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It looks like I am about to enter the re-powering process at the exact wrong time of the year. That being said I have a 1968 Custom 16 (Eastport with RPS) - currently with a 2 stroke Yamaha 90 with compression issues - The boat is used close to shore in Maine (Boothbay), will never be used for watersports (towing) and will never have more than 5 people on it with 2 or 3 being more common. Where should I target for HP? The Yamaha 70 seems the right balance between weight (250lbs) and power the Yamaha 90 is 100 lbs more and my local dealer has a left over 50 HP he wants to deal on. Open to any brand (the ETECs look nice but are a bit heavier. I saw the post with the new Suzuki 90 so I know the boat can handle the weight.

Looking for honest opinions - is 50 to small? is the weight worth it for the 90? What would you do?

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It is hard to pass up the Yamaha F70 at 253 pounds for any 16' or 17' model.
https://www.whalercentral.com/article...ticle_id=5

You may also save money if your current Yamaha engine control is in good condition.

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Bill -

It is been a very slow start to this year's season so don't be too concerned.

It can get a bit snotty in the outer harbor and by the Ledges.

50 is too small for the ocean.

The F70 is a proven engine and a good choice for the classic 16 hulls.

If you do have 3-4 with gear and go cruising out and around, a 90hp will give you more speed. The E-TEC 90 is light and proven, has the self-winterization feature which would be good if you visit periodically.

The difference in wide-open-throttle (WOT) between the 70hp and the 90hp is ~5-7 mph.

Shop dealers (parts department good?), price and engine features hard. Prices can vary wildly.

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Bill:

What is the overall condition of your 1969 Custom 16? Is the hull painted with patches and repairs in the hull below the waterline? Do you have weld-line separation on the transom tops bilaterally? Have you replaced the drain tubes and sealed below waterline through hulls? Do you know how much your boat weighs? Does the deck have holes in it that allows water to penetrate to the foam core?

All of these questions should be a part of a thorough evaluation to determine if your 1968 16 footer can handle the increased stress on the hull created from a new, modern heavy outboard motor.

In terms of actual experience: My first Boston Whaler Katama model was powered by a 2003 BRP Johnson 50 hp 2 cylinder two stroke outboard motor. The J50 was a reliable motor; I used my boat on Cape Cod and the 50 hp was not too small. The Katama cruised at 23 mph with 3-4 persons onboard. Top speed was probably 31-32 mph light. Add more people and gear then the 50 hp was not enough HP. So those are the limitations of a 50hp on a Blue Hull 16. Plus a 4 stroke 50 will have less torque than a 2 stroke 50.

Consider the E-Tec 60 2 cylinder inline at 240 lbs. I rigged an E-Tec 60 onto a BW17 Custom (Eastport interior configuration) and it performed very well; probably as well as the Yamaha 70 4 stroke.

Know the E-Tec outboards are more efficient and use less fuel than the 4 strokes. You can reduce your fuel tank overall capacity and weight by running the most efficient outboard.

With an E-Tec you also do not have to worry about a 20 hour break in period and the need to go back to a dealer for an oil filter change.

Obviously, choose a dealer that is close to you if you buy a 4 stroke because it will require more dealer warranty maintenance on an annual basis compared to a 2 stroke.

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Thanks for the replies. The boat was well restored a few years ago but they kept the old engine and does not have any indications it has excess weight at this point and sits well in the water. That being said the extra 100 lbs of the 90s (regardless of manufacturer) seems like more than I would like even though many people have successfully repowered with them. As the this boat is primarily used by my daughters I am also leaning towards the smaller engines.

I like the ETECs from a design perspective and they have great reviews - the Yamaha dealer is about 1.5 miles from my dock.

I would like to preserve my old binnacle control as it is an appropriately classic design. Not sure how this will play with the newer engines

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Binnacle will work on newer engine. From what you have posted a 70hp seems like a good choice. I had a 70 Suzuki on my Montauk and loved it. Was only 3mph slower than the Yamaha 90 2 smoke it replaced and I could run all day on a 6gal tank. I ran 38+ and my Montauk is an adult heavier than your 16'.

What is wrong with the 90 compression? Middle cyl lower than the others? If so you can run it until you find an engine.

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Biggie: The mechanic I have trying to get it running was getting compression readings of 35-45 which is of course horrible. Boat sat for a few years in a garage and I do not know if it was winterized properly before going into storage. The goal was to get it running (new plugs, lower unit oil, etc) and use it for the season with the plan to repower it in the fall/winter. I suspect if I had it in my driveway instead of 3 hours away (and we did not have a pandemic going on) I could get it running myself. That being said I am not interested in spending real money to fix (or diagnose) an issue with the ultimate goal being to repower.

Open to suggestions / tricks to get the season out of it for a few hundred $ but not interested in a few thousand. I may also get a second opinion.

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35-45psi means it is shongo. If it was one cyl low(common on 3cyl to be center cyl) below the allowable 10% difference, you can usually run it that way. If it is only 1cyl that low it may be a stuck ring which you can try and free it up but can't do sowithout it running. Rebuilding carbs, new waterpump, etc just to "try" something does not make sense.

I had a 1990 or so 90 Yamaha and it was say 140psi on top and bottom and 115 in the middle(why I got the boat cheap). I mixed up a pint of Berryman's B12 and 50:1 oil and stuck the fuel line in the pint. I then ran the engine on the muffs at a pretty high idle with the occasional rev until it was almost empty. I let it it sit overnight as well as sprayed into plug holes. Next day I fired it up again on the mixture and let it rip. The black goo that came out of the engine was disgusting....like sludge. Compression was then about 145, 130, 145 and I ran it for a season or so until I found the 70hp Suzuki.

When OMC went bust around 2000 or so, a local dealer was selling inventory cheap. I went there to buy a Fict 115hp for like $3800 but it was a 25" shaft. He said he had a 1999 Evinrude 70 leftover I could have for $2700 and I was like nah but while I'm here why not...turned out to be a blue Suzuki 4 stroke...MINE! Sold the Yamaha for I think $2400. The good ole days.

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Weatherly makes good points about assessing the condition of the hull before investing in a repower. But be aware that Evinrude is shutting down and will no longer be manufacturing ETEC outboards. Purchasing a leftover engine now is an iffy proposition, and only you can decide whether it makes sense to chance it. Go in with eyes wide open.

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That really depends on the deal and how long you plan on keeping it. If the cost of a new Etec is substantially less due to BRPs decision and you plan on keeping it 10yrs, might be a prudent move. If you think you may trade up to a larger boat in 3-5yrs, follow JRPs advice.

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A long overdue update in case anyone is looking for a reference point this year.

I ended up going with the Yamaha F70 - It had all the power I need and was lighter than other 4 stroke options. Of equal importance the primary Boatyard on the island we keep the boat is a Yamaha dealer. Easy access to a local service option is important to me and buying the engine from them makes all the servicing very efficient.