Repower vs. new package

[scott craven]

I've seen some guys repower their "older" boats with brand new outboards.
New outboards don't come cheap, so the question arises..
which is more feasible, repower an older boat or buy a newer used package ?

I guess if you really love your boat, a new motor will only make it better ,but you really have to check out the deals out there, especially south of the border before dropping 10-20k on a motor.

Opinions ?

 

[Last Chance]

I think there is considerable value in a repower, if you have a great old boat setup just the way you want it, you save the hassle of trying to sell it (Which is hard right now), and then you still have the same great boat that is reliable now.

Last Chance Fishing Adventures

www.lastchancefishingadventures.com
www.swiftsurebank.com

 

[profisher]

I think it comes down to how long you plan on keeping something. Same for a vehicle. I would only spend big dollars to upgrade the old unit if it was in really good shape and I had no plans to sell it. Otherwise you are setting yourself up for a big loss, especially if the boat or vehicle is not a popular model to begin with.

 

[scott craven]

Smiley,
you my want to look at a repower with single 4-stroke main power
and no kicker.
I know quite a few guys doing this now and you can troll all day for cheap.
The difference in fuel consumption is negligible.

I realize it may be a comfort issue with some in not having a kicker ??

 

[chris73]

You know smiley, if you were to hang a 60 hp 4stroke on your's then you really wouldn't need a kicker for trolling. I see lots of guys trolling on their 90hp 4 stroke. Only for safety you may consider a kicker but you fish most of the time in the crowd anyway and not far from shore...

I made the decision to repower my old boat as I now completely rebuilt it - I built a hard top for it 2 years ago which considerably improved the room onboard plus gives me all options for rod holders/crab traps etc loaded on top to make even more room inside. Last winter I mounted a better kicker bracket and in the process I noticed that the floor and the stringers were compromised. Now that I had the new roof on I couldn't turn away anymore and basically gutted the boat, replaced the stringers, tested and repaired the transom where required, replaced the floor, epoxied all for eternal life. Only thing needed to call it a brand new boat now is a new main motor... Sometimes it's the process and the history of previous investments that dictate what you will do as there is no way that anyone is going to pay me fairly for all the time and material I put into this boat over that last few years and for the money I would get for my boat I would nowhere - not even down south find a boat that is as solid and bullet proof as mine now. Of course before I decided to do all those improvements I figured that this 17.5' is exactly what suits my needs and therefore alone went ahead with all this.

 

[scott craven]

quote:Originally posted by smiley66

Personal preference I guess. I know I am having second thoughts on this. With an older double eagle at the 16 foot range two four stroke motors is too much weight to place on. I can put one on to replace my 2 stroke 60, but I risk taking a wave over the stern.

http://www.sgpower.com/Marine/PreownedMotors/tabid/82/Default.aspx

 

[Intrepid]

The other option as a backup motor would be to pick up an old used British seagull motor (ebay for about $300) and stow it forward. They take up little room, are not heavy and while they just produce a few HP, they are reliable as hell. In the 80's I had a Seagull that was rated at 2-3 HP and that thing brought my 15-footer in from the chuck more time than I care to admit, some times in some pretty heavy slop. They have a self-contained tank (fuel/oil mixture is 10:1 and you use SAE 30!) and start with a rope but they are bulletproof. $300 for a backup would give you a little comfort.

 

[beemer]

get a C-Tow membership and I'll drag ya in for free

beemer

 

[Gordo]

I re-powered my 1979 18' aluminum rather than buy a pretty newer boat for several reasons:

1. Limited budget - what ever I bolt onto the old boat can be re-installed on a newer hull down the road. Thats why I chose the 90hp over the smaller motors.

B. If you buy a pretty used boat it is still a used boat with a used motor with probably no warranty other than the english-japanese dictionary in the storage compartment. Some of the new motors come with 5 year warranties (Evinrude), minimal maintenance, and are not that expensive for the mid-hp models (about the same as a snowmobile or quad.

iii. As has been mentioned - if you like the set up and size of your double eagle and the hull is sound, why change it. I too would like to go bigger but apparently the trailerability of a 20 or 22 fter is not as good as a 17 to 19 fter.

Negative point on repower:

If you have to finance, you will have a much easier time finding money for a brand new boat than you will finding a loan for a new motor on a hull more than 4 or 5 years old.

See you on the water next season with the new Evinrude!!!

cheers,
Gordo

 

[doger5]

Try the boat show in spring and look for a last year model or older thats new. I pick up a merc 115 four stroke pior year model for $8600 just see what brand you can find cheep.