Recent content by Natedog57

The Merc is lighter, by 15+ lbs. The OMC's block has more cubic inches, and can have the carb upgraded. I've had both and they were both great engines, free of major issues. It really sounds like you'll end up with a good one regardless of which you choose.

9 days of gun hunting, or even 30 days of gun hunting is not going to seriously limit/reduce the hog population. A good year round trapping program can be very effective. I seriously doubt people shooting hogs (over 3 different 3 day hunts) would cause them to be more difficult to trap... If...

I've put the NFB helm into 3 boats now, powered with 50 & 70hp Yamaha's and all 3 were center consoles. Absolutely zero torque felt on the wheel, until it is broken in the helm is actually very stiff.

So I bought one, a '93, to convert into a duck rig. I've completely stripped it down to the hull. It's very light gauge aluminum, and there's no vertical structural supports running up the interior of the sides (off the bottom ribs)... I guess they determined the interior plywood was enough...

I have a mid-90's Merc 25, and I believe most of these engines were very similar so here goes... Mine has the same rotating knob, and it is used to increase/decrease idle speed, however this knob can also be pulled out for choke. Can yours be pulled out? I typically don't ever twist, just...

Thanks for the compliment. The poling platform itself doesn't move, its 1.75" tubing. Standing on top, I think it's very stable, but that really has more to do with the width of the boat/height of platform. I've had a platform on a 1436 boat and would consider that a little tippy. The...

And just to show she's been there/done that... and has some serious mojo

Hi, I'm selling my 16' flat bottom jon (48" on the water, 72" across the top), galv trailer and 50hp Yamaha (2 stroke, trim/tilt). I've had a lot of work done, and completed a lot myself over the years, below is a brief summary. Feel free to contact me with questions, for more pics, or to take...

I don't know of one offhand, but it seems they're pretty common, I doubt there's much to worry about (in terms of quality) if it looks good and is made by a reputable company. Just throwing this out there... it's not very difficult to make a small fixed jackplate out of 4 pieces of 1/4"x4" alum...

To be exact you need to put a Tach on the engine... compare current RPM's to recommended operating range. Only then will you know exactly how much to increase the pitch from the current prop.

Unload her on this guy any buy an Evinrude/Johnson 80-2000's 2 stroke... a lot less problems in the long run... good luck

What negative effects are you experiencing that you attribute to low compression? If it runs good, with how the carbs are currently set... I would have to think that any adjustments/changes will only have a negative affect on how the engine runs. Just some thoughts: 1) all compression testers...

An outboard service shop or prop shop will be able to help you out. Replacing a hub is a very common issue, usually pretty cheap too. If you really want to buy a new prop, it's not necessary, but a second prop is great to have as a backup.

Totally agree on compression test. I'd also check the lower unit oil for water intrusion, confirm it shifts into F/N/R freely. If all/most of the electronics (power pack/coils...) need to be replaced its probably not (financially) worth working on even if the powerhead has good compression...

I think ultimately there's no right/wrong answer, just what you prefer and can afford? Are you happy with the reliability/performance of your current engine? None of issues you mentioned are big problems overall, if the engine runs good and you're happy with it, it'd definitely be cheaper to...