Sold my jet boat last year, gonna wait a year or 2 before I buy another. This next time I'm interested in getting a 4 stroke. Any reason why a person wouldn't go for the 4 stroke? I haven't priced one yet but I hear the price for a 4 stroke isn't much more. I am going to be looking for a 16' - 18' boat and probably go with an 80hp jet (115-120hp). Any information from people who have 4 strokes, know alot about the newer motors or who have just gone through the purchasing process would be great.

Between now and then gonna just keep pullin on those oars , I'd fish a drift boat everywhere if I could but there is just some great fishing on the Fraser, some other bigger rivers and BC lakes where you really need some HP.

Buying a 2 stroke motor for a new boat would be like buying a new computer with Windows 95.

I can think of a couple reasons: 1) weight - two stroke is much lighter and this can be important in smaller boats. 2) price - in my case check out a 75hp Yamaha 2-stroke versus an 80 hp 4-stroke.

Again, in my case I'm considering a 2-stroke main 75hp motor with a 4-stroke kicker. Reason being that, typically the main motor is used hard for 15 minutes, shut down and then the kicker is used for 2 hours. Fire up the main motor for 30 minutes and then use the kicker for 2 hours...... For my fishing, a 4-stroke kicker is a must. Make sense?

Just another thought.. there are already lakes popping up that only allow a 4 stroke. And as time goes on only more and more bodies of water are going to turn into a 4 stroke only lake. 2 strokes are lighter, but aren't as friendly to the environment, and the way we are going, the 2 strokes will be phased out of production in the future some time.
d

Since the new 2 strokes are meeting the 2006 emission requirements, I bet the 2 stroke will stay, and the emission limitation (2006 spec engine) will be the requirement for the waters. I have a 4 stroke on a smaller boat (16' Arima) and weight is the problem. Boat rated for 100 HP, but the 90 HP 4 strokes are so heavy in the stern. You can get 90's (2 stk) that are 100 Lbs lighter, and cheaper. The Evinrude site shows the 2 stk 'Rude to be cleaner then the corresponding Yammie 4 stroke and getting as good or better economy. I do like the quiet Suzie on my boat, but the kicker (Yammie F8 4 stk, lightest one I could find) has twice the hours on it in just 10 months use.

I currently run a 2stroke 90 (65jet) evinrude with a 9.9 yamaha 4 stroke Kicker on my 16' sled. I am going to move up to a larger and newer boat eventually and have asked about the 4 strokes w a pump. I heard they are heavy and having less torque take longer to get up on plane especially with the pump. the plus is fuel economy and a longer life than the 2 stroke.
Ramprat

A friend of mine recently purchased a sled with 2 stroke outboard pump. While he was doing his research a marine mechanic told him that a pump on a 4 stroke is tough on the motor and that he would get a lot more life out of the 2 stroke. I don't know the reasoning behind this, but you might look into this before you buy.

Great information guys (excellent tech article Little Fish). How about anybody out there that has had a 2 stroke and went over to a 4 stroke? Big or small motors I'd like to get some more opinions (and hands on experience) on either.

I am on my second Yamaha 15Hp 4 stroke in two years, first one got stolen. I have little experience with larger 4 strokes. I do have some experience with larger 2 strokes from riding in other boats.

4 strokes are smooth running, easy to maintain, fuel efficient, quiet, a little cold blooded, and will troll forever.

Sure, they may weigh more and are more expensive than a 2 stroke but they are worth it. If motor weight is a consideration for you, you will probably want to get a 2 stroke.

If you are plannning on doing a lot of river fishing and are getting a pump, go down to the launch at Blue Creek and see what everyone else is running.

I have a DF70 Suzuki 4 stroke, it is quiet, good on gas, and has the long warranty. It is heavy, and the bottom end punch isn't what one would hope for. Right now I am testing the warranty as it has the early engine problem (for DF60/70 Suzuki's) of a broken oil pump drive, and has been down for two weeks, no end in sight yet. Figures it would fail during time off... One thing I have noted is that the 4 strokes have big alternators compared to the two strokes, with the notable exception of the Evinrude Ficht engines. Not all things are equal either, the 140 Suzuki is lighter then the 115? Go figure...

Easy limits, lookin around the launch at BC it looks like windows 95 is very popular

All this being said; I too would much rather have a YAMAHA 4-stroke.

Most computers still have Pentium 100's too.

If you are going to be buying a NEW boat get a NEW motor.

I repowered my 18 footer last year and went thru the same process of trying to decide whether it was going to be four stroke or two stroke . It finally came down to many things, weght ! weight! weight! weight! The kicker was a no brainer, its got to be a four stroke for trolling. It weighs 125#s . A new two stroke weighed 40 - 60 #s less than the old motor and a new four stroke in the same HP catagory was approximatly 100#s more. went with the two stroke. Maybe in a couple of years the mfgs. will get the weight down on the four strokes but I wouldnt count on it. In the mean time I love my optimax

I also just went thru this learning curve.If you are going to do a lot of boondoging you can't beat $$ and the the time it takes to get on step with a large two stroke pump.
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Lepper.......exactly which lakes are four stroke only? I have heard but have yet to see a place with these restrictions. Does this apply to outboards or jet skis and ski doo types?

There are a few high mountain lakes in oregon that I have heard about, also I believe Lake tahoe is 4 stroke only..
dave