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Author Topic:   1985 15 w/ 35 Mercury - Performance?

Fishcop posted 11-30-2003 04:19 PM ET (US)
What can one expect in the way of performance on a 1985 15' Whaler with a 1985 Mercury 35hp. I am looking at two guys and some fishing equipment. Is this combo going to do the trick? Will I need more power? I have never run the smaller whalers, but this is one more I want to add to the collection.
Any and all info appreciated.
Thanks
Andy
ryanwhaler posted 11-30-2003 04:50 PM ET (US)
I'll bet you'll be able to plane, but if it where me I'd be looking for at least 50hp. That the hull is rated for a max of 70hp, so you'll want to keep that in mind.
Good luck.
cape_rover posted 11-30-2003 05:23 PM ET (US)
If you are running in calm water it may be OK with that hp. But it is way under powered especially if you have to get thru any waves. I wouldn't advise going thru an ocean cut where you have to push thru some waves with less than a 60hp.
For a small boat, I think the 15' is a great hull design and I prefer it's ride over the older 13' and 17' hulls. Personally I don't think it pounds as much. If the price is right, I would buy it.
Peter posted 11-30-2003 06:06 PM ET (US)
Andy, with a single occupant, you'll see a maximum top speed of about 30 MPH with 35 HP. You'll get by with that motor if you are alone but with two people and some fishing gear, you will wish it had more power and it really deserves more.
I currently have a 15 Super Sport in my collection first with a Johnson 48 SPL and then repowered with a Yamaha 70, a 50 HP motor is really the minimum I would put on the classic 15 hull. The classic 15 hull performs very adequately with a fresh 50 HP and is readily capable of achieving 36 to 37 MPH with a single occupant. A 70 HP motor, however, really makes the classic 15 hull come alive and would have plenty of reserve for two guys and their fishing gear.
I originally set out to repower mine with a Yamaha 60 2-stroke but as a I started to shop I came across a slightly used 2003 Yamaha 70 at half the price of a new 60. I'm very glad that I ultimately went with the 70.
Fishcop posted 11-30-2003 08:37 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the info. Here is the link on the boat.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31280&item=2445097058
It is a tiller 35hp Mercury. Not sure what the final price will be, but looks like a boat I might add to my collection.
If I repower, is a 50hp tiller going to rip my arm off?
Again, any and all info/opinions is appreciated.
Thanks
Andy
kglinz posted 11-30-2003 08:49 PM ET (US)
I wouldn't worry about ripping off an arm with tiller steer. River guides in Oregon run 225 Optis and 225 4 Strokes with tiller steering.
Peter posted 12-01-2003 08:05 AM ET (US)
Andy, with a classic 15 hull set up for tiller steering only, I wouldn't use any higher horsepower than what is on there now. Whaler often reduced the maximum horsepower recommendation significantly when the hull was configured for tiller steering. I believe it was typically not more than half of the maximum rating for the same hull configured with remote steering.
I'm surprised that the top speed is only 22 MPH.
scaleplane posted 12-01-2003 09:01 AM ET (US)
Andy,
As a reference, my 1976 15 foot Sport with a 2003 40HP Johnson 2-stroke gets up on a plane quickly with one or two. A little faster with my wife than with my fishing buddy - he's around 300 lbs!
Wide Open Throttle with one yields 30+ MPH, with two, 27.5 MPH. I cruise around 22-23 MPH.
Bigshot posted 12-01-2003 02:05 PM ET (US)
22 is wrong unless grossly underpropped. My friend had a 15 sport with a 35 Rude and it was slightly haster than my same year 13' with 35hp Johnson. I would say top should be about 30mph being that 35 merc is not exactly a screamer. If cheap enough I would make a center console out of it and drop a 90 Yamaha on the back....that is just me though:)
jimh posted 12-01-2003 08:11 PM ET (US)
Read the article about the 15-foot classic Boston Whaler boat in the Reference Section of the website. It includes the speed-vs-HP chart published by Boston Whaler.
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/15/
My advice: get a 50-HP engine unless you are on a small lake.
Bigshot posted 12-02-2003 11:53 AM ET (US)
2 things Jim....center consoles were made in 1983, I had one. Other is they are conservative numbers. My 70 would do about 48 on a good day but at least 45-46.
scaleplane posted 12-02-2003 12:46 PM ET (US)
Bigshot,
I say 22MPH cruise because that's the speed I'm comfortable at. The boat planes nicely at that speed. I don't know RPM's, because I don't have a tach, but that's the GPS speed I like. I also run my 17 foot Sea Ray around the same speed. It's taching out around 3,100 RPM at that speed.
Bigshot posted 12-02-2003 01:50 PM ET (US)
Was not talking to you Scaleplane, in his add he states 22 is WOT.
lhg posted 12-02-2003 06:15 PM ET (US)
In my estimation, those two cylinder 35/40 HP Mercs were the worst engines they ever made. Rough idle and no power. Actually, the engine is 2 of the 6 cylinders of the famous Tower of Power in-line 6 engine, but never ran like it at all.
If you buy that boat, add an engine upgrade into your cost.
scaleplane posted 12-02-2003 06:32 PM ET (US)
Gotcha, Bigshot. I didn't look at his ad.
keltonkrew posted 12-02-2003 07:35 PM ET (US)
You're right about the idle of the Merc 35. It vibrates like heck!

Starts imediately and has never given me a lick of problems, but there in NO smooth idle!
Of course mine is on a 13' mid 60's. Great for fishing and cruising around (not racing)!
Striper 15 posted 12-02-2003 08:30 PM ET (US)
I ran a 40hp Mercury on mine when I first got it and it did plane but struggled getting there. I would guess the top speed was around 25 mph. I have a 70 now and it is perfect on the 15.
Fishcop posted 12-04-2003 10:26 AM ET (US)
Thanks for all the info. I passed on the boat, and will keep looking for another.
Andy

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Author	Topic: 1985 15 w/ 35 Mercury - Performance?
Fishcop	posted 11-30-2003 04:19 PM ET (US) What can one expect in the way of performance on a 1985 15' Whaler with a 1985 Mercury 35hp. I am looking at two guys and some fishing equipment. Is this combo going to do the trick? Will I need more power? I have never run the smaller whalers, but this is one more I want to add to the collection. Any and all info appreciated. Thanks Andy
ryanwhaler	posted 11-30-2003 04:50 PM ET (US) I'll bet you'll be able to plane, but if it where me I'd be looking for at least 50hp. That the hull is rated for a max of 70hp, so you'll want to keep that in mind. Good luck.
cape_rover	posted 11-30-2003 05:23 PM ET (US) If you are running in calm water it may be OK with that hp. But it is way under powered especially if you have to get thru any waves. I wouldn't advise going thru an ocean cut where you have to push thru some waves with less than a 60hp. For a small boat, I think the 15' is a great hull design and I prefer it's ride over the older 13' and 17' hulls. Personally I don't think it pounds as much. If the price is right, I would buy it.
Peter	posted 11-30-2003 06:06 PM ET (US) Andy, with a single occupant, you'll see a maximum top speed of about 30 MPH with 35 HP. You'll get by with that motor if you are alone but with two people and some fishing gear, you will wish it had more power and it really deserves more. I currently have a 15 Super Sport in my collection first with a Johnson 48 SPL and then repowered with a Yamaha 70, a 50 HP motor is really the minimum I would put on the classic 15 hull. The classic 15 hull performs very adequately with a fresh 50 HP and is readily capable of achieving 36 to 37 MPH with a single occupant. A 70 HP motor, however, really makes the classic 15 hull come alive and would have plenty of reserve for two guys and their fishing gear. I originally set out to repower mine with a Yamaha 60 2-stroke but as a I started to shop I came across a slightly used 2003 Yamaha 70 at half the price of a new 60. I'm very glad that I ultimately went with the 70.
Fishcop	posted 11-30-2003 08:37 PM ET (US) Thanks for the info. Here is the link on the boat. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31280&item=2445097058 It is a tiller 35hp Mercury. Not sure what the final price will be, but looks like a boat I might add to my collection. If I repower, is a 50hp tiller going to rip my arm off? Again, any and all info/opinions is appreciated. Thanks Andy
kglinz	posted 11-30-2003 08:49 PM ET (US) I wouldn't worry about ripping off an arm with tiller steer. River guides in Oregon run 225 Optis and 225 4 Strokes with tiller steering.
Peter	posted 12-01-2003 08:05 AM ET (US) Andy, with a classic 15 hull set up for tiller steering only, I wouldn't use any higher horsepower than what is on there now. Whaler often reduced the maximum horsepower recommendation significantly when the hull was configured for tiller steering. I believe it was typically not more than half of the maximum rating for the same hull configured with remote steering. I'm surprised that the top speed is only 22 MPH.
scaleplane	posted 12-01-2003 09:01 AM ET (US) Andy, As a reference, my 1976 15 foot Sport with a 2003 40HP Johnson 2-stroke gets up on a plane quickly with one or two. A little faster with my wife than with my fishing buddy - he's around 300 lbs! Wide Open Throttle with one yields 30+ MPH, with two, 27.5 MPH. I cruise around 22-23 MPH.
Bigshot	posted 12-01-2003 02:05 PM ET (US) 22 is wrong unless grossly underpropped. My friend had a 15 sport with a 35 Rude and it was slightly haster than my same year 13' with 35hp Johnson. I would say top should be about 30mph being that 35 merc is not exactly a screamer. If cheap enough I would make a center console out of it and drop a 90 Yamaha on the back....that is just me though:)
jimh	posted 12-01-2003 08:11 PM ET (US) Read the article about the 15-foot classic Boston Whaler boat in the Reference Section of the website. It includes the speed-vs-HP chart published by Boston Whaler. http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/15/ My advice: get a 50-HP engine unless you are on a small lake.
Bigshot	posted 12-02-2003 11:53 AM ET (US) 2 things Jim....center consoles were made in 1983, I had one. Other is they are conservative numbers. My 70 would do about 48 on a good day but at least 45-46.
scaleplane	posted 12-02-2003 12:46 PM ET (US) Bigshot, I say 22MPH cruise because that's the speed I'm comfortable at. The boat planes nicely at that speed. I don't know RPM's, because I don't have a tach, but that's the GPS speed I like. I also run my 17 foot Sea Ray around the same speed. It's taching out around 3,100 RPM at that speed.
Bigshot	posted 12-02-2003 01:50 PM ET (US) Was not talking to you Scaleplane, in his add he states 22 is WOT.
lhg	posted 12-02-2003 06:15 PM ET (US) In my estimation, those two cylinder 35/40 HP Mercs were the worst engines they ever made. Rough idle and no power. Actually, the engine is 2 of the 6 cylinders of the famous Tower of Power in-line 6 engine, but never ran like it at all. If you buy that boat, add an engine upgrade into your cost.
scaleplane	posted 12-02-2003 06:32 PM ET (US) Gotcha, Bigshot. I didn't look at his ad.
keltonkrew	posted 12-02-2003 07:35 PM ET (US) You're right about the idle of the Merc 35. It vibrates like heck! Starts imediately and has never given me a lick of problems, but there in NO smooth idle! Of course mine is on a 13' mid 60's. Great for fishing and cruising around (not racing)!
Striper 15	posted 12-02-2003 08:30 PM ET (US) I ran a 40hp Mercury on mine when I first got it and it did plane but struggled getting there. I would guess the top speed was around 25 mph. I have a 70 now and it is perfect on the 15.
Fishcop	posted 12-04-2003 10:26 AM ET (US) Thanks for all the info. I passed on the boat, and will keep looking for another. Andy