what size motor

[user 18220]

My 57 says it is rated for a max of 45hp. New boats of similar size and weight show a max of 20 or 25hp. With mods and bods, total weight should be somewhere between 850 and 900lbs.
I want to fish small rivers and lakes. My Mercury 25 has worn out its welcome. Never made to the water. I am looking for suggestions to replace it. Tiller handle please.

 

[perchjerker]

what kind of boat is it?

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Mercury Classic 50.
Despite it's name it's a 45hp motor.

 

[user 18220]

57 Aerocraft J. V-hull, 14'2" 68" beam 28" deep.15" transom

 

[Rusty Shaft]

I have a 57 AeroCraft Sea Lark. What was the original drain? Mine has a flat plate, drains slow. Should there be a plate or plug in the floor? Thanks in advance! Original 25hp Gale rebuilt and a 58 Gale 10hp kicker. Just redoing everything.

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

Johnnyrude 35.

 

[mbullen]

The discrepancy in ratings for similar boats is due to math. The OBC rated by a formula of measurements. 14ft aluminum boats can have ratings from 5 to 50 depending on water displacement. (your J series is a 68in beam!) The carrying capacity is based on the same. Additionally, transom bracing and construction comes into play. (Duracraft Pacemakers had 3 models of three ratings using an identical hull).
All that being said, your rating is sound. You're going to be only limited by the short shaft and your pocketbook.
OMC Big Twins and Merc 4-cylinders are great same-era options. Expect to pay anywhere from 250-1500 depending on condition.
If you want new stuff, Merc, Tohatsu, and Suzuki still make some awesome machines in the 15in shaft length. Expect to pay more, though. lol
The old stuff is just as reliable, in my book. More so in some cases. If you start with a machine that has good compression, one can replace the consumables and a magneto 2-stroke should be good for decades.
*personally, I'm a Big Twin fan. Multiple years of using the same parts on multiple models makes them super easy to find parts.

 

[Lowrider1]

Roger that!

I have a 2 stroke 9.9 merc that's on it's second "freshening" and will serve me well next summer. On the other hand I'm getting pretty fond of my new crop of 4 strokes, a 15 Merc and a 5 Tahatsu propane and I just bought a 2.3 Suzuki for something or other...maybe just 'cuz it's very light and I don't need to mix oil like my 3.3 Merc.

The oil thing isn't a big deal since I mix lots of gas for my old Evinrude 50 two stroke I bought new last century. But...BUT... the 4 strokes are a lot quieter and the VA just bought me hearing aids so I can really tell the difference...without them the 2 strokes didn't seem so loud. I didn't think I'd like them but my wife talked me into them just before she died. I'm pretty excited to have bluetooth in my ears playing Willie and the Beachboys and now I can sing along and neighbors and family has no idea what I'm singing since I'm that bad.

 

[Pappy]

Do you enjoy vintage engines on your vintage boat? As has been mentioned there are tons of these Big Twin style engines out there and still going. They are easy to work on and fairly inexpensive to keep running.
Starting in 1958 there is a "Super Quiet" version of this engine that is drastically more quiet than the standard engine. I have gone to one of these on my Alumacraft model K. Pleasure to run. These engines come in both 35hp and 40hp and parts are plentiful. Most of the Super Quiets are non tiller but can be converted easily.
I have done several 100 mile trips on the Suwanee River with the Alumacraft and depending on my load I will burn around 11-12 gallons for that distance. You can do a lot of those kinds of trips for what you would have to spend on a new engine! Lots of smiles per mile.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

You can do a lot of those kinds of trips for what you would have to spend on a new engine! Lots of smiles per mile.

This is one big reason I like to pick up the older motors cheap and get them running.

Cheap to own, simple to fix and if I destroy one hitting a log or whatever I don't even care.

I just pick the next one out of the stack and keep motoring on.

I hit and cleaved in half a 6" rotten log last summer as it was mostly submerged and I was distracted doing battle with a flock of over 100 seagulls that didn't understand who was the stand on vessel......Little *******s. Lots of noise and excrement when I hit it, but only a small ding on the prop.

The wife didn't understand why I insisted in dragging the two halves to shore and beaching them up high, but that could have been a $1K incident or even life threatening for a faster boat.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Johnnyrude 35.

And yes, this.

 

[Lowrider1]

Do you enjoy vintage engines on your vintage boat? As has been mentioned there are tons of these Big Twin style engines out there and still going. They are easy to work on and fairly inexpensive to keep running.
Starting in 1958 there is a "Super Quiet" version of this engine that is drastically more quiet than the standard engine. I have gone to one of these on my Alumacraft model K. Pleasure to run. These engines come in both 35hp and 40hp and parts are plentiful. Most of the Super Quiets are non tiller but can be converted easily.
I have done several 100 mile trips on the Suwanee River with the Alumacraft and depending on my load I will burn around 11-12 gallons for that distance. You can do a lot of those kinds of trips for what you would have to spend on a new engine! Lots of smiles per mile.

I grew up just North of Winter Park and remember all those rivers/lakes back before Disney screwed it up...just can't go back. I bought a 13' NRS raft with a 3 person fishing frame this morning and plan to go to Henry's Lake next Fall and drift the river too after steelhead on the Clearwater. Now to get the snow machines fired up because snow is coming next month and ice fishing in Feb if it gets cold enough.

 

[airshot]

Overvthe summer I downsized from a 22' to a 16' outboard fishing boat. Much easier for this old man to load and unload. This boat has a 1992 four cylinder two stroke 40 hp Merc outboard. I have been quite surprised at how well this motor performs!!! This is the newest 40 hp motor I have ever owned, previous were 40 hp Johnson twin cylinder and a 40 hp twin cylinder Merc. While all have been good running motors, none compare to this 4 cylinder model !! This 4 cyl isvthe smoothest idleing motor I have ever owned, you can almost count each cylinder fire at dead idle... Also the quietest motor I have ever owned, no problem having a normal conversation while underway, the splashing water makes more noise. Fuel economy is almost twice as good as the previous two 40 hp motors pushing similiar 16' alum boats, and my current boat has 300 lbs of batteries the other ones did not have! People tell me this motor has old style looper design, I cant say, but I can say it is far superior to the late 80's Johnson and the mid 80's Merc twin 40 hp. This one isvoil injected where the others were direct mix, ( the Jonny was a VRO disconnected) I cant see the injected making a difference but this 4 cylinder is a far better motor in all aspects !!! I suppose some day we may be forced into 4 stroke engines, but....gonna have to go a long ways to convince me thay are that much better than my current 40 hp !!!

 

[Lowrider1]

Overvthe summer I downsized from a 22' to a 16' outboard fishing boat. Much easier for this old man to load and unload. This boat has a 1992 four cylinder two stroke 40 hp Merc outboard. I have been quite surprised at how well this motor performs!!! This is the newest 40 hp motor I have ever owned, previous were 40 hp Johnson twin cylinder and a 40 hp twin cylinder Merc. While all have been good running motors, none compare to this 4 cylinder model !! This 4 cyl isvthe smoothest idleing motor I have ever owned, you can almost count each cylinder fire at dead idle... Also the quietest motor I have ever owned, no problem having a normal conversation while underway, the splashing water makes more noise. Fuel economy is almost twice as good as the previous two 40 hp motors pushing similiar 16' alum boats, and my current boat has 300 lbs of batteries the other ones did not have! People tell me this motor has old style looper design, I cant say, but I can say it is far superior to the late 80's Johnson and the mid 80's Merc twin 40 hp. This one isvoil injected where the others were direct mix, ( the Jonny was a VRO disconnected) I cant see the injected making a difference but this 4 cylinder is a far better motor in all aspects !!! I suppose some day we may be forced into 4 stroke engines, but....gonna have to go a long ways to convince me thay are that much better than my current 40 hp !!!

I dunno about better but they are going to be forced upon us at some point. I'm kinda tired of being told what's best for me then being lied to also.

 

[Mudbugger]

Is there even any market for the old JohnnyR/udes anymore?
I've got a couple of late 50s era 35 horse, and a 63 40 horse electrashift, that were to be used on a couple of boats, that have long since left the building.

 

[airshot]

In my area, 50-60's stuff is not popular but newer 80 and newer 2 strokes are moving well if in good running condition! Like everything else, condition is everything!! I see a big problem today, is that people dont take care of their stuff anymore...I know of two families that have boats that just sit outside since new, no covers! Interiors are junk, on one the block is cracked from not winterizing....hasent moved in 5 yrs yet they complain about still making payments?????? Hard to believe the number of nice looking boats just sitting out in the weather with no protection and NO appearance of being used all last summer....

 

[sonny.barile]

If you want something newer but still 2-stroke, look for an Evinrude e-TEC. It has injectors instead of carbs but still has that good old 2-stroke torque. The 25 and 30 hp models are real work horses. If you have a tug of war with an equal sized 4 stroke, you will win with the Evinrude. Lol

 

[airshot]

If you want something newer but still 2-stroke, look for an Evinrude e-TEC. It has injectors instead of carbs but still has that good old 2-stroke torque. The 25 and 30 hp models are real work horses. If you have a tug of war with an equal sized 4 stroke, you will win with the Evinrude. Lol

Have heard way to many reports about excess electronic gizmos that cause issues. In my area, they are not very popular. Still a fan of a well maintained good ole fashion 2 stroke, my oil injected 4 cylinder 1992 Merc 40 hp is an awesome motor. It outruns most other 40 hp motors on 16' aluminum boats and mine is heavier than avg. It is also the most fuel friendly 40 hp that I have ever owned and I have owned 4 other 40 hp engines. Not as many electrical gizmos to go haywire as the new models.

 

[sonny.barile]

I do agree with you on excess electronic gizmos.….but if you learn how to take advantage of them, it takes the guessing out of diagnosing issues. No more replacing part after part until you find the problem one. It tells you exactly what is wrong………

 

[airshot]

I do agree with you on excess electronic gizmos.….but if you learn how to take advantage of them, it takes the guessing out of diagnosing issues. No more replacing part after part until you find the problem one. It tells you exactly what is wrong………

Cars are supposed to be the same way, but rarely does it work unless you have the dealers 10K diagnostic machine !! Years back, my neighbor owned an SUV that would miss at various rpm on ocassion. Kept taking it back to the dealer for over 6 months...finally the dealer showed him the results from the diagnostic machine, it stated " you have an intermittent problem" that is the actual readout from the computor !!