Mercury Optimax or Yamah F-150 on 21' outrage??

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Author Topic:   Mercury Optimax or Yamah F-150 on 21' outrage??

72outrage posted 09-05-2003 08:05 PM ET (US)

This tread is like the one with the Yamah 150 Fourstroke on the 18', but with a 1972 21' Outrage...

I have done a little research on all with 20" shaft:
Mercury 200 saltwater EFI-
Mercury 150 Saltwater Optimax- &
Yamaha 150 Fourstroke-
150 Mercury Optimax - 431 lbs.---3yr--$10,800.00
200 Mercury EFI - 425 lbs.---2yr- $? maybe 9,000.00
150 Yamaha 4stroke - 466 lbs.---3yr--$10,200.00

I know there are some really smart people on here who have experiance and the knowledge to help me determine what Motor is best.
I don't really want a Yamaha on my boat, but a good fourstroke is a good fourstroke! Yamaha, is quite, needs no oil, (hense no added oil wieght, or $$ for oil) less maitenance, but will I be happy with a 150 fourstroke?
I fish and troll, cruise off-shore, party at the local sandbar with friends and ocasionally will wakebaord behind a boat with hardly a wake! Also run from the many T-storms that pop up everywhere here on the westcoast of Florida.
The Mercury 150 will get good gas mileage, considering the gas price is going up! How will it compare with the 200hp EFI? I mean the hrs power to pushing so much weight ratio? Will the 200 give me good gas? I will have the power I'm sure. Will the 150 Optimax have enough power? I know there is so much that goes in to repowering so any insight you guy's can give me will be appreciated.

72outrage posted 09-06-2003 06:21 PM ET (US)

Oh, Just to let you guy's know It currently has an 125 Evinrude on it now and I think its underpowered. It planes nice and smooth top end isn't to fast maybe 30 mph (just guessing) Anything bigger than that has to be better! It has a real hard time planing when I have 10-12 people in it......(Cruising to the local sand bar)
captbone posted 09-06-2003 11:31 PM ET (US)
Easy answer, 175 optimax! Best of all worlds.
goldstem posted 09-08-2003 08:26 AM ET (US)
I think it would be an excellent choice. We have an old evinrude 140 on our 1971 21 that tops out in the low 30's, but planes the boat easily, and is easy to water ski and tube behind. (it is tough to plane when we have a full load though: 7 heavy adults and 5 kids, but that's rare). We cruise in the mid 20's. Usually anything faster is too rough, give the shallow vee of that hull. I believe a fresh 140 or 150 four stroke would get us a top speed near 40, and that would be plenty for our needs.
lhg posted 09-08-2003 03:59 PM ET (US)
As the owner of a Mercury 200 EFI I can say it's a very strong engine, and could be a bit much for a 1972 21' Outrage. I would guess better than 50 MPH, more like 55. The boat was originally rated for 200 crankshaft, not propeller, HP, before any such 200 HP engine even existed.
If all out top end is not your objective, I would think any of the 150HP engines you mention would be more than enough HP. I would guess that the Mercury 150 EFI would be the quietest in operation at running speeds. But if you're going to do a lot of trolling, or worry about start-up & low RPM exhaust smoke, and can pay the extra price, the Optimax or 4-stroke would be a better choice. I've got to say the cost of Optimax oil and spark plugs changes puts me off a little, but maybe the better gas mileage compensates for that. So far, on an HP to HP basis, the bigger 4-strokes do not run as fast as the DFI/EFI's. Maybe this new Yamaha will break those rules.

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Author	Topic: Mercury Optimax or Yamah F-150 on 21' outrage??
72outrage	posted 09-05-2003 08:05 PM ET (US) This tread is like the one with the Yamah 150 Fourstroke on the 18', but with a 1972 21' Outrage... I have done a little research on all with 20" shaft: Mercury 200 saltwater EFI- Mercury 150 Saltwater Optimax- & Yamaha 150 Fourstroke- 150 Mercury Optimax - 431 lbs.---3yr--$10,800.00 200 Mercury EFI - 425 lbs.---2yr- $? maybe 9,000.00 150 Yamaha 4stroke - 466 lbs.---3yr--$10,200.00 I know there are some really smart people on here who have experiance and the knowledge to help me determine what Motor is best. I don't really want a Yamaha on my boat, but a good fourstroke is a good fourstroke! Yamaha, is quite, needs no oil, (hense no added oil wieght, or $$ for oil) less maitenance, but will I be happy with a 150 fourstroke? I fish and troll, cruise off-shore, party at the local sandbar with friends and ocasionally will wakebaord behind a boat with hardly a wake! Also run from the many T-storms that pop up everywhere here on the westcoast of Florida. The Mercury 150 will get good gas mileage, considering the gas price is going up! How will it compare with the 200hp EFI? I mean the hrs power to pushing so much weight ratio? Will the 200 give me good gas? I will have the power I'm sure. Will the 150 Optimax have enough power? I know there is so much that goes in to repowering so any insight you guy's can give me will be appreciated.
72outrage	posted 09-06-2003 06:21 PM ET (US) Oh, Just to let you guy's know It currently has an 125 Evinrude on it now and I think its underpowered. It planes nice and smooth top end isn't to fast maybe 30 mph (just guessing) Anything bigger than that has to be better! It has a real hard time planing when I have 10-12 people in it......(Cruising to the local sand bar)
captbone	posted 09-06-2003 11:31 PM ET (US) Easy answer, 175 optimax! Best of all worlds.
goldstem	posted 09-08-2003 08:26 AM ET (US) I think it would be an excellent choice. We have an old evinrude 140 on our 1971 21 that tops out in the low 30's, but planes the boat easily, and is easy to water ski and tube behind. (it is tough to plane when we have a full load though: 7 heavy adults and 5 kids, but that's rare). We cruise in the mid 20's. Usually anything faster is too rough, give the shallow vee of that hull. I believe a fresh 140 or 150 four stroke would get us a top speed near 40, and that would be plenty for our needs.
lhg	posted 09-08-2003 03:59 PM ET (US) As the owner of a Mercury 200 EFI I can say it's a very strong engine, and could be a bit much for a 1972 21' Outrage. I would guess better than 50 MPH, more like 55. The boat was originally rated for 200 crankshaft, not propeller, HP, before any such 200 HP engine even existed. If all out top end is not your objective, I would think any of the 150HP engines you mention would be more than enough HP. I would guess that the Mercury 150 EFI would be the quietest in operation at running speeds. But if you're going to do a lot of trolling, or worry about start-up & low RPM exhaust smoke, and can pay the extra price, the Optimax or 4-stroke would be a better choice. I've got to say the cost of Optimax oil and spark plugs changes puts me off a little, but maybe the better gas mileage compensates for that. So far, on an HP to HP basis, the bigger 4-strokes do not run as fast as the DFI/EFI's. Maybe this new Yamaha will break those rules.