Engines for My First C-Dory

[tpbrady]

I pretty close to signing on my first blue water boat (other than a Zodiac) even though I have spent many hours on the water as part owner (read laborer and not captain) of a fishing charter business. I am going with the 22 foot Cruiser and have two choices for engines. Since I plan extended trips in Prince William Sound hauling kayaks and other gear I am going with twins, the choices being Evinrude E-TEC 40 hp or the typical Honda. If I am correct the E-TEC in the 40hp model has been around for a couple of years. From my discussion with the dealer and their service personnel, they are now selling more E-TEC's in the 40 to 90hp range than Honda's even though the price is about the same and they see fewer of them back for repair. Evinrude is now offering through the end of March a 4 year extended service plan or a $4.00 per hp factory rebate. The 4 year extended service plan equates to a 7 year warranty on the engine. Honda is offering a 5 year warranty for a limited time (and 4.49% financing).

You can see the problem, take the reigning market leader or pick what in two years might be the leader's replacement. Being a systems engineer in my regular job, the Evinrude seems to offer some compelling features. I'm leaning toward the Evinrudes at this time but am open to suggestion.

[TyBoo]

Hi, and welcome to the Pub!

I can't help you much on your dilemma, other than to say you need only make sure you don't second guess your choice. You'll be happy with either.

What I can do is encourage you to sign, take delivery, put a name on her, and request a photo album. We lower 48ers can't get enough of those PWS pictures!

Good to see you here.

[Chuck S]

Read all the messages you can find! There is much debate.

Proven technology vs. new? H O N D A is what I want!

A single large outboard will have better long term reliability than two small ones, it's the nature of big blocks vs. small blocks. Everything is more robust in the bigger engine. The Honda 90 is the bulletproof Civic engine in outboard trim. A kicker will let you troll economically and will get you home as well and as fast as one 40 or 50 of the pair.

Twins look very yachty and are less obtrusive on the stern. I thought twin 25s would be kool on our 16 Cruiser! But twins have twice the potential to fail, have twice the number of instruments, and require twice the maintenance.

Twins preclude a swim step at the stern, something I consider a safety item as well as very convenient.

Twins also drone unless you can syncronize them perfectly. Few folks can and without electronic rpm control this is an endless issue. Drone drives me nuts, but I guess many with twins can live with it.

Perhaps the guys with twins can come up with advantages other than "yachty."

Private college tuition for my daugher will keep me on board Amelia Anne for several more seasons, but any move to a 22 Cruiser will only consider a Honda 90 + kicker. By that time the 90 will probably have fuel injection, but thru two (short) seasons the 50 has fired the first time every time.

-- Chuck

[jlynch]

Take the recomendation of TyBoo.

I've been researching engines for my 2005 22 cruiser since November. This past Saturday I finally made up my mind and went the dealer that seemed to be the most knowledgable. I had made up my mind to go with a Yamaha 90 EFI. The dealer and service department were very impressed with the C-Dory, I should have charged for tours. Like an alien in this area. Anyway, we had difficulty fitting the 90 and a 15 kicker that I wanted, on the transom. The trimtabs seemed to get in the way. My original plan was to go with a Mercury 90 but the manufacturer has postponed releasing the 90 EFI engine. I had also researched Mercury 50 EFI twins. The 50 EFI has throttle body fuel injection instaead of multi-port fuel injection. I'ts older technology, but less complicated. Like I said, I did a lot of investigation on engines. I talked to many service managers, they all like Yamaha, but the Mercury 50 impressed them also. It has a very good maintenance history. That's the way I went. The cost difference for twins was not much different than the Yamaha 90 and a kicker. By the way, If you're considering a 8 horse kicker, take a look at the Yamaha T8 High Thrust.

My suggestion. look at the optiions, go with your gut.

I wished the water would get soft.

[tpbrady]

Well it's going to be a single E-TEC 90 HP with a Johnson 9.9 four stroke. The color matched otherwise I would have taken the Honda.

Thanks for all the comments.

TyBoo, I agree, don't second guess, just decide and get on with it.

Chuck, I agree on the reliability issue. More parts have more chances of failure. The idea on a boat is availability of a working engine. Given the most likely scenarios for engine failure other than mechanical, you have fuel contamination and hit an immovable object. Fuel contamination will get both engines as will the immovable object. That means I will have to launch the kayaks and use the passengers to row while I beat the drum. So the 9.9 will have its own fuel tank.

It will be April before it gets in the water. The next step is electronics.

Tom

[Sneaks]

[Sawdust]

Oh boy! Dusty gets a chance to thread stop.

They are ALL good now. With thousands of hours on Hondas (225, 3 130, 4 90, 2 75, and many kickers), a few hundred hours on 4-banger Yamahas, and only one bad experience with a 2-stroke Suzuki (a warrantee and dealer support issue), I would take any one of the major brands.

If you have access to a good reliable stocking dealer, with a history of acceptable customer service, and who is well-established enough to be around for at least the length of your warrantee - Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury, Datsun, Johnson - take your pick. The dealer part of the puzzle is the most important IMO.

A warrantee does NOT make a better engine - a consideration when you buy, of course, but read carefully. All warrantees are not the same.

My next engine, now installed, is a Johnson E-TEC 90. It sure looks good hanging on the back of a 22, and I'll report as soon as I get a few hours and some fishing time. No kicker this time

Dusty

[stevej]

Good to see some interest in the e-tec motors out here. I have been shoping around the past few weeks, mulling over the options, built a spreadsheet of what I see as pro's and cons for my requirements and am about ready to take the plunge so to speak.
Right now it's down to three 150 Yamaha 4-stroke, 200 Yamaha HPDI and 200 Evinrude e-tech. The Evinrude e-tec is looking like it will be the winner. I like the color, the dealer has a good rep around here and impressed the heck out me with his service commitment and willingness to address details about rigging. Said he had sold several 90's for 22' C-Dory's in the last year and was very knowledgable about the boats.

Have to agree with Dusty it is tough to make a bad choice they are all good motors. The dealer will be the swing factor for me.
Although I have nothing but good things to say about Yamaha motors I am tired of the knuckle draggers at the local Yamaha dealership. They seem to specialize in marginal to poor quality work done two weeks late at best. To be honest I do not even trust their ability to rig a new motor.
Total rigging charge for the Yamaha would be around $2500!!! with alum. prop. and digital guages. They want an additional 80 bucks to take the boat out for a on the water test even though they are less than a quater mile from a ramp.
The Evinrude dealer includes an on the water test (how else would you know it's correctly propped) Total rigging charge is $1500 including stainless prop, digital gauges and work I feel I can trust.

stevej

[Larry H]

stevej,

Another Evinrude E-TEC motor!! Being an old Evinrude mechanic I have been waiting for people I trust to let us know how they run. They look real good on paper.

I may repower my 22 cruiser with an Evinrude 90 E-TEC. I'm waiting for Dusty's report.

[stevej]

Larry I am very intrigued by the e-tec's. As you say they look good on paper but need time to prove themselves in the industry. I do have this little voice in the back of my mind saying why buy into a new technology when there are so many proven technologys available.
My rationalization is 2-stroke technology has been around for a long time
Computer controlled systems are well established
I am a die hard 2-stroke fan and think it's so cool that the outboard industry is leading the drive to evolve the technology. I love the simplicity of 2-strokes and although the hi-tech versions are more complex they are far simpler, lighter and require less maintainance than 4-strokes.
Hi-tech 2-strokes are as efficient and clean running as four strokes if not more so.
Evinrude has raised the bar with a 3 year non declining warranty equal to Honda or Yamaha 4-strokes.

Actually I am looking forward to the purchase and seeing what a 200 hp will deliver in a low stress situation that I will be running it in. Would like to get things in motion and have the motor by April and the Catlamastan gig. Hope to have a first report out soon.

stevej

[Sawdust]

Steve,

The 90 E-TEC is FAR from old technology! Long chat with Les -- he and Kath were going out on a loooong limb to go the Johnson route so Les did much research. If you look at the entire E-TEC system, the only way it resembles the old 2-stroke is that it's two-stroke! State-of-the-art, and I'm sure going to take a shot. The engineers did a total breakdown of the old ones, found and corrected flaws, and started from there. The new owners of the line apparently have deep pockets and were able to do their homework. I look forward to some heavy testing!!!!

Dusty

[Adeline]

Steve J said

[Adeline]

Sorry, That was Larry H

[SENSEI]

Well,
I have the precursor to the E-Tec in a 90 FICHT
It is fuel and oil injected and 2 stroke to boot....lol...
I have to say that I am quite satisfied with it and have had no problems so far(knock on wood)
it is very comfortable running around the 4000 rpm range.
good fuel economy and fairly quiet.