Your opinion on motors without power trim/tilt...

My Yamaha is a 2019 with that feature. It is also electronic fuel injected and requires no battery. You pull the starter cord once to ignite and pull again to start. I was very skeptical of this feature but it truly works. Sometimes it starts on the first pull. I did a lot of research on motors, did not want a 4 stroke but I am glad I ended up with this one. Very quiet and fuel efficient.
 
One thing I found about PTT. If you live around salt water, they are the first thing to start rusting out, even if you wash them after each dunk. Hard to avoid.
L.
 
Two companies make a handle that is used to help lift outboard motors ( Garelick, and Dotline).
You can look them up to check them out.
 
A boat16 foot with a 25 hp. engine needs pt&t . It is used to trim the boat for best sea conditions not just skinny water. A boat with pt&t plane much better and handle easer , If you are spending the money for a new boat get pt&t you will love it.
 
Years ago, I had a 16' bass boat with a Johnson 30 hp 2 stroke, no PTT. It was very easy to trim up into shallow drive, as easy as my current 25hp 2 stroke merc.
However, it was a console steer boat and it would have been nice to have PTT to adjust trim when running.
My duck boat is tiller steer and I would not want the additional weight of PTT and a large battery in the stern.
So:
IMO, if you are looking at tiller steer boats, stick with no PTT, one less thing to go bad when it needed most.
If its console steer, I'd go with PTT.
 
My Scaup has a manual start, manual tilt on it. It was a noticeable increase in effort to start it over my 15hp Yamaha. The Yamaha, I can reach back and pull start with just my arm. The 25hp takes my whole body. If the gyms open up, I hope to correct that for next season. It balances well enough that I can tilt it just fine. That all said, I hope to upgrade to a 40-50hp, with electric start and tilt/trim. The Scaup is underpowered with the 25, as I ran it WOT most of the time, and rather trim sensitive.

Larry, I would buy what will work for you in 5 years, not what you can handle today. One tweaked back, and you won't be able to use the boat safely?
 
In 1981 I bought a Monark 17 foot bass boat with a 70 hp Evinrude. The salesman offered to add trim and tilt for...I forget how much more $. I decided to skip the additional expense. I had the motor from 1981 till 1998. It was a great motor and ran just as strong the day I sold it as the day I purchased it. I never remember a day that I thought "Wow ..."I'm still glad I did not buy trim and tilt". there were however many days that I thought "That was a stupid idea to not buy the trim and tilt". I know it was a 70 and not a 30 but the trim and tilt will be a valuable tool for where ever you run the boat. I don't believe you will ever find yourself saying "I wish I did not have trim and tilt"
 
I also add that the 1994 Johnson 2 stroke on that bass boat was the smoothest best running two stroke I ever ran. I'd give about anything to have that motor on my current boat!
 
As I get on in years, I go for the comfort angle. Just is nice to press a button to start or tilt the motor. The ol' body doesn't move as well as it did years ago.
 
I bought a new 4 stroke 25 short shaft 2 years ago. I wanted to get power trim/tilt but the marina said they do not make it for the short shaft motor. My daughter uses the both now and then in the summers, so I bought a" power assist lever" from Jamestown Supply. I don't think it was in their catalog but they carry lots of other things if you ask them. The lever, which you attach only when needed, makes it easy to tilt the motor. I attached a small buoy to it in case it ever falls off when being used. I also got a trailer assist unit which is 2 wheels and a trailer ball . It has a long handle like a push lawnmower .This makes moving the trailer, with or without the boat on it,easy to move around the yard or driveway, even for a 76 year old geezer!
 
Capt Rich Geminski said:
As I get on in years, I go for the comfort angle. Just is nice to press a button to start or tilt the motor. The ol' body doesn't move as well as it did years ago.

I subscribe to this in my younger years....why beat up the body when there is something that will make it easier for you?
 
In a similar sentiment to power/trim tilt I used to scoff at those who had electric start motors on their duck boats. More weight with a battery? Not for me... Of course now that I have one I should have done it years ago!
 
Its been a lot years since I was in the marine world. All motors are different , so you will have to shop around. The weight will only make a difference in a small boat. They are well worth the price in sea keeping performance as well as planning speed. It is also much better in skinny water. Hope this helps but any good dealer can explain the benefit . Good Gunning.
 
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