Old Mercury Outboards

Donie75

hi folks,
I'm directing this mainly at Fergal as he seems to be the resident old merc expert. I'm looking at an old speedboat with a Mercury 50hp (500) blueband. Are these any good and where can parts be bought? Are parts expensive and are they difficult to work one?
Sorry for all the questions.
Thanks!

fergal.b

:D:D:D:D:D Love these engines yep you can still get parts for them and if your local marine shop hasn't got it you can get them on ebay failing that I should have enough parts for a 50hp to keep you going





.

Belfastcolin

Tell me folks, I am changing a small fletcher speedboat (14ft) into a lake boat, anybody know what outboard it would need...? I dont want to take off like a bat out of hell ...also is there any problems with the hull shape using it for a lake/river boat

fergal.b

Belfastcolin wrote: »

Tell me folks, I am changing a small fletcher speedboat (14ft) into a lake boat, anybody know what outboard it would need...? I dont want to take off like a bat out of hell ...also is there any problems with the hull shape using it for a lake/river boat

Something like a fletcher arrowflyte is rated for up to 70 hp I would be happy with a 50 hp and anything down to a 20 hp any smaller and it might look silly on a speed boat from 35 hp up you will be able to pull a skier if you ever wanted. No problem with the hull shape but you have to remember that it's a speed boat and is more stable at speed and can be quite uncomfortable to just sit in and do a bit of fishing if it's choppy.




.

Belfastcolin

It is an early 80s (maybe late 70s) boat, I'm not worried about it looking stupid , I bought the boat and trailer for €200, the trailer is well worth that on its own , it's in good shape so I dont care...I thought it a handy conversion since at 50 my speed boats days and posing days are well over.

We have removed the speed boat fibreglass top and reshaped it , putting it back on with marine bonding Paste to look more like a traditional boat . We have exposed 90% of the hull and are now putting ordinary wooden ( F/Glass covered) seats more suitable for fishing, I live in Leitrim and wouldn't be to fussed on a 20 + hp raking across some of the fishing lakes here...my questions is would a 5 or 10 hp push the boat safely enough, is the V shaped hull, now that it's exposed safe enough for fishing in calm/semi rough waters.... and in general is the project viable.

fergal.b

A 5-10 hp would push it along alright. The top half of these boats were also designed to add strength to the sides of the boat so you might have to add gunnels to get the strength back depending on what you have taken away. Is it viable, for the time and money you are putting into it I think you would be better off buying a little lake boat that's designed to do what you want to do it will make a much more comfortable and safer days fishing.



.

Belfastcolin

...money ? naa fergal..I'm a miserable git, thanks for your help.

fergal.b

I'll keep an eye out for you next time I'm down that way






.

mac1981

Donie75 wrote: »

hi folks,
I'm directing this mainly at Fergal as he seems to be the resident old merc expert. I'm looking at an old speedboat with a Mercury 50hp (500) blueband. Are these any good and where can parts be bought? Are parts expensive and are they difficult to work one?
Sorry for all the questions.
Thanks!

hi there ive had a few blueband 50's an find them a brilliant motor great go from them they pull like a train on a 15ft 'ish speed boat only downside to em is you will need a steady supply of ear defenders as they roar quite loudly at full throttle also stay away from the blueband 50 with distributer setup it will break your balls giving hassle on elec system as they are very finiky and a rare model parts can be hard sourced (distributer model) but over all i like em easy to work on too, the last one i had was on a sims super-v an it clocked at 40 mph at sea was a rocket of a thing