E-Tec sea trials successful!

[HansB]

Got my boat back today, repowered with a 90HP Evinrude E-Tec. Here are the results of the "get acquainted" ride of about an hour.

Boat: 1997 Smoker 161 ProMag, 16.5-foot aluminum v-hull walleye boat, loaded full of fuel, 3 batteries, PinPoint bow mount, usual "stuff", and driver. Gross weight, probably around 1350-1400 pounds estimate.

Old motor: 1996 Johnson 90HP V4

New motor: 2005 Evinrude 90HP I3 E-Tec

First impression: "Are you sure that's a 90HP? It sure looks awful small." Interestingly it weighs 9-pounds MORE than the old V4 (310# vs 301#). Nice streamlined package. Lower unit looks beefier than the old V4, but otherwise seems much more compact.

Second impression: (Turned the key for just a second.) "Is this thing running? Yep, the tach shows 650 RPMs." At idle the thing is dead quiet. All you here is a slight sound of mechnical "hum", and the splash of the cooling water 'tell-tale'.

Ease away from the dock --- yes, it must be running because we're moving. Still whisper quiet at around 1200 RPMs.

OK, let's cruise.... throttled up to around 3500 RPMs. The boat pops up on plane smoothly/effortlessly and trims out solidly on a moderate chop. "C'mon, are you sure this isn't a four-stroke? Where's the roar?" The sound level is incredibly subdued, a nice solid low pitch throb, but it seems so far away!

OK, lets HIT IT! (Yes, no break-in recommended!).

On the old motor (even when it was new) you scratched and clawed for speed, topping out around 37.5MPH after about 4-5 minutes on a flat-water downwind run, constantly tweaking the trim to avoid porpoising.

As the old guys says on TV "Everyone Loves Raymond" if fond of exclaiming ---- "HOLY dump" ---- The E-Tec ramped smoothly from 3500 to 5500 RPMs in seconds, and the GPS clocked at 45 MPH. "But where's that famous Evinrude howl?" Even wound up to 5500+ RPM, the engine is just a solid "thrum" at a db level that you can easily hold a conversation over.

Acceleration from any speed is smooth and strong without even a hint of hesitation or stumble. Prop is a 13-7/8 X 19P Viper stainless steel. It's amazingly insensitive to over trim, holding the bow nicely up until you overtrim to blowout.

All the above on a modestly windy lake with a confused/irregular chop. I can hardly wait for a nice flat lake to put it through its paces.

Suddenly I'm glad I couldn't afford the four-stroke I wanted!

[vikingmeatwad]

Great motor hans, I can't wait to get out with my buddy and his e-tec this summer.

[Norsky]

I could have swore the E-tec was MORE expensive than the same horsepower fourstroke. How much was it?

[Ryan Berger]

yes how much was it?

[HansB]

$7,800

[Valv]

Hans, you should write to Bombardier (or OMC ) and say exact things you said here, actually "copy and paste" whole thread.

The way you described it it's fenomenal, you actually made ME want to get one...and I've been through a lot of motors.

Wow, what a description, you should get into Writing as career....

[Bobcat45]

Hans good luck on your new motor. It sounds like the new

Etec is a winner. In a couple of years we might be saying, Those old 4strokes were nice, but!

[LocalGuide]

Yep, I have a four-stroke and if I would upgrade to a new motor or get a boat with a new motor I would want a E-Tec on the back.

I heard from my neighbor (Boat dealer, yeah that isn't good lol ) they are a little more expensive than traditional two-strokes but are cheaper than a 4-stroke.

In the 4-stroke you have to change oil, take it to the dealer the fall to store over winter and are a bit heavier. The new E-Tec kicks --- , they have a quiet motor, great gas mileage (better than some 4-stokes), lots of power, and you don't have to take them to the dealer in the fall to fog the motor and get it ready for storage. When you are done, turn the motor off, treat the gas and let it sit. You cant complain about that. I love the new motors they have and really have something going for them. In my mind its like a wanna-be 4-stroke with all the 2-stroke characteristics.