Shopping for outboard ?

I stumbled across a good deal on a boat by accident a couple days ago. It’s a mirrorcraft 1756 outfitter. No motor. Boats a diamond in the rough. Spend a few days cleaning it up adding my electronics and trolling motor on it and itll be a gem.
My question is where is a good place to start looking for outboards. Its rated for a 75hp tiller. So I’m looking for a good deal on something between a 50 to 75 without murdering my pocketbook.
I tried searching online a bit but not to much for used comes up. Is there anywhere that I can look for used tiller motors ?

Thought there some used motor dealers in MN seen them advertise on Craigslist.

Look at Tohatsu. Made by Merc (identical except for appearance and price). A guy in hibbing sells them. Dumpy little place but smart guy and great service

I have found it’s easier to focus in on one or two motors that you think you want and search from there. For example I found a handful of Yamaha tillers 50-80hp on Craigslist, two strokes, four strokes, old and new. 2500-6500.

I also found that any shop selling used outboards was about 25-30% more than what I was willing to pay.

Your mileage may vary.

Been looking as well its tough. CL is about your best bet, but I have found a few other marine shops that seem to have a nice supply.

Holmen marine
Warners dock
Boat world East Bethel

Let me know if you stumble upon others. I’m basically looking for a 75 or 90 4 stroke but not a tiller.

New and used outboards are always expensive. Depending on what you’re looking for, you’re probably in the $3,500-$6,000 range…..

Just a thought, keep your eyes open for a beater boat that has been repowered or has a main that is still in nice shape.

You should give CountryView Marine a call. They are in your neighborhood, have always been fair with me, and I know they have some used outboards for sale.

Boaters dream in little falls

Very popular HP range and very difficult to find good condition tiller models in this HP range. Better be ready to move FAST when one comes up.

Not sure how fussy you are on age and HP range. Here’s a nice OMC from the best years of OMC power:

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/bpo/d/prescott-50-hp-evinrude/6860522417.html

Don’t forget to look at the “Boat Parts” category on Craigslist as well as “Boats”. Outboards show up on both, but you may miss some listings if you only search one.

Wade is right, if you’re going to go new, Tohatsu would be a great choice. Otherwise it wouldn’t make sense to buy any other brand new, may as well just buy a whole rig.

Grouse

Thanks guys. I didnt realize it was going to be a popular repower size.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Thanks guys. I didnt realize it was going to be a popular repower size.

The problem is you’re getting into the top end of the normal tiller HP range, so on the used market, I’d guess that about 90% of the outboards you’ll see on the used market in the 50-75 HP range are going to be rigged for console.

Not impossible if you’re not tied to 1 specific brand or HP, but it could be a day or a month or 2 months before the right outboard shows up online at the right price.

Grouse

Wade Boardman wrote:

Look at Tohatsu. Made by Merc (identical except for appearance and price). A guy in hibbing sells them. Dumpy little place but smart guy and great service

I have a 10-yr old Tohatsu I bought new. Never a speck of trouble. I maintain it and I would buy another one.

Sylvanboat wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Wade Boardman wrote:</div>
Look at Tohatsu. Made by Merc (identical except for appearance and price). A guy in hibbing sells them. Dumpy little place but smart guy and great service

I have a 10-yr old Tohatsu I bought new. Never a speck of trouble. I maintain it and I would buy another one.

I’m shooting for more of maxing my boat out with a 75 then dodging it down with a 50 now that I’ve been thinking about it. I’ve spotted a few online that I have to make a few phone calls on

Does tohatsu make anything over a 50 hp

Bearcat89 wrote:

Does tohatsu make anything over a 50 hp

Only up to 250 HP.

https://www.tohatsu.com/outboards/index.html

Grouse

Here are a couple of places to look biggest problem is finding something close enough.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/321195531362375/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/216587062056919/

You could give Holmen Marine in Holmen Wisconsin a call they had a bunch of tiller motors for sale it is the Lacrosse area

If I was in your boat, I’d order a new tohatsu.

Very happy with my kicker tohatsu.
I could’ve bought a 20 yr old merc for the price of a brand new tohatsu. Easy decision.

Kens. Marine in Kaukana, Wi has some nice new Hondas. I bought a 2018 50horse non tiller for $4949.00

Its replacing a 1958 Evinrude Starflite 50 aka the fat fifty on my Sea Ray runabout.

In my opinion the motor is everything. If you’re going though the effort to upgrade make sure you get a good motor. I’d rather fish out of a smaller boat if it meant I could have a 4stk Yamaha tiller… I have a 16′ Aluma as a 2nd boat and it has a 25hp Yamaha tiller. Fishes just as good as the 20′ Ranger. Good luck!

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/bod/d/minneapolis-1999-yamaha-p75tlhw/6863980757.html

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/bpo/d/grand-rapids-2002-yamaha-f50tlha/6847149138.html

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/bpo/d/savage-2003-yamaha-75hp-4-stroke-long/6851038778.html

Any one know any thing about the 2 cycle Yamaha that Joe posted? Are they good motors. I’ve been eyeballing that one now for a few days. If I can get it at a decent price i wouldn’t mind that until i find a 4 stroke. In the next couple seasons

I have a 2000 60 hp Yamaha 2 stroke that I’ve had since 2015 and I haven’t had a single issue with it whatsoever and runs great.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Any one know any thing about the 2 cycle Yamaha that Joe posted? Are they good motors. I’ve been eyeballing that one now for a few days. If I can get it at a decent price i wouldn’t mind that until i find a 4 stroke. In the next couple seasons

A good friend of mine had one on a 2001 Lund Angler. It was a great motor for a two stroke. Started well and had a lot of power. It didn’t carb up too bad and we would back troll for hours.

Bearcat89 wrote:

Any one know any thing about the 2 cycle Yamaha that Joe posted? Are they good motors. I’ve been eyeballing that one now for a few days. If I can get it at a decent price i wouldn’t mind that until i find a 4 stroke. In the next couple seasons

That was the one I was looking at when I responded earlier as well.

Hannay’s has a decent rep. Let us know if you have any luck talking them down. Or maybe you can talk them into tossing on a new impeller and water pump, or throwing in some parts/labor to get you set up with power tilt & trim (assuming your boat doesn’t have it since it doesn’t have a motor.)

I have a 1996 Yamaha Pro 60 on my boat and haven’t had a single issue with it. It would be really hard to beat a Yamaha 2 stroke.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

If I was in your boat, I’d order a new tohatsu.

Very happy with my kicker tohatsu.
I could’ve bought a 20 yr old merc for the price of a brand new tohatsu. Easy decision.

I would do this.Almost think that a 75 is made by Honda?Not much choice in the TLDI line,but that 50 would be the one that I would go with.

On a side note.I would not buy a can of pop from Holmen Marine.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

If I was in your boat, I’d order a new tohatsu.

Very happy with my kicker tohatsu.
I could’ve bought a 20 yr old merc for the price of a brand new tohatsu. Easy decision.

I would do this.Almost think that a 75 is made by Honda?Not much choice in the TLDI line,but that 50 would be the one that I would go with.

On a side note;I would not buy a can of pop from Holmen Marine.

On a side note;I would not buy a can of pop from Holmen Marine.
[/quote]

Who is Holmen marine ?

I have that same exact motor, P75, on my Skeeter since 1998 and only trouble I had was a couple years ago had to replace diaphragm on the automatic choke other than that typical maintenance. Has many hours on it and many hours of trolling. Still runs great.

I did get a quote few years ago on trading it in on a new 75 Yamaha 4 stroke and they were only going to give me $800 on trade in so I just figured I’ll just keep running it.

Those Yamaha’s were about as good as it gets for 2 strokes. Run well and idle down/troll nicely. IMHO

Woody wrote:

I have that same exact motor, P75, on my Skeeter since 1998 and only trouble I had was a couple years ago had to replace diaphragm on the automatic choke other than that typical maintenance. Has many hours on it and many hours of trolling. Still runs great.

I did get a quote few years ago on trading it in on a new 75 Yamaha 4 stroke and they were only going to give me $800 on trade in so I just figured I’ll just keep running it.

I’ll give you a grand ha ha.