Iced Coffee! The option to repower was
the only realistic choice.
From new, the 150 E-Tec had
provided a great power plant, pushing
my Evolution along at just over 40knots
(wide open throttle and trimmed out).
With a few scrapes on the hull and a bit
of age on the motor, this top end speed
dropped a tad, but on my last trip out I
was still able to crack 39 knots; not bad
for a motor that had done so much work!
In the commercial world 1500 hours
is barely run in, but usage profiles are
different and 1500 hours is a good life
in the recreational world. That said, the
motor still had good compression and
was running beautifully when traded, but
I was not willing to risk a failure, given my
ongoing offshore pursuits.
In looking at the replacement motor,
I wanted to drop down in size to help
achieve better economy. Essentially,
this would give me more range offshore
and I would save a few dollars on the
replacement cost by buying a slightly
smaller motor. However, in doing this there
would be some sacrifice too. That 40 knot
top speed and blistering acceleration from
the 150hp would no longer be there.
My Evolution is rated to a maximum
150hp, and with a motor of that horse
power costing over $20k fitted, pullingtrade in value, fuel economy, servicing
frequency, servicing cost, familiarity
with the unit, cost of two stroke oil,
propeller options and resale value.
Yamaha benefits included no need
for two stoke oil, potentially longer life
(based on commercial guys’ experience)
and better cruising economy. Yamaha
challenges included further to travel
to get the engine serviced, higher
service cost and lower service interval
(nominally 100 hours versus 300 hours).
Dealer servicing was a strict warranty
requirement, so you had to go to a
Yamaha dealer each time. There was
also a higher up front change over cost.
The Evinrude benefits were as
follows. Firstly, I was familiar with the
unit, as it is basically a shorter version
of my 150 and, as such, I was aware of
some of the E-Tec idiosyncrasies. Longer
service interval would mean less time
off water and less hassle, as getting the
boat to a dealer is always a pain in the
butt. Servicing costs would be lower
due to service interval and the fact that
there is not much to the motors. Much of
the basic care and maintenance I could
take care of myself, like changing leg oil,
which I do every 100 hours, regardless ofback to a 130hp size would reduce that
price a bit and still be in the sensible
power range for the hull. Looking at my
options, I chose to focus on two motors,
the Yamaha 130 four stroke and the
Evinrude E-Tec 130 two stroke. Both
motors could re-use the existing transom
holes, meaning no extra hull damage
when being fitted. I have had good runs
with both these brands and, as such,
wanted to stick with what I know.
Performance wise, I wanted a reliable
motor that would get the boat up over
30knots and give me a bit more range.
Both the motors were of similar weight
and relatively lighter than some of the
other brands. Nominally speaking, my
150 E-Tec weighed around 200kg, while
the 130hp motors under consideration
weighed in at around 180kg. I did not
think much about this weight difference,
but in the end it had a few unplanned,
but ultimately welcome consequences. I
will come to those consequences later.
Shopping around, I got pricing from
several dealers and ultimately settled
on another Evinrude from Chris at
Southern Outboard. Chris has serviced
my boats and motors since 2003 and he
ultimately put forward the best deal.
The pre-purchase factors I
considered included up front cost,All fitted and ready to goIt’s been a lucky engine so far!uoS
th^ A
ustralian (^) An
(^64) rleg http://www.saangler.com.au