# Brand new 1648 alumacraft jon boat



## scoobeb (Feb 28, 2015)

Ok,so i finally after all these yrs got my ultimate boat that i have been wanting all along,my 1648 alumacraft.I finally ran into enough money to get my boat,motor and trailer.I had just purchased a 1436 not to long ago along with a brand new 20hp 4stroke tohatsu then i ran into this money like a month later so i just sold the 1436 and still have the tohatsu.Motor has never been run.Yes it's a mess.So i have a guy coming to buy the tohatsu for actually a hair bit more then i paid because i got a sick deal on the motor or i just may keep it.So now i have a brand new trailer and brand new 1648 coming on the truck to the dealer by march 4th.

So now i'm stuck with a dilemma.Do i sell this 20hp tohatsu because i can just keep it for the new boat or do i upgrade to a 25hp?If i go 25 it's either a etec or new suzuki.I have a 50/50 thing going here.Some people say the added weight won't be worth it,plus it's near $1000 more from the 20 to the 25 and only gaining 5hp.The dealer i got the boat from said you may go from 25-27mph to near 30 so he thinks $1000 to upgrade is a waste but if needed i can afford to get the new 25hp with no problem.I plan on using it with just me or maybe 2 to 3 people.The dealer i'm buying it from says to keep the 20hp because it will perform better with the lighter outboard and i talked to some people at a boat show i went to here in tampa fl and they said i should upgrade to a 25 but the 20 will do good on it.No i'm not going to buy a outboard from them or did they try to sell me one either so it was just good info.I know most people say well of course they will tell you to upgrade because they want to sell you a motor.


The place i get my motors no one in the country has been able to come close to so i buy from one source and that's it.No big secret either,it's cumberlandwatersports.com.If you call them to they will give you an even better deal on their outboards.They sell merc,tohatsu,nissan all the same up to 30hp by the way as tohatsu makes them all and suzuki and honda they sell if anyone has interest.The etec would be local.

Yes i do like going to my spots quick and i like going fast but if it's only a few mph from one to the other for close to a $1000 i can live with it.I do have the money though to get the 25 if needed and i only want to do this once and get it right.I'm trying to weigh out how much more the 25 would eat in gas over the 20,stuff like that.So does anyone have this size boat with this size motor(20hp 4stroke) and how it performs?I figured if i can get on plane good with 3 people and get near 20-25mph that would be good enough.The new 25hp suzuki is a really light and sweet motor and weighs only 136lbs for a 3 cylinder but is near $1000 more expensive.So any help would be great here,sorry so long just wanted to explain my situation.

Also forgot to mention the boat is light at 310 lbs and is rated up to a 35hp but i want to also mod the whole thing with wood,trolling motor,etc... so i know that will add quite a bit of weight so that is why i'm trying to decide if i need the extra 5hp.Thanks for any help.This is going to be the boat i keep for many yrs so i want to get everything right now.I may from time to time have 4 people on the boat and i was thinking the 20hp may struggle with that as i know the 25 will have that extra power to get it on plane but that will be a rare thing that 4 people total goes at one time,mostly just me or me and my friend and daughter.If it's worth upgrading then i will do it with no issues.I have the money now and who knows what the future holds and we only live once but like i said i'm hoping someone here who has this package or some what similar would help me out.


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## tomme boy (Feb 28, 2015)

If I had the money and could afford it, I would go with a 30hp motor of whatever flavor you prefer.


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## johnnybassboat (Feb 28, 2015)

I have the same boat and not a day goes by that I dont wish for more power. I also have mine decked out.


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## scoobeb (Feb 28, 2015)

The 25/30 is basically the same motor and they don't have a 30hp suzuki in a short shaft,plus even if they did the price difference would be huge. Plus the 30 weighs more so if I do this a 25 would be plenty. I'm caught in the middle here. The 25/30 share the same power head so the mph difference would be so minimal.


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## scoobeb (Feb 28, 2015)

The 15/20 share the same power head then if you step up to the 25/30 they share the same power head. What outboard do you have on your boat?


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## CapdYa (Feb 28, 2015)

Nice! Let's see some pics when you get it!


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## scoobeb (Feb 28, 2015)

The boat is coming in march 4th,I have a new 20hp 4 stroke tohatsu now but I'm wondering if I should go to a 25. I have a guy wanting it tomorrow but I'm not sure I want to sell it if it will do a good job of moving it.


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## Skiffing (Feb 28, 2015)

scoobeb said:


> The boat is coming in march 4th,I have a new 20hp 4 stroke tohatsu now but I'm wondering if I should go to a 25. I have a guy wanting it tomorrow but I'm not sure I want to sell it if it will do a good job of moving it.



It's good to have such problems 

Sell the 20HP - reach down deep and put max HP on the boat.


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## scoobeb (Feb 28, 2015)

I'm leaning towards the 25hp


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## huntinslabs (Feb 28, 2015)

Max the hp. The 20 might be sufficient lightly loaded. But full load you will really appreciate the extra few ponies.


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## scoobeb (Feb 28, 2015)

Well the max is 35hp and no one makes a new 35 and I don't want used. I like the 25 zuki or etec. The 30 is just way to much money in a etec and they don't make a short shaft 30hp in a zuki,stupid if you ask me but it is what it is.I know the 20hp tohatsu has a ton of power to weight. I am leaning towards the bigger motor but I may just keep what I have to. I just don't think 5 extra hp is worth $1000 even know I can afford it. I have seen the tohatsu move a loaded 16ft pro v series tracker near 25mph on YouTube and that boat was near 1000 lbs loaded. I just need to think this through. I know having max power is good but I can't see the money used to gain just a few mph.


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## akbejeepin (Feb 28, 2015)

I would use the 20hp. Keep your eyes open for a lightly used motor, and make the change at a later date when you run into the bargain. Keep the $1000 and do something smart with it.


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## scoobeb (Feb 28, 2015)

Exactly what i was thinking Akbejeepin,i have seen around 100 Youtube videos with this exact outboard moving this size boat near the mid 20's with no issues whatsoever,even a 1652 Lowe jon which is bigger then this one went near 23mph with 2 people so i have confidence in it as i know Tohatsu makes a great engine and makes all the 4stroke engines for Merc and Nissan from 30hp and under and all the Evinrude 4strokes from 2.5hp to the 15hp.I'm thinking of just keeping this motor all together.

It's a tiller model boat and not a cc to.It will scoot me or 2 people easily near 25mph which is plenty fast with a 11 pitch prop.I have been thinking all night,is just a few mph worth spending $1000 more and more gas it will use,i say no.Yes if i had 3 or more people on it on a consistent basis it would be worth the extra power and money.I have been thinking i am just going to put a plywood floor in for now and not much more so it will be a very light boat.With the extra money i can get a nice trolling motor,poling platform,push pole and any other odds and ends i need.If in time i want more speed then i will go with a 25hp Suzuki or Etec.

Heck most of the time it will be just me so it will have plenty of push from after watching all these videos.Ok if anyone has any other things i should think about before keeping this please feel free to chime in.Also just so people know this Tohatsu is a 100% brand new 2015 outboard,never been started and just pulled from the box so i know i will never have any issues with it as i take great care of my stuff.Plus it has a 5yr warranty to.I got a unreal deal on it so it will be so hard to part with.Thanks for any help.


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## hipster dufus (Mar 1, 2015)

this is my opinion. i have a 1648 mv weldbilt with a 30 hp 4 stroke tohstsu, pt/t tiller. top speed with 2 guys 27- mph, maybe a tad more. one guy will hit 29. 3 guys 26. will use quite a bit more gas with the 3 guys. uses so little gas i bought a 3 gallon tank. bow mount foot control tm. want to dump it for a bow mount hand control. pedal and cable take up an enormous amount of room go with the biggest motor u can afford. efi is a plus. elec start is a plus.pt/t is great, get it.any other questions ask away


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## hipster dufus (Mar 1, 2015)

let me reiterate, the efi is a godsend, carbs are a hassle with ethanol, look for a 25 with efi if u go that way


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## DrNip (Mar 1, 2015)

I would wait and try the 20 out on it 1st. Might be all you need. Then you can spend the cash saved on electronics or something.


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## scoobeb (Mar 1, 2015)

I don't think people are totally understanding what boat I have,it's just a riveted 1648 alumacraft jon boat,extremely light weight at only 310lbs. It is only 100lbs more then my original 1436 I had and that boat with 2 people did near 27mph. I was told from many people here the more planning surface the better the boat will perform so this boat is much wider but only 100lbs more so it should perform as good as my 1436 or better from everything I have researched so far on the net and from all the info I have gotten here over the yrs. People who upgrade from a 20 to a 25 saw very little performance difference,most went from 25-27mph to 27-30mph,so I think to myself is $1000 worth a few mph? I can't see how it is. Not that the money is an issue it just feels like a waste for so little performance difference. Maybe if I went to a 30 I would get a bit over 30 but all 30hp share the same power head as the 25 and the cost difference is huge. If I do decide to upgrade it would be a 25hp suzuki or etec,both will give me near the same performance increase,now I'm not saying you won't gain anything by going bigger but it is so minimal. Yes definitely more torque and a few mph but as I stated there will never usually be more then 2 in the boat,if I ran 3 people or more all the time then the 25 would absolutely be in demand and worth it. Plus I'm running a 11pitch prop on this tohatsu instead of the stock 10 pitch,that will increase my speed.


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## scoobeb (Mar 1, 2015)

Thank God for youtube and all the videos they have with this size boat and most of them were running either a 20 or 25and most posted their top end speed and they were all so close to eachother,the 20hp 4 stroke outboards which I saw all the major brands run did near the same top speed. 27mph with one guy and gear/25mph with 2 and gear. Those numbers are not to shabby for a 20hp. Most of the 25-30hp were only near 30mph with one guy and gear, 27-28 with two guys and gear. It's very close.


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## DrNip (Mar 1, 2015)

I understand. I don't understand spending the extra cash to go from a 20 to a 25, maybe 30. You won't see that much more MPH. Plus you are entering a higher weight category in the 25-30 over the 20. Like I stated, wait and see if it is enough for you and if so spend the extra cash on electronics or something.


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## scoobeb (Mar 1, 2015)

I totally agree with you DrNip,the 25 etec is 146lbs and the 25 suzuki is 136 which is fairly light for a 25 but still added weight as you mentioned.


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## jy951 (Mar 1, 2015)

My friend and i have similar 16 foot utility v boats that weigh around 300 lbs. He has a honda 20hp and i have an etec 25. With two people in his boat, we get around 18 mph, with 3 people it was around 15 iirc. With three people in my boat we did 25. If you are fishing with people more often then alone, i would go with more power.


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## rabbit (Mar 1, 2015)

Go 35. I just put a new Merc 40 on my 16. Haven't broke it in but got 30mph at 3/4 throttle yesterday. Had to re-trim the weight in the boat but the new motor runs so good I don't mind the extra weight.
Buying a new motor for 5hp isn't worth the effort. 25hp is a bit underpowered for a 16 I think. Depending if you want to go faster or shallower.


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## scoobeb (Mar 2, 2015)

Your v boat is much different then a flat bottom jon boat. A flat bottom will always run faster,plane much faster and easier with less or the same power.For rabbit my boat is only rated for a 35 which is stupid because no one makes a 35 new. Your boat must be a different model then mine. The boat I have is a plane jane flat bottom jon boat and a 20hp should move it with ease from all the info I'm gathering from local people I know. I do understand what your saying if I ran 3 or more people all the time the 25 would be well worth it but it's mostly going to be me or me with a friend. No doubt a 25 would add more top end and power but I don't think as much as people think. From my local dealer who sells heavy sea ark all welded boats,they pair the 1648 with the 20 and 25hp mercs and it's only a few mph difference but the power while planning is more noticeable he said. He said mid 20s to even 28mph is possible with one in the boat,with 2 he said you should get 23-25mph. I tend to believe that from all the YouTube videos I have watched. If a 900lb tracker 16ft pro v can get 25mph with a 20hp merc(same engine)then this boat can get mid 20s easily. I may just keep it for now,experiment with it and see how it runs then If feel it's underpowered I will go with either the 25 zuki or etec.


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## rabbit (Mar 2, 2015)

I have an old Tracker Grizzly Bass 16 mod V. Stick steer so 40hp is max. I was very surprised today that because I re-trimmed the weight, I can go into one foot of water below the transducer where before, with the old lighter motor I could only go into 1'4" minimum. I'm so happy with the new mill. The difference between the old smoker and the new mill is like night and day. It's smoother, idles lower, uses less fuel and has lots more torque. Got 5 hours on it now. When conditions are right and I open it up WOT I think I'm going to get 35 or better MPH where the old one got 30. I've already seen 30 at 3/4 throttle.
I use the boat for touring and I don't fish much. Sometimes I'll put 50, 60 miles or more a day on it. Sometimes I go way back into the swamp so dependability is a bigger issue than if I was putting around the bay.
It all depends on what you need and the guys who suggest you try the 20 first are right. If it planes then it's good but if you want more go for as much as you can get.
Cheers


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## scoobeb (Mar 2, 2015)

The biggest reason i don't want to just unload the tohatsu also is i got it for only $2400 tax and all included.That is a unreal price considering i just went to a boat show in tampa and the cheapest i could find this same outboard was over 3k.I asked over 6 tohatsu dealers there and they were all near $2900+tax =over 3k.I told them what i had paid and they said that is near impossible since they cost more to buy,i told them well i have the receipt if you like to see it and they were shocked and couldn't believe it.They said you better keep that motor for that price because you basically stole it for that,lol.

I have a real gift for finding new motors really cheap.I just wait it out to find that right deal and wheel and deal with the dealer i find and i guess you can call it lucking out at the time.The suzuki is close to $3500 but i can get it for near $3300 but in any event it's still $900 more for only 5hp.I got the 5yr warranty with it also and it is a brand new 2015 model so it wasn't a leftover.

It's hard to get rid of this for what i paid.I am going to wait till my boat comes in on march 4th then put the wood floor in and all the things i need and then test run it on my local lake,if worse comes to worse i can sell it for what i paid or even make a few bucks if i don't like how it performs but i have a feeling it will do just fine.I also added a 11 pitch prop which will give it some more top end.I will just have to wait a week to test it out and see were i'm at.As long as i get near the mid 20's or close to it with 2 people i will be satisfied.


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## Zum (Mar 2, 2015)

Are you sure that motor will spin a 11 pitch prop, with that size boat?
Wouldn't want to lug that new motor.
Good luck with whatever you decide...


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## scoobeb (Mar 2, 2015)

Easily will spin a 11pitch prop,I had a 20hp 4stroke suzuki that spun a 11 pitch prop and this tohatsu has a better gear ratio,that suzuki was a power house so I know this tohatsu will do it with no issues.


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## scoobeb (Mar 2, 2015)

I had to actually run a 11 pitch prop because it had so much power it would over rev and this tohatsu has just as much power or more. I will see how it runs of course and if by chance it were to lug which I'm positive it won't but if some how it did I would go back to the 10 pitch prop it came with.


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## scoobeb (Mar 3, 2015)

Ok,just found a even bigger boat then mine,a guy has a brand new 1652 lowe jon boat which is even bigger and wider then mine,weighs in at 450lbs and he has a brand new 20hp 4stroke mercury which is the same engine as mine just the features are different,exact same power head and with 2 guys and gear he got 27mph gps,3 people he got 24mph gps and with 4 got 21mph gps,those are some impressive numbers for a 20hp 4 stroke outboard if you ask me. Especially on a boat that big and heavy,now I can't wait to test this boat and motor out. I could handle those speeds with no issues,that is perfect to me.


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## scoobeb (Mar 3, 2015)

That's also with a stock 10 pitch prop, a 11pitch prop should easily top those speeds,ok now I'm getting excited,lol. I always wanted this 1648,just never had the money till now,what a difference it's going to be from a 1436.


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## Zum (Mar 3, 2015)

Those are really good numbers.
My 1652 only weighs 360 and with a 30hp only gets 27/28 mph..it does have a jet tunnel though.
I'd be interested to know what his rpms are, going that fast with a smaller pitch prop.


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## scoobeb (Mar 3, 2015)

I believe it's the stock 10 pitch prop,possibly a 11 pitch prop at best,either way that is some amazing numbers,it's possible with the perfect tilt,trim,prop and a really calm day. Like I said if I get just in the mid 20s I would be extremely happy.


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## scoobeb (Mar 16, 2015)

UPDATE::::So i have been knocking around the idea of getting the 25hp suzuki but it it's near $1000 more.So i went to order the 20hp when i talked to the owner who is a real stand up guy and has given me deal after deal on outboards.I asked how much difference is there between the 25hp and the 20.He said night and day.The 25 is a 489cc 3 cylinder and the 20hp is 327cc 2 cylinder.I asked him the best deal he could do as the price was near $3500.I really didn't want to pay that much so he gave it to me for only $3300 which was awesome and on top of that it has a 6yr warranty and it gets better,it has a $200 rebate check i get back.So the 20 was $2575 total and i couldn't pass the 25 for only $525 more and 3yr of extra warranty,i would be a complete fool.i'm kind of in shock at the price i got it at.

I can't wait to get this 25hp.I have never owned a new 25hp besides a 25hp efi merc and i just hated it as it was a dog and was so darn heavy.The suzuki is only 136lbs,that is extremely light for a 25hp,lightest in it's class and efi.Now it comes with a 11 pitch prop and he thinks there is no doubt it will over rev my 310 1648 and thinks i should step up to a 12 or even 13 pitch.Any help on this now.I got the motor coming.They are on back order and are coming in on weds and ships out the same day so it will be here on fri or monday which is fine.So now i must decide to go with a 12 or 13pitch.I'm thinking 13 since it will be me and me and my friend most of the time.The 13 should make us fly.


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## Zum (Mar 16, 2015)

Lol...u sure do change ur mind a lot...
That being said[emoji4]...I'm really looking forward to your reviews on that outboard. I can't seem to find much if anything on them.
If this is any help I use a 13"prop on my 30hp...I drop to a 11" with heavy loads.
My motor is an old 87 Mariner(yam) , boat 1652 with jet tunnel...360lbs.


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## scoobeb (Mar 16, 2015)

I know,i have ocd about this stuff,lol.I went in the middle,12pitch.The dealer i bought it from said that would be perfect for what i want to do and should not over rev like the 11 pitch would.Now i don't have to be scared to add some weight to the boat as i was with the 20hp.I want to deck it out but i was trying to figure out how to do it without adding so much weight.Now i have no worries and can deck away,lol.I just couldn't pass this deal up especially when i may never get this chance again having the money.I know this is a investment so it's well worth it and the nicer part is if i want to down the road even upgrade to a 1652 or even the 1852 lowe this motor will have that extra power i would need to get it going.I'm excited. :mrgreen:


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## jy951 (Mar 16, 2015)

The 25 hp Etec I had came with a 10.3x12 prop. I had it on an Alumacraft v-16 utility boat that probably weighed around 325 lbs or so. It didn't over rev and it still did fine when i had 3 people in the boat.

I think the 12 pitch will be good.


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## scoobeb (Mar 18, 2015)

jy951 said:


> The 25 hp Etec I had came with a 10.3x12 prop. I had it on an Alumacraft v-16 utility boat that probably weighed around 325 lbs or so. It didn't over rev and it still did fine when i had 3 people in the boat.
> 
> I think the 12 pitch will be good.


That is exactly what i was thinking.I looked at the etec's specifically because i think this motor has near the same power and it's lighter.Power to weight with this motor is unreal.It almost throws you off the back of the boat from what i have watched in the videos.Allot of that is a great gear ratio of 2.09 and it's a 3 cylinder to boot.I wanted a etec but the cheapest i found was $3495 plus 7% sales tax and they even wanted a extra $90 to tune it to run on the 100:1 instead of the factory setting it comes with at 50:1.

I think they set it at 50:1 to 1 so the dealer can make extra money because almost everyone is going to run it at 100:1 because it runs cleaner and saves on a ton of oil.Why else would they do that.Why wouldn't evinrude just set it at 100:1 when they know everyone is going to run it on that setting,makes not one bit of sense to me unless what i said.

After taxes and the tune up it would have ran me $3835 and i got a just as good outboard for only $3100.I'm not in any way shape or form knocking the etec ,i'm just saying they are way,way over priced imo.Plus suzuki is catching up real fast is the 4stroke department to the dfi outboards.So far the suzuki is 10lbs lighter then any other outboard of equal size,near 20lbs less then a merc/tohatsu/honda and almost 50lbs lighter then a yamaha

Like i said the etecs are awesome motors and if it was a bit closer in price i may of got one but for $700 more i just had to pass.I got a 6yr warranty which i will probably never use i hope and a $200 rebate.I got a killer deal considering i went to a boat show at the end of feb and this motor their was over 4k from every dealer there i asked,i almost fainted.Man i tell ya these darn outboards are getting pricey.


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## Zum (Mar 20, 2015)

See this ?.
Deleted link...scam


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## jy951 (Mar 20, 2015)

Those prices seem too good to be true. I would be very skeptical.


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## scoobeb (Mar 20, 2015)

It's a scam,the guy that just bought my tohatsu lost $1900 to them. Think about it a company that raves of how big they are and their prices has one payment process,just one,wire transfer. Why? Because it can't be traced and you lose. Dealers can't even get them that cheap from the manufacturer. Don't waste your hard earned money if your thinking on doing that,especially when one person just lost $1900. His banker told him once they released the money that's it and he did and lost it. A major company like that would take all major credit cards,cash or just about any payment,they don't. Buy from a local dealer or as I do Cumberland water sports. They are hands down the best prices on the planet.


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## Zum (Mar 21, 2015)

I'm going to delete my post then....wouldn't want anyone to try it.


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## nowgrn4 (Mar 25, 2015)

As a rule of thumb I rig the highest HP (Or more) allowed by the manufacture. Three reasons, You rarely have to work the engine really hard, an engine rarely worked hard lasts much longer and cruising at mid RPM achieves optimum fuel mileage. 

The 35HP/40HP Johnrudes are legendary for their longevity and dependability. I would just find a good used one for beer money and be done with it.


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## scoobeb (Mar 27, 2015)

So here she is (25HP 4STROKE SUZUKI JUST OUT OF THE BOX)after 2 weeks of back order,now i'm just waiting on my boat to get welded,they are taking their sweet time.It's been 3 weeks already and still not done.If i don't hear anything on monday then i am calling alumacraft and demanding a refund or for them to get a chop chop.It's not even that big of a project and the dealer said their waiting on some type of special riveting tool from the company.I don't know but i'm getting a bit impatient.This is insane for just a welded jon boat.

Here are some pics i just took,let me know what you think,thanks.It looks like a monster compared to the 20hp efi suzuki i had but man is it light at 136lbs.I picked it up with no issues and put it on the stand,then again i am not a small man either,lol.


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## scoobeb (Mar 27, 2015)

Had 2 more pics that i couldn't fit,so here is the rest.I can wait to start it tom morning,this think should make the boat just get it.I used to have a 25hp 2stroke merc and man the power on that outboard was sick.That outboard weighed near 118lbs and this motor is only a bit heavier and much,much better technology even know i loved the merc.This thing according a ton of videos i have watched only burns near 2.2 gallons of fuel at wot,that is awesome.I believe propped right this boat could easily do close to 30mph.I'm just so happy i can mod the boat now and the weight added won't be a issue.

I have seen people here just do wonders to their boat,it's amazing what we can accomplish if we put our imagination to work,lol.Sorry i'm a bit excited as i have never had a 25hp outboard.


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## scoobeb (Mar 28, 2015)

Ok,so after looking over the motor a bit I decided to play with the new toy for a bit. So what I noticed was when I was pulling the pull rope the engine would pull smoothly and then sometimes it would lock itself like I was trying to pull it in gear but it was in N the whole time,I found that odd. I put engine oil in it and I just was pulling it in my living room to see how hard it was to pull and it was difficult. I don't know if new outboards do thst till gas is in them then maybe it pulls easier,I don't know but I will find out today when I go buy 3 gallons of gas. From every video I have watched this motor was so easy to pull start. Is this normal? It says pull till you feel tension then pull firmly,I did that and a few times like I said it would like the rope and just wouldn't pull. I will have to put it to the test in about a couple hours. I will update how it runs and shifts.

I'm also draining the lower unit oil and replacing it with royal purple synthetic lower unit oil so the lubrication is superior right from the start. I know it must be changed again at 20hrs but I want the best protection on those lower unit gears as I can get from jump street so this is what I'm going with. I know,no matter whatit needs changed in 20hrs and it may seem like a waste to people to use expensive oil on break in but it's only 12oz of oil were talking here and I have 4 full bottles which is a gallon so I have near 12 lower changes worth of oil which is like 6yrs worth at 2 times a yr so to me it's fully worth it and I have a ton of oil so why not go with the best protection from the get go. Ok I will update the pull rope saga to see if that goes away when I fuel it up,man I hope so.I


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## Onytay (Mar 28, 2015)

scoobeb said:


> Ok,so after looking over the motor a bit I decided to play with the new toy for a bit. So what I noticed was when I was pulling the pull rope the engine would pull smoothly and then sometimes it would lock itself like I was trying to pull it in gear but it was in N the whole time,I found that odd. I put engine oil in it and I just was pulling it in my living room to see how hard it was to pull and it was difficult. I don't know if new outboards do thst till gas is in them then maybe it pulls easier,I don't know but I will find out today when I go buy 3 gallons of gas. From every video I have watched this motor was so easy to pull start. Is this normal? It says pull till you feel tension then pull firmly,I did that and a few times like I said it would like the rope and just wouldn't pull. I will have to put it to the test in about a couple hours. I will update how it runs and shifts.
> 
> I'm also draining the lower unit oil and replacing it with royal purple synthetic lower unit oil so the lubrication is superior right from the start. I know it must be changed again at 20hrs but I want the best protection on those lower unit gears as I can get from jump street so this is what I'm going with. I know,no matter whatit needs changed in 20hrs and it may seem like a waste to people to use expensive oil on break in but it's only 12oz of oil were talking here and I have 4 full bottles which is a gallon so I have near 12 lower changes worth of oil which is like 6yrs worth at 2 times a yr so to me it's fully worth it and I have a ton of oil so why not go with the best protection from the get go. Ok I will update the pull rope saga to see if that goes away when I fuel it up,man I hope so.I




If its a brand new engine I would leave the factory lower unit oil in there until its time for the first change. I know in other small power equipment the manufactures use a "break in" type of oil


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## scoobeb (Mar 29, 2015)

I understand what your saying but there is no such thing as lower unit break in oil,they use good old reg bulk oil no different then the super tech lower unit oil at Wal-Mart,plus there is nothing to break in on the lower unit,there is no rings or pistons or cylinder walls,etc.... all there is,is gears meshing together ,that's all,in my opinion the oil they put in is just fine but fully synthetic oil is superior to lubrication of the gears compared to reg mineral oil. Now yes to most it may seem like a waste because yes royal purple lower unit oil is pricey and I will change it in 20hrs anyway but to me the first 20hrs of gear meshing is the most important part of the process and I believe full synthetic oil will lubricate the gears much better and help the gears mesh much easier and much less friction due to how much more slippery the oil is. I told my dealer I bought the engine from and he actually said that was a great idea but I didn't have to do it. He did agree due to how superior the synthetic oil is the gears would and should mesh much easier and with much less friction. I'm only doing it because I have so much royal purple lower unit oil so I may as well use it. Less friction on the gears =better meshing and will last much longer. Like I said this is just imo. I'm sure the oil in there is ok,I just know from everything I have read that synthetic lower unit oil is so much better then reg oil,why use it later rather than from the start so you know your gears will have the best protection possible. I'm sure any synthetic oil would work just fine I just like royal purples product. I have actually heard so many people on tons of forums claim gaining rpms from just switching over to royal purple lower unit oil,who knows if that's completely true but allot of people saying that makes you wonder how good this stuff is. By the way,in no way shape or form do I sell this suff,I'm just voicing my opinion that's all. To each their own and there is no wrong or right way, I just like the best protection for my motor.


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## Rumblejohn (Mar 30, 2015)

Zum said:


> Those are really good numbers.
> My 1652 only weighs 360 and with a 30hp only gets 27/28 mph..it does have a jet tunnel though.
> I'd be interested to know what his rpms are, going that fast with a smaller pitch prop.



My Lowes 1652 with a four stroke 30hp EFI Merc, does 31mph by GPS loaded light with a 13" prop @6.1K

John


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## mbweimar (Mar 31, 2015)

I love my ETEC 40. I was surprised how well it pushed my 1752 with 4 people in it. These engines are light and incredibly powerful. Go with the ETEC 30. You won't have to worry about power.


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## muddywaders (Apr 6, 2015)

scoobeb hurry up and give us a review of this new Suzuki.How does it compare to a 2-stroke mercury?


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## scoobeb (Apr 8, 2015)

I'm so sorry guys,the dealership still has my boat.Ups lost the rivet tool needed to re do my rivets in the boat.It's been one month so far and nothing has been done.If i don't hear anything by the end of the week alumacraft is getting a call this monday and i'm demanding either a refund or a discount on this boat.I have owned it for less then a week and the dealership has had it for over a month.This is insane.They need a special rivet tool that only alumacraft has i was told and some how it got lost in the mail.It was sent to the dealer march 10th and still is lost.

If the boat was correctly manufactured from the start this would not have been necessary.Alumacraft has cost me a month so far on the water so they need to get this crap going.I buy a 1236 or 1436 and it's welded and riveted awesome and they are both under $1000,then i get a 1648 top of the line boat for near $2300 and i get a sh^& box.This has got be be one of the messiest welded boats i have ever seen alumacraft do.Even know the welds are sloppy i know they will be fine and hold up but the one that wasn't done close to right along with the rivets is no excuse and i'm losing my patience with these people.

As soon as i get my boat i will give you numbers.I have a 11 pitch prop on it stock but i'm going to run a 12 pitch because i know the 11 is way to small and will over rev extremely easy.


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## mbweimar (Apr 8, 2015)

If it's an alumacraft dealer, one would think they would already have the specialty tools necessary to efficiently service the product they sell. That'd be like taking your truck to the dealership for a check engine light and the service manager telling you they have to order the diagnostic software. Something doesn't add up. To me it sounds like they're trying to buy themselves time to correct an issue they don't want you to know about.

I apologize for the negativity. I used to work at a shop that installs public safety equipment on law enforcement vehicles. My manager would make up outrageous stories to tell the customer in order to buy us more time to finish a vehicle. He didn't possess the scheduling skill necessary to run that shop effectively. I'm glad I left that place...whew! We did some awesome work though!


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## scoobeb (Apr 8, 2015)

Yes,100%. I would think the same. They told me they usually never have issues with these boats so they don't have the rivet tool specifically made for the rivets they use on these boats. I don't know anymore. I should have bought a lowe or g3. If I can get my money back which I doubt I'm going with a g3 or lowe. I actually called alumacraft and they are the one who told me the tool was lost,the dealer has nothing to do with what's going on. Yes as you stated they should have the tool being a huge boat dealer and the only alumacraft dealer in the area but if alumacraft wouldn't of screwed this up in the first place I wouldn't be going through this. 


Like I said,this is the only alumacraft boat I have ever had a major issue with,every other boat has been perfect from them. I'm only waiting till the end of this week andI'm demanding a refund or a new boat. I'm missing the best fishing of the yr here in Florida.


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## mbweimar (Apr 8, 2015)

I hear ya. What part of Florida? I'm down here in Vero Beach.


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## scoobeb (Apr 14, 2015)

West coast,Clearwater area. I gave up on these people,I told them just have my boat ready by September if that's possible. Never again will I buy an alumacraft. This is going on a month and a half now. I just keep getting the run around from both alumacraft and the dealer. One freaken weld and two rivets. G3 or Lowe for me down the road if I go bigger.


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## Micropterusfreak911 (Apr 15, 2015)

Go w 25! How much u get new 1648 for?


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## scoobeb (Apr 16, 2015)

Well,good news. I think they will finally have it done by the end of this week to early next week. I can't wait to get this boat on the water. The 25hp with a 12 pitch prop should move This boat like a rocket ship. I bet with just me I can hit near30-32mph so I'm hoping for anyway. If I can get near 30mph,that's pretty darn fast for a jon boat,scary fast at least from my experience with my original 25hp 2 stroke mercury I had yrs ago. That motor was a beast. This suzuki should have similar power if not a bit more being a 3 cylinder. As soon as I get on my local lake to test it and do a bit of a break in I will post the stats.


I break in my motors hard,not abuse but these 4strokes need to be ran in hard to set the rings right. Some people follow what the manual recommends,key word is recommends. It can be broke in the way you want. I just vary the rpms up and down with some good wot bursts in the mix,the most important thing is never baby a new outboard,that's the worst thing for it because you will never set the rings right and it will never run at it's full power range. The manual is for protection of the motor just in case their was an issue it could be caught before a major catastrophe happens. I actually called suzuki about it and I asked if I break it in as I mentioned earlier,my way will that void my warranty,they said absolutely not,the manual is just a recommended guide and that's all.


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## scoobeb (Apr 18, 2015)

Well,I guess it's next week because I didn't get a call to pick it up yet. I'm hoping to get it on my local lake by next week to play with the tilt and trim. I am going to adjust everything in a calm body of water so I can get perfect accurate readings on my gps. I'm hopeful to get near 30mph or better with the new 12pitch prop I got. As soon as I get it in the water I will post all the gps speeds,how it runs,how fuel efficient it is and how quiet it is. When started on the muffs it was so quiet,the throttle is I mean very touchy,it responds instantly. The efi I'm sure us the reason for that. If I achieve anything near or over 30mph with 3 people that will just amaze me. This is the boat I hope to keep for a long time. I wished I would of held out though a bit more as alumacraft just came out with a new 1848,the extra two feet could of came in handy.


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## scoobeb (Apr 21, 2015)

Well no call still yet. If I don't hear anything by this Thursday then I'm calling. This is going on 2 months now,unbelievable if you ask me. Never again will I buy a alumacraft jon boat,unless it's a 1236 or 1436,they seem to build their smaller boats better if you can believe that. Ha,the less money spent = better boat,go figure.


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## Ictalurus (Apr 22, 2015)

scoobeb said:


> If I achieve anything near or over 30mph with 3 people that will just amaze me.



X2, might be hard to get to 30 w/ 1.


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## scoobeb (May 6, 2015)

Going to pick up the boat today finally. After two long months of waiting,I just hope after all this it's done right. If so I'm putting the engine on the boat,putting in the carpeted plywood floor,doing some odds and ends that need to be done like registering the boat,getting a yr boat ramp pass and then after it's all done I'm taking it out to my local lake to adjust everything that is needed for top speed and all that good stuff. Next weds is the big day,that is the day I find out what wot will do with one and two people running a 12 pitch prop instead of the standard stock 11 pitch prop. I believe the 11 is just way to small for this engine. Ok,weds after all the trial runs I will post it all,weight with one and with two people and wot speed,plus how the engine runs,idled,how long it takes to get on plane,how long it takes to get to top speed,all that good stuff I will log for anyone who wants to see,thanks for being patient with me. Sorry it took so long but it was out of my control.


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## surfman (May 6, 2015)

Yea! \/


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## scoobeb (May 19, 2015)

Well,finally after them teasing me that it was done,it finally is. I just went and got it yesterday and it looks fantastic. I guess it should after near two months of having it,lol. So this week I'm going to hopefully getter done. I just need to put a new front bunk on it replacing the roller,then some cleats replace the stock prop with the 12pitch,replace the lower unit oil with royal purple lower unit oil from the start and then a plywood floor. Forgot I have to put the motor on to. So cleats,front support bunk,plywood carpeted floor,then the outboard. After that,next weds or thurs I'm taking it out for it's first test ride on the lake. I just drain the lower unit oil it came with and go to full synthetic from the start. I have read so much on when doing this the lubrication in the synthetic oil helps the gears mesh easier and extends the life of the gears much longer than normal. I guess that remains to be seen. I do know royal purple lower unit oil is a fantastic product. I have read were people are actually getting more rpms from switching to this oil,who knows if there is any truth to it but it would be kind of neat if that's true. I just like royal purple products,as well as amsoil. I just like the royal purple for marine engines. Hey it can't hurt,it can only help if anything. 


Ok,I will update you guys next week for anyone looking for how it runs,what kind of speeds I'm getting and all that good stuff. Thanks for being patient with this process.


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## richg99 (May 19, 2015)

Hope it works out well for you.

I guess if I had all of the troubles that you did, I'd wet-test the boat before doing anything else to it.

Just me. richg99


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## scoobeb (May 20, 2015)

Well I hope it doesn't leak,lol. This will be her first wet run,next week. I bought the boat and in less than a week they had it back fixing it. The issues were the rib being off the hull,the weld nit being fully completed and the two rivets were barely holding on by a thread. They actually bent the rib into place which I wasn't expecting and fixed the weld and rivets,plus did a really nice job matching the paint. The rib is dead flush against the hull like all the others now so I'm extremely happy with it. I'm sure it won't leak. I have had over ten brand new jon boats and never had one new leak,knock on wood. So I'm going to getter in the water by next weekend the latest. I'm hoping for some great wot numbers. The motor is brand new as well so I'm going to give her a workout. Ok,more updates to come. Now I need to look at all the mods here and just use my imagination to mod mine. It's amazing what some of these guys do with these boats. This is why I got the 1648 to build on it,to make is like a decked out fishing machine. Now it's tine to just get it wet first.


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## Zum (May 31, 2015)

Whats up...get a chance to use your new toys?


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