It’s one of those unpleasant facts of life, but every outboard motor will one day expire.
Maybe yours has been making noises along those lines. Maybe you’ve noticed a decrease in fuel efficiency. Maybe you’ve had a series of pesky motor repairs that takes your boat out of the water during the peak of the season. Maybe you’ve asked for a surge in revolutions when the conditions needed it … and the motor failed to respond.
Those are just some of the indications that your motors may be getting old. A quick glance at your performance log or recent service bills may confirm your suspicions. Most outboards typically last between 1,000 and 4,000 hours of operation. Depending on how often you use your boat, (and how hard) that usually works out to around ten years.
What to do? If your last name is Rockefeller, Buffett or Gates, no big deal: just trade in the old boat and pick out a shiny new one, right? Most of us do not have unlimited riches. And most of us like the boat we own. So what to do when the motors begin to fade?
Re-powering could be the answer. Atlantic Boats offers a unique, specialized Re-Power Center to help our customers work through the process of re-energizing their boats with all-new power packages.
At first glance, a Re-Power job sounds pretty easy: unbolt the old motor or motors and bolt on the new ones. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple. So to help boat owners understand what is involved, and help them decide if the time is right, here is a short explanation of re-powering.
Is Your Boat a Candidate for a Re-Power?
Here are some questions to ask:
How old is my boat? What condition is it in? Do I really like this boat and would like to get it running like new? Or is it time to look for a new one?
How old are the motor(s) on my boat? If more than five or six years, it is likely you will benefit from upgrading to the newer technologies and features found in today’s outboards.
Can I upgrade my power package? Maybe you have one outboard on the boat now, and would like to consider upgrading to twin outboards. Does your boat have the capacity to handle the extra power?
If you still have a Two Stroke, would your boating experience be enhanced with a quiet, smoke free four-stroke motor?
Answering those questions (and our Re-Power team will walk you through them) may well lead you to the conclusion that it’s time to re-power.
What are the benefits of re-powering?
Fuel economy. Modern outboards are digitally controlled with precise fuel injection. This results in a vast increase in fuel efficiency.
More efficient operation. Today’s lighter, more efficient outboards deliver power and performance when you need it. With the digital controls, you will take advantage of digital throttle adjustment, auto trim, adaptive speed control, and much more. If your current boat still uses cables and pulleys, you will be amazed at the fingertip control the newer generation of outboards can provide.
More power. A new outboard will be noticeably more powerful. Adding twin units (if possible) or a larger single outboard will add even more oomph. Upgrading from a two-stroke to a four-stroke will also improve speed and performance. More power is always good.
Basically, a re-powering program will make your boat like new again. And it will definitely make your boat reliable again. And that should bring you peace of mind when you are out on the water.
Atlantic Boats Inc. is the leading re-power service provider in the Northeast. We do approximately 250 re-powers per year. While we recommend Suzuki motors (as the leading dealer in New England) we also sell and service Yamaha, Mercury and Honda outboards as well.
We offer aggressive pricing, quick turnaround, attractive financing options and a five-year warranty on new Suzuki outboards.
There has never been a better time to consider a re-power for your boat. Please call us at 508-295-8005 or make an appointment to come in and talk about your boat. We’re sure we can work with you to find the best possible way to upgrade your boat’s performance, technology and provide you with additional years of boating enjoyment.
