Anyone with experience with 90 hp on Macgregor

[profitt2]

I have an 06 M with a Suzuki 50. My best speed without ballast is 13.5 knots after several prop changes. I am now really wanting to put a ETEC 90 so that I can comfortably cruise at 20 mph. Can anyone give me feedback with regard to this decision and or experience with these more powerful motors.

[jahemk]

If you do a search on 90hp you will find a plethora of discussions on point.

[David Mellon]

I regularly get 18mph with crew and supplies with my ETEC 60, 20 empty. I am sure you can beat 20 with a 90!

[pokerrick1]

The more I see and read about it the happier I am that I have a 2S 60HP ETEC on my Mac. Yes do a search, for sure, and then also PM Hardcrab, who has a 90 on his M - - - he would be glad to tell you about it.

Rick

[Loefflerh]

If 20 mph is "all" you need - and that is a lot of speed for the Mac - consider the Suzuki 70, installed on wedges (30$ extra). Quiet smooth engine, 17 -18mph with full ballast and 21-22 without. Had the Merc Bigfoot 50 before, huge difference!
Hans

[beene]

I think you would get a lot more punch from an Etec 90 vs suzi 70.

2009 Suzi 70:
1500cc
348 lbs dry
5000-6000 ops spec

2009 Etec 90:
1296cc
320 lbs dry
4500-5500 ops spec

2009 Merc 75:
1732cc
399 lbs
5000-6000 ops spec

2009 Honda 90:
1496cc
365 lbs
5300-6300 ops spec



The suzki, like other 4 strokes has a larger head than the etec 90 making it harder to get past getting in and out of the water on an M. About the same with the Honda. The merc is the biggest and hardest to get around.

Another thing with our Mac is the difficulty getting the right prop to hit the ops spec rpm range at wot. Easy when empty, hard when fully loaded. So the lower the spec, the easier it is to get there, the quieter the engine runs since you can run at lower rpms, and possibly better fuel economy.... at least stats support that theory anyways.

If it were me, I would go for the Etec 90 or the biggest ob I could get that would fit back there.... the bigger the better IMHO. Within reason of course. How big is too big? Who knows? For me, Suzi 140 2 stroke sounds good. Not too far from a 4 stroke Merc 115 if you ask me. Like I said, the biggest I could get. These boats handle great at speeds upwards of high 20's mph.

I have no experience with an M over 30.... but would love to try that out.

Then again, I am a wee bit crazy.... to each their own.

When I first tried out my Merc 75 4s with a virgin hull, I was able to hit 30 mph showing on the paddle wheel, no gps at the time, and averaged 28mph ballast empty, 2 adults, 2 kids, 2 anchors w/ chains etc, and only 20L of gas. I can't get over 24mph gps verified now. My hull has been in the water 2 seasons, nil bottom paint, and slowing down as it is not so virgin anymore.

I plan to paint her this year as I don't think I can avoid it any longer. That will probably slow her down some more.

Ideally, I would want an ob that could take the M, fully loaded, empty ballast, bottom painted, at 26-30mph without breaking a sweat.

Hey, I can dream can't I?

G

[Billy]

Ideally, I would want an ob that could take the M, fully loaded, empty ballast, bottom painted, at 26-30mph without breaking a sweat.

Hey, I can dream can't I?

G

I don't have any experience with a 90 or a M, but I've run a Suzi 140-4S for almost 7 years now on my X. No damage to the hull but I try to use common sense.

Here are 2 shots taken of the GPS last week on the Pamlico Sound by a Precision sailor on board. To say the least, I think he was impressed with the Mac. We had sailed across the sound and up South River. We only had about 1 hour of good daylight left to return to the dock. Of course we motored back, as evidenced . . .(note these are kts not mph).


Cruising at about 5000 rpms with mast up, generator, refrigerator, 10 gal. water, 20 gal. fuel, microwave, heater, food & clothes for 5 days, tools, 3 batteries, dive tank & gear, and lots of other junk including an Avon stored in the aft berth. When he commented on the speed, I just smiled and pushed the throttle to about 6300 rpm.


Was it worth installing an engine big enough? I'd do it all over again. Especially since the engine today can be bought for about $7,000 (+prop,etc.).
So go for it, Beene. You'll love it.

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

The motor I have on my X, a Tohatsu 70 / 90 TLDI, was once on an M at BWY. This is the direct 2 stroke competitor to the Etec. It's specs are 1267cc, 315lbs dry, 5150 - 5850 max rpm. The only difference between the 70 and the 90 is the computer control module and the air intake. The air intake on the 70 has a insert in it that reduces the diameter of the intake opening limiting how much air can pass through. I have both computers and air intakes. Of course currently I have the 90 parts installed.

When BWY had this motor on the M they tested it as both a 70 and a 90. They found that unlike the X, the M did not respond to the additional power and went no faster with the 90 than it did with the 70. The rounder hull of the M that makes it a better sailboat puts a cap on the performance it is capable of as a powerboat. This led them to switch the motor out for the one they sell far more of, the 4 stroke Suzuki 70 leaving the Tohastu in a crate for me to aquire used for my X. I've also heard that another dealer in the Bay area did some testing with a 90 on a M and reported that he found the handling to be a handful at high speeds. He felt it was bordering on dangerous.

The flatter hull of the X does a better job with the bigger motor. In my tests this past summer on my heavy loaded for cruising X, I now get 21.4 knots (24.61 mph) at WOT of 5600 rpm. Of course I never cruise at that speed, but I do now get a nice quiet comfortable cruise of 16.3 knots (18.75 mph) at 4500 rpm. The other nice thing with the fuel injected two strokes is they are much more efficient at low rpm's than the old ones with carbs. At 7 knots (hull speed) I get 6 - 7 Nautical Miles per gallon of gas. Note I am running stock Tohatsu 14x11 prop. The motor also has a nice compact power head leaving lots of room on the transom.

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

no complaints here w/ my Tohatsu 90!
works much better than the "stock" Suzi 50 that i had for the first two years.
with a 13 pitch prop and light load i can get to 30mph.
i've opted for the 11 pitch.
these boats need more than a 50 and the lightweight 90's are great for trailering.

if i was in a wet slip i might consider the "new" Honda 90 V-Tec. it's listed weight is about the same as a Suzi 70.

Bob T.
"DāBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

[Mark J]

Suzuki has updated their line-up for 2009. Added a new I-4 DF90 that's lighter than the "old" DF70. I've been very happy with my '05 DF70, but would seriously consider the DF70/80/90 for a new boat. Specs match-up well against the Honda 90. Be interesting to see what becomes the recommended motor from various dealers.

[Gazmn]

I got my E-tec 90 in '06. While I can't boast the speeds that other >50 OB owners boast, I love my 90

The E-tec line is great for those in places where you have to winterize. It's a < 10 min process I do in my driveway. And while I'll have my OB looked over before the '09 season, it has a 3 yr / 300hr no fuss no muss service feature that if I strictly went by I wouldn't bother for another year or 3. I have maybe 60hrs on the motor in 2 yrs, and I'm being generous.

I bought the saltwater edition which at my time of purchase was not available on anything smaller. Nice feature which only changed out a rod or two to stainless but the white OB goes nice with the white hull

I couldn't afford bigger, but if I could I'd have considered it; as I'm still not breaking 20 MPH and I'm not doing anything wrong - I just have a LOT of stuff on board.

I posted somewhere else that, especially if you're buying a used boat or repowering where Hull Warranty is not existant, I'd throw the biggest engine I could afford [under 400#s] on the transom

[delevi]

Duane,

Which dealer are you referring to? There is only one in the Bay Area which is Arena Yachts. I was there about 6 weeks ago and they finally bit the bullet and started installing larger outboards on boats out of warranty. They tested an Etec 90 on an empty 1 person, no gear, no ballast and got 28-30 mph. The Bay has currents which affect speed. Didn't report any handling problems, etc. They also confirmed that the 90 will fit nicely under the captain seat and tilt all the way up without hitting anything. I asked because I saw a shiny new white Etec90 on a stand. I could have sworn my name was on it somewhere

Curious where you heard the other report.

LD TRIPPLE REEFED

[delevi]

Gaz,
still baffled at your lack of speed with the 90. I hit 16-17 kts (18-19 mph) virtually every time (no ballast) and have seen speeds as high as 20 kts, granted probably going with the current. This is an Etec 50. How in the world are you not breaking 20 with the 90?

LD TRIPPLE REEFED

[Gazmn]

Every E-tec installer out here claims I'm crazy. That there's nothing wrong with the motor and that the boat's doing the speed that it should. I've been to 3...

I've somewhat reluctantly had to concede, it is what it is...

A Fat Boat

[beene]

When BWY had this motor on the M they tested it as both a 70 and a 90. They found that unlike the X, the M did not respond to the additional power and went no faster with the 90 than it did with the 70. The rounder hull of the M that makes it a better sailboat puts a cap on the performance it is capable of as a powerboat. This led them to switch the motor out for the one they sell far more of, the 4 stroke Suzuki 70 leaving the Tohastu in a crate for me to aquire used for my X. I've also heard that another dealer in the Bay area did some testing with a 90 on a M and reported that he found the handling to be a handful at high speeds. He felt it was bordering on dangerous.

I just simply do not agree with this at all. When I ran WOT with my virgin M Hull lightly loaded with the 75 back there, I was smokin and the boat wanted more....

She handled great, turned with confidence.... it was a pleasure to pilot.

http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u119 ... 010033.flv

G