# Small Outboards



## Swamp Yankee (Feb 12, 2010)

8-10hp

Putting together a small boat for fishing small rivers, ponds and lakes. Fishing on the "larger bodies" of water in CT has become a complete joke on weekends. With all the tournaments if you're not at the ramp by 2:00 am forget it. You can't launch or park. Last year I started fishing smaller bodies of water but it's a real challenge to get the 19 ft Skeeter in most of them.

Anyway I found a used 14 ft semi-vee Grumman jon boat, one of the real Grummans, not after OMC bought them and trashed the line. The boat needs nothing other than a small outboard and tank. I've got an old 12 volt bow mount trolling motor.

Ok long way to go to ask, any recommendations or comments on small outboards? I'm going to buy new. Outboards are kind of like chainsaws, easily abused and often expensive to put right. One last note, Yamaha is absolutely not an option. 

Take Care


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## Wood Scrounge (Feb 12, 2010)

just keep your eyes open for an older 9.9 hp Johnson or Evinrude. I have a 15 year old Johnson the I take out in the spring with no doubt it will start on the second pull. it has NEVER had a problem other then sheer pins from operator error.


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## DANOAM (Feb 16, 2010)

+1 on the 9.9 Evinrude. The place we went fishing at up in Canada had 9.9 Evinrudes on 18' boats. They always started and ran well. Those engines took a beating too and just kept running


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## isaaccarlson (Feb 16, 2010)

*9.9 will do you well....*

I have a 1947 Johnson Sea Horse TD-20....runs like a top. I have used it many a time.


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## DANOAM (Feb 16, 2010)

Those old Sea Horses were tanks. Grandpa still runs his Sea Horse 10


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## RacerX (Feb 16, 2010)

I had a 12' Gamefisher with a 15 hp Evinrude in the 80's. Bought an extra 9.9 head cover so I could use it on lakes with a 10 hp limit. :rockn: 

9.9 and 15, Same physical size engines just different power output. Now I have a late 80's 9.9 Evinrude on a duck boat. Still starts with a couple of pulls after sitting all summer.


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## Swamp Yankee (Feb 16, 2010)

To those that spoke of Evinrude

Were these made by OMC or Bombardier?

Take Care


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## loadthestove (Feb 16, 2010)

Swamp Yankee said:


> To those that spoke of Evinrude
> 
> Were these made by OMC or Bombardier?
> 
> Take Care



The Ones built while under OMC were great engines,had several over the years.Not sure about the newer engines.


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## RacerX (Feb 17, 2010)

Swamp Yankee said:


> To those that spoke of Evinrude
> 
> Were these made by OMC or Bombardier?
> 
> Take Care




Of the several that I've owned over the years none were made by Bombardier.


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## HittinSteel (Feb 17, 2010)

I have an '83 15 hp Mariner (with the 10 hp stickers) on my 15' Sylvan. Outstanding engine.


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## humpysiener (Feb 19, 2010)

I work in the commercial fishing industry in alaska and by far the most common outboard whether big or small is Yamaha. I am talking about something that people use every day for months at a time. Yamaha by a large margin then a few hondas.


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## Rookie1 (Feb 19, 2010)

My FIL has a boat and I was at the dealer last year and he was telling me about how 2cycle engines are being frowned upon. He really liked the 4 stroke Hondas. I wasnt buying just talking mechanic to mechanic.Yes I know our saws are 2 stroke and I love em but would look at 4 strokes if I was buying a new motor.


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## Swamp Yankee (Feb 19, 2010)

humpysiener said:


> I work in the commercial fishing industry in alaska and by far the most common outboard whether big or small is Yamaha. I am talking about something that people use every day for months at a time. Yamaha by a large margin then a few hondas.



Yamaha may build a good motor

but their customer service and warranty absolutely stink. It took a total of 7 trips to two different dealers and cost me over $750, (not including time and gas for towing), to repair the 150 V-Max while under warranty on my Skeeter. The only way they would respond and actually dug into the motor problem(s) was after I wrote a six page letter including copies of repair orders to both the president of Yamaha Outboards and Skeeter, Skeeter is owned by Yamaha. Only the president of Skeeter had the courtesy to reply.

It took Yamaha over a year to get the motor straightened out and they never reimbursed me for the out of pocket money I spent. As far as I'm concerned they will not stand behind their product nor do not deserve my business.

Maybe they treat commercial accounts differently.

Take Care


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## Swamp Yankee (Feb 19, 2010)

Rookie1 said:


> My FIL has a boat and I was at the dealer last year and he was telling me about how 2cycle engines are being frowned upon. He really liked the 4 stroke Hondas. I wasnt buying just talking mechanic to mechanic.Yes I know our saws are 2 stroke and I love em but would look at 4 strokes if I was buying a new motor.



Honda is on the short list

but I'm starting to think more about a jet pump lower unit instead of a prop driven. The Grumman only draws about 4 inches making it an ideal candidate for the jet drive. Should let me get into some real skinny not many fishermen can access.

Take Care


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## Rookie1 (Feb 19, 2010)

Swamp Yankee said:


> Honda is on the short list
> 
> but I'm starting to think more about a jet pump lower unit instead of a prop driven. The Grumman only draws about 4 inches making it an ideal candidate for the jet drive. Should let me get into some real skinny not many fishermen can access.
> 
> Take Care



Very Cool. That sure is thinking outside of the box.


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## Pruitt1222 (Feb 21, 2010)

My father has a 17hp johnson with a evinrude jet unit on a 14' grizzle mod v hull. Its nothing more then a flat bottom jon with the noise a semi v. It planes quickly and at about 10mph. Tops at mid 30's or so. I do remember him having a hard time trying to find anything smaller the a 20 horse with a jet unit on it, Thats why he went with a older johnson.Evinrude makes a 20, mercury makes a 18, yamaha is a 25, honda jet units start at 50 horse I think. You might have better luck then he did, we are located in kentucky so skinny boats a far and few. And personally i would want two stoke for the weight savings and remember if you want 15 horses you would need a 20 horse with a jet cause you loose about 30% of your power.


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## PA Plumber (Feb 21, 2010)

~snip~



Swamp Yankee said:


> Yamaha may build a good motor
> 
> but...



I have had just the opposite experience with Yamaha.

Had a coil mount snap. We were heading to Dale Hollow Lake the next day and the local shop didn't have time to get in the part. Yamaha gave me the name of a dealer in TN to call, that was on our way.

When we got there, he let me pull the part off of a motor off the lot and I gave him the broken one. 15 minutes (including the paperwork) and we were on our way.

Put on the part when we arrived at our destination. 

That's smoke'n customer service!


BTW, had a 1995 15 hp Mariner on a 16" Sea Ark. Great motor.

Ran it until I upgraded to my current fish'n buggy.


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## Wood Scrounge (Feb 21, 2010)

Swamp Yankee said:


> Yamaha may build a good motor
> 
> but their customer service and warranty absolutely stink. It took a total of 7 trips to two different dealers and cost me over $750, (not including time and gas for towing), to repair the 150 V-Max while under warranty on my Skeeter. The only way they would respond and actually dug into the motor problem(s) was after I wrote a six page letter including copies of repair orders to both the president of Yamaha Outboards and Skeeter, Skeeter is owned by Yamaha. Only the president of Skeeter had the courtesy to reply.
> 
> ...



My father has a similar story with a 9.9 hp Yamaha mounted as a kicker motor. Cold hearted witch to start and no one could make it better. after more then 4 trips to the Yamaha dealer and a lawyer letter, he got his money back.


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## Swamp Yankee (Feb 22, 2010)

PA Plumber said:


> ~snip~
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Different kettle of fish.

In your case the problem was obvious to diagnose and a quick fix. 

In my case they couldn't find, or more appropriately wouldn't spend the time, effort, and expense required to determine what was causing the cold start and intermitent cut out at any rpm issues. Yamaha's reply until the President of Skeeter got involved was simply, we can't find a problem so there isn't one. Paraphrased is their reply when I initially contacted their customer service directly the first time and asked them to review my case. 

"Please read your warranty, you have not adequately demonstrated there is an issue with your engine, therefore Yamaha Corp. has no obligation to repair or replace."

When a company gets into the legal boilerplate in the warranty, it's obvious they have no intention of working with a customer. My reply was simply if there isn't a problem, why have I paid $750 to the dealer out of my own pocket, not to mention the cost to tow the boat 150 miles, (300 miles total to drop off and pick up) if there isn't an issue? By the way if this was a car / truck not a boat I could have gone after them under CT's Lemon Law.

Sorry to rant, hopefully Yamaha customer service has improved in the past 4 years and my case was an isolated incident.

Take Care


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## RVALUE (Feb 22, 2010)

Like in farming, pick the dealer. Then some of the attributes you want. Some dealers might be able to warranty, (probably not necessary) something they don't sell. FWIW I've only heard good about Yamaha. Buddy bought two in last two years, work flawlessly. I bought a new Johnson in 2000 under OMC bankruptcy, works flawlessly. Our duckcamp people bought two this winter, the yamaha was as powerful as the evinrude, and alot less weight and alot simplier. READ less to go wrong. Both 25 horse.

Good luck.


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## Buckshot00 (Feb 28, 2010)

Bought a used 25 hp Johnson and used it for 10 years. Had to replace the starter rope twice over that span. Good motor. Good luck.


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## shindaiwadealer (Feb 28, 2010)

I would consider looking into the Briggs and Stratton outboard even though it isn't in the horse power range you wanted. They are reliable, great on fuel(4 cycle engine), and probably the most important aspect, cheap. They can be bought off of ebay for $700.


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