Optimax or Honda

[paw paw perch]

Thanks for all the comments.

[Bayou Boy]

Down here in south LA. the crabbers, shimpers are all running yamaha or merc. 75% more yamaha than merc. These guys earn a living with these work horses. 50/50 2-stroke or 4 stroke. These motors are running in shallow saltwater. Very silty water and either pulling trawl nets or hauling crab traps, sacks of oysters. Most are mounted on large fiberglass boats or 3/16 homemade alu. hulls.

Just up the road is the Acafly. river spillway. (Basin) Stumps, logs shallow water, water hycids, horrible on outboards. The crawfisherman.Trappers and commical netters are running Merc. opti and Yamaha. 100% on 3/16 alu. hull due to stumps.

These guys earn ther living with these motors. They run them 7 days a week no MERCY.

This is what we use as a ruler, What ever these guys are running you can bet it will hold up to our pleasure fishing and boating needs.

HOPE THIS HELPS

[gonefishingee]

Honda! Only way to go with those two choices. Do not know about the boat.
Lets see, going back to about 1963 checking the facts, I have towed more Mercury motors in then any other motor. That includes Elgin and SeaKing. The runner up would go to Chrysler. Now when they are running I can't catch them.

Of course thats because the sell allot more:D :D

[john h]

sorry i disagree with alot of the people, i wont buy a honda,, ill take an optimax anyday over a honda

[CRAPPIE 123]

I have had an E-tec since last April. Would definitely take a look before i made a purchase.

As far as the boat, triton over fisher.

[Scott S]

Paw Paw, Are you sorry you asked yet? What would be really interesting is to hear from someone who has owned and used both makes of a similar size.
Anyway, wanted to share something I heard at the Honda dealership last Spring.
While buying water impellars for my outboards and visiting with the counter man (who is also a neighbor and friend from our weekend lake place) he stated "as much as I like these Honda's I would not buy a carbureted model". My Honda is EFI so I did not pursue details. I'm pretty sure the 90hp is available both ways, might want to consider this. Sorry I do not have facts to support the quote.
Scott

[paw paw perch]

Thanks for bringing up that point Scott. I know the def. and I did not think to look to see if it is efi or carb. but I will be calling 1st thing in the a.m. That is the the very reason I posted this and that is huge on my list of want and don't. Thank you sir.

[fishdoc]

I've owned a 60hp 4 stroke yamaha for nearly 6 yrs. fished 250 days a yr during that time. would buy another over any other. retired now, so I'll get to fish more, maybe i can wear it out...I'll keep y'all posted.

[boatman44]

If your going 4 stroke go honda, but liked mentioned before if you purchase get the efi model, the high speed jet on the carbs will plug if not used in 30 to 45 days, if I was going to buy two stroke it would defitely be optimax, the smaller e-techs seem to be doing fine in the 60 degree block but if you go with the 90 degree block 175 or upto 250 they are toilet paper. I worked a dealership that sold all 3 brands and thats my input.