[Thinwaterfishing]

Hello,


I just bought a 2011 Gheenoe LT 25, with everything but a motor. I have heard several opinions on what to put on the back of it - 2 stroke over 4 stroke, 25hp over 20hp, Yamaha over Tohatsu - all valuable feedback. However, I want more.

I have heard that sometimes, the wrong motor on a Gheenoe can cause more difficulty coming to plane, and so on.

Any feed back that can point me to purchasing the right motor helps.


Thank you!

 

[flyclimber]

I usually see Yamaha or Merc 25 hp on the back of those. 2 strokes are becoming incredible rare these days.

 

[Sethsawyer]

I run a Gheenoe classic with a 15hp 2stroke and it takes me about a boat length to pop up on plane. As long as the boat is balanced you shouldn’t have a problem jumping on plane. The Lt25 is a little bigger than the classic. I would get a 25hp two stroke or a new F25 yamaha 4 stroke. Both are light You will get around 30mph by yourself with either. The four stroke is 15-20lbs or so heavier, but then again the gas mileage is better so if you bring less gas then their is no significant weight difference.
2 strokes are easier to fix, lighter
4 strokes are quieter, better gas mileage.

 

[lmborror]

IMO a 25hp Mercury or Yamaha 2 stroke is the best combination of light weight and power for the LT25, but as flyclimber said, they're becoming harder to find, especially in good shape. So if you can't find one or don't want to spend the time looking for a nice one then it narrows your choices down to a 20 or 25hp 4 stroke. From there it just depends on how much you want to spend, what your intended uses are for the boat, and whether you mind the added weight or not.
If you plan to make short runs, with light loads, and expect to pole around a lot, then the 20hp 4 stroke will be more than sufficient. If you run far to get to your spots or will usually load the boat down heavy then you'll probably appreciate that little extra power of a 25hp.

 

[Thinwaterfishing]

Thank you everyone for this valuable advice.

Any opinions on Tohatsu? They are offering a 5 year warranty (vs three years on the Yamaha/Merc). Plus the 20hp Tohatsu is about 20lbs lighter than the 20hp Yamaha and Merc. On top of this, the 20hp is $1000 cheaper than the 25hp of all these models. Lastly, the I heard that the Tohatsu is about 2 years ahead in motor technology than the Mercury (If you did not know, Mercury tillers 30hp and below are Tohatsu engines with different stickers on them).

Sounds like I made up my mind here. Lol.

Any more feedback?

 

[Sethsawyer]

tohatsu's are great and a 20 hp will be more than enough motor. 25 is what the majority of people put on that boat, but If a $1000 and 20lbs on the transom isn't worth a 3-5mph difference in speed then get the 20hp. My classic is not that much smaller than a LT25 and I fly around by myself at around 28mph with a 15hp, and thats with the trolling motor, battery and gear.

 

[Copahee Hound]

My thinking about picking an outboard... who is going to be maintaining it? You or a technician? If not you, what is your local tech certified for or what’s their specialty? A 5 year warranty sounds nice, but I don’t have any techs or dealers around me for Tohatsu services, so I would have to drive a couple hours one way to get warranty work performed. Go with what either you can easily get parts for, or what your favorite local tech services, it’s easier on you in the long run.

 

[noeettica]

Kind of depends on where you are going to run it.

Rivers and near shore I would go for a 20 Hp Yamaha.

If you are planning on "Pushing the Envelope" and running in "Big Salt"
Slight Chop you will want more power , If going on a "Group ride" you will need
40 Horsepower to run in the middle of the "Pack" there are 60's up front and 20-25's
at the tail end ...

 

[Les_Lammers]

Hello,


I just bought a 2011 Gheenoe LT 25, with everything but a motor. I have heard several opinions on what to put on the back of it - 2 stroke over 4 stroke, 25hp over 20hp, Yamaha over Tohatsu - all valuable feedback. However, I want more.

I have heard that sometimes, the wrong motor on a Gheenoe can cause more difficulty coming to plane, and so on.

Any feed back that can point me to purchasing the right motor helps.


Thank you!

I'd get a 20-25 4 stroke that you can have serviced locally. You'll appreciate the quiet running and fuel economy. Electric start and PT&T are worth considering too.

 

[Thinwaterfishing]

I went with the Yamaha 20hp 4 stroke. Reliable, easy to service, quiet. Overall sound engine.

Thank you all for your help!

 

[RunningOnEmpty]

I went with the Yamaha 20hp 4 stroke. Reliable, easy to service, quiet. Overall sound engine.

Thank you all for your help!

That's all you need. Over powered Gheenoe's are silly.

 

[Mangofish]

I went with the Yamaha 20hp 4 stroke. Reliable, easy to service, quiet. Overall sound engine.

Thank you all for your help!

that's a smart move. I bought the 2019 Merc 20 EFI 4 stroke. pull start. 99 lbs, for m new LT 25. top speed is 27 mph alone and with gear. not bad and sips fuel too and if i need to take the engine off, I can actually lift it.
The Merc is so quiet, I don't even need ear plugs. Amazing.

enjoy the LT 25!