Stabicraft Repower With F150 Yamaha

[Smithy]

At 2,320 on my hour meter but more like 2,400-2,500 hours as it would stick every 100 till I gave it a big whack my 2005 Johnson four stroke 140 (rebadged Suzuki 140) was diagnosed with low pressure on #3 cylinder and most likely a cracked head and it sounds like it is a common thing for these motors at high hours. After a frantic ring around calling anyone and everyone (Special thanks to Jimmy McKinnon and Gary Dietrich from the forums as well as Scott Hillier as we had a Friday deadline to get me back on the water for a TV shoot with him) I had two offers direct from the outboard distributors themselves but through a dealer of their discretion and one price direct from a dealer himself who had gone to his outboard distributor for a special price. Weighing it all up I decided to go a 2010 F150 Yamaha 4 stroke through Aaron Goodchild of Brisbane Yamaha Burpengary. Thanks to Jimmy for the leg work on setting this deal up. Also being within 10% of the previous horsepower I got through changing the survey ok without having to redo stability recalcs or anything but it still cost me $46 to change my certificate to reflect the new brand, kWs and serial number. Thanks MSQ!

I had also sensed a move by the Mooloolaba mackerel pros away from Suzukis to Yamahas so was pretty happy when the Yamaha deal ended up the best of the lot. I had also just had the clutch rebuilt on the 140 and their gearboxes are susceptible to problems as well. My mobile mechanic had rebuilt the old shark net contractors one and dealt with some other niggly little things on the 90-115-140 Johnuki early models it would seem. That said, guys doing recreational hours shouldn't have a problem and I know of one F150 that did a crank at 60 hours and Craig's from on here which also blew up with bugger all hours but in general I think most people know Yamahas are a pretty safe bet as far as brand goes.

I dropped the boat in Monday, Tuesday was the Australia Day holiday and Aaron was ringing me up smoko time Thursday to come and get my boat out of his yard! This gave me enough time to do an on water test Thursday arvo on the Maroochy river with my back traded 16" high rake Solas propellor thanks to Steve Evans. The fitout was super fast and super tidy with 3xnew digital Yamaha gauges replacing 4xanalogue Bombadier gauges and a compass. A new 6mm plate was welded on the transom thanks to Bluewater Boats across the road from Brisbane Yamaha as my pod was showing signs of stress.

I am up 600ccs and it sure feels like it as far as power goes for only 20 extra kgs on the bum. In the river I pulled 33.5knots up from 28knots top speed and pulled 5,800rpm. WOT I am using 61l/h. It was very sensitive to wind and prop torque but leapt on the plane compared to the 140.

The next day offshore was with Scott Hillier and one cameraman. The boat felt very slappy in the nose, to counter that I had to use full intrim, I then threw heaps of water around wetting the windscreen as a squall went through and it was quite sloppy. I could feel the weight on the back at low planning speed and I was on and off the throttle to keep it on the plance like old school deep Vs at low planing speeds. It was also super sensative to prop torque and heeling over due to the wind and stuff. I wasn't happy with it other than the extra horsepower. That afternoon I put my LZ Lazilas foils on which I like to see how it would go.

The next morning I was out with 3 customers aboard and out of the rivermouth into Mooloolaba bay I gave it a blat as it was dead calm in the bay with SW winds and I still pulled 5,700rpm but I was too busy trimming at that speed to look at speed or fuel flow but I was hooting along. The old boat was back. Handling was how it was with the 140, just I had a lot more get up and go. I reckon my fuel consumption got better too. In the slop without the foils the day before, on and off the throttle into the crap I was getting down into the 0.6Nm/l area. With the foils I was only down to 0.7Nm/l in the rough but normal cruise was 0.8Nm/l or so. In the river testing I was able to get 1.0Nm/l at 20knots for 20 litres an hour but offshore in real conditions I have a ultra slow cruise of 3,300rpm for 19l/h but it is mostly 3,700rpm for 21l/h.

I only have the smallest Bennet trim tabs, the M80s I think. To pop on the plane I use full engine intrim then tab any heel out then use engine trim to set myself up depending on whether it is downsea or upsea. I have found the foils have just made everything happen at a slower pace. They let you keep on the plane at that important speed of 11-13knots in the rough without playing with the throttle too much. They just slowed everything down as without them it felt like heel and trim were on a knife edge. The boat is drier again and I don't feel the weight on the back anymore. So far I am stoked with the 150. They are a nice bit of gear. I think it is quieter and has a meatier roar about it on the plane.

First arvo on the river.

And with the new #1 deckie.

[marlin magic]

Go the yammys i love them they are the pick now i reckon well done smithy looks great and the new deckie wont cost much to pay just fill the dinner bowl :laugh:

[mick fillet]

OOOHHH very nice donk.!!! what prop are you swinging for your offshore work?

I bet your stoked about the deal and how every thing worked out.

[rumrunner]

great post Smithy!

i hope the Yammy works out for ya! looks nice!

cheers Ian

[yoyo]

Nice one Smithy. Did you and Scotty get onto any good fish ??

[dhess]

Nice pup and glad your happy with your new motor.

A mate runs a 150 yammie on his barcrusher and is very happy.

And I have to agree the yammie does sound great, nice and beefy at WOT. His only complaint is it is a bit bumpy and grindy shifting into gear from neutral. Have heard this complaint a couple of times from a few different people.

Have you found this to be the case?

[noname]

i went out with a mate a few days ago, he's got a 685 outsider and a 250 yammy 4 stroke out back, and the bloody thing is a piece of work, as my 15 is noisier and rougher than his. doh. hmmmmm a 150 on the 375 cj, woo hoo. now ya talkin! :laugh:

hope pepp doesn't see this, he'll panic lmao 2x250 suzuki's out back of that big platey. hahahaha.hmmm