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Location: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin | my Mariner(AKA Merc) 50 horse tiller four cylinder. It was an 85 motor that I purchased in 1987... the thing still runs like a top. It is smooth as silk and starts/runs/steers like an absolute dream. I sold the boat and motor to my brother about four years ago. Yes, I still have legal visitation rights and love to take it out on the lake now and then. Yes, I have owned many motors since... but that motor is simply a classic.
Edited by Badgerpat1 3/15/2013 5:31 AM
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Posts: 532
| Mariner 25hp is my number 1. It was on the back of my 14 foot aluminum for years. I put ALOT of miles on that motor, it never asked for anything in return.
The close 2nd place (very close) is a merc 9.9 that was the main motor to the same 14 footer until the 25 replaced it. That 9.9 was the main motor for the 14', then a kicker on my old sportcraft, then on my 20' crestliner and is now hung on my ranger also as a kick.
Sorry I couldnt pick one
Edited by anzomcik 3/14/2013 8:38 PM
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Posts: 399
Location: WI | A 1960 Johnson 3hp. My Dad bought it in the late 60's to use on a 17ft Grumman canoe. By '73 it got matched to a 12ft Starcraft, later replaced by 9.9 Evinrude. That old outboard would sit in the garage for 3 or 4 years with stale gas (ran 20:1) then when called into action it would need 2 slow pulls to prime it, then fire up after 1 good pull on the rope. Sold it in '91 when I put a trolling motor on my Alumacraft Lunker 16. I wish I'd never sold that ol' warhorse. Probably still going strong. 
Edited by Emptynet 3/14/2013 8:49 PM
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Location: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin | My Dad had a great Merc 1961 9.8 hp Merc... that was a great motor as well. Can't say I ever owned it. My brother has that one as well. Hey, what is up with that!
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Posts: 383
| 2002 90hp Evinrude FICHT. Yes, a FICHT. Never, ever had an issue with that motor! |
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Posts: 279
Location: Central Wisconsin | 1989 25 Hp Mariner, still going strong on my river boat. After you choke it the first time, you don't have to touch it again all day. It's been the best motor I know of. |
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Posts: 159
| My dads first motor when he bought our cabin in Minocqua...
A 1972 Evinrude 9.9--the slanted one low to the water...
Had it on a Sears 14 foot aluminum and ran that thing hard until 89 or so..
Man I can't remember taking that thing into be fixed---maybe once in all those years..
My first motor--a 2004 Mercury 150HP Optimax---I'm hoping that thing gives me many more years of trouble free hours. Also have a Merc 9.9 four stroke kicker that has been good so far.
Edited by Storm Strike 3/14/2013 9:28 PM
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Posts: 87
Location: Red Wing, Minnesota | 2002 Yamaha F115 4-stroke EFI. Not my first but it has been flawless going on 11 years. |
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Posts: 136
Location: Dane Country | 1987 Mariner 75 hp. Starts and runs like a top. |
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Posts: 151
Location: West of the metro, MN | My first motor a '76 evinrude 18 hp. Started on the first 3 pulls consistently, unless a coil burned up. |
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Posts: 667
Location: Wisconsin | 1987 Merc Classic 50. Has been great, and I hope she stays that way for years to come. it seems it is feast or famine. Sometimes she gets pounded with use and then there was a few times thru the years she sat withot getting started for the whole season, but she alaways starts whenever I do get back to fishing. |
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Posts: 1249
Location: Walker, MN | A late '90's 30hp Yamaha 2 stroke. I had it on a 1600 Lund Explorer, man I loved that boat. |
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Posts: 258
Location: Mayville, WI | That I've owned: '74 15hp Johnson. These motors were darn near bomb proof - never an issue. Sold the boat to a buddy & still going strong to this day. However, every time I turn the key on my '09 75hp Yamaha tiller it makes me smile.
Motor I used extensively but don't own: '04 Johnson 60hp 4-stroke. Work motor that been through hell & back and still keeps on going. Should touch 2000 hrs this year with it and the only issues have been broken throttle/shift cables & the normal maintenance.
Edited by scmuskies 3/15/2013 8:55 AM
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Posts: 670
Location: Otsego, MN | My dad has a Yamaha 50 hp/Pro on his 1987 lund predator. The motor has never had an issue and runs great still.
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Posts: 51
| +2 on the Mariner 25 hp It was on my first boat I owned. The second motor was a Johnson 200 hp Venom it was always thirsty. |
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Posts: 265
Location: Hudson,WI | Mine was probabally my 2004 60hp Merc 4-stroke, thing ran great the 5 years I owned it. Now I've got a Yamaha F-150 and I love it, after running it for 1 year so far, I can tell she's gonna be a solid motor 
Edited by Average Joe 3/15/2013 12:25 PM
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Posts: 833
| I've only owned one modern outboard and only for 4 years, so the prize goes to my late grandfather's 1958 Evinrude 18 1/2HP. Solid metal, purred like a kitten and had 1950s styling. Man I wish I still had that motor. I'd hang it in the garage just to look at it and ennjoy the nostalgia. |
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Posts: 3486
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | My father's 1973 Johnson 20hp. choke and two pulls later, up and purring.
I also had a 1988 Johnson 15 that I swapped out the carb on, then ran forever...
The older motors were built to last...many are still running well today.
Steve |
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Posts: 121
Location: Plymouth IA | My 1955 johnson 25 hp. Still will run. My 90hp Mariner is an 1985 and it is a good motor will see in another 30 years?
Yes I am an old guy. |
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Posts: 358
| First 1960's 9.9 Johnson and my best 2007 Yamaha 115/80 4 stroke jet , 2007 Yamaha 8 h.p. high thrust kicker very close second. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | current 2008 Suzuki 175 4 stroke....375 hours or so now and it hasn't skipped a beat... still purs like the day I put it on the boat... |
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Posts: 133
Location: South Bend, Indiana | '01 Ram Ficht  |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | way back when i was a kid my dad had a 1964 johnson 5 1/2 hourse had it on a 12 foot boat cought alot of fish in that boat. no muskies just pike every once and a wile a walleye. we would just get on the out side of the bull rushes and troll . no depth finders back then .had that set up till i was in high school moved up to a 16 foot boat with a 25 hourse jhonson he hit the big time thoses were the good old days. |
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Posts: 5
Location: Eagle River, Wi. | I have a 1985 Johnson 90 VRO on my Tuffy Bassin Marader Runs like a top. I think it was the first oir injected one.
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Posts: 410
Location: one foot over the line | 2 oars and my arms! no oil, no battery, no impellar, no scheduled maintenance, no leaks, absolutely no filter, no prop damage, and runs on busch lite! |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | If you run on Busch lite you're bound to have a few leaks, or should they be called squirts ?
beerforthemuskygods - 3/25/2013 9:20 PM
2 oars and my arms! no oil, no battery, no impellar, no scheduled maintenance, no leaks, absolutely no filter, no prop damage, and runs on busch lite! |
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Posts: 373
Location: Maine Township, MN | My 1st 4-stroke! Yamaha F50TLR. That baby is smooth. The water peeing out is louder then the motor when trolling. |
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Posts: 322
| Best motor I have ever owned was a 1998 mercury efi 150 hp
Worst motor I have ever owned was a 2003 225 Mercury Optimax
I will never ever ever purchase another mercury product after dealing with the POS optimax!! EVER!!
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Posts: 300
Location: Minocqua, WI | My dad's hand-me-down; His first outboard a 1973 Evinrude 6hp.
Still works problem free to this day and I use it when goofing around on rivers and smaller lakes.
They don't make em anymore like they used to...... |
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Posts: 260
Location: Almost Heaven | Best motor was a 327 350hp+ in a 66 ChevyII Nova SS. Man that thing would fly and i did not care about fishing in a Jon boat with an old Ted Williams JC Higgins puddering behind me. LOL Those were indeed the days of luxury!! |
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