Doug/Vamonos - 1-2-2011 at 09:22 AM
Hi. My Bayrunner currently has a 2000 Johnson 115 2-stroke carbed motor. I bought it from the original owner in like-new condition and the outboard
has been 100% reliable for me, but it's getting older and is a gas hog. I'm curious if anyone else here has had that boat model and what outboard you
used. Ultimately, I'd like to get either another boat and sell this one or get a new motor that is more fuel efficient (I have dreams of spending much
more time south of the boarder fishing and gas will be my biggest expense since I'm basically a blue water fisherman and I'm always looking at the
horizon). What I like most about this boat is the interior space, it is totally seaworthy with a LOT of freeboard, and I can run it right up on the
beach without any concerns of scratching fiberglass. With the 115 2-stroke this thing is a rocket, which leads me to think that a 90 may work just
fine. I remember first reading about these boats in the mid-90s and they were running 85 2-strokes on them. I never fish with more than one other
person or just my wife and dogs, so I don't haul a heavy load (except me). The 115 has about 500 hours and I'm sure it is good for a couple hundred
more so I don't need this immediately. A 90 4-stroke sounds tasty. My 115 gets about 2.5 mpg. What do you think I'd gain with the smaller 4-stroke?
The loaded boat, with 2 people, gear, fuel, and outboard weighs about 2,600lbs or so on the water.
Russ - 1-2-2011 at 09:47 AM
I got 6mpg in my panga with a 100 -4/ Yamaha. I think the newer 90's would fit your bill just fine. I really like that Bayrunner Baja 21 boat.
elskel - 1-2-2011 at 06:57 PM
I have a 21' Baja Bayrunner and run a 70 Honda 4 stroke, ample motor for the boat. A 90 would work also. I see no need for anything larger. I too use
my boat offshore, the boats are great, little rough on the body when the weater comes up. Very economical.
brian
BajaBruno - 1-2-2011 at 10:22 PM
My 20' Bayrunner Baja has a Honda 75HP and tops at about 30 kt (if I remember correctly--I almost never run it that hard). It is, as Elskel notes,
"very economical." The 4 stroke allows you to troll for hours without smoke and then hit the throttle to planing speed with no coughing, choking, or
hesitation. I love that Honda.
bajamedic - 1-2-2011 at 10:28 PM
I love all of my Honda products, except for my Honda BF40 Outboard Motor. It is economical, but I worked on it more than my other 3 boats combined.
JH
Pescador - 1-3-2011 at 08:06 PM
90 Hp in either the Honda or Yamaha. I have seen nothing but horror stories with the Suzuki which seems to be the least realiable of all the
outboards except maybe the Evinrude and Johnson. Of course it depends on how many hours you are going to put on the unit but most expect 4,000 to as
high as 5,000 hours on the new 4 strokes if you do the maintence and change oil frequently.