TL has it right! I love reading the posts from all the TFFers with high dollar motors. You know $14,500 for a 200 hp ON SALE! You realize that you can buy a nice plain Ford Ranger pickup for the same price.

Sure am glad I have a 1997 Evinrude 115SPL PLAIN JANE add the oil to the gas motor.......no high pressure fuel pump system or ceramic inserts for the cylinders. No platinum spark plugs, no oil tank to break or worry about, regular parts that any marine tech can find locally........ and no problems after about 3000 hours of use. So when it finally does need work I will get it rebuilt and then DIE before I need another "new improved" engine. (just to satisfy the clean water freaks).. Oh and most of my fish were caught either STOPPED or moving at 2 mph. It just takes me 3 minutes longer to cross the lake at 38 mph instead of 55 mph.

This is America.. We can still complain about something but nothing changes..LOL Boatman1 I agree with you. Do we REALLY need boats with 250-300+ hp's on them. Do we really need to go 70+ mph on the water. Geez my cheeks tighen at anything over 50.

I watch the fishing shows on TV and watch the pro's starting at one point and driving 30 miles to fish way down the lake.. Ok,I can understand them wanting to get there as fast as possible. I'm talking us NORMAL ppl that fish.

I would like to have a new 21 ft with 300 HP and all electric everything even an achor and heater in the seats, however I got 72 terry w/50 and no tilt butt when its snowing on it and rain I look out the winder,I still not have to make a payment on it. when I need spark plugs I go to my heighbors and if he not fishin I borrow his plugs, we got a good working relatiomship

Hey Creed,

Just curious, what rig are you running?

I'm running a poor man's rig.

93 18" CC with same year 115 johnson. (I think it is a 93' maybe 95') but eitherway, nice enough for me but still ugly enough to keep the wife away.

AMEN Creed! I've got a 90 Skeeter with a 150 Yamaha. My wife has been in Paradise for 30 years (she says something about paradise being hell but then I go Fishin') now. Bought it 3 years ago from a guy who "just drove it to Church on Sundays" and about $5000 later (including new powerhead) it runs like a sewing machine. My wife and my boat are both on the installment plan

we have been lucky so far. Bought it for $4500 three years ago without any major problems with the boat. But as soon as I hit "add reply", I am sure something will break on it and I will be posting the same type of post. I better hurry and find some wood to knock on.

FYI the plugs for the Mercury 200 optimax (DFI)are $10 buck a piece X 6. No kidding ouch! The plugs for the Yamaha 200hp OX66 are about $2 at the most each.

TL - Heard that loud & clear! Sold my big "bass boat" too! Was just fun fishing and my 14' Alum. V with the 20hp Merc tiller works just fine. Starts on the 3rd pull (if I remember to hook up the gas line) and takes me everywhere I want to go.

Had the old motor checked out a while back and Mark said it's probably good for at least another 20 years as long as I change out the pump impeller every now and then....

Having said that - I do agree with the guys that some parts are just too over priced and it's not just one brand.

It's just thin plastic, right? Like a gasket? If so, just find some similar plastic and an x-acto.