NGC. Whining time....Why are boat outboard motors so expensive???

[bobrebos]

I was thinking of getting a new 30hp motor for my fishing boat (16'aluminum, small old boat)  Was waningt a white Suzuki like below.  4800$!!!!!  Geezzzzz   


https://www.overtons.com/suzuki-30-hp-outboard-motor-model-df30athlw2-354695.html?CAWELAID=120071730000278113&s_kwcid=msnsearch__&msclkid=947fb707488b1dd533aaebd5a432ff12

[Kev m]

HA, you think that's expensive, go price a 300 hp Merc, Rude, Zuk etc. You're probably talking $30k plus for most.

I mean $4800 isn't cheap, but what is that in 1990 or 1970 dollars?

And what are you getting? A very durable, efficient, 4-stroke, probably EFI outboard.

[Toecutter]

Short answer? Because they can be.

I think the fact they are almost entirely "luxury" items for the average consumer, and expense items for professional/business customers is what drives it.

$100 a HP seems to be about ballpark.

I like my canoe.

[Lannis]

Short answer? Because they can be.

I think the fact they are almost entirely "luxury" items for the average consumer, and expense items for professional/business customers is what drives it.

$100 a HP seems to be about ballpark.

I like my canoe.

That may be 100% correct, but the people that I see around here that are towing bass boats with two 250 HP engines on them for a day at the lake are NOT professional/business customers, they're just regular guys out for a day of fishing or a bass tournament.

People COULD run their fishing boats with a 60 HP Toyota car engine with a long shaft sticking out the back and a propellor on the end like they do in Southeast Asia, for $1000 .... but that's not what the demand is for.   

It's only money, and people have no lack of it these days.... especially when it comes to toys like campers, motor homes, bass boats, snowmobiles, Rhino four-wheelers, or (for some of us) our fancy motorcycles!

Lannis

[bobrebos]

Short answer? Because they can be.

I think the fact they are almost entirely "luxury" items for the average consumer, and expense items for professional/business customers is what drives it.

$100 a HP seems to be about ballpark.

I like my canoe.

Yep...think my kayak is going to get more use!  My motor for that just needs some food and water!! 

[s1120]

Ya same "boat" here. I picked up a old 17 footer a handfull of years ago with a bad motor. it turned out to be beyond repair, so been looking for a replacement.. even non runners in the 90-150 range are going for a grand!!!! 

[kirb]

Honda, Yamaha, Mercury...all leaders in the industry. All prices similar.

There would be a line of cheaper mfg if they could make money at it...Suzuki is about as cheap as you are going to find new.

[Rick in WNY]

Why is it expensive? Because BOAT! It means: Break Out Another Thousand!

A big part of the cost is that the R&D expenses in an outboard motor and drive are similar to those accumulated while developing an engine and transmission for a car. Then the level of technology to build them is similar, but slightly higher for the boat since it has to be operable immersed in water vs cars just getting splashed. But the biggest difference is the sales volume you have to recoup the initial investment. A good car engine design will be produced for 10+ years and used in several models with literal millions of them made. Compare that with this little bit o' news...

https://www.ibinews.com/market-intelligence/us-outboard-engine-sales-reached-a-12-year-high-in-2018/33773.article

https://www.statista.com/statistics/199983/us-vehicle-sales-since-1951/

So, in the US in 2018, 278,500 outboards sold versus 17,200,000 automobiles sold.

That's 61.75 automobiles sold vs ONE outboard motor of any size.

I might be wrong... but I doubt I'm THAT wrong.

[bad Chad]

HA, you think that's expensive, go price a 300 hp Merc, Rude, Zuk etc. You're probably talking $30k plus for most.

I mean $4800 isn't cheap, but what is that in 1990 or 1970 dollars?

And what are you getting? A very durable, efficient, 4-stroke, probably EFI outboard.

Indeed, but for under 30k you can get 300hp plus, and get a pretty darn competent car to go with it!  Economy of scale might have something to do with it?

[AJ Huff]

If you could go down to 20HP a Nissan/Tohatsu is half that or less. I've read good things about them. Was my plan once upon a time.

-AJ

[yogidozer]

I don't need any stinking, polluting motors



I also have an electric powered dock, AKA pontoon boat

[Muzz]

People COULD run their fishing boats with a 60 HP Toyota car engine with a long shaft sticking out the back and a propellor on the end like they do in Southeast Asia, for $1000 .... but that's not what the demand is for.   

Lannis

Those things really impressed me. They go really well and save a lot of damage where there are submerged logs.

[pete mcgee]

This might help.
A quick discription of the acronym boat, which most people think is a discriptive word.

B.  Bring
O.  Over
A.  Another
T. Thousand

This also applies to the pricing of any and all ancillary equipment fitted to the acronym in question.

Thank me later.

[bobrebos]

I don't need any stinking, polluting motors



I also have an electric powered dock, AKA pontoon boat

Nice pics....yep might be time for me to get out my old kayak some more.  Lots cheaper!!

[bobrebos]

If it a numbers manufacturered thing Guzzi's should cost $100,000 per unit.

Don't give Moto Guzzi any ideas!   

[yogidozer]

[not-fishing]

I asked a buddy of mine about getting a new engine to replace my '76 2 stroke Johnson.

He said find a used boat with a good engine and buy it then swap outboards and sell a boat.

With the price of a new engine I have to agree -- butt I still am using the old Johnson.

[Penderic]

Boat motors are so much bigger these days.

  Marine gas ain't cheap!


Big ones!

[bobrebos]

Boat motors are so much bigger these days.

  Marine gas ain't cheap!


Big ones!

That's a big enough fishing boat for me I think......

[Aaron D.]

The smaller the boat, the more fun you have.

[Penderic]

Dam. There's those negative waves again!

[Kev m]

If you could go down to 20HP a Nissan/Tohatsu is half that or less. I've read good things about them. Was my plan once upon a time.

-AJ

I almost mentioned those. That's a good suggestion. I remember liking them when working on the Seloc N/T manual.

[Lannis]

Big ones!

My ultimate nightmare "vacation".   A cruise ship docking at some Caribbean port with 4 others, 12,000 people hitting the resort at one time, then hop back on and go to the next one ....

Lucky for me, Fay has zero interest in cruises, for a good reason.   We went on board the USS North Carolina museum ship, docked in the harbor at Wilmington.   At the time, the ship was "silted in" at the harbor so it was actually sitting on the harbor bottom.   As we walked the deck, with the breeze rustling and little waves and catspaws ruffling the harbor water, she stopped and held on to a rail and said "This ship is moving and I'm getting a little queasy." 

Now if there is any object in the world, along with the Pyramids and Ayer's Rock, that is NOT MOVING, it's that battleship.   But just seeing the motion of the water starting getting her a bit 'off'.   

Maybe a bass boat up on plane would be OK for her, though.

Lannis

[LowRyter]

The cruise ships never dock at the same time in Caribbean.  They are on staggered schedules and certainly not risking a collision for simultaneous docking.  Even at the big ports of departure, the ships don't leave together.  And as one can see in the photo, the departure area isn't swarming and overcrowded with tourists which is a typical scene.

I've enjoyed two cruises.  I wouldn't do it every season but every couple of years, particularly when the weather at home is cold and crappy. 

[Lannis]

The cruise ships never dock at the same time in Caribbean.  They are on staggered schedules and certainly not risking a collision for simultaneous docking.  Even at the big ports of departure, the ships don't leave together.  And as one can see in the photo, the departure area isn't swarming and overcrowded with tourists which is a typical scene.

I've enjoyed two cruises.  I wouldn't do it every season but every couple of years, particularly when the weather at home is cold and crappy.

Maybe it depends on the cruise line or location.   My cousins just got back from a cruise and described the opposite of what you're describing.    Their description of the constantly overloaded hot tubs and Jacuzzis, simmering foot-and-ass soup 24-7 was enough for me.  The rest was just eating, sleeping, drinking, and gambling, two of which I don't indulge in, and two of which I can do at home.

I doubt if any activity that involves thousands and thousands of people in an area about the size of the yard I cut every week could ever be enjoyable to us.   More space for you then!

Lannis

[larrys]

They are expensive because that's what the traffic will bear.
For your visual enjoyment. 627 horsepower apiece. $100,000 apiece. Supercharged Cadillac CTS motor. Yeah, baby!
Larry






upload image




Here's the boat. 40' Intrepid. $600,000 without the motors. 53 knots WOT.

[oilhed]

Do they use those engines for anything else?  Tractor, side by side, motorcycle?  If not, why not?  They run for hours at constant RPMs, not ideal duty.

I've had three outboards - Sears Gamefisher (Eska) 7.5, Merc 9.9 & Evinrude 15.  The Eska was the only one to crap out.  The other two I bought used and sold for same price.

[swooshdave]

Why is it expensive? Because BOAT! It means: Break Out Another Thousand!

A big part of the cost is that the R&D expenses in an outboard motor and drive are similar to those accumulated while developing an engine and transmission for a car. Then the level of technology to build them is similar, but slightly higher for the boat since it has to be operable immersed in water vs cars just getting splashed. But the biggest difference is the sales volume you have to recoup the initial investment. A good car engine design will be produced for 10+ years and used in several models with literal millions of them made. Compare that with this little bit o' news...

https://www.ibinews.com/market-intelligence/us-outboard-engine-sales-reached-a-12-year-high-in-2018/33773.article

https://www.statista.com/statistics/199983/us-vehicle-sales-since-1951/


So, in the US in 2018, 278,500 outboards sold versus 17,200,000 automobiles sold.

That's 61.75 automobiles sold vs ONE outboard motor of any size.

I might be wrong... but I doubt I'm THAT wrong.

I believe the other reason for the cost is that they are designed and built to run at constant high rpm. Road vehicles rarely run WOT for miles but how many people jam the throttle open on the boat and go?

[Lannis]

upload image

Perhaps you get a quantity discount when you buy 4 of them at a time?

[bobrebos]

Im investigating Tohatsu Outboard motors now (Old Nissan).  Tohatsu is the oldest Japanese manufacturer of outboards, so maybe the quality is there.....Seem to be better priced than the Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha Outboards....