Duck boat motor?

[EricParrott]

So we got a brand new 15hp Yamaha 4-stroke (pull start) for our duck boat a few months ago. And the thing just does NOT start or run worth a darn! Pulls hard, takes lots of pulls to start, kills all the time, etc, etc. All with fresh gas, going thru the break-in period, etc. Brought it in and they replaced a fuel injection needle, and said it needs time to warm up. Well, when it’s cold and the wind is howling, or there’s a wounded bird, there just isn’t time to sit & wait multiple minutes for a motor to warm up or worse, have it kill out in the middle of a lake with whitecaps!

So, we’re looking at getting a 15hp Merc. And from what I can tell, Merc doesn’t make a 15hp 2-stroke anymore????

My question is…will a 15hp Merc 4-stroke be better than the Yamaha we already have? Or will the Merc have the same problems like pulling hard to start, long warm-up time, killing on us until it’s warmed up, etc?

ANY help and feedback would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

Sunrise and sunset - if you see them both, it's been a good day!

[chris63]

Fuel and/or air problem with outboard go to a yamaha dealer and check it out no need to buy a new motor again.

[arneb04]

In 2011 I bought a 2001 Merc 4 stroke 9.9 for duck hunting, and at the time it was also my main fishing boat. Since then, I have put over 750 hours on the motor and I have changed the head oil maybe 3 times, and I do the lower unit every year. I do not know how many hours were on it before I bought it, but it was used pretty well. After the first few years I had it, our old 15hp johnson on the bigger duck boat went to crap and we bought a 2004 merc 15hp 4 stroke to replace it based on the luck I had with my 9.9. Essentially they’re the same motor with different carbs. At any rate, we do not have issues with waiting for them to warm up other than right away if it’s below 30, we don’t have issues with the water pump freezing which used to happen to the johnson all the time, in fact these mercs will run muck through them and won’t bat an eye. All in all, we have beat both of our mercs to hell and they just keep on ticking. I finally this year probably need to bring my in to get the carb cleaned because it’s liking the choke a little bit more. I don’t know anything about the yamahas, but I do know these mercs like the back of my hand and I would bet my life on them in the worst conditions.

One Word - HUMMINBIRD
@rdshuntclub

[EricParrott]

Well, we traded the Yamaha in for a new 15hp Merc EFI 4-stroke. BEST CHOICE EVER!!! That Merc fires right off and runs like a champ! It is absolutely perfect.

I got a Yamaha F150 on my fishing boat and it’s rock solid. Never had a single problem with it. But when it comes to small horsepower motors, MERCURY is the way to go!

Sunrise and sunset - if you see them both, it's been a good day!

[Bandersnatch]

Eric!

The 15hp Merc comes in Electric Start versions!!

Yes!! That will be much easier starting!!

(we ain’t gettin any younger!)

I see you already went with the Merc!
The electric start for it can be had as a kit as well!

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