Mariner 150 v/s mercury 225

[Troutkiller2006]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

Hi and welcome.

Really hard to give you a proper answer, since you seem to want two different things. If you stay with the 150 you'll get reasonably good performance from the boat. It will not be a speed demon, but Wellcraft sold these boats with 150's on them for a long time. and a lot of people think it's the perfect balance of weight to performance to fuel economy. Look for about 35 - 45 mph depending on prop, weight, water conditions,, etc.

On the other side of the coin, the 225 is a monster that will put you in the high 50 to 60 mph class, again depending on prop, weight, water conditions, etc. The downside will be considerably less fuel economy, and the extra weight will make your boat squat a little deeper in the rear end. Trim tabs will help a lot in both configurations, but especially with the big boy on the end. Hanging a bracket, especially a flotation type of bracket, will help tons with the added weight.

There are a lot of people on here that can dial in your particular engines and give you pretty accurate estimates of what to expect. My observations are strictly IMHO stuff.

Thanks. You said hanging a bracket would help with the extra weight!? I thought it would make it worse. Sink the stern and raise the bow more?

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by Troutkiller2006

Thanks. You said hanging a bracket would help with the extra weight!? I thought it would make it worse. Sink the stern and raise the bow more?

There are brackets on the market that have extra flotation built into them in order to offset the extra weight of a larger engine. That style of bracket is the kind that I was referring to.

[bgreene]

Can't really make a mistake either way.........so if you want the torque and top end go with the 225. If doesn't matter, take the 150.

One more thing........transom stress will be a lot greater with the 225 - the extra torque and weight a factor if the transom isn't 100 %.

[spareparts]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

There are brackets on the market that have extra flotation built into them in order to offset the extra weight of a larger engine. That style of bracket is the kind that I was referring to.

floatation only works when your sitting still,I want to know how it does when running

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by spareparts

floatation only works when your sitting still,I want to know how it does when running

Agreed, but your trim tabs can compensate for the extra weight in the stern when you're running.

[Troutkiller2006]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

Agreed, but your trim tabs can compensate for the extra weight in the stern when you're running.

My concern is getting on and coming off of plane, the bracket changing the "pivot point" and sticking the prop into the bottom.

[1224bret]

I just finished installing a bracket on mine a few months ago. Granted my boat started life as a I/o but I don't see much of a difference between the way it comes off plane now and how it did before with the 5.7l v8. It drafts the same as it did with the I/o. I installed a 250efi merc that used to be on ridgerunners boat and I love the way the boat handles and gets on plane. Time to plane is probably half of what it used to be. Top end is also over 10mph faster than it was with the v8 I/o. I'd expect you'd get in the low to mid 50's with the 225 maybe faster with the right prop. The bracket does take a little getting used to when it comes to docking if you've gotten used to it without the bracket. My bracket has probably a little more setback than needed also and you can get various lengths of set back. I'm very happy with the bracket and the big motor don't know why anyone wouldn't be.... My vote goes to installing the bracket and using the 225 if you want to put the work into it. However the 150 will push it decent and probably be just as reliable.

[Troutkiller2006]

Originally Posted by 1224bret

I just finished installing a bracket on mine a few months ago. Granted my boat started life as a I/o but I don't see much of a difference between the way it comes off plane now and how it did before with the 5.7l v8. It drafts the same as it did with the I/o. I installed a 250efi merc that used to be on ridgerunners boat and I love the way the boat handles and gets on plane. Time to plane is probably half of what it used to be. Top end is also over 10mph faster than it was with the v8 I/o. I'd expect you'd get in the low to mid 50's with the 225 maybe faster with the right prop. The bracket does take a little getting used to when it comes to docking if you've gotten used to it without the bracket. My bracket has probably a little more setback than needed also and you can get various lengths of set back. I'm very happy with the bracket and the big motor don't know why anyone wouldn't be.... My vote goes to installing the bracket and using the 225 if you want to put the work into it. However the 150 will push it decent and probably be just as reliable.

That's good info. And very encouraging! Do you have trim tabs on that thing? And what kinda mileage are you getting? My 225 is fi also so our numbers should be pretty close. Thanks in advance

[phatdaddy]

you must work for ingles

you can figure around 2- 2.5 mpg with the 150

[Troutkiller2006]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

you must work for ingles

you can figure around 2- 2.5 mpg with the 150

I hate to admit that, lol. I use to work for Northrop Grumman in Gulfport. But Ingalls took it over, screwed it all up and got it shut down. Now I'm in the Pascagoula yard.

2-2.5? That's what I was guessing/hoping for with the 225. It pushes my much heavier, much wider 24' chappy bout 53mph at 1.25 mpg and cruises @ 28 just under 2 mpg.