2018... exciting year for repower options...

[captainDH]

also, curious as if any 23 owners have or have plans to hang a 400R merc. that motor weighs the exact same as my current 250 vrod (670 lbs), and available in a 30" shaft....
weight is not the issue.

[kmoose]

Originally Posted by captainDH

also, curious as if any 23 owners have or have plans to hang a 400R merc. that motor weighs the exact same as my current 250 vrod (670 lbs), and available in a 30" shaft....
weight is not the issue.

Not sure why anyone would want the 400r as it only produces it at much higher rpms with staggering fuel burn. Most prefer the 350 vrod for all around performance.

All in all I very happy with Mercury mothballing the boosted vrods for the new naturally aspirated gen 3 as the gen 1&2 were dirty girls to begin with and by 2022 their emissions were going to take them out of the marketplace anyway. It was something they had to do and the sooner the better.

The new gen 3 300s with the Vrod lower are still heavier than the Suzuki 300ap in an apple to apple comparison as they both advertise weight with a 20" shaft with no fluids or props (dry weight). If I was offered the same price for either... I would go with the new Mercury on the opti lower as I am not a fan of the Vrod proprietary steering and electronics. Not because I don't love my 300 AP but because I think Merc really did their homework on this motor and I think there may be some fuel savings but that is yet to be proven.

Unfortunately I have not seen availability dates for the opti lower unit option so until it make it to the water from the website they has not really been a lot of valid comparisons to review.

[Fr. Frank]

Heard a rumor from a Florida FWC officer about Mercury testing a new V8 outboard that is pushing 500+ hp, with a counter-rotating lower unit, and supposedly weighs in at around 700 lbs.
Makes me wonder...

[NoBones]

Edgewater boats was having a dealer conference in New Smyrna Beach
this past week.... Junior snapped this pic of their 43ft with triple
425 Yami's
55K each....

[DonV]

Hey Bones, did ya see the lead time for the new Mercs and Yamahas?? Let me re-phrase that, did you see the lead time for the individual consumer for.....

Looking at six plus weeks!!