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1978 15 Sport repowered recently with a 2023 Suzuki DF60A. Wanted to share results for those thinking of a repower. Results are with a 3 blade PowerTech 17p stainless prop. Running 44mph with one adult and 6 gallons of fuel onboard. Unbelievable cruising nearly 16 mpg. Engine is mounted very high due to the splashwell but no cavitation. Engine weighs 229 lbs.

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Cruising numbers

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I think you are dialed in. Would not expect more than 46.

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Please define "mounted very high" ?
https://www.whalercentral.com/article...cle_id=106

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All the way up joe

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Matzilla. I am just about to do the same thing. Putting a Suzuki DF60 on my 1978 15 sport. Any chance you could post a photo of the splashwell area from the bow end (so to speak) so that I can see how you mounted it. Many thanks. Patrick - Ireland
(Please keep all correspondence here so all of our members know what is going on)
Happy boating and thank you

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Patrick - You should check the mounting hole spacing you have on the transom.

I emailed you the measured drawing of the BIA standard pattern.

To mount the engine, I would start with the top bolt in the 3rd hole counting down from the top (assuming the top mounting hole is 1-7/8" (47.6 mm) down from the top of the transom.

When you raise or lower the engine it will affect WOT rpm's by 150 for each hole, plus or minus.

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Height

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Closer look

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2

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Matt - Do you have a photo showing a view from the rear, illustrating the engine mounting bolt positions?

(Looks great btw)

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Yes

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Thank you for taking the time to document your install. I am also looking at repowering my 1986 15 Sport. Unfortunately the 1985 55 Evinrude does not have the standardized mounting holes I have found for later engines. So I will be drilling new holes.

Doing some measuring I also noticed that if the Suzuki engine is set on the transom, The lower holes would be below the wet well. Your photos show me exactly what I needed to know. I'm having difficulty finding a measurement from the top of the transom to the cavitation plate in the Suzuki installation manual.

Could you measure the position of the cavitation plate to the bottom of your hull/transom? I can see you have it working, but if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to know your final measurement. The Suzuki install manual states even with bottom 0 to 1" below the bottom of the hull. What did you come up with?

Again, thank you for your post and time. Mark

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Mark -

Do NOT go by the Suzuki manual. This is not applicable to Boston Whaler hulls.

The recommendation for Boston Whaler models is as follows:

Models 13' and below - anti cavitation plate .75 - 1" inch above the keel.

When using the BIA mounting template this translates to 1 or 2 holes "up" with the top bolt in the 2nd or 3rd hole down from the top.

Models 14' and above - anti cavitation plate 1.5 - 2" inches above the keel.

When using the BIA mounting template this translates to 2 or 3 holes "up" with the top bolt in the 3rd or 4th hole down from the top.

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Phil, thank you. So that moves the engine up quite a bit on the transom. Haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Little bit of sticker shock being absorbed. Thanks again.

Sorry for the delay. I’ve asked to have my email address updated to one I still monitor.

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Ok, I have done some more reading regarding engine mounting on shallow well Whalers. So, to be sure I understand, the photo above would be a 3 hole up? In other words, top bolt is in the 4th mounting hole. The bottom bolts would be in the “Green” hole BIA Whaler mounting template I found in a few places.

1 7/8” down for the top holes seems to be recommended. My top holes are lower and spaced narrowly, so all 4 holes will need to be filled. Not a problem.

Last in the picture above, I see indicators that the engine was a 2 hole up install at one point. Where the bottom bolts are currently installed, the engine can not be lowered again since the bolts are topped out in the slots.

Since I am drilling all new holes, I believe I can move the top holes up so that I could have a little bit of up or down tuning. I am I understanding this basically correctly? Thank you. Mark

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You dont want to move the top holes. They stay at 1-7/8 down from the top.

The bottom holes can be either the yellow or the one above.

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Thank you Phil T, that diagram is the one I came across. I was more concerned that the Suzuki pictured above was 3 holes up and no way to move down a hole since the slot is sitting on the bolt. You get one shot at getting it right in this case.

I was searching jack plates wondering if I could mount one using my existing holes, but seems they are using the same BIA mounting. So no getting around new holes easily. Thanks again. Mark

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To save from repairing the transom you can drill a jackplate for the old holes and mount the engine higher on the jackplate.

Many have done this.

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Good to know. I’d have to have one in hand to see. My bolts holes are quite a bit more narrow than BIA standard. The 55 Commercial was a clamp on engine. Bolts were for backup.

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Yeah, that's not going to work.

Drill out the holes to standard size
Fill with wood plugs dipped in Lock Tite Marine Epoxy.
Trip last plug flush with transom.
Cover with Lock tite. It will cure to shade off of Desert tan.

Drill new holes using BIA pattern.

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Hello, was looking at Lock Tite Marine Epoxy. They are saying it dries "White" Are there different colors? I suppose if Desert Tan is the color of the hull, from a distance you'd say it was white. Thank you

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Locktite Marine Epoxy in White dries to a color that is close to Desert Tan.