need advice on used outboard purchase...

[bsteckel]

what do you think about goin to a 225 ... price is right, but i was told that my max on my boat may be 200?????

[randlemanboater]

The two Mercury outboards I have owned were trouble free, the best, most reliable 2 stroke motors I've ever had.......

The two OMC outboards I owned cost me $200 to fix every trip......

The Johnzuki I have now is even better than the Mercs, no oil to mess with......

[willy]

Bsteckle, this is just from my personal experience, if you have a bracket or are doing a bracket do not put the bigger motors on that boat. They will not sit right in the water, they will not give you any appreciable gain in performance. Brackets all ready provide you with a noticeable gain in performance.
Every V I rode in with a bracket and a heavy motor on the back sat to low in the water in the arse, that is dangerous, that is wet as the scuppers will be below the waterline or so close they might as well be. With a couple of guys and other weight in the boat it will get worse.
The other problem with that is you will be dunking your engine if you come off of plane to quick, or if you fish in anything resembling where I fish in inlets around points etc.
Find a 115 to 150 light weight two stroke, put it on her and it will fly with that bracket, it will ride real nice to with no porpoising and you will not be hearing any gurgling from your engine on the end of every wave set or big boat wake.
Your boat without the heavier cuddy up front will be especially prone to these issues.
Trust me the extra little top end you pick up is no where worth the danger and aggravation you will get with a heavy motor on the back end