Recent outboards

[SCAngler]

I think it is a combination of things.

I think all the brands have come a long way with theri products. However, at the same time, I think we are seeing people move away from outboards for efficiency and technology reasons.

Although the sample size is small, I know of several people that have switched from outboards to single diesels for efficiency. At the same time, I know of plenty that have switched to gass inboards because they are less technologically advanced and people do not need to call MIT when they need service.

Just my casual observations on the matter.

I see it just the other way .I see many people switching to smaller more affordable boats. Most the the boats have outboard engines on them. I think all brands are making very good engines right now and that is the major reasons you don't see near as many complaints about engines as you used to. When you do see a complaint there is usually someone on the thread with a tainted interest that keeps blowing things way out of proportion.

[denny-o]

I spent part of the morning looking at new boats... My biggest concern is buying USA (the boats are)... The Merc's I looked at are made partly or totally in Asia... The 50hp 4 stroke has the engine made in China... So, I said what do you have in Evinrude... Well he has one with a 90 hp that is USA made - and then he told me they are starting to move some production to China also, arghhh...

So I am rethinking - while I agree that the new OB's are advanced machines and I was thinking about roughly 17 feet, it may become a bigger boat and have an inboard with a USA engine...

Damned hard to support USA when the manufacturers do not...

denny-o

[seahorse]

My biggest concern is buying USA (the boats are)... The Merc's I looked at are made partly or totally in Asia... The 50hp 4 stroke has the engine made in China... So, I said what do you have in Evinrude... Well he has one with a 90 hp that is USA made - and then he told me they are starting to move some production to China also, arghhh...

Denny,

ONLY the new 25hp and 30hp E-TECs are built in China - all the others, 40hp up to 300hp, are built in Wisconsin, USA

[SCAngler]

what he said ^^^^^

[v70cat]

I had a 1987 Yamaha Excel for over 20 years and it works great.

I had a issue with the oil float switch and the shift rod had to be replaced. I also had numerous water pump impellers replaced over the years. This work was all performed by pro's.

My neighbor had a boat with stern drives over twenty years he has gone through two engines.

My point is that my cost of ownership is far less than a sterndrive that can be fixed by a shade tree owner.

[Bell Swamp]

My experience has been that the dealer is more important than the brand. Find a good dealer and buy whatever brand he sells.

[denny-o]

My concern is not the quality of the engines from Yammy, Zuki, etc... It is where the money is going...

Yes, I will buy an ETEC made here, but not one made in China... The fact that Evinrude is now farming out part of their production is a warning shot across the bow...

I bought three new suits from a national known men's suit retailer 3 weeks ago... Stopped on Wednesday to have some previously agreed upon alterations done (buttons), the store is empty and a 'for sale sign' out front...

We were in North Fort Meyer in March (chartered an American Tug)... Driving the main business street there, one third of the store fronts are vacant... Next to the marina is a high rise with ~80 balcony apartments... Talking with the locals there, I was told the high rise was a year and a half old and almost empty... That night, I counted 9 apartments with lights on out of ~80...

As I commented on another thread here, a town of 50,000 just 13 miles from blue water with a river running through it, that is world class Walleye fishing, and we have exactly one boat dealer left...

I gotta tell ya guys it is looking grim...

denny-o

[bly]

BOOM you foregot to mention the Hpdi Boom engine. I trhink it was the Lean burn clean burn technology that caused most of the trouble on the 2 strokes? Thank california and Al Gore.

[v70cat]

My concern is not the quality of the engines from Yammy, Zuki, etc... It is where the money is going...

Yes, I will buy an ETEC made here, but not one made in China... The fact that Evinrude is now farming out part of their production is a warning shot across the bow...

I bought three new suits from a national known men's suit retailer 3 weeks ago... Stopped on Wednesday to have some previously agreed upon alterations done (buttons), the store is empty and a 'for sale sign' out front...

We were in North Fort Meyer in March (chartered an American Tug)... Driving the main business street there, one third of the store fronts are vacant... Next to the marina is a high rise with ~80 balcony apartments... Talking with the locals there, I was told the high rise was a year and a half old and almost empty... That night, I counted 9 apartments with lights on out of ~80...

As I commented on another thread here, a town of 50,000 just 13 miles from blue water with a river running through it, that is world class Walleye fishing, and we have exactly one boat dealer left...

I gotta tell ya guys it is looking grim...

denny-o

Almost everything is made in China, I would much rather have made in Japan. Sounds like a reason to not by Evinrude, which is not a US company anyway.

[Snapper Head]

When I joined THT trashing outboards was all the rage. The fichts and the opti pops.

Is it just me or are the newer models (all brands) performing better than predessors?

I am not reading much about any one brand with an issue.

By the way my 2000 Ficht is still running strong.

This is not intened to start bashing of brands.

As posted earlier, the turn of the century was the height of field development (meaning - put em on the shelves and we'll sort out the remaining issues later) for the Direct Injection engines. I discovered THT because of my horrific experience with Mercruy Marine regarding my 2001 big bore opiti's. I think Mercury actually learned from the 2000/2001 Optimax debacle, in terms of customer service. I think all of the mfg's took notes from Merc on that. I think the larger majority of boaters understand that outboard engines will let you down eventually, irrespective of make & model (except for the 2 stroke, 3 cylinder, carbuerated 75 HP Merc. The finest outboard of all time. ).

I do think that the quality of the products has increased in the past 5 years, but greater than that has been the increased level of customer and dealer service from the manufacturers. Granted, there are some horror stories, and always will be. I am speaking on the whole.

There will always be bashers, but there is far less fodder for fueling the bashfests these days.

Now that the outboard mfg's have leveled the playing field, I have to wonder where they will take the design technology next?

Big Al