I know I'm opening a can of worms but.....
Which outboard do you want on the back of your bassboat and why? For a while I've thought Yamaha was the most reliable motor and have mostly limited my future boats to something with a Yammy on the back. This is just based on hearsay and things I've read. I was also considering an Etech but I've read a lot of negative reports on them. I hadn't ruled out a Merc but the everything else would have to be perfect for me to get a boat with a Mercury.
Where can you even research motors? Just looking for some opinions and experiences. Thanks for any information.
Yamaha! Fuel economy, durability, reliability, and the low water intake location.
I agree completely with Genie. My Yamaha HPDI has been flawless since I got it fall of 2003. Plus, it has not fallen off my boat. Big plus for me! ;D
Turn the key reliability. Knock on wood (if necessary). Great torque too for running in rough water - something I try not to do now as often as I was doing still when I got this outboard.
I always had a 4-blade prop before because of the rough water I tournament-fished in so much in the past. When I got the Yamaha, my friend David Simmons told me the 3-blade prop that came with my Yamaha HPDI VMax 225HP was specifically designed for the extra torque so that I wouldn't need a 4-blade. He was right on about that. I even got rid of my hydraulic jack plate because my 492VS hull is a little faster without it and I didn't need the adjustments as much with this outboard-prop combination.
Regardless of which brand you end up getting for whatever reason(s), with all the higher technology going into them, it is better to try to get one with a good, long warranty to help enjoy more fishing with less cost.
What exactly does a hydralic jack plate do. Doesn't the trim adjust the motor. Or maybe it fine tunes the angle to depth ratio? Any comments will be appreciated since im in the market and want to know if this is worth the extra money.
I'm not really sure what the intended purpose is of a jackplate, but it sets your motor back from the transom. I have heard this helps with speed and stability.
I have a 12" hydraulic on my boat. I absolutely love it. Wouldn't go without. It allows me to run in some shallow water, getting me in to some interesting areas. I can go through some pretty skinny water to get to fishing spots. You have to pay close attention to your water pressure when running at high speeds. If you run the plate too high, you run real low on water at high speeds. I mostly use mine at idle speeds. You can't go into nasty stuff fast anyways.
When I first bought my boat, I was on Muskegon with my wife. For some reason I ran the jackplate all the way up. We took off from the Heritage Landing area heading towards Fisherman's to go home. About half way there, I looked back at my motor, and there was absolutely no water coming from the discharge. I freaked out, but luckily the old Yamaha ccould handle the stress.
Now as far as outboards, I am now a Yamaha guy. I have had Merc's and Mariner's, but I love this Yamaha I have now. It starts faster than any outboard I have previously owned. It handles cold weather way better as well. This is only a statement of the motors I have owned, has nothing to do with anybody else's motors. Happy hunting.
I have a Yamaha HPDI 175.
Fuel economy, oil economy, reliability are all great.
If ordering new I would order it again.
If I were to order new, it would be an SHO 4 stroke. Hands down.
A jack plate can do a couple of things for you. First, it sets the motor back from the transom of the boat, giving the motor more leverage over the boat. If you try to remove lug nuts, do you want a short or long handled wrench? A longer handle gives you more leverage. But each boat/motor combo may need a different amount of set back. On my TR21, 8-10 inches seems best. As Dan said above, some boats don't need it at all.
Second thing it does is allow vertical height changes in the motor, with the same trim angle. Trim will only change the angle of the motor compared to the hull. Why do you need this? A static jack plate has to be set for a compromise between low enough for a good hole shot, and high enough for good running. The hydraulic plate allows you to drop the motor some for take off, and raise it for better speed/mileage when running. It also allows you to drop the motor deeper to keep a grip in big waves.
I can't begin to tell you how valuable the ability to drop the motor deeper in big waves and still trim for handling. I'd never be without one on a bass boat.
Motor brand? It's hard not to buy a good motor today. Yammie, Merc, E-rude, all darn good motors. You would have to compare individual motors on what you can get a deal on vs. warranty.
Me? I'd say come on over to the dark side; I like them black motors. But then mine ain't your regular motor anyway. ;)
I really like my rebuilt Merc 150 EFI (the previous motor on my boat was beat when I bought it). Starts immediatly, idles low and smooth, and has enough speed and torque to keep my 18 footer running great in any water.
I would however not turn down a boat with a Yamaha on it. Been in a few Yammi powered boats and they run great.