but i would prefer etec but i would still go 4 stroke

Friend had the 225 opti max on a 8 meter razor line hard top .  After 600 odd hours he upgraded to a 250 opti...  he has never had any dramas apart from a air compressor pump siezing and leaving him a 6 hour limp home mode trip back into broome..  Upside the caught 6 mackies on the trip back in though and a couple of tuna...

Etec concern me with the 300 hrs between servicing..  personally I would like things checked over long before that..  A lot of damage can be done in that time...

yeah id be going etec .. mate has twin opti's on his cat and they are bloody loud .. drives you nuts if your traveling far .. as for service id always still get the etec looked at once a year

and I dont care what anyone says, you can still smell oil burning.  For my money 4 stroke - I'd take the weight penalty.

Maybe look at the new Yamaha 4st: V Max SHO - 229kg 200hp.

Its only a 30kg difference to the e-tec?

i would swing towards the Etec, i had a opt 150 on a alli boat and found it very noisy through the hull, but i will admit it had great power and i was very impressed with the economy and oil useage, but just to noisy, smart craft gauges are the way to go as well if mercury. the ETec are a great motor and plenty of warranty , just check the cost of the special il you have to use if you plan on lots of hours on the water

As an Etec owner and previous four stroke owner I will forevermore buy fourstroke.

Both DI motors are just revved up 2-bangers.

Do yourself a favour and get the new Yammie..you'll thank us forever

ill second that the yammy is the onlyway to go i dislike etec with a passion after my oldboy having one on his boat and as for merc have never owned on and never will. honestly yammy is the only way to go

I own a 2008 175 Opti and have not had any dramas with it as yet. I know we're not comparing horses for courses but I used to fish with somebody(following me all day)who had an equivalent 2 stroke outboard and he would use exactly double in fuel that I would use in a day out wide. I have found that the Opti's are a little noisy but I love their fuel efficiency and reliability. This is the second Opti I have owned and both have given me trouble free boating at minimal fuel costs. In conjunction with the Smartcraft gauges, I think they are a hard to beat combination. In saying that, I have no knowledge of the E-tec but Mercury advertises they are more fuel efficient and more powerful than their closest rival. 

I'd also like to know how much a 300 hr service would cost?? 

That size motor 4 stroke no doubts at all, start burning a lot of oil and fuel over about 115. I have the 150 and whilst it does everything i want it to, I will upgrade to a 200 4stroke when the time comes most likely a yamihahaha.

Anything 115 and under though I would take etec everytime, power to weight just shits all over four stroke and economy is fantastic. My 115 etec was a beautiful motor on an open boat, we could still talk at the controls at full throttle.

Ive an Etec and service every yearand yep they are kind on the wallet come service time. The 300 hour thing is for motors that run in "FRESH" water.

If your'e gonna get a four stroker then Suzi's for me anytime.

But then Its a case of Potaito or Pataaaato between the suzis and yams

Get a small block 200 Verado, once you use DTS you will never go back. They are very reliable motors and the new ones are realy good on fuel.

honda.

its not like a fourstroke weighs a tonne its only 34 kilos

200hp etec=234 kilos

yamaha 200hp fourstroke=272 kilos

34 kilos isnt much its like  8 year old kid sitting on the transom

if you let a kid sit on your outboard that is what  a 4 stroke is like

just make sure your transom is in good condition

wide open

i am not sure where you get your weight from but my specs say 196kg.

maybe that weight you have is for the ho etec? i think it has the bigger block.

also i thought my boat was already bum heavy, so i dont want anymore weight down there.

thanks anyway

and what engine are you replacing?

huggyb

going on a 1997 southwind sf655 and replacing a yammy 97 200 saltwater series2, that had sized.

cheers

i went on evinrude etec site

and it was 196kg for the 60 degree engine or what ever and 234 kilos for the 90 degree engine.

i just took the hevier weight

does anyone know if the 90 degree is the HO etec, because the one i am getting is the normal etec (small block i think)

Maybe listen to the people who actually have to run these things!!!

When I take a day off work to go for a midweek fish it costs me at least $400(being self employed) having a fuel efficient outboard is paramount... 

i agree steve,

 and i am going from the carby 200 yamy to the 200 etec(more than likey) so i am hoping for much better fuel acconamy and like yourself i am self employed and my cost is prob more than yours.........Truck Driver(owner driver)

but isnt it great to go fishing when the weather is good and much less ramp traffic?

Fisho Ron,  I truly hope it serves you well, and as you probably know it's a $400or $500 day before you even start on water, but fish or no fish it's always great to spend time with your mates!!! 

for sure steve

i even dont mind if its the wife?? is that bad or do i like fishing more than my wife...

i hope she dont read this

Hey , how good's this shit, my misses let me buy a brand new Trophy boat and has only been on it once and got as crook as a dog... since then not interested anymore, hence lets me go out and try and catch fish without hinderance and without a must be home time....MAD ehhh??? What a good girl!!

where can i get one, i have a fairly good trade but yours is impressive.

She's always at work, she probably wouldn't even notice if I was missing at sea... but she's a good sport though!!

...the only stipulation regarding the 300 hour service when used in saltwater is that the greasing (nipples and prop spline) has to be done more often. This is something that anybody can do themselves in less than five minutes.

A workmate just took his 75hp Honda in for its 100 hour service...$600. This is after its 50 hour service...$400. My 90hp Etec's first service was done at 270 hours...$550. Cost of the fancy oil I had to use over the 18 months prior to the service...$200. So I'm still $250 and 170 hours ahead, with a bigger motor.

No idea about the merits of these motors when we're talking about the 200hp range...could very well be that four-strokes are better at that size. I know weight was the most important issue for me...I have a centre-console with the helm mounted aft so it's a very light bow...and the etecs are the lightest motors out there.

learn to service you 4 stroke yourself and be amzed at the money saved, someone will say you wont get a warranty, yes but if on the chance something does go wrong,  you would have saved that all the money from you self service

cars are cheaper to service its a rip off

these etecs sound good though

Have you considered just replacing with another Saltwater Series Yamaha. The difference in price will pay for a lot of fuel. Plus as you know I run the same boat/motor combo as you. I did a 38nm day last weekend (Rotto and around and back) in 60 odd litres. I think that is bloody good for old-tech.

Also, I see what you mean with the porpoising, but if you add a couple more knots and trim down a bit it sorts it out.

cammos

 yes we did look at replacing it with the same , i found the same engine 2004 with 250hrs for $8k, but when we looked at the cons.....no warranty,more fuel,more oil and the unknown with the engine cond we dicided to go new.

nobody could match the price i got on this etec.

i will keep in touch in the next few weeks and let you know the diff.

how you finding your boat? i found that shifting the weight in my 655 made a huge diff, will see how it goes with the etec.

A couple dive tanks up the front has helped. I am looking at installing a fresh water deck wash with the tanks up front too. Theres an extra 50 odd kg's.

Guys, if you are haveing some issues with porpoising and finding thagt throwing weight up the front helps it, seriously have a look at the 'PERMATRIM'. You may already be aware, but they are a large ally plate, nothing like the cheap fins that people throw on the cav plates of their outboards. The edges are curved and they are quite  large. I had a signature 650f with a saltwater series 200hp hanging of the back. I had similar sort of trouble so I threw one on. It helped in just about every aspect of the boats ride. It held the plane longer at low revs, turned better and got out of the hole easier, and the other thing about them is if your into your diving you can use them a a boarding step. They are made from 10-12 mm ally and are bolted to the cav plate with 10 or so bolts.  They are produced by a bloke in S.A. i think. google it. They do work. cheers

both etec and optimax are good i would go for the etec though because ive had a bit of trouble with merc in the past