I have a Crestliner 1650 Discovery with a 60HP Evinrude Etec Tiller on it and I’m thinking of upgrading to a Yamaha F90 Tiller. The boat is rated for 60HP Max but feels underpowered. With an empty boat by myself, I can only get about 30 mph and it and it’s slow getting up on step. Are there any possible problems with doing this upgrade? The Yamaha is 113lbs heavier. Has anybody here done this before? Please share your experiences.
Thanks,
SS1
Considering that the side console version of that hull is also rated at 60hp, I’d say the narrow 58″ chine width could be the limiting factor in supporting the extra weight of the 90, unless you yourself weigh-in on the light side.
I’ll leave the possible insurance & liability conversations to others.
HRG
Are you hitting max rpms??
Have you played with props?
“Only 30 mph?”
That seems awfully good for that size of boat. My 1650 (different brand) holds a 90 but is wider, taller, and looks beefier. Try a different pitch prop if you need a better hole shot.
I over power my Canada portaging boat by 50% with no issues…but I’m going from 4 to 6hp lol
I have that motor( 90 Yamaha) on a 175 competitor and only get about 32 mph.
I’ll leave the possible insurance & liability conversations to others.
Probably won’t find a dealer to install the motor.
No insurance company will cover you.
Not legal to drive on most public waters. (Minnesota)
If you have any kind of accident, you’re screwed.
-J.
I would play with props to get up on plane faster but the top speed is about it. If you want a faster boat you will need to get a new bigger boat.
I have over powered every boat i’ve owned, due to use and personal preference. Never have i had any insurance or licensing issues, and since i took it on myself to mount it, warranty was not an issue either. I had a tree fall on one and it was fully covered regardless of the over powered motor. I did beef up the transom on an 18ft Lowe v jon boat to carry a 90 hp Yamaha, with the rating at 60 hp. I also put a 200 Evinrude on my last 20ft Alumacraft tunnel hull Jon, and added 2 extra factory gussets from the floor ribs to the transom. The local water patrol as well as the local Coast Guard vessels in my area of the Missouri river are both over powered, i have looked at the factory tags on both. The Sherriff’s boat is a Tyee rated at 150, and has a 200, the Guard boat is a Whaler with 2 90hp, rated at 90hp.
I highly suggest you first establish how many rpms you are getting with presnt set up, and then evaluate.
Low 30s on that set up actually doesn’t sound abnormal….. but whole shot and variance in your weight in the boat make it far from a black n white scenario.
I cant recommend over powering it….. more to lose than gain IMO
I have over powered every boat i’ve owned, due to use and personal preference.
Looks like you are in Nebraska. Not sure where the OP is from. But that’s why I bracketed the State of MN. (Also know as the state where nothing is allowed…)
From the Minnesota Boating reg book- See page 36:
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/rlp/regulations/boatwater/boatingguide.pdf
-J.
On a smaller boat it is also not uncommon for the motor to be mounted too deep. However, props and motor mounting height usually only attribute to a couple of miles per hour each. If 34 – 35 makes you more than happy, try this route before investing in a bigger motor.
Maybe see if you can find a 60 H.O. somewhere? It would keep you within the plaque rating, yet provide much more grunt than your current 2-cylinder 60.
https://www.boats.com/reviews/the-outboard-expert-new-evinrude-e-tec-60-h-o/
HRG
I have a Crestliner 1650 Discovery with a 60HP Evinrude Etec Tiller on it and I’m thinking of upgrading to a Yamaha F90 Tiller. The boat is rated for 60HP Max but feels underpowered. With an empty boat by myself, I can only get about 30 mph and it and it’s slow getting up on step
What are you expecting for top end speed with the 60? When you say “about 30” is that just a guess or are you GPSing the speed?
First, is your trim stop set too low so that when fully trimmed down, you’re plowing hard out of the hole becaues the outboard is pushing the bow down. rather than getting up on step quickly? I have showed several people this adjustment and they had no idea what that pin was for or how to set it correctly.
When on plane, are you trimming up properly for maximum speed without cavitation? Or are you just leaving the trim set in one position?
As others have mentioned, is it propped correctly?
Grouse
As other said try a different prop, and go stainless if your looking for hole shot, it made a huge difference on mine.
Just for thought and I see many have suggested it. Prop size does a lot. When I bought my boat it had a 21 pitch prop on it. The hole shot sucked and top end sucked. I went down to a 15 pitch prop and the hole shot is great and gained 10 MPH on the top end. I would not over size the motor for the same reason that others have listed. 30 MPH is not that bad. My 90 on my boat will do 42 MPH empty, loaded (max capacity) is 33 MPH.
Earle, my fishing buddy’s kid has the same boat as you but with a 60hp Mercury (same motor I have on my tiller boat too)
You could reach out to him here, his member name is Andrew Gilberg.
https://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/members/andrewg/
We were just up at LOTW a couple weeks ago with our tiller boats. I believe he hits low 30’s with his rig, mine is similar (33 mph trimmed up WOT with a light load in a 1660 Pro V)
Add a full tank of fuel and a dude or two and it’s drops a few MPH. Mine is a bit of a dog out of the hole too, but it’s a 4-stroke
30 is fast enough for most lakes in Mn-imo
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