90 or 115 etech for new boat ?

Hey guys , I'm in the process of trading my lund in on a new pro 185 lp alumacraft , it's 18 1/2 foot boat rated for a 115 max motor . The alumacrafts do set pretty low in the water Which is why I was looking for in a boat . What I'm asking is , should I buy the 115 or go with a lesser 90 . Again it is rated for a 115 but that's max hp . I just don't want my boat setting really low in the rear end . I noticed a few alumacrafts in green last year and thought you guys might have first hand advise to give me . Any one that knows how fast each engine will run and all the specs that I will need to know chime in. Thanks

Bet there is very little weight difference in the 2 motors, if the wallet can stand it get the bigger motor if for no other reason than resale down the road.

yup what he said

Do u think the 115 will make the boat sit up in the front more than the 90 ? It's a alumacraft pro 185 lp

A 90 and a 115 use the same block....the weight is almost the same

Always go for the Max HP allowable
Imo

Go max horsepower!! :twocents

Like someone else mentioned, go with what you can afford.

I have to agree with going with the max HP, especially if the weights are close to the same. I always tended to be conservative on HP, but then you start wondering how much better it would have run with the larger engine.

the 90 hp e-tec is a inline 3 cylinder engine, and has a dry weight of 320 pounds.
the 115 hp e-tec is a V4 engine, and has a dry weight of 375 pounds.
either engine should handle your boat very well.

Thanks for the replies , keep em coming !

115 Mercury 4 stroke. You'll save enough on gas & 2 cycle oil over the life of the boat to make up the difference in price. Resale will be better too. Weight is about 400#.

I agree with wiskers 4stroke 4stroke 4stroke. If you can't afford the 4 stroke then save some more it will be we worth it in the end.

I have a 115 E-tec on my 18.5 fiberglass crappiemaster and it does great with a 4 blade SS prop. Love it. No breakin, very little maintanence costs, and is quiet. If price is not an issue go for the V4 115.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KDAVID1

Always go for the Max HP allowable
Imo

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:hesaid You can't have to much power.

With hp bigger is always better. What if you have a big load in the boat and you wait till the last minute of an approaching storm. Slabs are biting so you know you are waiting till rain and wind start.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wiskers

115 Mercury 4 stroke. You'll save enough on gas & 2 cycle oil over the life of the boat to make up the difference in price. Resale will be better too. Weight is about 400#.

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Wow those things are heavy, my 550 HP small block Mopar is not much heavier than that :biggrin . I have a 90 HP Yamaha two stroke and it's not bad on gas and uses very little oil. Maybe 115s are worse.

I would strongly recommend what the others have said: Go with the 115 E-TEC. Resale value is also a consideration - and the bigger the HP - the easier the resale. As far as gas and oil, the E-TEC is an incredibly stingy engine, and with four strokes - not much difference in gas used and you have to change the oil regularly. Two biggest values to me - winterization and ease of start up: I don't know that much about the climate in KY, but even if the boat is going to sit for a month or so - you can "self-winterize" the motor, takes about 5 minutes - then it's safe and sound until you use it again. 2nd - ease of start up: I have a 15HO E-TEC on my boat for slow trolling ( I use the 250HO for 2mph and over) I can let that 15HO E-TEC sit for 2 months - push the START button - and it's running (and not sputtering or stalling) immediately.

Thanks guys I'm gonna go with the 115 . Thanks again !

The 115 e-tec can be programed to run different 2cycle oils. I had my dealer set mine to run the Evinrude syethic 100 oil. It is a little more expensive, but during Jan to March check with Evinrude delers to see if they sell in bulk. One dealer has bring your own jug and bulk for 19.99 a gallon vs a gallon prepack jug at 42.95. Just a heads up tip. You will love the ease and dependability of the E-TEC.