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Repower for 2008 Montauk 170
NCTraveller	#1  Posted on 08/31/15 - 5:59 PM
Member Posts: 4 Comments: 0 Joined: 07/28/07	Hi All - I own a 2008 BW Montauk 170, with a Mercury 90 hp 4-stroke outboard. I use this boat to fish in king mackerel tournaments in NE Florida. We have won the Fernandina, Ancient City, and Greater Jax Aggregate tournaments in this little boat. While the boat is everything I want in a boat, the outboard motor is not. I have kept up with the recommended maintenance through the years. It hasn't done anything for the life of the motor. It has broken down so many times that the Mercury tournament staff and I are on a first-name basis. It has gone through three starters, a couple of staters, and has stalled offshore multiple times. I've been towed back by Sea Tow several times when the motor just quit running. A couple of years ago the Mercury tournament staff threw in the towel and pulled the boat to River Marine in Jacksonville. Charlie Lyons was able to get the boat running for a couple of tournaments, after which something else broke and left me stranded again. I am now looking at repowering the boat. After my experience with a Mercury outboard on this boat, I never intend to buy another Mercury. Perhaps my motor is a lemon, and is not typical of products made by Mercury, but this motor has cost me a fortune in repairs. I am looking for a replacement outboard that will be bullet-proof through years of continued tournament fishing offshore. The Montauk 170 is rated for a maximum of 90 hp. I'd love to put a bigger motor on it, but I worry about what the Coast Guard would say if (when) they stop me for an inspection. Outboard motor dealers don't want to install a motor beyond the maximum hp rating , probably for liability issues. So - I'm going to stick with a 90. Any suggestions of a new outboard for my boat that I could count on to take me to the fish and get me home, day in, day out, for years to come? Thanks! Edited by NCTraveller on 08/31/15 - 6:27 PM
bradsc	#2  Posted on 08/31/15 - 6:42 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 118 Comments: 0 Joined: 01/15/11	Yamaha F90
tedious	#3  Posted on 09/01/15 - 2:13 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 1072 Comments: 2 Joined: 09/07/08	Yamaha F90 is a great choice - very solid reputation for reliability. For a little more punch you could get an eTec 90HO which puts out around 100 horses.
wrangler	#4  Posted on 09/01/15 - 4:03 AM
Member Posts: 264 Comments: 0 Joined: 03/14/08	I to own a Montauk in Jacksonville. I do not use it for fishing but for USCG Auxiliary Patrols and my own use. I have a 2005 Yamaha 90 hp 4 stroke. The only thing this motor needed in 10 years was scheduled maintenance. I have used this boat to cruise the ICW from Jax to Miami in sections and the St Johns River as well. It has towed other broken down boats. The Yamaha is heavy, but I put the battery in the console and that helps a little. The motor gets 5-6 MPG. Starts right up first time. Look at the USCG JSO and FWC boats. Any they using Mercury? No way. Go to Haskels on Arlington Road. They installed my motor.
tedious	#5  Posted on 09/01/15 - 5:01 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 1072 Comments: 2 Joined: 09/07/08	There is a "current engine choices" page here at WhalerCentral: http://www.whalercentral.com/articles...ticle_id=5 The F90 weighs less than 10 pounds more than the Mercury you're replacing - not enough to worry about. The eTec 90HO is a bit more. Members here have been making reference to the newer Mercury lineup, and it does seem like they're going in the right direction - a larger-displacement, simpler, lighter motor that does not require electronic controls - exactly the opposite of the Verados. The new 90s might be worth a look, but it would certainly be understandable if you're not interested in another Merc at this point. Edited by Phil T on 09/01/15 - 10:07 AM
Phil T	#6  Posted on 09/01/15 - 10:18 AM
Administrator Personal Page Personal Album Project Albums Posts: 7043 Comments: 6 Joined: 03/26/05	US manufacturers have boats rated for horsepower at the time of production. They are compelled to not exceed this rating at the time of first sale. As has been documented over the years, many owners have re-powered with more or less powerful engines than listed on the capacity plate. There is no federal or state law in the US that prohibits this. NONE. There are only two concerns and one question: Note the word "some" Some outboard engine dealers may not install an engine that exceeds the maximum horsepower rating for the boat. Some insurance companies require a different type of policy, rider or do not offer coverage for an engine that exceeds the capacity plate. The salient question is do you need the additional power or speed of a higher powered engine? The noted WOT difference between a 90 hp and a 115 hp is 5-9 mph on a Montauk 170.
NCTraveller	#7  Posted on 09/01/15 - 1:59 PM
Member Posts: 4 Comments: 0 Joined: 07/28/07	Thank you for the responses. Speed is not an issue. When the boat is fully loaded for a tournament, I think it is very close to the maximum weight capacity for the boat. Getting the boat on plane is an adventure. The two of us on the boat have to move towards the bow to help the boat climb over the bow wave and start skimming over the surface. Running down the beach from The St. John's River Inlet to Ponte Vedra, I have to keep the motor at about 4500 rpm to maintain any kind of decent cruising speed. I have often wondered if getting a 115 would allow the motor to run more like 3500 - 4000 rpm to keep up the same speed. Going faster isn't really an option offshore, because the boat would beat us to death.
action	#8  Posted on 09/01/15 - 2:43 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 208 Comments: 2 Joined: 01/03/15	I have a 1988 Montauk with an 2012 Etec 90 (in line 3) on it. The boat runs great even though the motor is only mounted 1 hole up. The other day I had 5 adults out in it (about 870 lbs) with 20 gallons of gas and my other junk and the boat did not seem to feel any different getting up on plane. It did my usual 25kts at a little over 4,000 RPM. It has a 15" Viper on it.
Finnegan	#9  Posted on 09/01/15 - 2:57 PM
Member Posts: 1926 Comments: 16 Joined: 05/02/08	It sounds like that 90 has had some pretty hard use, with a lot of saltwater hours clocked over the years. Instead of continuing to beat the daylights out of any new 90 you might put on the boat, you might better spend that 10K re-power money on a new Montauk 190 with 150 HP on it. It sounds like you need both more boat and more engine. You're not going to be happy with the power of any new 90 either, especially since you're ruled out the largest displacement (2.1 liters), and probably the most powerful new 90 4-stroke on the market, the Mercury. Since you're so well known on the Kingfish tournaments, and know the folks at Mercury so well, perhaps you could get Whaler and Mercury to sponsor you for a new boat, and help out with the cost?
Phil T	#10  Posted on 09/01/15 - 3:49 PM
Administrator Personal Page Personal Album Project Albums Posts: 7043 Comments: 6 Joined: 03/26/05	I would suggest the planing issues were caused by an inappropriate prop and engine height for the weight. This could result in added wear and tear. A 90 hp 4 stroke on a loaded Montauk 170 can plane off appropriately if the correct prop is selected. A drop of 2" of pitch for the existing brand of your current prop or changing to a 4 bladed prop is suggested. I would strongly consider a new 90 or 90 HO from Mercury, Honda, Yamaha or Evinrude. Getting it rigged and propped for your use is probably just as important as the brand you choose. Edited by Phil T on 09/01/15 - 3:53 PM
Joe Kriz	#11  Posted on 09/01/15 - 4:57 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11447 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	See the last 2 photos here with the Evinrude 90 HO on the back of a Classic Montauk. http://www.whalercentral.com/infusion...r_id=13252 And here is another member that put one on his newer Montauk 170 http://www.whalercentral.com/infusion...r_id=33331 The Evinrude 90 HO is heavier but it is more of a detuned 115 HP. See this thread for more reading. http://www.whalercentral.com/forum/vi...rowstart=0
swist	#12  Posted on 09/03/15 - 2:53 PM
Member Posts: 38 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/04/13	I had a 2004 carbed version of the same engine, which I believe had a Yamaha block. It died after too much ethanol and too much saltwater - corroded and plugged passages. But for 11 years, it was sort of reliable. I replaced it with the 2015 version - a completely different motor - but still rigging-compatible on many fronts. Had to keep my costs down and don't want to leave my beyond-excellent local Mercury dealership mechanics. This is a pretty impressive motor - they upped the displacement to 2.1L and actually seemed to have simplified it - open the cowl and it's night and day - there are so many fewer contraptions and linkages and parts I never know what they did. The performance of this engine on my M170 is fantastic. I have to be careful to not push the throttle forward too fast, lest the passengers in the rear fly off the transom. It's also quieter and uses less gas. Every time I put it in neutral I think it stalled because I can't hear it. Time will tell but it looks like Mercury (and probably the other brands too) have figured out how to make 4-stroke outboard engines after 10-15 years.
Whalerbob	#13  Posted on 09/06/15 - 6:07 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 311 Comments: 0 Joined: 12/07/06	Congratulations on your success competing with a small boat like a 170! I had a similar experience with my first brand new Whaler/Mercury with 1 new power head, 3 power packs, 1 starter, and many tows in the first year alone. I vowed to never, ever, ever, ever buy another Mercury or let a friend buy one without telling my story... I know guys love their Etecs but my Yamaha has been amazing. I don't think you could go wrong with either but Yamaha is #1 for me. Edited by Whalerbob on 09/06/15 - 6:17 AM