting the F150 generates well more than 150hp; likely near the 165hp "limit" resulting from the 10% variance allowed by the NMMA. That's part of the reason so many owners are so pleased with it.
