What is the best 175HP outboard???

[Gundigest]

I am going to buy a Ranger 619VS which is the 19' multispecies boat. I am thinking about getting a 175 Etec on it, but my dad thinks I should go with a 4 stroke. I was wondering what the best 175 would be for this boat?

Thanks,

Tom

[JoshKeller]

I'd go with the E-tec MUCH less parts = much more reliable.

[RedAllison]

I agree, go with the Etec they really seem to have re-invented the direct injection two strokes. I own a 20'+ bassboat with a 225ProMax SS (Merc racing div. engine) and absolutely love it for such use. BUT that is on a high performance hull (runs over 90mph). Were I going with a slower hull I would pick the Etec over any of the 4 strokes. I am actually days away from buying a deckboat for my wife and kids (tired of them dirtying up my bassboat! [:@]) and I have been looking at 20'-22'ers mostly with 150 outboards. I prefer black motors just because that is what I have owned for over 20 years. BUT the new Evinrudes are very good motors.

Don't get me wrong, the 4 strokes are nice and VERY smooth and quiet. But they aren't the fuel misers everyone would lead you to believe, especially with throttles over 75%. And for me my biggest concern is how long will they last and can you rebuild them affordably? Just about any 2 stroke around can be rebuilt easily and cheaply (My 225 runs up too 7K RPM but knock on wood, she turned 7 lastmonth and I haven't so much as turned a bolt on her!) it is simply impossible to rebuild a 4 stroke so easily. Cams, valvetrain, complex oiling systems. And the weight, they are HUGE and very heavy in comparable HP ranges. Getting rid of that extra 100+#s will not only boost your speed, but will make a difference at the gasdock.

Good luck and let us know what you end up with!
RA

[JoshKeller]

I'm willing to bet that in 20 years, there will still be plenty of 2 strokes going strong that were made 20 years ago... and not many 4 strokes from today still going!

A few friends I fish tournaments with use 4 strokes - They are insanely expensive to maintain and if something bad happens, I feel for ya.

Right now I am currently running a 140 hp 2 stroke carbureted Johnson. I can fish all day with about 6 gallons of gas, and I'm not one to sit on a hole if I'm not catching anything. I use more gas towing the boat to the lake 45 miles each way than I do in my "highly inefficient gas guzzling" carbureted outboard.

[Gundigest]

Thanks for the info.so far, keep it comming I am interested in what everyone has to say.

thanks

Tom

[Kyle Colburn]

The Etec is definately a much cleaner and smoother running engine. Better gas milage and lighter because of the 2-storke engine instead of the 4. Great pickups on it and quiter than most outboards. Evinrude built a great outboard.

[HighDesertWolf]

heck yea go with the Etec, on my 1999 Tracker pro team 175 I had a 50 horse mecury on it which was a good engine untill i began having lower end problems, thinking I would like a 4 stroke I got a 50 horse honda. with the 4 stroke i got better gas mileage but I lost 5 miles per hour off my my top speed and it would take forever it seemed to get on plain I wasnt really any happier with a 4 stroke, to be honest I was really missing the 2 strokes performance. then a year later evinrude comes out with the Etec the infomercial I watched sold me onto it. this winter I sold that 4-stroke and bought a 50 horse Etec I took it out this weekend for the first time. I didnt pay much attention to the fuel mileage but id say its about the same as with the 4 stroke. where i noticed the best improvement was my top speed and getting on plain the Etec had about a 10 mph improvement over the 4 stroke, my top speed I was getting was just a hair shy of the 35 mph mark where with the 4 stroke i was getting just a hair shy of the 25 mph mark.
and getting on plain was awesome it seemed to take just a couple seconds to get on plain instead of what seemed like atleast 30 seconds with the 4 stroke.

what better can you ask for, the Etec gives 4 stroke effeciency with 2 stroke performance. Gundigest dont waste your time and money on 4 stroke im telling you you will absolutely love your Etec.

[Gundigest]

I decided to get the Ranger 620VS instead of the 619VS. It came with a 225 OptiMax direct inject 2 stroke and a4 stroke9.9 prokicker. I can't wait to pick it up.

What experience does everyone have with the optimax?

Thanks

[JoshKeller]

Optimax's are good motors, but the earlier years had issues.

[Dukebh40]

i think you shouldve went with the etec. we have a 90 horse on our 19 foot lowe fishing machine. with 4 people it has us up to 39 mph. also is the quietest engine i ever heard. at full throtle u can still have normal conversation. hope u enjoy your boat anyways though.