Dan in Alaska
08-27-2006, 12:42 PM
I am planning on replacing the '03 Yamaha 115 on my 22-foot Hewescraft SeaRunner HT this winter. I am having a hard time deciding which engine to choose. I have narrowed it down to three different four-stroke engines:
Suzuki 140 - price. This offers more power than I currently have, and it's the cheapest of the three by a few thousand dollars. I don't hear many people brag about the power from this engine, but at around $9200 it seems like a really good deal.
Yamaha 150 - The 150 seems to have a good reputation, and if I stay with a Yamaha outboard, I don't need to replace my controls. The only reason I am seriously considering another Yamaha is the dealership in Soldotna, AK. They are a three-hour drive for me, but they have given me absolutely top-notch service, even though I did not originally buy my 115 from them.
Suzuki 175 - early buzz about the engine is good. It is supposed to be powerful, lightweight, and fuel efficient. The power to weight ratio seems to be about ideal for this sized boat. PowerBoats rated the Suzuki 150 very high; this is the sister engine, so I am assuming good things about the 175 as well. This is the most expensive choice, at $12,800, but to me the engine specs look the best on paper.
Any comments on the above engines? Any real-world performance numbers you are willing to share? Top speed with a similar sized boat? Fuel consumption? Mechanical problems? Routine maintenance issues, such as difficult oil change, hard to get at spark plugs, etc?
Thanks, and I will try and get some of this summer's Alaska fishing pictures posted in the next week or so.
Suzuki 140 - price. This offers more power than I currently have, and it's the cheapest of the three by a few thousand dollars. I don't hear many people brag about the power from this engine, but at around $9200 it seems like a really good deal.
Yamaha 150 - The 150 seems to have a good reputation, and if I stay with a Yamaha outboard, I don't need to replace my controls. The only reason I am seriously considering another Yamaha is the dealership in Soldotna, AK. They are a three-hour drive for me, but they have given me absolutely top-notch service, even though I did not originally buy my 115 from them.
Suzuki 175 - early buzz about the engine is good. It is supposed to be powerful, lightweight, and fuel efficient. The power to weight ratio seems to be about ideal for this sized boat. PowerBoats rated the Suzuki 150 very high; this is the sister engine, so I am assuming good things about the 175 as well. This is the most expensive choice, at $12,800, but to me the engine specs look the best on paper.
Any comments on the above engines? Any real-world performance numbers you are willing to share? Top speed with a similar sized boat? Fuel consumption? Mechanical problems? Routine maintenance issues, such as difficult oil change, hard to get at spark plugs, etc?
Thanks, and I will try and get some of this summer's Alaska fishing pictures posted in the next week or so.