50Hp & 60Hp 4-stroke Outboards

[brw0513]

Hi all.

I'm researching my next outboard purchase now. It will be new 4-stroke - a 50Hp (most likely) or 60Hp (possibly) with forward controls for my Quintrex 390 Hornet Trophy. I like slower action fly rods but faster responding boats Top speed is not of particular interest, but my little boat gets heavy with people and camping gear etc. And yes - I have had the transom professionally modified and the hull re-surveyed for the purpose of replacing my current 35Hp 2-stroke.

90% of use will be in saltwater. The water temp probably ranges from 16 deg C to 28 deg C.

There are Retailers nearby for all the usual brands. But to be honest, I haven't really found the business yet where I'd spend my hard earned money. And I have no brand loyalty.

I've found the glossy brochures of all the brands to be rather lacking. They're good for the basics like bore and stroke, weight and gearbox ratio. But not for details more meaningful to me. And good luck finding torque and power curves. I'm sure some 60Hp outboards will have near identical performance to their 50Hp sibling until around 5000rpm.

I'm really looking for an outboard that is easy to maintain, doesn't have finicky electrical systems/sensors and has the best after-use engine stopped flushing system using a garden hose only. My ideal outboard would have a flushing system that sends flushing water all through the head, bypassing a closed thermostat to more effectively remove salt.

Any recommendations?

Good advice appreciated.

[Paul Arden]

That will fly!! Or will it just plane more easily? I have noticed that full throttle and 3/4 throttle has similar top speed. Another observation (one that now annoys me!) is the friend who sold me my second fishing boat (for DIY guests) has a 14’ boat of the same shape that is noticeably quicker than the 12’ he sold me.

Can’t help unfortunately; I use a 2-stroke Yamaha 30hp Enduro on my 12’ tinny. 2 stroke. Noisy. I’ve just replaced it after 5 years. Would love a 4-stroke but I think the extra weight would sink the boat Let me know how you get on. There are times I can’t plane with this set up and two guests or for that matter a very large one!

Cheers, Paul

[Graeme H]

I don't have much to offer other than to say I have had no trouble with my Yamaha 60 HP 4 stroke. Excellent motor.

[brw0513]

Thanks gents.

I've seen larger boats outperform smaller ones with the exact same motor. There is obviously a lot in hull design. The modern hull designs seem much beamier with larger reverse chines compared to even 10 years ago.

If I could keep my household (wife, kids, bills etc) ticking along with a much reduced income, I enroll in a boat design course (naval architecture?) and then build boats for a few years. I'd try to employ an apprentice too Alas, the world doesn't turn on love alone and bottle tops aren't of much use as currency.

I'm sure any of the modern outboards would be suitable. But I'll continue my research.

[Lou Bruno]

I had a 60HP 2 stroke, 3 cylinder, oil injection. Bought it new, ran great for years with no issues. Then with ethenol fuel (USA) troubles started to begin. My maintenance is performed by professional mechanics. The motor would crank longer before starting, my fuel economy got worst. The starting issues persisted. I eventually bought a 70HP, 3cylinder 4 stroke with carburetors. The extra HP helped to maintain my top end speed due to the extra weight of the motor.
Much preferred the 4 stroke, super quiet, no issues with fuel, maintenance was about the same.
I had older 2 strokes, mixing oil in with the fuel....glad those days are gone.
Currently I run a 90 HP, 4cylinder, 4 stroke with carburetors Yamaha on my 16 1/2 ft skiff. I had Evenrude, and Mercury motors on my prior boats. Yamaha far superior, reliable,easy maintenance, efficient and quiet.

The boat is rated for 115 HP. The 90 does the job....gets me on plane real quick. I need to trim my motor down and have my trim tabs down...otherwise I will raise the bow and plow the stern into the water. Any smaller motor would not get me on plane. The 115 is a bit overkill.
We're I fish overall boat weight is critical, being able to float in skinny water allows us access to many areas. I can float in about 8 inches of water with full tank of fuel...20gallons, 2 people with fishing gear.

My average long trips are about 10 miles, sometimes in mild chop and heavy boat traffic. The 90 gets me there and has the HP to punch through the waves and wake.

I fish saltwater, no.... absolutely no shortcuts on maintenance, adhere to a recommended schedule. After each fishing trip boat, motor, and trailer get a good scribing and wash. I flush my motor by placing the muffs on the lower unit water pump intake. I have a fuel line on-off value. I turn my fuel off then run the motor with the fuel that's left in the motor fuel line. This does two main things; clears out the saltwater and does not leave any fuel being stored in the motor. I DO NOT use ethenol fuel, I pay more but found it most beneficial.

Lastly, consider the propeller pitch, there not all equal. A good mechanic can be your best advisor to set you up. I use a stainless propeller, lighter and corrosion resistant.

I think I covered some good main points. The 90 HP is the best size motor to match on my boat. Anything less won't work, and anything larger isn't necessary. I also use a jack plate with hydraulic steering.

Hope this helps.
Lou

[SevenWeight]

I have had two 4-stroke Yamahas (70 hp and 60 hp) and a Honda (100hp 4-stroke), all purchased new and maintained according to the manufacturers guidelines. I live in an area of Florida notorious for harsh, shallow-water navigation … oyster bars, rocks, floating weeds, mud, etc., etc. I would choose Yamaha every time and it’s the local favorite. The Honda is less tolerant of extreme conditions, more prone to overheating when trimmed out and raised on a jackplate to allow shallow running. My 60 hp Yamaha is mounted with a jet foot, yielding 40 hp. It has nearly 200 hours, much of it at maximum RPMs in extremely shallow water. The flushing system works quite well.

[George C]

FWIW, I’ve got 11 years and 2200 hrs on a big Yamaha 4 stroke (offshore series 225) that is run in saltwater, doesn’t get flushed, and is casually maintained but still is going strong. Previously I considered myself lucky to get 800-1000 hrs out of an engine.

[Paul Arden]

It would not surprise me if I got 10,000 hrs off my Enduro 30. Most of that would have been slow idling speed and all freshwater of course. I was reading that 1500-2000 is considered a good life. I hope that the new next one fares as well.