Mariner 150 v/s mercury 225

Troutkiller2006 · #1 01-17-2016, 01:41 AM

Hi guys, been reading a lot and lots of great info here. And I'd like you guy opinions if I can get them. Boat is a v20 center console and I'm probably fixing to get it as a partial trade. Not sure but I think it's an 85 and it's in pretty good shape. It has a 150 mariner on it that seems to run fine. But I know nothing about it. The boat I already have is a chaparral 24' wa with a merc 225 offshore that is just a great motor and I know it well. The chappy is a great family boat but my family doesn't get up at 4 am to go fishing with me and it's less than ideal for specks and reds. I like to fish the marsh and a cc is just easier to handle. I don't have room here for two boats and I do have plans to run my merc on a Chris craft seahawk cc I'm gonna spend the next year or two rebuilding. I'm poor so that's how I have to operate, lol.

So what do you guys think, should I put my merc on the v since I gotta strip the chappy and ditch the hull anyway? Or should I run the mariner. Don't know what to expect as far as performance, economy or reliability. I do know I'll run this boat 50 miles out to chandeleur island for big specks and I trust my merc to get me home. But I also run shallow and don't know how low the bigger motor will sink the stern?

Also, I have a bracket that I'm not gonna use cause the seahawk I got already has one. Would love to hang it on tbe v and gain the extra room. No worries doing that with the 150 but is it practical with the 225. I love to go fast and blowing away my buddies hi dollar contender in an old v20 leaving the harbor... Big smiles. But at the end of the day, I'll be out in the northern gulf (MS & LA) fishing

I know this post got long. Sorry bout that and thanks for reading it. Hoping for some long replies. Thanks in advance

Destroyer · #2 01-17-2016, 04:32 AM

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.

kamikaze · #3 01-17-2016, 08:13 AM

If I were you I would run the 150 until it has a problem that not worth fixing while you establish reliability. Skip the bracket (ridge can disagree, but I believe you won't be happy with it on a 20 ft hull) and focus your rebuild efforts on the Seahawk. Besides its easier to recoup investment in V20 if it's running and you can rebuild rig the Seahawk at your leisure.

phatdaddy · #4 01-17-2016, 08:23 AM

Both answers above give good advice. I'm guessing it;s a 25 inch transom and not the notched 20 inch. I'd run the v as is and save the motor you know for your project you know.

Troutkiller2006 · #5 01-17-2016, 09:09 AM

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess my biggest concern is gonna be the reliability/ quality of the mariner. I don't lnow not do I know anyone who know about these motors. I like tbe bracket on a smaller boat for the extra room of the full transom and it's really not that much work. Plus if it works well, I think it will make the boat easier to sell later. When I sell it I will sell it with the mariner, hopefully as a running boat. I can take it off while it's running well and put it back on to sell running well. Shallow water performance with the bracket, especially with the 225, even without the bracket running yhat 225... Those are my biggest unknowns. It does have Bennet trim tabs.

This is probably gonna come down to a flip of a coin, lol.

Worth mentioning, I'm not new to v20's. I love these boats. I have a 92 cuddy cabin with the Johnson sea star 175 that I restored. Great boat! I love it but my dad loves it a little more than I do. It lives with him now

spareparts · #6 01-17-2016, 10:06 AM

The Mariner is the same as a Mercury, what year model is it. I'm tempted to use a 250 Merc on my V as well, but decided to stay with my old Mercury 200(simular to your Mariner). I wouldn't put the bracket on just to take it off later, but I'm interested in how it would do with the bracket

phatdaddy · #7 01-17-2016, 11:37 AM

I ran a. 150 mariner for 20 years on my cuddy. I also used the oil injection system. Lotta bad feelings about the plastic gear on the crank that turns the oil pump. Mine never failed for 1800 hours, my oil alert went out and the tank sensor did not let me know the tank under the cowling was dry. Ultimately , it was my lack of attention that did it in.

One of the biggest issues on that vintage motor is the steering arm. My rotted fairly fast. To replace requires just about complete disassembly of the motor.

Sounds like your comfortable swapping motors around, so I'd do whatever you want to do.
It's only four bolts.

As far as reliability of the merc/mariner. Bout as good as any thing with that many moving parts using hot salt water for cooling.

Troutkiller2006 · #8 01-17-2016, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spareparts

The Mariner is the same as a Mercury, what year model is it. I'm tempted to use a 250 Merc on my V as well, but decided to stay with my old Mercury 200(simular to your Mariner). I wouldn't put the bracket on just to take it off later, but I'm interested in how it would do with the bracket

Thanks for the reply. I wouldn't remove the bracket later. If I put it on I'll build the transom up just like if I'm gonna keep it. And when I seel the boat it will all stay. Only change for the sale would be a motor swap, if I do run the 225.

I don't live in the country anymore. I don't have room here. Not even a shop, just a two car garage. Ole lady don't like the boat parts, jeep parts and motorcycle parts laying around so the bracket can just go with the boat. She even acting like she might wanna park in the garage one day! Smh

Troutkiller2006 · #9 01-17-2016, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

I ran a. 150 mariner for 20 years on my cuddy. I also used the oil injection system. Lotta bad feelings about the plastic gear on the crank that turns the oil pump. Mine never failed for 1800 hours, my oil alert went out and the tank sensor did not let me know the tank under the cowling was dry. Ultimately , it was my lack of attention that did it in.

One of the biggest issues on that vintage motor is the steering arm. My rotted fairly fast. To replace requires just about complete disassembly of the motor.

Sounds like your comfortable swapping motors around, so I'd do whatever you want to do.
It's only four bolts.

As far as reliability of the merc/mariner. Bout as good as any thing with that many moving parts using hot salt water for cooling.

Thanks man. I am comfortable swapping motors around. Always enjoyed building stuff. I am a ship builder by trade so it's kinda what I do... Kinda. I build warships.

I'll prob run a tank or two through the mariner first. See what I think of it. What kinda economy it gets. I might be okay with it. Might come down to a coin flip! I'll probably build a t-top for the boat before anything else. I've never built one before so it will be good to get one under my belt before I tackle what will probably be the last fishing boat I own

Troutkiller2006 · #10 01-17-2016, 01:00 PM

Quote:

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?