View Full Version : X-R6 OR OPTI-MAX MERC. JET ????
R. WILD
02-12-2006, 09:33 AM
READY TO BUY NEW ALUMAWELD 18' SUPER- VEE LT, QUESTION IS IT WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY TO UPGRADE TO OPTI-MAX 150 HP. OVER THE XR-6 150 HP.? ALSO IS ANYONE OUT THERE RUNNING A 115 HP. OPTI-MAX ON THE SAME BOAT ? IF SO DOES IT HAVE ENOUGH POWER FOR THREE PEOPLE AND GEAR IN THE BOAT, TO PERFORM GOOD, OR SHOULD, I STAY WITH MY THOUGHTS OF GOING WITH THE 150 HP. ANY COMMENTS GOOD OR BAD ACCEPTED. THANKS :dance:
WaterDog
02-12-2006, 09:59 AM
IMO 115 with a jet is too small when your loaded. It would do the job but you'll wish you would have gone the 150 if you don't. The 150 would be about right. The XR-6 has been around forever and is a proven performer and is reliable. The 175sj uses this same block. You hear a lot of bad things about the opti but I have no experience with it. A buddy of mine has a 20' super-vee LT with the 150 XR-6 and it's a nice set up. I'd concider going 20' so you can avoid 2foot-itus for a while tho'. :twocents:
R. WILD
02-12-2006, 10:04 AM
THANKS FOR THE REPLY, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING ABOUT 20 FOOTER, BUT I'M DOWN SIZEING, JUST SOLD A TWENTY FOOT INBOARD...
WaterDog
02-12-2006, 10:10 AM
Gotcha. I don't think you'd be sorry with the 150 XR-6. Now maybe the opti would get better economy. I know my buddy complains about how much gas he burns, but the SJ I had was pretty efficient. :shrug:
TheRogue
02-12-2006, 10:46 AM
No-one ever complained they had "too much power". Also, the XR-6 has a long trackrecord, like Waterdog says. One of the best outboard heads around. The Opti still has issues, but some people just love them.
IMHO, the big motor gets used very little in most fishing circumstances on freshwater, so for me, I'd got with the tried and true.
TR
MetalHead
02-12-2006, 05:47 PM
I've got the XR6 on my 20' SuperVee LT, I wanted the 200XL but they wouldn't put in on as the boat is only rated to 115hp with a pump. I'm a big guy and with 4 people in the boat it will do 37mph (gps) on step. You will get better fuel economy with the Optimax but you have to run optimax oil which is more money not to mention the Opti will run $1200 to $1500 more.