Does anyone have any good or bad stories about Mako Skiffs and Mercury Motors?
I am discovering that a boat is really needed to fishore the wonderful inshore waters in our beautiful state. I have been looking for a used small center console for awhile and they are either outrageously priced or all worn out. The Mako/Mercury line up seems to fit my needs and is a tad more affordable in a new boat lineup. This will be my last boat at my age and I would just like to have something dependable for the time I have left on this rock to enjoy a few times a week.
BOBG ; YOU SOUND AS THOUGH YOU’RE SOMEWHERE NEAR MY AGE BRACKET , SO I’M ACTUALLY REFERING TO LONG AGO ( 40 + ) YEARS AGO , THE MERCURY LINE USED TO BE A VERY GOOD , FAST , AND DEPENDABLE MOTOR ( ONCE RUNNING ) THY COULD BE A PITA TO START . AND A LOT OF FISHERMEN SHIED AWAY FROM THEM ENTIRELY FOR THAT REASON… THE MOTORS OF CHOICE THEN WERE EVINRUDES , AND JOHNSONS… I’VE HAD THEM ALL BUT IN TODAYS WORLD MY CHOICE IS THE 4 STROKE YAMAHA OR SUZUKI . HOPE THIS HELPS A LITTLE IN YOUR DECISION ;;; POST UP WHEN YOU DECIDE …
George McDonald
US Navy Seabees,Retired,
MAD, Charleston Chapter
[http://www.militaryappreciationday.org
When you see “Old Glory” waving in the breeze, know that it is the dying breaths of our fallen hero’s that makes it wave.
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I agree on the choice of a Yamaha or Suzuki, but the Mako is only marketed with a Merc. It has been 20 years since I have owned a boat and my last had a Susuki.
Unfortunately those choices of motors take the cost of ownership away as the boats they come on are mucho mas dinero. I would prefer to go new than buy anyone elses “hole” in the water. lol
Hopefully I ain’t as old as y’all. But I figure if I ain’t I’m not far behind.
Yamaha ,Mercury, Suzuki I imagine each one has their own issues. I repowered 4 years ago Suzuki 200 it’s the first four stroke I’ve ever had.
Biggest thing warranty.
Other than changing oil and plugs I’m lost as a blind queer at a weenie roast. when it comes to the motors nowadays.
There are plenty of good boats out there. Mercury would not be my choice of engine. Yami or Suzuki would be it. Just don’t get an Evinrude.
Mercury isn’t inherently a bad engine, there are plenty of stories about all engines. The Yami and Suzuki are much more common in this area. That means there are plenty of dealers to service them, the mobile mechanics know how to work on them and there are plenty of backyard mechanics that do most of their own service work. Those guys, like me, can give plenty of tips.
Mako is sold by Bass Pro/Cabela’s and all they handle is Mercury. They get incredible pricing from Mercury for that.
Brunswick has bought many boat companies and when they do they will only hang Mercury engines. In some areas of the country that works in others it doesn’t.
A great example is Sea Pro boats, they were in Newberry SC. Brunswick bought them and over a short period they phased out Yamaha and Evinrude, and only hung Mercury. A few years later the brand folded primarily because of the lack of engine choices. Some smart folks realized that the Sea Pro name had not been trade marked or registered (or some other legal thing), and they restarted Sea Pro. It’s going strong and is local, they are in Whitmire, an hour north of Columbia. https://seapromfg.com/
You’ll see Sea Pro, Sea Hunt, Pioneer, Key West, Sportsman, Tidewater, Scout and Bulls Bay around the area. All of these are made in SC.
Scout makes a great boat but it’s on the top of the price range. I’m not a Tidewater fan, just too many design issues for me. Bulls Bay is a well made boat with a lower price because they leave off the frills. I’m not a Sportsman fan bu
I have the 17 foot Mako inshore with 115 Mercury, 2001 vintage. I have had very little trouble with this combination. Rebuilt the tilt/trim about 2 years ago. Replaced a starter and fuel line and that’s about it. Some cracking in the gel coat now but it is almost 20 years old. Re-sell value may be lower around the coast due to the Mercury.
i bought a new 17 Mako Skiff that came with a 60 Merc 4 stroke in 2013. Wonderful boat. Had sort of a cathedral double hull. Really ate the chop up nicely. Only thing I had done was put hydraulic steering on it. I sold it in 2018 to a friend of mine who has it now. I never had a problem with the boat or motor. My buddy is having some motor issues now however. The only thing I didn’t like was that the livewell was worthless. Maybe the new ones are better.
Don’t quote me… i always heard they were a plastic boat,not fiberglass. So that was an issue for me. And i think BPS pretty much ruins every boat brand they touch. I bought a CS and pleased.of course they have had some problems but i did my research first… mercury 4 stroke i have a 2013 4stroke 60 on pontoon and its been overall fine… CS has a Suzuki…
Have fun shopping
I have a boat you might be interested in, it’s a 2003 Sea Pro 180CC with a 115 Suzuki (suzuki makes the motor, Johnson makes the crowling) I am going to sell around the 1st of March. I have plans to use it until then, but do your homework, have cash in hand, and I’ll make you a deal in a one owner well maintained boat that isn’t outrageously priced or worn out. Best guess is the engine has 400-500 hours and the gas gauge quit working this summer. Everything else works as it should.
Got a buddy with a 17 Mako Skiff with the 60 Merc 4stroke. About a 2014 model I think. Got it for like 14k and some change from BassPro. Rode great - terrific on gas. Took rough water pretty well. Was a super bait shrimping boat and for fishing - very stabile deck. Can’t speak on how they last but he had not had any problems with his last time we spoke. Was IMO a good value for what you got. Throttle did have a quirk on when it actually started revving up vs movement of the handle. Got use to it shrimping.
Only thing I didn’t care for was not much dry storage. Nice boat other than that.
Good advice in get best you can afford and get serviced nearby where you live. If I got another Center console it would be a Bay style and not the cat bottom and have a Yami.
I have run Merc for decades and got one now and love it. Larger HP I would for sure do some research. Like they say all brands have some models that had quirks.
