CONTINUOUSWAVE

Hello all. It is time for an engine replacement on my Montauk. [I am] comparing the Evinrude E-TEC 90 and Suzuki DF90A. At only [21-lbs] difference (dry), it's a close close call. For those with the DF90A:

Is the power band [of the Suzuki DF90A] sufficient to pull an aggressive slalom water-skier out of a deep water start?

Is the troll mode control sufficient for slow trolling for salmon?

The troll mode controls in 50-RPM increment, and it seems this is down to idle which is 500 or 600 RPM.

With [an engine using four-stroke-cycle] is the low end or 500 or 600 RPM slow enough?

Or, still a little hot?

I have been around the E-TEC engine, so I know their power bands. I am not worried about that.

If I can drop the my 6-HP four-stroke-cycle auxiliary engine by using the Suzuki DF90, the decision [about which engine to get] becomes easier. Thanks in advance.

A quick correction, the 20-inch-shaft E-TEC 90 is 320-lbs, and the same shaft-length Suzuki DF90A is 341-lbs; the the difference in weight is 21-lbs, not 6-lbs.

I'll try to answer your question but it'll be a little generic since you didn't give us enough specific data. I have a DF 115 on my Outrage V-20, that's a 1500 lbs hull with a pretty flat "V". Check the V-20 reference article. Anyway, it'll troll all day at 2 to 4 mph at idle, 600 rpm, sometimes it's too slow and I can't control the boat and have to kick it up to 900 rpm to maintain steerage. So you shouldn't have any trouble trolling a Montauk with the DF-90, it's the same engine, just detuned. As for pulling a skier, I don't know, my wife won't let me punch a hot hole shot, she's afraid I'll throw her over the transom....

Hoosier wrote:I have a DF115...

I believe that the current Suzuki DF90A is not the same as the DF115. The DF90A has a 1.5-liter displacement and the DF115 has a 2.0-liter displacement.

Correct, the Suzuki DF90A has a different block than the DF115A. At this point I have eliminated the DF90A from my search (mainly on price) and low RPM abilities.

My selections are down to

--Evinrude E-TEC 90 two-stroke-power-cycle, 79-cubic-inch, 320-lbs or

--Mercury FourStroke 90 four-stroke-power-cycle, 128-cu-inch, 359-lbs

in that order of preference.

The Mercury 90 has a troll mode control that is good in 10-RPM increments, which is rather fine tuned, and appears to drop the RPM' down to 550 to 565 while in gear. The troll control combined with the price of the Mercury, and the known dealer-mechanic, makes it hard not to have a look and test if it allows me to drop the kicker.

My local dealer is trying find a test boat with troll control as close as possible in size and weight to the Montauk, which is a rather small population.

I stand corrected, my DF-115 is an 2002, so things can change a lot in 14 years.

The E-TEC 90 can pull me up on one ski with three adults in the boat and coolers. That's with a 17-pitch Viper. I'm 180 lbs and in my older age, I get up with my back foot out. Anyone that's ever skied for real knows that slalom speed is 36-MPH, and I will tell you that even with the bimini up, we aren't full throttle at that speed. For skiing and tubing, the E-tec will do it easily.

Chris

As for pulling a skier, the engine's performance is greatly affected by propeller selection and engine mounting height.