Hello,
I've read tons of helpful information on this forum over the years as I've fixed up some older motors. Thanks for the great resource. Now I'm considering buying an 80's Mariner 50 hp tiller motor. It sounds to be in good shape and the price is right if the condition checks out. It would be going on a 14 ft. tri-hull/whaler style boat that belonged to my grandfather and I rebuilt several years ago. In rebuilding I added a lot of weight to the boat with the new transom, floor, seat boxes, etc. - all wrapped in 1708 and epoxy. The motor I currently have is a mid-80's Yamaha made Mariner 30hp and it's always struggled to get the boat on plane with a decent load - even with hydrofoil, trim tabs, different props, etc. I'm hoping the 50hp I'm considering might be a good fit.
The motor is over 6hrs drive from me and I'm trying to do my homework before making the trip. The seller says it's a 3 cylinder motor, though it looks consistent with 4 cylinder motors from the mid 80's - he may not have checked I guess. The serial number is A134499. My main concerns are reliability, weight, parts availability, and having enough power to be an improvement over my current motor.
If anyone can help identify the year and specs of this motor I'd really appreciate it. From everything I've read, the 4 cylinder version is more desirable and a little lighter too.
Thanks in advance!
Chris
I've read tons of helpful information on this forum over the years as I've fixed up some older motors. Thanks for the great resource. Now I'm considering buying an 80's Mariner 50 hp tiller motor. It sounds to be in good shape and the price is right if the condition checks out. It would be going on a 14 ft. tri-hull/whaler style boat that belonged to my grandfather and I rebuilt several years ago. In rebuilding I added a lot of weight to the boat with the new transom, floor, seat boxes, etc. - all wrapped in 1708 and epoxy. The motor I currently have is a mid-80's Yamaha made Mariner 30hp and it's always struggled to get the boat on plane with a decent load - even with hydrofoil, trim tabs, different props, etc. I'm hoping the 50hp I'm considering might be a good fit.
The motor is over 6hrs drive from me and I'm trying to do my homework before making the trip. The seller says it's a 3 cylinder motor, though it looks consistent with 4 cylinder motors from the mid 80's - he may not have checked I guess. The serial number is A134499. My main concerns are reliability, weight, parts availability, and having enough power to be an improvement over my current motor.
If anyone can help identify the year and specs of this motor I'd really appreciate it. From everything I've read, the 4 cylinder version is more desirable and a little lighter too.
Thanks in advance!
Chris