need advice on used outboard purchase...

[bsteckel]

all good points .. i guess some of these boats were rated at 225 .. i think someone said that '85 was 200, but not sure.

i agree, if the max for my boat is indeed 200, then going beyond that may not be a good idea .. even for 25 hp.

i have no doubt the boat could handle it, especially if some years were rated for 225, not sure what changes could have been made to the hull for this ... maybe no changes were made.

i would be worried that if something happened, i would be sued by some lawyer stating that since i have 25 hp more, that is what caused the accident.

i am not sure what max hp my boat is rated at.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Up to 85 was 200HP max, and 86+ was 225HP max. The main reason for the increase in the max HP rating was the design of outboards changed. Up to 85 there wasn't a lightweight alternative to really get more than 200HP out of an outboard. In 86 OMC came out with the 200/225 loopers. The big V6 loopers from OMC weighed in close to 475-500 pounds, and that YAMAHA is just shy of 400. This is enough of a weight savings to make a difference on a bracket mount application. You can always try it and see how you like it, but I think WHATKNOT has a good balance on his with his YAMAHA he has. The extra HP isn't so much an issue as the extra weight that the big JOHNNY-RUDES pack. Look at it this way, MJ's SEA OX is a beast of a boat and he has a 225 EVINRUDE on it. Now consider the difference in balance and size, yet hanging that engine just as far back with just as much weight. That is a BIG difference in balance.