Feedback on Yamaha 150 ETLK and Sketer Starfire 150 bass boat.

[VinTin]

Today, 01:19 AM


I have an opportunity to pick up a 1985 boat/motor/trailer combo for $1,000. The motor is the Yamaha 150ETLK and the boat is a Skeeter Starfire 150. The trailer looks like the original trailer. The reason I'm posting this here instead of in the Yamaha/Suzuki forum is because I'd like opinions from other than just Yamaha fans. The motor looks to be in great shape and to the point of even having almost perfect paint on the prop shaft gear housing (foot). The boat too is in good shape but is quite dusty from sitting in an out building. No nesting or damage apparent under the cowling. Transom seems firm. Looks like it has never seen salt water. Engine paint color shows no variation as in being overheated.

Is this a desirable motor?

Dependable?

Known problems?

Fuel hog?

Parts available?



I am an OMC fan and do remember reading about lawsuits where Yamaha reverse engineered OMC outboards and even lost a law suit to OMC over the issue. This looks to me like it could be an OMC copy but I don't know.

Looking over specs found on the web it look like the same block/pistons etc. may have been used on the 175 and 200hp motors. I'm basing this on weights listed.

It is the motor I'm really after for use on a vintage boat and most likely would sell the Skeeter Starfire 150 bass boat.

I may go get it tomorrow. I have also considered just reselling for profit but that is not my main motivation for buying. I'm in the market for a quality motor around this HP.

Public and private feedback welcome.

Thanks,

Dan N.

[XstreamVking]

I'm a merc guy, but it seems to be a regular carbed 2 stroke yammi to me. Prob a fuel hog compared to a new one. Has carbs so will more than likely need to be serviced for crap in carbs. Will also need newer alcohol resistant fuel lines. Parts should be available. If it is a low hrs motor with no compression problems, why not? A thousand bucks won't buy much these days. Sounds like a good deal.

[Bullet 20cc]

As long as compression and leakdown are acceptable and the lower unit is solid...skeg in tact and propshaft not bent, I'd do it. I used to have a pro-v 150 that is pretty much what you have there...4 years of multi-season fishing and not even one repair made...just regular maintenance (water pump, plugs, gear oil changes). That motor convinced me to go Yamaha and never look back. In those years V6's were all the same displacement...150-200hp.

Desirable motor...to a Yamaha outboard collector yes. Dependable...rediculously! Known problems...none. Fuel hog...2 mpg cruise. Parts available...Yamaha rarely builds an outboard from a blank sheet of paper. Each new model is some kind of improvement on the previous model so some parts are still interchangeable. Hpdi's can be converted to ox66's even though they are different displacements...also same mids and interchangeable gear cases as well...just to give you an example. Only major exception to that is the switch to 4 stroke.

You sound like you already have a good idea about the hull condition...so I wouldn't hesitate if the hull is solid.