115 Opti-Max for 200 Osprey

[CThomps]

I'm considering repowering my '86 Osprey 200 with a 115hp Optimax.  

It currently has a '85 Mariner 150 which came on it from the factory.  I've owned the boat since '94.  The motor stil runs strong but i'm surprised evertime it turns over.  It sucks gas and oil like would be expected from a 22 year old 2-stroke.  And it smokes like a freak.  As you would also expect.

How will the boat perform with the 115hp Opti?  I've never GPS'd myself with the 150 Mariner but it's fast.  I can tell that much just from all of the other boats I drive on a regular basis.  But I don't necessarily require super fast performance anymore.  I want fuel economy and a steady pace.  25-30mph cruising is fine by me.

[Ben87]

I put a new 150 hp OptiMax on our 222 last season and compared to the 150 BlackMax circa 1987, the OptiMax will make you weep tears of joy every time you start it up and run it.  Quiet, starts right up, no more holding the choke/key for 8-10 seconds and advancing the throttle, just key it up and go.  No more smoke or much, much, much, way-less smoke and incredible gas mileage and use almost no oil compared to the motor you have now.  If you can afford it, get one, you will be so happy you did.  The motor will run so well, it will be so responsive it will amaze you every time out.

[CThomps]

The mariner actually starts pretty well now.  It's impressive even.  My job has me working with a few other boats though.  The aquasport is my personal boat.  One of my work boats has a 75 e-tec on it.  Damn thing starts like a car.  

I want that.  The mariner always require a hard choke.  Sometimes a throttle forward.  And makes enough smoke to kill every last mosquito around.  

I'm at a toss up right now though between buying a new boat and re-powering the aquasport.  It's gonna come down to the best deal I get.  I like my aquasport.  Its a great bay boat.  And i'm not exactly easy on it.  I don't baby it at all.  I need a live well to though. That's something else to figure out.

[Ben87]

Every new outboard now starts right up and always will provided it has a good battery.  The OptiMax and the Verado I have now both start right up, "like a car" and is how Mercury promotes their motors, no more choking, advancing throttles, bowing east and facing Allah, etc..  I've at least 120 hrs on the OptiMax and about 40 on my Verado now, I have total confidence in both of them and will for some time now.  

The smoking is funny and I sure don't miss it or the noise.  I wonder how guys with those open V8's can stand all that racket.

[CThomps]

Now to find a deal on a new Optimax.

[sturgeon]

I had a 135 optimax on that boat and it would do 40-42

I now have a 100 horse Johnson 2 stroke and it will do 34 with a light load and trimmed out or 32 loaded with people.  It pops skiers right up.  Mine is a 1989 motor so it has probably lost most of its power.

A 115 would be perfect and i think a 90 would be even better.  This hull has a lot of "wet surface" and friction so pushing it past 35 mph really starts to take a lot of HP.  That is why is responds so little when the engine is trimmed up.  Most boats will gain about 5 mph with trim and the 19-6 will only gain a couple mph with trim

If you want mileage go with the 75 as it is the same block as the 115 and has great torque.  I know a guy who has one and his AQ 19-6 will do 30 consistently and he pulls his kids skiing

As for your cruising speed, I think you will find you will take a pounding at the speeds you are talking about.  These hulls were built to run around 20 mph and will plane as low as 13 mph if the boat has tabs.  They were designed to be efficient and not fast.

I think people put way to much horse power on these boats with little performance gain.  My tywo-cents for what it is worth.

[CThomps]

On flat water or even a moderate chop the boat actually does really well at higher speeds.  Even when I have the 150 at full throttle.  I do have to slow down a bit for moderate to larger boat wake but usually back it down only slightly when hitting smaller wake.  Next time I run the boat i'm gonna have to GPS myself with the 150 just because I never have.  Most of the time I only run at 3000-3500 rpm.  I will run full throttle just to give the engine that work out from time to time.

[RebelYell]

On flat water or even a moderate chop the boat actually does really well at higher speeds.  Even when I have the 150 at full throttle.  I do have to slow down a bit for moderate to larger boat wake but usually back it down only slightly when hitting smaller wake.  Next time I run the boat i'm gonna have to GPS myself with the 150 just because I never have.  Most of the time I only run at 3000-3500 rpm.  I will run full throttle just to give the engine that work out from time to time.

Also, try decarbing your motor every 50 hours or so with SeaFoam.

I do this to my 1990 150HP Mariner and it works wonders. Motor purrs like a kitten ( for a 17 year old motor ).