# Fastest outboard brand



## Crazyboat (Sep 8, 2016)

As a kid there were in reality 2 brands in which to buy an outboard, Mercury or Johnson/Evinrude. The Johnsons were built tough and the Mercury's fast (at least small outboards).

So in todays market of 15-30 HP range is one brand known as the fast brand and others as tough or slow? Todays market you have Yamaha, Mercury, E-tec or Evinrude, Tahutso Honda, Suzuki. to name most of them.

It's hard getting comparisons on smaller outboards, usually performance numbers don't start until around 25 hp and then trying to find the same boat being used tosses a wrench into the mix.


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## juggernot (Sep 8, 2016)

I don't know about brands, but I would imagine a lighter 2 stroke motor would propel any boat faster (top speed )than the same hp 4 stroke motor simply because the 4 stroke is going to weigh more. The 4 stroke might get better mpg but I'm no expert. The amount of weight loaded in the boat and the pitch of the prop will also change the top speed on the same boat w any engine.


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## colinmcclelland (Sep 8, 2016)

I'll say yamaha, just because I'm a Yamaha guy.
If it's a smaller boat I would say an older 2 stroke would be the best way to go. My boat is only 10' and my 5hp Yamaha is a nice balance of weight and enough power to plane the boat.

As far as the newer technology goes related to a motors oomph factor, I have no idea, sorry.


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## turbotodd (Sep 8, 2016)

Yamaha 3 cylinder 25hp. Hard to beat. Produced from '97 through 2001 and there were some differences between the earlies and lates. That motor (no matter the year) is pretty easy to make 50 hp out of, 70+ if you want to spend a lot of money.

Also don't discount the Suzuki DT25 (also 3 cylinder)-originally a 25hp. 

And, the RARE (original) Tohatsu MEGA 25. Weren't very many of them, but there are a TON of 30hp Tohatsu's on the market with "mega 25" cowlings. A real mega is really rare.

The duck hunters (boat racers) have traveled all over the USA and Canada to buy up the 3 cylinder 25's of the different brands. Usually when you find one, it's either (1) immaculate or (2) scrap-and nothing in between.

I forgot that there was also a Johnson Seapro 25, which was supposedly a 3 cylinder. I don't know anything about them. Maybe a well kept secret, who knows.

The newer stuff is going to be all 4 stroke with the exception of the Evinrude (bombardier) 2 stroke, and they are heavy, overcomplicated, expensive pigs. But supposely they run a bit faster than a similar 4 stroke of the same HP.

Tough? hard to beat a Yamaha. They're all pretty good motors now but the Yamaha I rarely see in the shop but for an impeller occasionally, but no major repairs since I think 2007 when I had to put a powerhead on a 25ESH-then later found out that the owner had used it for a bulldozer. At one point they were selling 250-260 25hp Yamaha's a year. They've slacked off as the 4 stroke overtook the 2 stroke motors. Maybe 25 a year now and for that reason they don't keep but a few in stock. The old 25ESH was 105 lbs. The lightest 25hp Yamaha now is 169 lbs, and the older folks especially cannot tilt it.


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## Crazyboat (Sep 9, 2016)

turbotodd said:


> Yamaha 3 cylinder 25hp. Hard to beat. Produced from '97 through 2001 and there were some differences between the earlies and lates. That motor (no matter the year) is pretty easy to make 50 hp out of, 70+ if you want to spend a lot of money.
> 
> Also don't discount the Suzuki DT25 (also 3 cylinder)-originally a 25hp.
> 
> ...




Thanks for the replies all. I figured as much but being out of the small OB market for so long I thought maybe a gem in the pack.

As for older folks not being able to tip them, they sell a "power lifter" which looks like a prybar hook the rear cowling handle and the leverage from this bar make tilting easy peezie


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## turbotodd (Sep 9, 2016)

If you can find any of those, that isn't destroyed or hacked up, grab it. None of them are made anymore. (yammie 25 triple, DT25 Suzuki, Tohatsu Mega 25 or Johnson SeaPro 25). ESPECIALLY the Yamaha. The local duck hunters (aka boat racers) were scouring every barn, every available online resource, every dealer, whether they sold Yamaha or not, trying to find them. I STILL get them a few times a year looking for 'em and they havent' been made in a decade and a half. I don't really like them to be honest (the 25 3 cylinder Yamaha's) as far as their loud, smoky idle, but to each his own. IT does have a lot of torque and as said, is easily modified.


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## JL8Jeff (Sep 10, 2016)

The fastest smaller motor I've had was an 80's Suzuki 25 on a 13' Boston Whaler. I think it was a 2 cyl motor. I had wanted a 30- 40 hp for the boat but in the first season I had it with the 25, I was more than happy with it and ran it for 5 or 6 years with no problems.


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