Can you switch outboard brands?

[NELS-BELLS]

I am thinking about buying an older Crestliner with a 90 HP Johnson but I would like to put a different motor on it, like a newer 115 4 stroke. (Mercury, Yamaha, etc) Can you change brands? Some people tell me you cant because it isn't set up for anything but a Johnson. How do they repair the holes in the transom from the old motor? Do controls come with motors?

Nels

[CatManLee]

You can put any brand of motor you want on any boat. Holes in the transom can be filled if they don't match. As for the controls, it depends who is selling you the motor... Some come with them, some don't. If the controls don't come with the motor, you can buy them someplace else...

I have switched brands on boats, and it's not that bad, just takes some time to get everything run through the boat and hooked up.

[bassNspear]

That is correct, you can put anythign you want on the back of any boat, your just going to have to change controls, and gauges in the boat. Does take a long time.