Mercury Verado or Honda for new boat?

[Jon_Boy]

Well, I'm looking to buy a larger fishing boat but I can't come to a conclusion with the motor decision. It's probably going to be either a Mercury Verado or Honda. Now I know Honda makes a great product in whatever field it may be. I've had honda quads, dirtbikes, generators etc. and great luck with all of them. I also know Honda makes a good, quiet, efficient outboard but what I don't know much about is the relatively newer Mercury Verado supercharged 4-Stroke engines. I've heard lots of praise of this new merc technology and its got some pretty cool features I must say. But should I have it on my boat? That, I just don't know... I want an efficient, quiet, durable motor and I don't know which way to go on this one. Anyone who has experience with either one or both and their recommendations would be very helpful.

Thanks

When I was shopping for a boat,I found these sites helpful.

http://www.walleyecentral.com/dc/dcb...topics&forum=6

http://forums.iboats.com/index.php

http://www.thehulltruth.com/

[SNAPFisher]

Hey Jon_Boy. If your open to a third option I would certainly recommend Evinrude E-Tec. I am new to mine but what a motor! Wisper quiet and extremely low emissions. Mine is a 2 stroke oil injection. Lots of power.

http://www.evinrude.com/en-CA/

[cbanderson]

Price them out you may be surprised with hidden cost with verado as in controls, steering by wire not steering cable all are nice but have been a tech for 14 years my fav now is suzuki or etec but your choice test drive them all!!

[Jon_Boy]

SNAPFisher, I have been hearing lots of good things about the e-tecs as well, i was just kind of leaning towards 4 stroke but I am open minded, i just never really gave the e-tec all that much thought.

I know what you're talking about with the extra costs on the Verado cb, I am willing to pay the extra if its all what it's hyped up to be, I wish I actually knew somebody with one... There's lots of good choices out there for engines, I don't know how I am going to settle on one...

[Jon_Boy]

Thanks for the links stubblejumper, a LOT of good information. What did you end up buying???

At a dealers urging,I considered the e-tec myself,but after researching them on several fishing and boating forums(the links I provided),I chose to go with a Mercury four stroke.Had the price difference not been so great,I would have gone with a Honda.

[gramps73]

Jon Boy
Bought a Crestline 1850 with the 150 Verado this spring and just love the pair. Love everything about it, quite clean and lots of power. they a little more when it comes to the up keep but well worth the money.
Gramps

[Buckhead]

Have you considered the Mercury Optimax. A 2-stroke but direct fuel injection and just as clean as a 4-stroke and a lot better power to weight ratio. Got one on my new boat last month. Like everything about it.

I guess I must be oldschool but there is nothing that makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck like a big ole 2-stroke coming out of the hole at full chat.