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Posting a reply to: Re: Another 60 tiller question

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[QUOTE]smalljaw - 3/10/2014  2:20 PM

I went through the same process last season.  I bought an older but good shape Yar-craft 16 foot, 50 hp tiller.  A couple items of note that might be helpful to you from my experience:

1) The 50 hp was a Mercury 4 stroke (Yamaha power head) but it was a 1999 and was non-EFI.  I found it to be a little cold starting as many non-EFI's are.  A couple times it wouldn't start at a busy boat ramp were very frustrating.

2) Second, it was a little underpowered and the hull was actually rated for a 60 hp so I went shopping to re-power.  My local Yar-craft dealer sells both Yamaha (EFI) and Etec (Direct Injection) so the cold start issue would be improved plus I'd get a faster motor.

3) I could have bought either motor but the differentiators for me were that the Yamaha has the troll down feature (VTS) which is great for trolling and also in no wake zones.  Also the Etec engine tends to vibrate at idle a fair amount...not a big deal but a not a positive either.  And lastly the handle on the Etec is very long and came too far forward to maneuver safely from all angles.  It could be remedied possibly by adding a jack plate, but why if you don't have to.

The positive to the Etec was the longer warranty, but Yamahas are known to be pretty much bullet proof.

I ended up buying the Yamaha 60 and had a great first season - love the easy starting EFI and the VTS for the way I fish is great.  I would check an '02 to see if it is EFI, I don't think Yamaha had that til 2004 or 2005?[/QUOTE]

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smalljaw

Posted 3/10/2014 2:20 PM (#697968 - in reply to #697673)
Subject: Re: Another 60 tiller question

Posts: 206

I went through the same process last season. I bought an older but good shape Yar-craft 16 foot, 50 hp tiller. A couple items of note that might be helpful to you from my experience:

1) The 50 hp was a Mercury 4 stroke (Yamaha power head) but it was a 1999 and was non-EFI. I found it to be a little cold starting as many non-EFI's are. A couple times it wouldn't start at a busy boat ramp were very frustrating.

2) Second, it was a little underpowered and the hull was actually rated for a 60 hp so I went shopping to re-power. My local Yar-craft dealer sells both Yamaha (EFI) and Etec (Direct Injection) so the cold start issue would be improved plus I'd get a faster motor.

3) I could have bought either motor but the differentiators for me were that the Yamaha has the troll down feature (VTS) which is great for trolling and also in no wake zones. Also the Etec engine tends to vibrate at idle a fair amount...not a big deal but a not a positive either. And lastly the handle on the Etec is very long and came too far forward to maneuver safely from all angles. It could be remedied possibly by adding a jack plate, but why if you don't have to.

The positive to the Etec was the longer warranty, but Yamahas are known to be pretty much bullet proof.

I ended up buying the Yamaha 60 and had a great first season - love the easy starting EFI and the VTS for the way I fish is great. I would check an '02 to see if it is EFI, I don't think Yamaha had that til 2004 or 2005?

Edited by smalljaw 3/10/2014 2:22 PM