Mercury 60 HP EFI Bigfoot

[Alyssa Jean]

Okay, I have searched as much as I can and find no info on this engine.
Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about it?

[Shiawassee]

David, I own a 60HP Bigfoot. Obviously, as a long-time C-Dory wannabe I cannot speak to a Bigfoot's suitability for that boat.

My present boat is an aluminum 16 footer similar to a Lund. In four years and 200 hours of fresh water use I have had zero issues. After three years of use the impeller still looked like it was brand new.

Mercury puts a 2.33 final drive ratio on the Bigfoot vice a 1.83 final drive ratio for the regular four strokers. The Bigfoot lower unit is rather larger than the regular motor, making the Bigfoot weigh 264 lbs versus 248 lbs for the regular motor.

This is a good motor for a heavy boat such as a pontoon.

I sure like mine. YMMV
Dale

"If its black, you'll never go back" - Mercury slogan

[C-batical]

David'

I have owned a 30 HP Bigfoot and currently own a 50 HP Bigfoot. The 50 HP powers my 22 ft pontoon boat. I have not had a lick of problems with it in three yars of running. It starts easier than the 40 HP Hondas on My C-Dory. Also,maintenance parts are cheaper and easier to come by than Honda's.

Best regards,
Rollie/C-Batical

[Capt. Jim]

The Mercury 60 Bigfoot uses the 90 hp gearcase. It turns a larger diamater prop and is excellent for pushing a heavy load. The bigfoot concept was developed for crawfishermen in south Louisiana.
Merucry has had some problems with this engine shifting into and out of gear. This has been corrected so check the serial# with a Mercury dealer if you buy. Mercury has been excellent with their warranty service as of late.

[flagold]

If that's the 90 hp gearcase, it's about indestructable on that end. Mine run with the blade tips out of the water and still pump coolant through the powerhead. It is a great lower unit for the backwaters.

[jdoskoch]

Boston Whaler features the 60 Bigfoot on its 15 ft Sport model, which I purchased in September 06. After two hours, I experienced what sounded like a noisy lower unit at idle. Very disappointing. After an evaluation by my dealer and a Merc rep, they tried a new prop which seems to have taken care of the issue (at least I am hopeful and as soon as the ice is gone I will find out).

[Sea Wolf]

These "Bigfoot" motors were first designed to push big sailboats at displacement speeds efficiently.

They're like having long, efficient oars on a rowboat instead of a coupl'a short flimsy paddles. More efficient energy (and momentum) transfer is the key.

Additionally outboard motor manufacturers have long made "Commercia" outboards with oversized lower ends from larger motors to deal with the severe use and requirements of commercial fisherman and harbor workmen. As I remember the 100 hp Commercial Johnson 2-stroke outboard had the same lower end as the 150. The motors were also beefed up. Larry H could probably tell you how and how much!

Joe.

[Byrdman]

How you doing David?

Thinking about it a bit, there is a boat rental company right at the base of one of the major bridges in Destin, FL. He switched to the big foot motors for his rentals it seems to me... Might punch up a yahoo or some other search for boat rentals in Destin, FL. This guy rented me a 24' pontoon boat when I had to go pull Jabez around the bay from a dock in Destin. I had ran the 50 hp Honda, from about 8am to 6pm pretty much non-stop in 90+ degree weather....and the motor was about 5 years old... It would not start for shinolo... there was the marina's 1st marlin/blue fish? tournament, all the comercial sponsorship 45-65' boats were dumping thousands of dollars each at the marina...so, me getting help with my single 50hp motor was not going to happen. The guy who rented the pontoon boat, also helped me "catch" my 16 cruiser as I came around into the bridge area, cross the street and under the bridge from his business. He took out a screwdriver and skipped the starter cyclinoid (sp?)... and she fired right up. The local Honda dealership did not have one in stock, so he took one off a new 50hp Honda, tossed it on mine.... charge the $80 labor, charges however much for the part, and replaced his part with mine when it came in the next week.

All was well.... I will dig in an old box and see if I can find my receipt for the name of the pontoon rental guy. Great man. Really helped me on a solo trip....and he repowered his fleet with the bigfoot...which is where this all started. Ya Gotta Love Coffee!!!

[marvin4239]

I've got a 2002 50 HP Mercury 4 stroke on my Carolina Skiff. It's not the big foot model and as we speak the lower unit is locked up. If I bought another Mercury which is highly unlikely if would definately be a bigfoot.

[Coastie Dory]

Hi all,

The noise on the bigfoot gearcase is known as clutch rattle and happens when the boat is moving through the water at idle speed in gear. The small displacement power head is driving a large (75 to 125 hp) lower unit which is geared down compared to the larger engines. The standard prop for the big engines has a hard plastic hub in it and makes a rattle noise between the clutch and gear dogs. That big prop (up to 14 inches in diameter) is turning very slowly at idle. It is very noticable on some rigs and bearly audible on others. It has NO affect on durability. Mercury makes a special prop with a soft rubber hub for 40, 50, 60 4 stroke bigfoots that eliminates the noise.

I have rigged several C-Dorys with the bigfoot engine with very good results. With the hard hub the noise can be very noticable at idle in gear at a "coast". If you apply a small amount of throttle the dogs are forced together and the noise is gone. Bigfoot props cure the noise very well.

I hope this helps clear things up a bit.

Randy.

[RVP]

I have twin 50 bigfoots on my CD-22 and have had no problems, they start easy and run quiet. I have been in 18 " of water with out any problem of overheating.
Put 93 hrs on them last year and I"m hoping for 293 hrs. this year.

[flagold]