I need help deciding on a motor.

Hey everyone!
Im brand new here.
My life revolves around the water and a week ago i just purchased a
1957 Powercat 18dc

The boat is super cool and not damaged.
I just have to job of sanding and painting basically but thats a story for another time...

I need help with finding 2 engines for it.
Im staying with 2 strokes but thats about all i care about right now.

I am interested in learning about the Mercury triple stackers
and Yamaha.

I want at least 2x 70-90hp

The problem is also that i do not know what the curb weight is.

I see a few old Merc's out there for sale and they are enticing for me but i don't know anything about them such as finding parts or what models were good or bad.
I do want to make my life as easy as reasonably possible so ease of use and reliability is important.
I do obviously have an interest in style but thats not totally important.

Thank you all for having me! Looking forward to my time here.
Jason Attachment 462457

Welcome to the site. Cool boat. I would look for a pair of 3.5 bore Merc 90s. Good torque and dependable. Not positive which years that would be but I have worked with several over the years and they hold up well. JMO>

Rock

Right on!
im looking but can't find it yet.

I like these two;

2006 Mercury Optimax 90 HP 3 Cylinder DFI 2 Stroke 20"

and,
1966-1967 Kiekhaefer Mercury Merc 950SS Tower of Power L6

I already know Yamaha 85hp's 2 stroke and they are indestructible tanks so thats an option too.

Thank you Rock,
If you think of something else please chime back in.

Thank you for the welcome!

You can't go wrong with the little Yamaha 50, 70, or 90 (light weight). They run forever but I have heard that they don't like salt and have corrosion issues. The ones that I have had were always fresh water pumpers and never once let me down.

Joe

Some of the old yammi's are starting to have parts become nla. Still great lil motors.

The offshore racers over here who were racing in the 1.3 liter class back in the day considered the 90 hp Yamaha the best, followed by the 90 hp Tohatsu.

There is also a 2-cyl 70 hp Tohatsu which is very lightweight.

Finding two used Tohatsus is a different story, though...

Right on!
Thanks for that.
Yea man i agree the late Yamaha 70-90 2 strokes are unstoppable beasts and you always can get parts easily.
I think thats definitely the smart play for my boat but the 60's Mercury "tower of power" 90hp or 110hp or whatever they are, are just so freekin cool.
Thanks bud!

Right on man thank you for all that.
Good education stuff for me, i appreciate it.

That 3.0 looks like way more power than i would need here lol but thanks bud.

Totally agree man
Well i can tell you that im 42 years now and iv been running a 70hp yamaha 2 stroke really hard like 10 hour days teaching waterskiing all summer long in the salt and its still going strong after like... 15 years i wanna say? Never once fresh water flushing them. Just a light clean up at the start of every summer and thats it.
My buddy's boat sank twice! in two years, All the way to the bottom like 30' or so for a few days back like 7-8 years ago now, got it back up and he had twin 85hp yamahas and they are also still going strong today. He just drove it to my house yesterday even.
Unstoppable engines with loads of torque.
Thanks bud!

be sure check on how the boat turns. we had a smaller one and with one person in the boat it would not turn to the right. in fact it would almost flip. the same thing happens when people move while under power. we did not have a duel motor [single]. best of lock.