This is probably in the wrong place, but crappie fishing is all I do and the only folks on here I know.

To make a long story short, I have a retired couple friend that bought a 22' pontoon so she could finally get to crappie fish. They bought a lake house and this was the final purchase they needed to fulfill her dream of getting to crappie fish anytime she wanted to.

The guy they bought the boat from verbal told them that he thought the 115 Evinrude was a 2001. (no title - with TPW approval) He would not allow my friend to test drive it on the lake but did start it up for him. My friend decided to buy it. Big mistake. Once he got it home, he found all of the wires cut under the dash. And I mean every wire. Reasoning and I quote "to keep mice from chewing the wires" I rewired it for him and got everything working. He then took it to a retired mechanic who ran serial numbers and turns out the motor is a 1981. The seller said he "gave" the motor to him and just sold him the boat. Regardless, the mechanic did about $1100 worth of work to get it and got it running but without going into the motor. We brought it back to Lake Tyler and I drove it across the lake maybe an 1/8 of a mile and it died.
We took it back to mechanic and he then went into the motor and found that the motor was shot. He offered to give my friend all of his money back but my friend doesn't operate that way.

Needless to say, my friend is embarrassed but wants to go forward from here

The boat is a good boat so he just wants to put a new motor on it. He is already out over $5500 so he doesn't want to just throw in the towel. They are not tech savvy so I am just trying to help them out to get her on the crappie.
I need recommendations on motors between 50 & 85hp (He wants a new motor.) I guess I need a recommendation on a boat dealer in the Tyler area that can be trusted to sell and install a motor.

AND/OR if anyone has a VERY good running motor for sale and definitly not a Honda.

Thanks for listening
Jeff
903-216-7112

Have you looked at the Suzuki�s?

When I was shopping for a new boat recently they were on just about all of them due to the Yamaha shortage coming from overseas. They are also about half the price of a Yamaha.

May look into those.

Thank you, I will check on those.

Never buy a motor without a title for the boat and motor.

90 HP Merc is hard to beat! Bass Pro Shop sells them. iv got a 50 hp Merc on my 21' toon,wish i had the 90HP.

On a 22' toon you need no less than 115 hp.

SHIPS MARINE in Gladewater. JD and Glenn will do you right.

I would use Shipps as your dealership as well.

Service after the Sale, they are good people.

That's what I told him. In fact, I didn't think it could be done thru TPWD, but the lady at the office said it is no longer a problem. But now he has a problem..

Thanks

Thanks to all the replies. I have heard a lot good things thru the yrs about Shipps. I will give them a call. Thanks

Anybody that won't take the boat to the lake for a test drive already knew it wasn't gonna run. Sorry to hear the ordeal but buyer beware!

On an 81�rude probably be easier to just swap the power head out

How can someone look at a 1981 Evinrude and think there is even a possibility it could be a 2001? #mindblown

I would look into a used Yamaha 4 stroke. Those 4 strokes are beasts. Last forever

what he said,..

I wish them luck trying to find a loose motor. I just spent six weeks before I managed to get a 175 Suzuki. Bass Pro told me it would be January before I could get a 150 4 stroke. That was after I had given them a down payment. And from what I've heard, Yamaha is even worse.