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Preferred power for an Enchanter?

C

CheckedOut

New member
Need assistance guys. I've got to repower an '82 Enchanter. The boat is presently rigged for a '84 225 Mercury...less the engine.

Should I go with another 225 or drop down to a 200? Does this boat need a 20 or 25 inch shaft?

This boat is going to suck my wallet dry in restoration. I'm willing to pay to get it right and want the boat in water next summer. However, I'm not willing to spend 10k on a newer "used" outboard this year.

What are your thoughts regarding used Suzuki and Yamaha motors? They are readily found down here...real cheap.

Question is, how cost effective is it to replace all wiring and controls to accomodate a "cheap" motor?

In summary, how would YOU repower this boat on a shoe-string budget?
 
Need assistance guys. I've got to repower an '82 Enchanter. The boat is presently rigged for a '84 225 Mercury...less the engine.

Should I go with another 225 or drop down to a 200? Does this boat need a 20 or 25 inch shaft?

This boat is going to suck my wallet dry in restoration. I'm willing to pay to get it right and want the boat in water next summer. However, I'm not willing to spend 10k on a newer "used" outboard this year.

What are your thoughts regarding used Suzuki and Yamaha motors? They are readily found down here...real cheap.

Question is, how cost effective is it to replace all wiring and controls to accomodate a "cheap" motor?

In summary, how would YOU repower this boat on a shoe-string budget?
 
I like the black motors myself, however, we rented a boat on Sanibel island to check out a couple of other islands and it was powered by a Suzuki and that was the smoothest v6 outboard I have ever run. The only thing that would scare me about that Yamaha, is the years spent in salt water, but if you get it for a good price and it lasts a couple years, what are you out? I would get what I could justify for the boat and my budget. Good luck!

Jim
 
When you say rigged for a 225 less engine are you meaning the engine removed? or just the power head.
The single largest factory in repowering the boat is money. I would go with the largest motor you can afford.
What ever engine you deside, have it checked out before you buy it. Compression, leakdown, vaccume and pressure tested.
 
CheckedOut,

I've got a really clean model year 2000 225 ProMax for sale. 100 hours 130+ psi compression in all 6.

I'm looking to repower with a 300 ProMax so I would like to sell my 225 asap. If you are interested send me an email at seamate@comcast.net.

Joe S.
 
That is a 20" transom. Mine is mounted on the transom quite low. I had it as far "up" as possible, but with a vented cleaver, it took forever to plane off (spinning like crazy)Mine is an 82 also, and if you have the "swivel pedistal seats", be careful. I jumped a boat wake at WOT and my ass hit the floor somewhere next to the back seat. Tore the pedistal out from the goofy little cube of wood/glass an the floor.
 
Don't spend the money on re-rigging to another motor...controls, wiring harness, etc. are all different!!! To be cost effective, Stick with a MERC 200+ motor (any less and you'll regret it every time you use it)!!! The newer 200 Merc's (2.5L) motors, put out more touque than the old 2.4L... and power is prop shaft rated, not crankshaft. In fact, the 84 2.4L 225hp will be outperformed by a newer style 2.5L 200...

If you have the old motor still, just grab a newer powerhead and bolt it on to your old mid section/lower unit. You can also have it rebuild fairly reasonably if you know the right places to go.

You shold be able to get a MINT 1992-up Merc to bolt right on for under $5000 easily...tons out there (but aim for a freshwater motor)!!! And YES, insist on a compression test at MINIMUM... 120psi+ on ALL 6 is the magic numbers.

Where are you LOCATED??? Maybe one of us members can point you in the right direction... Jim.
 
By rigging, I mean harnesses are intact for an '84 225 Mercury. That includes control box (throttle), tilt/trim, tach and steering.

There is no power head or upper unit due to fire. I'm looking at a mid-section bolted to the transom. That's all.

It's really quite a mess. The wiring is bundled up and terminated by what used to be the guts of the motor.

I don't have the first clue about what I'm doing. I don't understand half the vocabulary you guys use.

20 years ago I would ski with and against the best Northeast Louisiana University could offer on the Ouachita river in Monroe, LA. That didn't make me a boating expert.

Regardless, I'm picking up a lot of good information on this board and appreciate the feedback.

I'm presently located in Jackson, AL, about 80 miles north of Mobile. I've got my choice of rivers between the Tombigbee and Alabama. Pretty much mud-holes by your standards, but there's a good time to be had down here with all the sand bars, warm weather and bikini's.

I simply want one of the hottest boats on the river. Checkmates are rare down here and I want to turn a few heads.

Mid-life crisis? Absolutely.
 
CheckedOut, Bigger is better! 225 or bigger. I have an 84' with a 225 h.o 20" mid. Runs real good but theres alot of weight on the back. Mercs are lighter.More power the better!

Brian
 
I would say be careful which engin you end up with. I will admit to not knowing much about the the big V6 motors but am learning out of necessity.
We have a 18 1/2 foot exciter with a 225 hp, 3.0 liter carbed Merc.
This engine is one of the few Merc. made that has a weird gear ratio in the lower unit.It also is not a quick revving motor.The result is finding the right prop has been a real chore, and we still aren't there yet.
The bottom line here is that this hull would probably perform better with a smaller 200, 2.5 L with a 1.87 or 1.75 lower unit.
Also I thought that the Yamahas were a better choice, but apparently some of their V6's have problems too.
 
Bottom line... WHAT CAN YOU AFFORD TO DO???

If your on a strict budget...say a few grand, hunt down a good used Merc and bolt on. If you talking about having to redo the entire boat as well as the motor...then it's a different story and probably a loosing battle!

Here's on option: Sell the one you have for whatever you can...add the cash you would spend on a motor...AND...I can hook you up with that guy in Houston, Tx area that has a KILLER DEAL!!!! It's a 1990 Checkmate 221 Maxxum (see the buy & sell section I posted details)... it has a fresh V8 300GT Johnson outboard, nice aluminum tandom trailer, lots of equipment, and you can get it all for about $6500!!!! YES..$6500!!!! He mentioned something even about possible delivery (under 500 miles?)...and you don't live that far from him! Let me know if this sparks any interest and I can send you his e-mail or photos (it was too far away from me in Michigan or it'd be in my driveway too)! Jim.
 
What about picking up a old Johnson 225 Cheap and beatting the P### out out it for how ever it last and then modifying the motor up to about 265 HP? This can be done for about 3K and should be better then new if done by the right person!
 
Thanks for the advice. Gonna' look for a 20" 225 Mercury that will go directly on the boat with no muss or fuss.

Had to put this project on the back burner this week. Following my fiasco with the truck a couple of weeks ago I still needed another one.

I'm going retro all the way. Found a '75 Ford F250 with less than 41k original miles. It sat, moss covered, on someone's estate for years. Needs a paint job, but the interior is absolutely, 100% mint. It still has the original AM radio. No rust either.

It's got a 460 under the hood so I won't know the boat is behind me unless I'm watching the fuel gauge.
Eyecrazy.gif
Luckily, both tanks are in working order.

The guy I'm buying it from put over $2,700 in the truck to get it back on the road. Guess everthing happens for a reason. I'm not giving him near that much.
 
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