What motor should I get?

[cheetahgod]

Looking for an older mercury outboard for my 11ft hydroplane boat. 13.5-14in transom. Was wondering what motor I should get. I like the mk 25 and mk30. Not sure if the mk30 is two big and heavy. Don’t want to spend a fortune.

---

Attachments:

[dave-bernard]

KG7 mark 15 mark 20 mark 25. would be my choice. if you want to go fast. I would get a KG7Q or H or mark 20H but they are $$$$$$$$

[billw]

Mark 25 is the most civilized and will go plenty fast enough. I would feel uncomfortable with the weight and power of a Mark 30 but I am getting to be an older fart. Cool boat!

Long live American manufacturing!

[frankr]

13.5-14" transom?

[dave-bernard]

Yes that us for a KG7 H race motor.

[kenb]

I have run many different type motors on my hydroplanes and runabouts thru the years. It really depends on what motors you are more familiar with and comfortable working on. I will admit, when it comes to pure thrill you can’t beat a Mercury, you must enjoy tinkering, often times while on the water. This past summer I restored an old 10 ft. 1950’s runabout. For power I used a 1958 Johnson 18 hp with a two blade speed prop. My best speed was 34 mph. Not too bad for a guy that weighs 210 pounds. I’m used to going much faster in these type boats but I restored this one for cruisin…

[fastjohn]

Cheetahgod you have a PM.

[cheetahgod]

I think I’m going to go with a mk25 or 20h.

[outbdnut2]

If you can find one, a 16 HP Champion, or, better yet, the class B "Hotrod" racing version of it. Both these motors are getting hard to find, but Champions had a reputation over the years of beating out Mercurys, and they are light-weight.
After Champion went out of business in 1958, employee Lyle Swanson bought all the parts and continued to make the racing version until he sold rights and parts for itto someone else around 1980. These were known as "Swanson Hotrods". His repair shop and stock of Champion parts was just 15 miles from me. After he sold rights to the hotrod, He told me he had a lot of fun building, selling and supporting racing of these motors, but he "got tired of arguing with Mercury’s lawyers every time on of his Hotrods beat a Mercury". This looked bad for Mercury that a small, independent shop with an old 1950s desing was still beating new Mercury racing motors into the 1980s.
Dave

[Author]

Posts