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I need advice on repowering 1963 16’ Eastport. Currently has a worn out 70
Hp Johnson. Boats mission is running around coastal Maine. Occasionally towing kids on a tube. I have a Honda Dealer nearby.
Before you buy anything.. check the reviews of the dealer you plan to do the service and warranty work.. if the dealer sucks does not matter how good the engine is if you can't get it fixed 'when' something goes wrong..
Suzuki supposedly makes great engines.. but I have read alot of bad story's about them saying the issues are the customers fault and some are great..
I bought a new mercury ct 60 for my pontoon boat because the dealer had such great reviews and had been in the same place for 15 years.. and my neighbor was the owners friend for 30 years..
Yamaha's are great too.. but again the dealer that will service it has to be goid.. and not take 3 weeks to get you in for a oil change etc..
With any $8-$9,000 purchase, I would shop around because prices vary. Especially with outboard repowers.
All manufacturers have good 70/75 and 90 hp offerings, it comes down to price, service, and features.
Take care to note the rigging, gauges, binnicle and prop costs between choices. Sometimes this can be the deciding factor.
While the Honda BF75 is a good motor, it relatively heavy at 359lbs dry since it is based on the larger block.
The Yamaha F70 for comparison is also highly regarded but 100 lbs lighter than the Honda. In outboards, that is a lot. Whaler owners have very positive reviews.
What is the overall condition of your 1963 Boston Whaler 16 Eastport? Does the hull have heavy cracking and crazing in the gelcoat surface on the exterior white hull below the waterline? Have you weighed your boat to determine if there is water infiltration into the foam core? The condition of your hull given its age - 55 years old - must be a consideration as part of the overall decision to repower.
I repowered my 1970 Boston Whaler 16 Nauset this year. I chose to purchase a light outboard motor that offered the best power to weight ratio, as well as affordability, and economy of operation and service scheduling.
My hull weighed in at 510 lbs and my outboard weighs 240 lbs. The boat is used for cruising the Vineyard Sound from Menemsha Bight, Lake Tashmoo, to Katama Bay and Muskeget Island, with the heaviest use to come in the September-October timeframe. Performance has been excellent and the motor is very economical.
The overall cost of the outboard motor was $5900 in a crate purchased in NH (a state where there is no sales tax); The repower cost did not break my annual boat budget. I got a 10 year warranty too. I installed it myself (bolted two holes up) and went back to the dealer for a first-start and warranty activation (at a cost of $70.) The next dealer-scheduled service/maintenance for the outboard is 3 years or 300 hrs.
I do not have to go back to the dealer for an oil change or check-up after a 20 hour break-in period.
Joe and Phil are spot on when they counsel against choosing heavier outboard motors, an especially important aspect for the repower considerations for the 16 smirkless hull.
I don't know what shape your classic Whaler is in, but how about a classic engine for it? Good ones are getting hard to find, but I know of someone who has a like new, barely used, 1974 Johnson 70. Besides being all freshwater from Northern Wisconsin, the engine only has 100 hours on it since new, and has only been used about 5 seasons, 1975-1979. It looks practically brand new out of the box, perfect skeg, perfect paint and decals. No power trim, since the engine precedes that option from OMC. It came off the original Whaler it was installed on new about 10 years, and has been sitting on an engine rack indoors, unused, ever since.
After 30 years of no use, but being oiled and turned over annually, the engine was completely gone over by an Evinrude dealership and found to be like new. Carbs were overhauled, compression certified factory spec and identical across all three cylinders, new gear oil, etc.
I believe the current owner is looking for $2300. I think this is a bargain compared to what a new 70 will cost, for an engine that has 20 years of life left in it, simple and economical to maintain, and great classic looks. Post here if interested, and I can put you in touch with the seller. The engine is now on the East Coast. I have known the history of this engine since purchased new in the Fall of 1975.
