[Rwhellmer]

so I’ve tried to get my little project boat up and running now for about six months. It has a 2001 Yamaha fourstroke 50. It’s driving me nuts and I’m ready to repower it. What are some suggestions? Is it worth it? I have 2000 in the boat motor and trailer. Anyone have some advice?

 

[MAK]

Sounds like what I went through a little over a year ago. I purchased a 1520 at a price I couldn’t pass up, at the time thinking it would just be a temporary interim boat to hold me over until I learned the area we had just moved to and decided what I really wanted and needed. Soon after I had major motor problems and had to decide whether to deal with investing in a tear-down just to determine extent of damage and rebuild of unknown cost. Decided to just buy a brand new outboard to power it with the intent of moving to a different skiff at a later date. Suzuki df60
Since then I’ve come to really like the 1520 and am thinking I may just stick with it. Yes, I would prefer a newer and shallower skiff. However, I’m just not sure I can justify spending all that money for very little return in my case. I still haven’t figured out the local fishing and so far a shallower running boat wouldn’t have improved my success. A big plus for keeping the old Key West for me is that I don’t have to baby it and try to keep it pristine like I would a brand new one. I have many times “found” new oyster beds while slowly moving through areas I regularly fish, and always think to myself how glad I am that scraping I’m cringing about isn’t on a new hull...
BTW, I wish mine had a poling platform like yours does. I’ve been hunting one for a year.

 

[Rwhellmer]

That’s super encouraging! I’m actually going to look at some info on Suzuki’s tomorrow. I’ve never had the boat in the water but I feel attached to it haha. I’m exactly the same as far as wanting shallower boat eventually but the truth is the kind of fishing I do, this boat should really suit my needs perfectly! This is definitely what I wanted to hear lol. The polling platform is definitely a nice feature, thank you! If you don’t mind me asking, what did it cost to have it repowered?

 

[MAK]

That’s super encouraging! I’m actually going to look at some info on Suzuki’s tomorrow. I’ve never had the boat in the water but I feel attached to it haha. I’m exactly the same as far as wanting shallower boat eventually but the truth is the kind of fishing I do, this boat should really suit my needs perfectly! This is definitely what I wanted to hear lol. The polling platform is definitely a nice feature, thank you! If you don’t mind me asking, what did it cost to have it repowered?

I actually copied this from a response I made last week about repowering.
I’m out of town and don’t have the paperwork with me but if I remember correctly it was about $5,400-5,500 for the motor with the 3+3 warranty, and then came to about $7,400 total after the install, prop, new controls, new steering cable, etc. I remember the install and labor was not nearly as good a deal as buying the motor outright, but I was headed out of town and wanted to be able to start fishing when I got back the next month...

 

[MAK]

FYI, I get 36-37mph with just me in the boat at WOT. Adding a passenger drops it a few mph.

 

[Rwhellmer]

I actually copied this from a response I made last week about repowering.
I’m out of town and don’t have the paperwork with me but if I remember correctly it was about $5,400-5,500 for the motor with the 3+3 warranty, and then came to about $7,400 total after the install, prop, new controls, new steering cable, etc. I remember the install and labor was not nearly as good a deal as buying the motor outright, but I was headed out of town and wanted to be able to start fishing when I got back the next month...

Sweet. I think if I decide to go new Suzuki will prob be the way I go! Thanks again for the info!!

 

[Backcountry 16]

Sounds like what I went through a little over a year ago. I purchased a 1520 at a price I couldn’t pass up, at the time thinking it would just be a temporary interim boat to hold me over until I learned the area we had just moved to and decided what I really wanted and needed. Soon after I had major motor problems and had to decide whether to deal with investing in a tear-down just to determine extent of damage and rebuild of unknown cost. Decided to just buy a brand new outboard to power it with the intent of moving to a different skiff at a later date. Suzuki df60
Since then I’ve come to really like the 1520 and am thinking I may just stick with it. Yes, I would prefer a newer and shallower skiff. However, I’m just not sure I can justify spending all that money for very little return in my case. I still haven’t figured out the local fishing and so far a shallower running boat wouldn’t have improved my success. A big plus for keeping the old Key West for me is that I don’t have to baby it and try to keep it pristine like I would a brand new one. I have many times “found” new oyster beds while slowly moving through areas I regularly fish, and always think to myself how glad I am that scraping I’m cringing about isn’t on a new hull...
BTW, I wish mine had a poling platform like yours does. I’ve been hunting one for a year.

Any good welding shop can custom make you a platform. I am not sure where you live but if itsi Florida there's are welders everywhere that build quality platforms.

 

[MAK]

Any good welding shop can custom make you a platform. I am not sure where you live but if itsi Florida there's are welders everywhere that build quality platforms.

Yeah, I’ve seen some recommended in Jacksonville about an hour away and am sure there are some in St Augustine and Daytona near me but I’m a cheap bastard
Honestly I’m not sure it will get all that much use. I’ve never even been on one. Hoping to eventually nab one of the cheap ones I see on Craigslist... Have narrowly missed a couple that had the right base measurements.
Thanks for the suggestion. May eventually break down and go that route.

 

[LtShinysides]

1520 was my first boat. Loved it. Had a 60 yamaha 2 stroke and a 55 minn kota. Simple and dependable. Worked well for the family and solo or 2 man fishing trips. Only things added was a stereo and some cheap self adjusting tabs. I would recommend going with a 60 though.

 

[bobber]

Try poling it from the bow before spending on a platform. Worked for me on my 1720 back in the 90's.

 

[bryson]

@MAK that's pretty dang quick with a 60! Those hulls seem to like a little bit of power. My buddy has a 2 stroke Yamaha 90 on his (actually the Hydro Tec kit on a 75), and it really runs well.

Other buddy has one with the 2 stroke Yamaha 60 and it runs really well too, it just takes slightly longer to get on plane.

@Rwhellmer I definitely think a repower is worth it, but I have a lot of love for those hulls. Great all-around boats, in my opinion.

 

[MAK]

I guess I should have qualified that speed by saying on a smooth calm day.
What I don’t like is how it sometimes struggles to get up on plane. By myself it’s great but if I add a passenger beside me it takes a little longer. When I had my nearly 300lb father-in-law down for a visit I think we were in to a half mile to jump up Finally had to make him remember to sit down up on the front platform...

 

[LtShinysides]

I guess I should have qualified that speed by saying on a smooth calm day.
What I don’t like is how it sometimes struggles to get up on plane. By myself it’s great but if I add a passenger beside me it takes a little longer. When I had my nearly 300lb father-in-law down for a visit I think we were in to a half mile to jump up Finally had to make him remember to sit down up on the front platform...

I had same problem when I first got the boat. After putting on the tabs I could get right up with 2 ppl in boat pulling someone on a wake board. I can only imagine how nice it would have been with real trim tabs.

 

[markp1964]

That boat really needs 70 to do it justice . I had one with a 50 and it was a slug but the one I had with a 70 was pretty badazz .

 

[Rwhellmer]

Went today and got a quote for a Suzuki 60. Rigging, installation, etc 7800 for everything out the door.

 

[MAK]

Is

Went today and got a quote for a Suzuki 60. Rigging, installation, etc 7800 for everything out the door.

Is that what you are going to do or are you still just trying to decide?

 

[Rwhellmer]

I’m lean

Is

Is that what you are going to do or are you still just trying to decide?

I’m leaning strongly towards it. Trying to put some cash together and see what I can do!

 

[Rwhellmer]

Is

Is that what you are going to do or are you still just trying to decide?

So I did it. Boat should be done this week. Went with a white Suzuki 60. I’ll post pics of it all finished but here she is when I dropped her off. Not bad for a Hull I have, don’t laugh, about 500 in.

 

[MAK]

Good deal! Hey, even if you decide you don’t like or want to keep the boat, you can just move that Zuke over to a new rig.

 

[Rwhellmer]

Good deal! Hey, even if you decide you don’t like or want to keep the boat, you can just move that Zuke over to a new rig.

Exactly! I’m excited though. I think it’ll be great for me.