# Toughest motor



## Cubman (Jul 12, 2011)

I have an opportunity to buy a 1436 for a song, and am trying to figure out what motor to put on it. The boat will spend its entire life going places that shouldn't be reached in a boat. In your opinion, what is the most durable 15hp outboard around? My friend swears by his mid 80s Mercury, I can vouch that is has been to heck and back, jumping beaver dams and gravel bars, pumping mud, and bouncing off stumps. I would like a 15 so that it is light enough to lift out of the water by pushing down on the handle. Can you beat older Mercuries in the durability department?


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## 200racing (Jul 12, 2011)

johnson didnt change its small motors any from late 70's to early 90's. they are great little motors and lots of parts motors out there for repairs.


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## Whoopbass (Jul 12, 2011)

Yeah, Johnson/Evinrude is the way to go. They are as durable as any outboard ever made and if you do need parts they are cheaper then any of the other makes. They are also fairly easy to work on.


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## silver99gt (Jul 12, 2011)

either a merc or omc. both make good engines. i'd buy whichever presented itself in the cheapest form whether it be a merc or johns/evi.


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## Pappy (Jul 12, 2011)

Am a Johnson/Evinrude guy through and through but from what you are describing I would go with a mud motor.


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## DanMC (Jul 12, 2011)

Is this Merc avaible for a song too ?...i tend to lean towards Japanese made stuff...maybe a Tohatsu ,they used to make motors for Mercury...have a look at the tag and see where it's made...if it is made in Japan then it is a rebadged Tohatsu (and that's a good thing)...myself i lean towards Honda and Yamaha...  
Dan =D>


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## MDFisherman57 (Jul 12, 2011)

Yea I've had mercs before but I now own a tam and I love it.


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## Cubman (Jul 12, 2011)

Thanks for the replies. I should have mentioned that cost is a factor. Looking for a motor that is $300-$500, so probably an eighties model. I may be imagining it but the lower unit on Mercuries look bigger/beefier than the lower unit on Evinrudes?


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## crazymanme2 (Jul 12, 2011)

> either a merc or omc. both make good engines. i'd buy whichever presented itself in the cheapest form whether it be a merc or johns/evi.



X2

I own both & I would take either one if I had a choice.(Mercs seem to have a little more hp.)


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## flatboat (Jul 13, 2011)

if i needed something to beat it'd be a stickin with johnyrude . i would stay away from tohatsu dirivatives, nissan, tohatsu , i was told the crank indexing will slip when you hit stuff . thats why they weld them


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## FuzzyGrub (Jul 13, 2011)

Whichever you choose, you might want to consider adding a rock hopper to it. 

https://www.rockhoppermotorguard.com/







I've heard good things about them, but haven't bought one yet.


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## Slypike (Jul 13, 2011)

I had a 1958 Johnson that was rebuilt and restored that I paid around 300.00 for back in the day and it was a great motor. Ran like a top until the day I sold it. Little on the heavy side as all outboards were back then, but it was tough!

First post, great site btw!


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## spg (Jul 14, 2011)

"I would like a 15 so that it is light enough to lift out of the water by pushing down on the handle. " 

Good way to break a handle real quick. Grab it by the back of the cowling the way it was designed to be lifted. Oh by the way Johnson.


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## reedjj (Jul 14, 2011)

You might want to look at some of the smaller mud motors if your gonna be really rough with it.

https://orionoutboards.com/


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## J.P. (Jul 15, 2011)

many outboards last long, if you run them where boats are supposed to go. but even a new outboard will give up on you quickly if you ground it or hit debris all the time. 
mud motors eat logs and gators for breakfast, and can push your boat over a mud puddle. so these are the way to go if you need something to abuse.


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## fish2keel (Jul 20, 2011)

Mud motor seems to be the motor for you but you said you had a budget so that throws a vangaurd out the window! 

On mudmotortalk there is a guy on there that has a mercury motor running with the mud motors in the mud. He said from what i have seen that its got a special 2 bladed prop and it gets water pumped through it from a cooler sitting in front of the guy driving. Its a sweet set up and the coolest thing ive ever seen! 

Also my grandfather and I ran a mid 80s to late 80s maybe even a 90 mercury 25hp tiller. I could pick it up and we ran that thing in the worst timber you could imagine. It was the worst thing ive ever seen and was more worried about the boat tearing than the motor. That motor is still used today and has been since idk how long. For atleast 15 years if not longer. 

I run an evinrude right now and its amazing! I also have twin 350hp yamahas on my big boat. My uncle has yamaha on his boat and there great motors and have several but that old mercury will always have my heart. Those mercurys run like a top, have great performance, and will take a beating from hell and back. I would say a merc through and through! I wanted a merc but got a deal i couldnt pass up on the rude.


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## Cubman (Jul 20, 2011)

fish2keel, you saw the same video I did. Thats what put this idea in my head. I could build a mud motor without any problems, but they are godawful slow until you get up into the $$$ motors. The owner of the boat isn't a member is he? I would really like to talk to him about it.


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## fish2keel (Jul 21, 2011)

Cubman,

There's a video? Ive only seen pictures not a video. Got a link?

Also I dont think the guy is on the site. From what I have seen and read he is just someone that goes to the mud runs. I would love to figure out his rig though. They said the prop is really the reason that gives it the potential to go through the mud. The cooler just makes sure it doesnt get clogged with mud so its always peeing fresh water. 

If i could get the pitch on the prop or atleast a picture so it could be made the water pump idea with the cooler would be an easy fix. I Wouldnt mind giving it a whirl since all you needed to do was change out a prop to run open water. 

The longtails are deadly slowly but they carry a good load and are really great for the marsh and for the reeds. The shorttails are animals in it all but really thrive in the mud. 

My father is getting a short tail for alaska and i would love to have a shorttail vanguard but I would reither have a regular tiller motor any day of the week for me. 

If you get any pictures of video let me know and ill try to figure out a rig for this mud motor thing


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## fish2keel (Jul 21, 2011)

Here is the link I was talking about. 

Also I stand corrected it was actually a three blade prop. I need to track this guy down since he is in florida

https://www.mudmotortalk.com/mmt_v2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18400


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## Cubman (Jul 21, 2011)

This is the video I was referring to:
https://youtu.be/JQvRfHn8-tA

Also check out bayouk5's other videos on youtube.


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## fish2keel (Jul 22, 2011)

Wow I have never seen that before! He is revving that thing super high though. I would be afraid of the over revving but it was peeing real good. 

I didnt see any comments or anything on how he did it other than him saying it had a prop which was a given.


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## Truckmechanic (Jul 22, 2011)

I wonder if what was in the can had anything to do with it???


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## hwew (Jul 23, 2011)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8Meh_wA5l4&NR=1

Edited post below on 7-23-2011 @ 10:39 pm. I felt my first response was to offensive for some.
Now I have seen enough. That poor child looks scaired to death when I freeze the clip. I seen to many boaters get hurt not following simple safety practices.


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## fish2keel (Jul 23, 2011)

How exactly is a life at risk? Because he may hit something or because the motor might blow from over heat? 

If you say its cause he might hit something then every boater is putting someones life at risk since theres obsticules in the water every where you boat. 

If the boat blows it doesnt matter its not going to cause the child any harm.

The only stupid thing i saw was drinking beer while driving a boat. You dont drink beer and drive a lawn mower much less a boat that doesnt stop and brake like a car. 

I think the idea of the motor is there but then again its not that smart. Its just a way to get to places without buying a mud motor


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## BoatingCop (Jul 23, 2011)

Truckmechanic said:


> I wonder if what was in the can had anything to do with it???


Seriously. Some people are just ignorant.


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## Truckmechanic (Jul 23, 2011)

BoatingCop said:


> Truckmechanic said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder if what was in the can had anything to do with it???
> ...




Huh? I'm not sure I'm understanding your comment.


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## benjineer (Jul 25, 2011)

They make a handle that helps you tilt the motor without having to grab the back of the cowl. I'd buy one for whatever you get.


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