posted 11-12-2013 11:01 PM ET (US)            

The rescue ducks I drive for the yacht racing have got rid of their 60HP Merc's and have now switched to Suzuki owing to some new 3 year leasing arrangement they have with a local dealer.

We are now in our 4th week of trial and so far we are all impressed with the decision.

posted 11-12-2013 11:09 PM ET (US)            

If your making your way down to Melbourne by any chance give me a call.
Your welcome to drop in if you get a chance.

posted 11-13-2013 07:38 AM ET (US)            

A function not only of the excellent Yamaha engines, but the lack of dominance by Brunswick in the high quality boat manufacturing market that salt water operations dictate. When Brunswick doesn't sell the hulls, Brunswick doesn't sell the engines.

Sea story time since I'm bored:

I'm sitting drinking coffee this morning in Cape May NJ looking over the harbor (waiting for the wind to quit tomorrow before continuing towards Florida aboard my Trawler) and so I went for a walk on the docks this AM with my dog, and was looking over the center console fleet. findings: In this marina I see Yamahas dominant by a long margin, then about 15% Evinrude ETec powered boats, and one lonely black engine way over in the distance. This marina is populated by very serious fishermen, not by tube-towing family boaters

But: Across the creek where the "package boat fleet" of trailer boats owned by visitors from Philadelpia is based (completely different demographics as compared to where I am docked) I see more Bow Riders, clorox bottle "family cruisers"... and more Mercury engines.

Bottom line here is that there's a clear division here between "those that work at sea" and "those who play on the bay". They buy their boats from different sources, one choosing custom or semi-custom high quality fishing machines and the other trailer-packages from boat dealers "someplace up on the highway". The guys who select each part of their machine based on it's individual merit buy Yamaha. The Mercs are all packaged with new boats of pedigrees that are... well.... let's just say that these boats are not running out 100 miles to the tuna.

This is an interesting data point, as I grew up here in Cape May and remember the 60's and 70's well, bearing in mind that nmy Grandfater was a Coast Guardsman, Boat Builder, and when I was a kid sold boats part time at South Jersey Marine and that dinner convwersations were always about (boats, engines, fishing, boats, engines, fishing, repeat as required). When I was a kid nobody would be caught dead with a Mercury "fresh water engine" and Evinrude dominated by huge margins. As Evinrude sank over the years, dealers took up Yamaha. Now Evinrude is making a partial comeback, but at no time did any of the locals make a cultural switch to Mercury.

My guess, which you can take for what it's worth, is that without owning the hull-manufacturers, Mercury would be a distant last in sales here with Yamaha first. Seems than anyone with a choice in engine manufacturers here choose Yamaha. And for Whaler content, the preferred 'Tauk repower here (three of them) are 90 ETec's. With these to look at closely, and seeing how well balanced they are on the Transom, I found myself coveting a shiny 90 ETec in the dealers showroom here as I bought a few screws yesterday, thinking of my 'Tauk and how nice that would fit there. Also patted and drooled over a very nice tiller Etec 50. What a nice engine for a work-skiff.... and interesting that the ETec 90 and a tiller 50 are what they keep in stock on the floor for immediate delivery to the locals. I'll wander across the street to the Yamaha dealer later to see what they keep on the floor.

Dave

posted 11-13-2013 01:51 PM ET (US)         

When I started doing saltwater boating in the mid 70's, I noticed a profound lack of Mercury engines. When I asked at marinas, ramps, and docks, the locals told me that Mercurys did not hold up in salt water. Shortly after that, it seemed that Mercury got a bad reputation for reliability and quality in general. I don't know when Brunswick bought Mercury, but I seem to recall that being the time when Mercury began to lose their reputation. OMC became the dominant engine in both salt and fresh water.

The mid 80's saw Yamaha make huge gains and before I knew it, Yamaha was THE engine to have in salt water and the OMC engines started losing their market share, Mercury continued to slip. By the mid 90's, the only Mercury engines I saw were ones that were part of a boat/motor factory rigged package on brands owned by Brunswick. By the late 90's, OMC had made the big FICHT mistake and pretty well sunk themselves and Yamaha had assumed complete dominance.

Now, Yamaha is still strong but Evinrude seems to be making a pretty strong comeback. Suzuki is showing up more and more, apparently because they are a lower priced four cycle Japanese outboard. Honda made some noise for a while, but they are pretty stagnant. Mercury engines are really rare in the areas I boat.

posted 11-13-2013 02:19 PM ET (US)            

No Mercs sited, nor Sizuki's which is a surprise. Still looking for a Whaler.

posted 11-16-2013 05:09 PM ET (US)            

I'm at anchor in Annapolis MD with my Trawler. All I see out of the window are Yamaha's, both on power boats and as kickers on sailboats. This is saltwater... ;-)

Dave

posted 11-17-2013 07:44 AM ET (US)            

Saw a *real* "Whaler" designed by the *real* Whaler designer tied at the dingy dock up ego alley last night: It was an Edgewater, and had a Yamaha on it... ;-)

Dave

posted 12-27-2013 03:34 PM ET (US)            

quote:

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A function not only of the excellent Yamaha engines, but the lack of dominance by Brunswick in the high quality boat manufacturing market that salt water operations dictate.

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Makes good sense. Whalers may be the most seaworthy boats on the lake, but not necessarily so on the sea.

quote:

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in Cape May NJ...findings: In this marina I see Yamahas dominant by a long margin, then about 15% Evinrude ETec powered boats, and one lonely black engine way over in the distance. This marina is populated by very serious fishermen, not by tube-towing family boaters

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Here in Santa Barbara, the exact same can be said of the commercial operators, except that you replace Yamaha with Honda. It is really quite stark. Moving down to the next level: Among the dilettante semi-pro's, there is an even mix of Yamaha and Honda. And finally the toys are almost universally Brunswick. Not to bash on the toys. I have one, a fast fun fresh water boat powered by a light, powerful Mercury carbureted two-stroke, and I have no complaints. But it is a toy that has no place in the ocean. I like the Merc a lot, but would not subject it to salt. It is a 1987 2.0L 150hp.