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I'd like thoughts from whaler owners from going from a 40 HP to a 70 HP 2-stroke on a 15'.
I must say my boat is not a whaler, so I know the results are not apple to apple, but they are the closest I can find and I respect the views on here.
I have a 15' Henry O Mckee. The outboard is an older 40 HP yamaha built Mariner and parts are becoming difficult to find. A relatively new 70HP yamaha 2-stroke popped up that I am considering. The 40 HP pushes the boat in the mid 20s (25-28) at WOT.
We mostly put, put, put -sight see or crab
Specs:
rated 40-70 HP
Length: 15’1”
Beam: 6’0”
Draft: 8”
Hull Weight: 750lbs
Max. Load rating: 1175lbs (motor, persons, gear)
Capacity: 5 people
Double hull construction with 60 cubic feet of polyurethane foam (two pound density) for 3600lbs. positive floatation.
Photo of hull here: http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn110/olgakurt/001.jpg
If the boats max HP is 70hp, I don't see any issues here. I think you'll like the versatility the 70HP motor gives you i.e. water skiing, tubing etc compared to the 40hp motor you already have on it.
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker
That is a big 15 foot boat. I doubt it will feel as agile as a 15 whaler with a 70 but I am sure you will be pleased with it. I had a 15 with a 70 Yamaha. The boat only ran 42 mph but it felt like 62 because of sitting so close to the water. You may find you do not used any more fuel because the motor will not have to work as hard to plain the boat of keep it there.
Do you think performance of the boat at low speed/idle will suffer much with a 70 HP 3 cyl.?
I could care less about going more than 20+ mph. We are only 1/2 mile from the mouth of the river to the Chesapeake Bay where the water can get big quickly for a 15' so I don't need to go too far/fast to get there and back.
We mostly motor slowly around the mouth (Thomas Point Shoal) or up the river sightseeing and crabbing or fishing.
This motor appears to be such a deal I don't know whether to run and check it out or keep an eye open for a closer replacement performance wise.
I don't think you can go wrong putting a 70hp on your boat. If it's such a good deal for the motor, get a mechanic to check it out and if the results are favorable, buy it ASAP before someone else snatches it up.
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker
If your motor is running fine, why change it? You don't seem to need extra HP. Sure the boat will handle the added power but there are some great deals out there on lower HP if that is your issue. I had a old 1986 90 HP Yamaha, never had problems getting parts for it. Maybe what you need is a new dealer and not an engine. Just my .02
