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I have a 2004 with a Merc 90 2 stroke that I bought a few months ago. The motor still runs pretty good but it has seen its days. I want to repower with a 90 Yamaha 4-stroke or possibly a 115.
Here's my dilemma, the cost to do this is going to be over $10k with new controls and what not. The boat is otherwise in good shape. There are a couple of hairline cracks on the gunwale port side about 3 inches long, but nothing anywhere else. The steering wheel and steering in general could use some help too. Otherwise a good detailing should make it look almost new.
Anyway, I am weighing just selling the boat outright and buying brand new. not necessarily a whaler but something in the $25k or under range.
First off, is it worth investing into the repower and other minor fixes? I know this is subjective, but what I mean is can I expect a solid 5-10 years more out of this without worrying about other major problems? Is there anything that I should look for or be concerned with? My gut tells me to keep this and I do like the boat, but I want to make a sound informed decision.
The idea of having a brand new Scout 175 Sportfish, or similar sounds enticing. I don't have tons of time or money to keep wrenching on an older boat, so new is appealing.
And finally if I do repower with a 4 stroke, will the added 50 lbs or so be a problem? Will it still perform well with a 90 or should I go to 115? Does adding this weight pose any other issues?
Thanks,
In your shoes, I might ask the Scout dealer what they'd offer in trade for the Dauntless as is. That would be one datapoint.
As for repowering, would you consider another brand? If you went with a Mercury 115 Fourstroke, not only would it be lighter (359 lbs) than the Yamaha 115 but it would also be cheaper. I would think you could put a Merc 115 on your boat for darn close to $8K. That engine has a very good reputation.
No matter which brand you choose for a repower, unless you plan to keep the boat for a long time don't expect to recoup your investment. We repower older boats (not that yours is all that old, though) for the benefits of having the new engine -- not because it makes financial sense, usually.
IMO, as a Dauntless 16 owner for ten years, a 115 HP engine will result in a much better boat. Stern weight with the boat is important. Mine was very happy with a 1999 115 HP Evinrude FICHT engine but unfortunately I don't recall the weight.
If it was my choice I would look into the E-Tec 115HO engine which, though heavier than my old FICHT (I believe), should provide fantastic performance with about 130 HP output.
The Dauntless 16 is probably the best, strongest, safest small boat produced in the past several years. I often regret selling mine to buy a larger Whaler and if I had it back I'd keep it until death interfered.
Scouts are decent boats but not close to on par with Whalers, particularly in the small boat line. They are of conventional construction and offer no special features. A Google search of Scout boats may be worth your time.
